A Philosophical Objection to VAR

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I'm still sore over what happened with Leicester because it goes beyond a disallowed goal. I feel the decision robbed us of our naturally earned momentum and gave it to the other team; just as I knew we would win when we scored the second goal, I knew we would lose when the goal was taken away.

I feel that what happened on Saturday has serious long-term implications for the integrity of the sport. Do we now penalise the team that works hard to gain the initiative in the match and turn the fruits of that labour over to the team that sits on its backside for 65 minutes?

What are your thoughts?

When Sheff Utd had their momentum crushed they just kept at it and scored another goal anyway.

Us being shit without the ball is fuck all to do with VAR.
 
I honestly was in favour of it initially, but the way it's being used to scrutinise every aspect of every goal has destroyed the elation of celebrating and now I just feel trepidation when we score.

That’s the crux of it. VAR changes the spectacle of the game.

It can still add excitement, such as the disallowed City goal in the CL last season, but we shouldn’t be celebrating things like that.
 
That’s the crux of it. VAR changes the spectacle of the game.

It can still add excitement, such as the disallowed City goal in the CL last season, but we shouldn’t be celebrating things like that.
Also, that novelty is wearing off now too. The disallowed one against Sheff. U. was castigated by a lot of Spurs fans in the stadium at the time. The goal should obviously have stood. A number of fans did celebrate the chalking off, but a number (including me) didn't. Just didn't feel right. I think there may even have been some Spurs fans joining in the "Fuck VAR" chant after the game eventually restarted.
 
The illusion of precision.


Exactly...using VAR for offside is still open to human error. e.g. Firmino was given marginally offside earlier in the season by VAR. However, I'd contend that whoever was using VAR got it wrong, and did not draw the lines correctly - I think it was the line from the defender's knee (Mings?) to the ground was not long enough because VAR does not have a fully 3D model/view of the pitch, and the VAR person made a mistake.
 
Exactly...using VAR for offside is still open to human error. e.g. Firmino was given marginally offside earlier in the season by VAR. However, I'd contend that whoever was using VAR got it wrong, and did not draw the lines correctly - I think it was the line from the defender's knee (Mings?) to the ground was not long enough because VAR does not have a fully 3D model, and the VAR person made a mistake.

The idea that the camera can freeze-frame on the exact moment of contact with the ball is also the illusion of precision.

But we could do this all day. Ultimately I really appreciate the title of this thread because while VAR is a total mess in many technical ways, what we are dealing with here is not a manufacturing defect, we are dealing with something that is philosophically wrong. It is the wrong answer to the wrong question and will be a poison on the game for as long as it is inflicted.
 
The idea that the camera can freeze-frame on the exact moment of contact with the ball is also the illusion of precision.

But we could do this all day. Ultimately I really appreciate the title of this thread because while VAR is a total mess in many technical ways, what we are dealing with here is not a manufacturing defect, we are dealing with something that is philosophically wrong. It is the wrong answer to the wrong question and will be a poison on the game for as long as it is inflicted.
It is also DEFINITELY a manufacturing defect. Not only is it a very poor idea, it is also procedurally broken.

in other words and to sum up I’d like to say

Fuck VAR
 
VAR is an unwelcome interference that makes it easier to fix games. And if you don’t believe games are fixed then carry on paying your £70 a week and moaning like fuck.
 
Simply this: Football is about scoring goals. Increasingly, VAR is seeming to be about stopping them.

Frankly, I would rather watch a 3-2 game where 4 of the goals might have been disallowed under var than a 1-0 where they were. Im tired, whether at a game, on on telly, of waiting for var to say I'm allowed to celebrate.
 
I think a big issue with VAR is when it is used and interpretation. I thought the penalty against Wolves was harsh but equally I though Adama could have been done for a push on the back of Mendy for the 2nd Wolves goal.

VAR treats football like a science but so much of football is personal interpretation of incidents in relation to the rules. Video replays can’t always solve that and any decision particularly if it is cancelling a goal is always going to be controversial.

At minimum the advantage always has to be given to the goal scoring team, clear and obvious need to be the order of the day and I include offsides in that.
 
Inconclusive...🤔
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Fucking hell. For years all I've heard is people whining about shit offside decisions and conspiracy theories about refs inconsistency ruining football

"all we want is consistency "

We get a system that has pretty much eradicated the incorrect offside decision and now it's

"football isn't supposed to be about consistency"
 
It’s almost as if people realized they prefer narrative and flow to technocratic bullshittery after all.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, when it comes to VAR all you need to do is follow the money.

Americanization masquerading as scientific method. Plain and simple.

I’ve watched a hell of a lot of football over the past week or two and the game now seems to consist of the following events:

1. Falling over.
2. Claiming handball because why not, you might get it.
3. Claiming a red card for everything.
4. Retaking saved penalties because of fractional “encroachment” then resulting in a goal. (In my mind saved penalties are so exceptional they should stand.)
5. Confusion and waiting. Cue two-dimensional renderings of three-dimensional space at, probably, 23 frames a second. I’m still unconvinced of the legitimacy of this.
6. The looming sense that lengthy VAR breaks might
be a fantastic opportunity to present viewers with an advertisement. “This VAR break is brought to you by Coca-Cola. The pause that refreshes.”

American fucking football.
 
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