The Death of Football, R.I.P.

[Sedgley Gold N Black]

It’s just crazy, the player isn’t even trying to play the ball just fouling Cunha (and then impedes Doc after).

https://twitter.com/x/status/1783231153404514721

 

[Munich_Wolf]

Same for me(my son is 7).

We've decided to knock it on the head and will do a FL 'tour' next season, going to random(!) games at lower league grounds. He honestly can't wait. We'll get a membership so can go.to a few games if we want, but even he is sick of VAR now.

It's terrible to see us losing match going fans and the future of the club but you'll have a better time for it

 

[Ned]

I called this when VAR was first mooted and have never wavered from my belief that it will be the death of the sport. It’s happening. I want to be proven wrong but it’s the new normal now and one that hasn’t brought a single positive to the game and never will. The technology is there, we jumped in head first and there is no tweaking or going back now because if you check for one type of offence then you have to check for others while your at it; we went in with the dial set to full power and can’t turn it down because the damage has been done.

For all those people still on the fence and blaming the use of it rather than the technology itself, please please please do this for me:

Go and watch a few episodes of pre VAR “Premier League Years” or “Football League Classics” on Sky and look at the crowd’s passion and pure ecstasy when goals go in. Then ask yourselves whether or not you celebrate like this any more and whether the atmosphere in the grounds is the same any more. Something so recent shouldn’t be feeling nostalgic, it’s just not right.

 

[Darvo]

The point is VAR is not some AI system or a group of independent experts, it’s simply the same corrupt, biased, incompetent idiots given even more power to interfere with the game. Until you can fix PGMOL, VAR will just continue to make officiating worse.

How do you fix it though?

Unless something clever enough to match the speed of a linesman's raised arm (which we always looked for in the old days) is invented, how can you remove the lingering doubt as to whether a goal is really a goal? Its this that is by far the biggest problem of VAR for me (not the incompetence of the officials or debate over decisions).

 

[Minimalist]

How do you fix it though?

Unless something clever enough to match the speed of a linesman's raised arm (which we always looked for in the old days) is invented, how can you remove the lingering doubt as to whether a goal is really a goal? Its this that is by far the biggest problem of VAR for me (not the incompetence of the officials or debate over decisions).

Just use VAR for penalties and red cards. The game has usually stopped at those points anyway. Everything else go back to instant decisions by on field match officials.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

Anyone still supporting VAR, and saying ‘it’s not VAR, it’s the officials’ DM me later as I have some magic beans to sell you.

The apathy and acceptance of it, by so many football fans, just blows my brain. It’s the single worst thing to ever, ever happen to football. It’s the absolute antithesis of what football is all about.

Unfortunately though the genie is well and truly out the bottle. Football as we knew it is gone. Makes me so angry, but kind of feel we are just screaming into the abyss.

 

[Olivergoldblack]

How do you fix it though?

Unless something clever enough to match the speed of a linesman's raised arm (which we always looked for in the old days) is invented, how can you remove the lingering doubt as to whether a goal is really a goal? Its this that is by far the biggest problem of VAR for me (not the incompetence of the officials or debate over decisions).

Yeah remember when we just used to have a quick glance at the linesman when we scored, flag down, go nuts. Simple as that. No fear it might be disallowed 5 minutes later.

I think they should get rid of it completely now. Leave all the judgement to the on field officials (not perfect I know, but way better than VAR).

 

[thommo1984]

Cunha was fouled, just as he was seconds before the throw when the same player aggressively/recklessly charged at him without an attempt to play the ball.

It was as much self defence, it’s also very debatable if Cunha then even touches him or the player just backs away.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1783240370412749209

It’s ridiculius from Cunha and is a straight red and season over if he connects with Kluivert.

Is it enough to rule out the goal? Absolutely, emphatically nope.

 

[NottsWolves]

Yep, and did anyone really believe that check at the end would mean they’d give the goal? It’s so tedious.

That check at the end was all for show. To make it look like they do proper checks, we all knew it was offside, just full of their own self importance.

 

[Bill McCai]

I heard 40 kids from the Family Enclosure walked out once Atwell disallowed the Hwang header.

 

[woop woop barmy army]

The decision tonight was correct.

Whether we like it or not it was.

If it was the other way around we'd be saying why has he not been sent off. Cunha lashed out at a player who was involved in the build up. It's the correct decision.

We were absolute garbage tonight. That's not down to VAR.

I beg to differ, he was never getting to the ball and closing down his man, it's an off the ball incident. Wasn't a clear and obvious error.

But agree Cunha should have been sent off

 

[DJLWolf]

I heard 40 kids from the Family Enclosure walked out once Atwell disallowed the Hwang header.

This is what is required.

We can debate what we can do as fans till the cows come home, but ultimately all we'll be left with is 'voting with our feet'.

That's all we can do to protest.

