All true Willo. The whole situation seems to be getting worse rather than better as those responsible try to be more accurate and take longer and longer.
Maybe they should redefine and clarify the parameters and start again.
I like the suggestion that teams have a set number of challenges, as with cricket, which they retain if upheld rather than VAR being automatically involved in offsides.

Last night's game was feisty enough without the VAR involvement - which added to the ill temper. VAR is spoiling a good match.

From my weary old point of view I so much preferred watching football pre VAR. It's not that I was always anti, I hung on to justification that it would eliminate refereeing inconsistencies. It's become a laughing stock.

I read I the paper this morning a quote by Pochettino which I thought sums up the issue perfectly: "I trust in VAR. I trust in the car - but not the driver. That's the problem." Very well put Mauricio.

Howard Webb is supposed to be sorting it out, but what surprises me is that there isn't a much louder voice of opposition coming from within the game.

Willo is quite right when he wrote that watching a game officiated by a mere referee is far more enjoyable.

Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled.

I foresee a situation (Long after I have met my maker) when the game will be controlled purely by technology with a referee NOT making any decisions himself but merely acting on what he is being informed.

Computer says 'Red card', referee is informed to thrust one in the direction of the offender !
All offsides, handballs etc decided by technology with no need for any VAR. Perhaps the whole process will take seconds rather than the elongated process which exists at present !

The issue for me over VAR is the border line decisions. It's supposed to be about clear and obvious errors not measuring to the nearest cm.

If they are going to rule a goal offside because of someone's toe then I think they need to change the offside rule. It can be done in a number of ways but simply put the offside should be clear and obvious. If they did that a lot of the fuss would die away.

Edited by Badger11 (07 Nov 2023 9.39am)

One more point

We must move in different circles Willo , anyone that has spoken of the incident since has agreed with me that it was a foul .Im all for physical contact but two hands in the back was a foul in 1960 let alone the non contact sport we watch in 2023. You can see why the gooners have the hump.

Going back to my previous post though the ref gave the goal which is good enough for me .Just wish that was always the case .

Having watched the highlights, something is worrying me.

The ref gave the penalty, but after the fouled player had got back up and headed towards goal.

If VAR had said no penalty how would the game of restarted, would the Sheffield player get the ball back with a free run at goal??