My take on VAR and last nights decisions

[WBA123]

Firstly, I am in favour of VAR. I think it will help clubs like us who don't get decisions against the top clubs. Last night being the exception obviously! But the decision making needs to be clearer and quicker, I didn't go to the game and watched it in a loud pub and couldn't work out why they were reviewing Dawsons goal or our 3rd goal. Why does the ref need to go to the monitor when there is a video ref who can review it?

Anyway, to get on with the decisions...Every pundit says they got the decisions right but I can't see that...

1. Dawsons offside goal
Barry is tussling with Mignolet when the corner is coming in. At that stage he is NOT offside. Most pundits seem to think he was interfering because of this. He only became active AFTER Dawsons headed the ball. Would Mignolet have saved it had Barry not been there? Hard to say but probably not. Was it a clear and obvious error from the ref? I understand why this decision was made, but I don't agree with it.

2. Liverpool's Penalty
This is the one that really gets my goat. Salah threw himself to the floor theatrically. With the introduction of VAR, anyone who receives the slightest touch in the penalty area can now throw themselves to the ground and appeal for a penalty. This decision sets a precedent for it. I don't want to see every game with 2/3 penalties. This was a terrible decision and let's be frank, Salah dived.

3. Our 3rd goal,
Finally the correct decision

What I will say is that the video evidence needs to be (quoting the FA) "Clear and obvious" that the on field decision not to stand. I thought VAR was to be used for the stonewall penalty that you didn't get or the goal that went in when the striker scoring it was standing 3 yards offside. Effectively the calamity decision which are obviously wrong decisions from the referee. Last nights game were not 'clear and obvious' mistakes, they were marginal decisions. So in my opinion we were wronged, twice last night. Thank God we won or I would have been spitting feathers today!

It can still be modified but I don't want to go to VAR for every goal that is scored in the future. It is obviously new and it needs to be drastically improved.

[holmleighchris]

Whilst Salah's fall was dramatic it can't be overlooked that Livermore did pull his shirt. Didn't brush him, pulled him back. I will be happy to see these silly tugs disappear and with them the "dive". I imagine that any VAR decision that says no contact will see the production of a yellow card against the diver.
As for Dawson's disallowed goal; Barry was half a body offside when Dawson headed it. The footage clearly shows that this is the case. if Barry hadn't followed the ball then maybe he could have been given the benefit of the doubt.
I do query whether half a body is enough.

[Whicka_Mon]

The good thing with it is there is no bias. Letter of the law. No Jose in the refs ear. No old pals act with the ref.
The unfortunate thing as with last night the on field ref will depend on it. Why did he check the Dawson goal which was miles offside?

[Q165]

I think Saturday showed that the game is not ready for VAR. Or at least that system of VAR. There seemed considerable confusion for all concerned, major disruption to the flow of the game and too much time taken reviewing events. it has been unnecessarily rushed into operation. Perhaps it should have been trialled much more rigorously before a general introduction to identify and iron out potential difficulties and problems in it's operation. (Personally I think it ought to be there to spot 'howlers' and things the ref may have missed. Not a means by which every hairline decision can be examined over and over. Leave as much as possible with the ref and his assistants. With the way things are I can see things getting much worse than Saturday)

[boingy]

I'm not a fan of VAR at all. Stopping the flow of a match is always a no,no....we love referees that let the game flow until they HAVE to interfere. I see VAR as a flow stopper. Fans cant celebrate, confusion all around. Salah went down like a sack of spuds but Livermore hardly moved. Did he touch him? Yes, but that happens all the time in the penalty box and referees use their discretion.

[kettering_baggie]

The way VAR was used in our game was horrible. Should only be used for 'howlers'. The ref didn't give a pen originally for the Salah dive, which was a reasonable decision in real time, should not have given a subsequent penalty. the way it is used in cricket for the lbw decisions is the correct model; umpire gives 'not out' and replay shows the ball just clipping a stump, the on-field decision stands, etc., that is how it should be done, other wise its a big 'NO' from me!