Nic, as i have been a ref & then an assessor, ex-players are not suited to be refs(too old). IF, someone wants to become an 'Elite' ref ie: EPL/UEFA/FIFA standard, they will have to start at 14yo & then have to go through all the age groups in their County system & hope they shine & progress up the ladder enough to further their careers. An 'Elite' ref in England has to retire at 54, when i was reffing it was 48, Collina in Italy had to retire at 42.

So, therefore, ex-players are no way suited to become on field refs, putting them in at Stockley Park would work & should be tried, wether the FA/EPL would allow/try it, remains to be seen.

This operation, will make the 'Charge Of The Light Brigade' seem like a simple military exercise.

but it's not Accurate enough. VAR cannot determine the exact point the ball Was kicked.

Currently, if the lines are touching it's Onside. so the same would be for the buffer, if the lines touching the buffer then it's the Onfield decision. I think Fans would accept that. Like they do with Cricket, where more than 1/2 the ball needs to be hitting the wicket, else the Umpire's decision stands.

"It was a Team effort, I guess it took all players working together to lose this one"

Your 2nd paragraph were my thoughts exactly. Questions need to be asked about her statement by other clubs. Could backfire, of course, fingers crossed

Neither do I, in both cases the goalies did not have the ball when they were clattered.

Well Mason, is shelved for a week . But is that because his intervention , has caused massive embarrassment , to the VAR hierarchy .After being chased By Stavely, and her big money backers . More than after all his years in the job not knowing the rules and the evidence of his eyes.?

I appreciate that comment Eagleman for insight however I was not suggesting that ex-players are suited to refereeing.

My comment is a very subjective observation regarding refereeing as I have witnessed in my life. As an example, shockingly in SE London, I went to a school where Palace fans were at a premium yet 'Man U' fans ran rampant. The typical United fan was the one who couldn't even join in playground football due to lack of ability or experience but could however reel you off every team, their captain and manager in the Moldovan 2nd division. That's the impression I get from many a referee at PL level even in this country. They have studied the game academically but do not 'understand' football at it's core and therefore make bizarre decisions based on 'academic' research.

This for me has been further obfuscated by the new and ever changing rules which are determined by those who have no real experience of football, at any level! Hence Bowen being adjudged to have fouled a 6'6 goalkeeper by brushing him with his foot whilst hurdling him (not that I have any condolence for WHU fans) for example, amongst a billion other decisions. Rhubarb!

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!