VAR absence in FA Cup intensifies debate over technology: should we keep it, reform it or remove it? | Soccer News

Retain, reform or delete. We are approaching a crossroads with VAR – and there is a huge debate about how we move forward.

The disastrous officiating of Chris Kavanagh, who has not been appointed to referee a Premier League game this weekend since, and his team in Newcastle’s 3-1 FA Cup fourth round win at Aston Villa perfectly distilled why there is such a division of opinion.

Without VAR in use, the litany of ‘clear and obvious errors’ by the officiating team at Villa Park would normally be seen as an argument for the technology – and it wasn’t the only game when the referee came under fire.

However, there is not a widespread conclusion that this is proof that VAR’s negatives outweigh the benefits.

The big mistakes at Villa Park:

• Tammy Abraham was sidelined before his opener for Villa;
• Lucas Digne clearly handled the ball in the box – but a free kick was awarded;
• The Villa left-back escaped a red card for a reckless foul on Jacob Murphy;
• Dan Burn was offside for Newcastle’s equalizer scored by Sandro Tonali.

Former Tottenham and Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood has told Sky Sports FC that VAR is “here to stay” and believes the existing system needs to be improved rather than aiming for root-and-branch reform.

“It was a great weekend for the people who made the decisions about VAR because they can say, ‘see, I told you’ (because of) these glaring errors.

“I feel like the referee is getting a bit lazy. They almost forget in the FA Cup there is no second chance. Some of the decisions were just mind boggling.”

On the other side of the argument, fans at Villa Park fans were treated to a thrilling game, uninterrupted by lengthy reviews and there was no need for supporters to temper their goal celebrations and wait for a possible check.

Many, including UEFA’s head of referees Roberto Rosetti, believe VAR has become too microscopic and the risk is too far-fetched. “We love football the way it is,” Rosetti said last week. Many feel it is a battle to preserve the essence of football.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who described himself as “torn” at the VAR debate, suggested after Saturday’s win that officials had become too reliant on the technology.

Howe said: “When VAR is there, there is a tendency to think, ‘oh, I won’t give it because VAR is there to check it. Then your decision-making is not as sharp as it normally would be. Maybe there is a difference there.

“I’m always turned on VAR because I love the raw emotion when a goal goes in and you don’t see a flag or hear a whistle and you know the goal is going to stand and nobody can take it away from you.

“But on the other side of that I wished there was VAR for the goal they scored against us – and probably throughout the game.”

VAR errors increased in the first half of the Premier League season – the Key Match Incident Panel found 13 errors, three more than at that stage last season – but the overall accuracy of officials has improved since the technology was introduced six years ago.

Villa boss Unai Emery said after Saturday’s defeat: “Today it makes sense to understand that VAR is needed. It is needed to help the referees.”

The VAR conclusion seems to be: can’t live with it, can’t live without it. So what needs to change?

Alternatives such as the challenges present in cricket are gaining traction as they would potentially stop referees from relying on VAR and limit the number of stoppages in a match.

However, former Premier League official Mark Halsey believes the problem lies with the head of referees Howard Webb and says he should be replaced.

“Webb had three years in the role – and it wasn’t good enough,” Halsey told The Sun. “Everyone has a shelf life and the time has come for him to move on.

“It is no different than when Ruben Amorim or Thomas Frank were fired for poor results. There has been a decline in the standard of service work – and things are getting worse.”

Somehow, a weekend that should have been the perfect advertisement for VAR intensified the debate. The Premier League returns this week and technology will once again be a big focus.

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