Early days and i didnt watch all the games but 5 or so live and the highlights. But got a general feeling overall this weekend was a fair big improvement in officiating in the prem.
A lot of soft things usually pulled up or debated on by var for ages simply ignored and rightly so, contact does not necessarily equal a foul and it is a contact sport after all.
Taylor in the City game was probably stand out letting the hard but fair tackles stand. Ignoring a lot of the dropping to the floor for almost nothing by Grealish and Sterling etc.
Incidents like Takowski goal vs Brighton, fair play the guy bundled over only intention was to block Tarkowski not even looking at the ball, glad the goal stood. Quite a few pen calls that would have been very soft but were definitely given over the last few years including Salahs vs Norwich.
Were still some things you'd like VAR to help with, Chelseas first goal vs Palace, was not a free kick, if theres contact it was a slight brush of the toenail certainly not enough to send Mount? was it down like that. VAR should have overruled it imo.
And corners/throw-ins surely VAR can have a quick word down the mic to the ref in seconds when its clear they've got the call wrong. It takes like 40 seconds for most goalkicks/corners to be taken anyway? Dont wanna slow down quick throw-ins but when theyre not sure id rather them take 5-10 seconds on VAR and get the right call.
Overall though i felt refs tried to ignore the soft fouls and play on and it allowed the game to flow more, not debating every challenge with VAR. Early days but i hope it continues like this and if anything the refs become more braver in ignoring soft contacts and telling players to get up and play on.
Officiating improvement?
posted on 16/8/21
and it should add goals which are the biggest part of the entertainment*.
posted on 16/8/21
comment by merrysupersteve (monitoring the situation) (U1132)
posted 1 hour, 38 minutes ago
I think the officiating was better on the whole. There were a couple of incidents where I felt VAR should have intervened (Brentford's second goal against Arsenal was a foul on the keeper and Tarkowski committed a foul before scoring for Burnley) but aside from that, it was okay.
I don't think VAR actually intervened at all in any of the matches this weekend, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on that. That slightly concerns me, as whilst there were far too many soft penalties and goals being disallowed for nothing last year, I think there has to be a happy medium and they can't be afraid of undermining refs for clearly incorrect calls.
The other thing I noticed was on Bruno's hattrick goal for us, there was definitely a hint of offside. Though they aren't showing the reviews for that now and they are using thicker lines, so that was presumably a correct call and tbh I think it's an improvement on the armpit decisions of the last couple of seasons.
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there was a few, like cresswells goal? i agree on the main point though the officiating seemed a lot better this weekend than we've been subjected to for the last few years.
I agree with robbing the 5 or so games i watched live this weekend in the prem felt a lot better, and i felt a need to give the officials some credit when its due because it felt like a huge step in the right direction.
Whether or not they keep it up consistently idk but hopefully they watched and listened too. Especially to the crowd and commentators reacting in the Spurs City game. How they loved that the hard but fair tackles were allowed to flow. Felt like a mans game again for a bit to me.
posted on 16/8/21
weve got are game back
posted on 16/8/21
comment by Inbefore (U20589)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by merrysupersteve (monitoring the situation) (U1132)
posted 1 hour, 38 minutes ago
I think the officiating was better on the whole. There were a couple of incidents where I felt VAR should have intervened (Brentford's second goal against Arsenal was a foul on the keeper and Tarkowski committed a foul before scoring for Burnley) but aside from that, it was okay.
I don't think VAR actually intervened at all in any of the matches this weekend, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on that. That slightly concerns me, as whilst there were far too many soft penalties and goals being disallowed for nothing last year, I think there has to be a happy medium and they can't be afraid of undermining refs for clearly incorrect calls.
The other thing I noticed was on Bruno's hattrick goal for us, there was definitely a hint of offside. Though they aren't showing the reviews for that now and they are using thicker lines, so that was presumably a correct call and tbh I think it's an improvement on the armpit decisions of the last couple of seasons.
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there was a few, like cresswells goal? i agree on the main point though the officiating seemed a lot better this weekend than we've been subjected to for the last few years.
I agree with robbing the 5 or so games i watched live this weekend in the prem felt a lot better, and i felt a need to give the officials some credit when its due because it felt like a huge step in the right direction.
Whether or not they keep it up consistently idk but hopefully they watched and listened too. Especially to the crowd and commentators reacting in the Spurs City game. How they loved that the hard but fair tackles were allowed to flow. Felt like a mans game again for a bit to me.
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Cresswell's goal was for offside though, where it either is or isn't (in theory). It's with fouls where I'd be concerned they're going to let obvious ones go, to avoid overruling the ref.
posted on 16/8/21
yeah they still dont interfere with free kicks or w.e but in case of going forward the obvious errors like Chelseas free kick goal maybe they could and corners/throw-ins. I mean these usually take long enough to set up and take anyway than whats required for VAR to have a quick review and word in the ear of the ref to overturn it. So its not like its slowing the game down is it?
posted on 16/8/21
Just pleased that it’s all a lot less fussy with minimal delays on the outcome of reviews. To try, and fail, to get 100% of decisions correct rather than stick to the clear and obvious principle was just a mistake.
posted on 16/8/21
the LFC match was not good.
marriner bloew up for every flop by cantwell. Mane did one and was rewarded. Often cantwell actually stopped and begged for any contact and flopped.
he then didn't blow up when pukki slipped (about the only time he didn't)
he booked milner early for a challenge giving no grace at all then failed to book anyone else til cantwell committed a snide pro foul.
Overall he was whistle happy a bit too much.
posted on 16/8/21
comment by Inbefore (U20589)
posted 6 hours, 35 minutes ago
comment by merrysupersteve (monitoring the situation) (U1132)
posted 1 hour, 38 minutes ago
Whether or not they keep it up consistently idk but hopefully they watched and listened too. Especially to the crowd and commentators reacting in the Spurs City game. How they loved that the hard but fair tackles were allowed to flow. Felt like a mans game again for a bit to me.
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If they keep it up the value of Grealish and Sterling is going to plummet. A huge part of their game is the ability to throw themselves to the ground in a convincing manner to win free kicks and pens.
posted on 17/8/21
I dont like they dint show the lines for the tight calls unless I missed it!
posted on 17/8/21
comment by The Goofy One (U16087)
posted 1 hour, 16 minutes ago
I dont like they dint show the lines for the tight calls unless I missed it!
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Totally disagree. Offsides should remain as given on the pitch unless there’s a clear and obvious error. Just requires a ten second look to judge that. If they need to draw lines on the pitch it’s not clear and obvious