Mainz were awarded a penalty this evening after VAR deemed a Freiburg player committed handball. They players were in the dressing room for half time and the ref sent them back out to take it.

no way

I was told on one of the VAR threads we've had on here, that the Germans have had it all season so they must know what they're doing.

Bullsh1t.

Is that actually true??

Bin Ont Turf wrote:I was told on one of the VAR threads we've had on here, that the Germans have had it all season so they must know what they're doing.

Bullsh1t.

As World Cup winners I'm sure they know what they're doing.

I was checking the WH Stoke score on the BBC and this came up

20:48
Madness at Mainz
Unbelievable scenes in the Bundesliga game between Mainz and Freiburg this evening. Mainz are awarded a penalty courtesy of a VAR decision on handball. Only problem was that the half-time whistle had already gone and most of the players were back in the changing room. They are called back out on to the pitch and Pablo de Blasis, after waiting for the Freiburg keeper to arrive, scored from the spot.

To make it even more interesting, both teams are battling against relegation and that goal could take Mainz out of the bottom three and above Freiburg. Madness

tim_noone wrote:As World Cup winners I'm sure they know what they're doing.

On further information reaching my earpiece I distance myself for the above comments.

How close was that to miss of the century!

Full video here for anyone interested in the goings on...

https://streamable.com/8znol" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Key game too - Mainz now above Freiburg on goal difference with Freiburg now dropping into the relegation play-off place in the Bundesliga

I actually think VAR might work well in football, but not the way the authorities are choosing to operate it. For me it should be reliant on an unseen official with access to replays away from the pitch. Aside from the delays you’re asking a hell of a lot of the ref to keep running to the half way line and expecting him to concentrate on a television screen.

It might also be an idea to limit its use to a limited number of challenges from the Captain.

Geoff wrote:Full video here for anyone interested in the goings on...

https://streamable.com/8znol" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks...a definite penalty in Bizarre circumstances

agreenwood wrote:I actually think VAR might work well in football, but not the way the authorities are choosing to operate it. For me it should be reliant on an unseen official with access to replays away from the pitch. Aside from the delays you’re asking a hell of a lot of the ref to keep running to the half way line and expecting him to concentrate on a television screen.

It might also be an idea to limit its use to a limited number of challenges from the Captain.

I can't see how it will ever work well in football when no-one knows what offside is if a player is interfering with play, what hand ball is or what is deemed a foul.

Until there are clear lines in that respect it will never work.

No encroachment when it was taken, has it been stamped out there, or had the Ref said if it was saved it would be half time?

Well that proves to me how ridiculous it would be if we get it in the Premier league.

Of all the debate around VAR, I don't think this comical possibility has ever been mentioned, I wonder what others are out there waiting to be discovered.

The thing about this is, other than it kills the enjoyment of live sport, almost every decision is debatable. It was supposed to be there for a clear, obvious mistake. But once you've got it, it's inevitably going to creep into every decision. That handball, most people would say 'yes' I reckon. But it was very close - the ball is hit very hard. He had his arm out but so does everyone else in the clip. That's how you run.

Other than Maradona in '86 and Henry in that qualifier against Ireland, nearly every call in football has been debated to death. VAR isn't going to change any of that, it's just we get to have the endless debate and replays while everyone sits around waiting for what is still going to be somebody's judgement call.

NottsClaret wrote:Of all the debate around VAR, I don't think this comical possibility has ever been mentioned, I wonder what others are out there waiting to be discovered.

The thing about this is, other than it kills the enjoyment of live sport, almost every decision is debatable. It was supposed to be there for a clear, obvious mistake. But once you've got it, it's inevitably going to creep into every decision. That handball, most people would say 'yes' I reckon. But it was very close - the ball is hit very hard. He had his arm out but so does everyone else in the clip. That's how you run.

Other than Maradona in '86 and Henry in that qualifier against Ireland, nearly every call in football has been debated to death. VAR isn't going to change any of that, it's just we get to have the endless debate and replays while everyone sits around waiting for what is still going to be somebody's judgement call.

Spot on

NottsClaret wrote:Of all the debate around VAR, I don't think this comical possibility has ever been mentioned, I wonder what others are out there waiting to be discovered.

The thing about this is, other than it kills the enjoyment of live sport, almost every decision is debatable. It was supposed to be there for a clear, obvious mistake. But once you've got it, it's inevitably going to creep into every decision. That handball, most people would say 'yes' I reckon. But it was very close - the ball is hit very hard. He had his arm out but so does everyone else in the clip. That's how you run.

Other than Maradona in '86 and Henry in that qualifier against Ireland, nearly every call in football has been debated to death. VAR isn't going to change any of that, it's just we get to have the endless debate and replays while everyone sits around waiting for what is still going to be somebody's judgement call.

It works in sports for objective decisions, such as cricket. I thought, initially, it would be a good idea but it is pure farce and they have to stop using it for subjective decisions.

Nothing wrong with technology, it works perfectly, and quickly, with such as our goal at Watford and (for balance) Lincoln's against us last season. But not this, it will kill it.

yorkyclaret wrote:No encroachment when it was taken, has it been stamped out there, or had the Ref said if it was saved it would be half time?

Yes, the ref had said to the players that there's no follow up. Would have been a strange one if the keeper parried it straight to the taker's feet, and it had gone in around 2 seconds after the initial penalty had been taken.

A full set of bizarre decisions.
A whistle is a whistle.

Its strange that as the teams an officials walked off after the half time whistle that the var team alerted the referee on the handball. Does this mean the var team are actively refereeing the game I thought the referee only called them in if there happened to be an incident he couldn't decide on.

From every decision I have seen referred to VAR thus far then the subsequent deliberation and the time it takes, I personally would prefer it if we continued using a generally slighting balding, fit for his age, bumbling oaf guessing his way through 90 minutes, rather than handing decisions over to this utter nonsense.

RocketLawnChair wrote:From every decision I have seen referred to VAR thus far then the subsequent deliberation and the time it takes, I personally would prefer it if we continued using a generally slighting balding, fit for his age, bumbling oaf guessing his way through 90 minutes, rather than handing decisions over to this utter nonsense.

Exactly. We are moving away from using a generally slighting balding, fit for his age, bumbling oaf guessing his way through 90 minutes to using him anyway, disagreeing with him then referring to a slighting balding, fit for his age, bumbling oaf guessing his way through technology to make the call.

Its going to ruin the World Cup I fear.