 

[WalsallWolf]

The very first game of 2019-2020, when perhaps ignorantly, I didn't even know VAR was a thing, we had a perfectly fine goal away at Leicester chalked out. From that day, Nuno said it would ruin the moments in football matches we love. He was right. I knew in that moment, when I stood in the ground having got a spare ticket, what the **** is this and what the **** have they done to the game. How do we celebrate a goal? My love for football was built on the excitement of the ball hitting the net, sharing the ecstacy with loved ones and equally random ones around me. From that day on, I knew that had been taken away from us. And for what?

Gradually, it has led to where we are at today. Whether it was/is factually the correct decision or not, is a seperate thing. The game now looks for reasons to disallow goals. It scrutines the entire play leading up to a goal. That is not the game I fell in love with. The beautiful game it was once called. It was never called the perfect game and do you know what, debating refereeing decisions was always a talking point after the game. It was part of the 90mins of the emotion of the game. Emotion, something that this has ripped from the game.

I gave up my ST in 2019 (end of first year prem) due to spending more of my retirement in Tenerife, I must have only attended 30-40% of those games and honestly, it seemed disingenuous, especially as others could also have that seat.

So it was that as well as a financial/convenience/Mrs Walsall decision. But make no mistakes, given my sentimental and love for the club and memories, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But if I knew then what I knew now about how the game has become, it's the easiest and most sensible thing I have ever done in hindsight. I loved the 50-60 years or so I've had on the North/South bank watching the beautiful game. But I don't love this. I am grateful for that, that I had that at least. I just feel sorry for say the 20+ age category. Who have had a taste of football without VAR and are now subject to this.

I think a big blame for this is actually Sky/MOTD/pundits. Don't forget all those experts sat there on national TV, lambasting football decisions pre 2019. It led to this. I find them so hypocritical now when they slam VAR.

VAR is going nowhere but I suspect proper football fans are. Thing is, it is shocking full stop. But at least if you are in the comfort of your own home, or watching in a bar/pub/whatever, you know more about what is going on. It is another nod to this all being about Sky/Broadcasting. I'm the ground, you have absolutely no idea what is going on. This WILL lead the dedicated proper football fan away from football grounds, make no mistake. They will walk. They would rather be at home or in the pub watching this. And I think what we will be left with in football grounds is simply tourists and day trippers. And that makes me so sad.

 

[ombyman]

Yep, and did anyone really believe that check at the end would mean they’d give the goal? It’s so tedious.

He was obviously off wasnt he, so it was almost staged for dramatic effect. Pathetic

 

[DJLWolf]

The very first game of 2019-2020, when perhaps ignorantly, I didn't even know VAR was a thing, we had a perfectly fine goal away at Leicester chalked out. From that day, Nuno said it would ruin the moments in football matches we love. He was right. I knew in that moment, when I stood in the ground having got a spare ticket, what the **** is this and what the **** have they done to the game. How do we celebrate a goal? My love for football was built on the excitement of the ball hitting the net, sharing the ecstacy with loved ones and equally random ones around me. From that day on, I knew that had been taken away from us. And for what?

Gradually, it has led to where we are at today. Whether it was/is factually the correct decision or not, is a seperate thing. The game now looks for reasons to disallow goals. It scrutines the entire play leading up to a goal. That is not the game I fell in love with. The beautiful game it was once called. It was never called the perfect game and do you know what, debating refereeing decisions was always a talking point after the game. It was part of the 90mins of the emotion of the game. Emotion, something that this has ripped from the game.

I gave up my ST in 2019 (end of first year prem) due to spending more of my retirement in Tenerife, I must have only attended 30-40% of those games and honestly, it seemed disingenuous, especially as others could also have that seat.

So it was that as well as a financial/convenience/Mrs Walsall decision. But make no mistakes, given my sentimental and love for the club and memories, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But if I knew then what I knew now about how the game has become, it's the easiest and most sensible thing I have ever done in hindsight. I loved the 50-60 years or so I've had on the North/South bank watching the beautiful game. But I don't love this. I am grateful for that, that I had that at least. I just feel sorry for say the 20+ age category. Who have had a taste of football without VAR and are now subject to this.

I think a big blame for this is actually Sky/MOTD/pundits. Don't forget all those experts sat there on national TV, lambasting football decisions pre 2019. It led to this. I find them so hypocritical now when they slam VAR.

VAR is going nowhere but I suspect proper football fans are. Thing is, it is shocking full stop. But at least if you are in the comfort of your own home, or watching in a bar/pub/whatever, you know more about what is going on. It is another nod to this all being about Sky/Broadcasting. I'm the ground, you have absolutely no idea what is going on. This WILL lead the dedicated proper football fan away from football grounds, make no mistake. They will walk. They would rather be at home or in the pub watching this. And I think what we will be left with in football grounds is simply tourists and day trippers. And that makes me so sad.

Fascinating read and completely agree with every word.

It just isn't football anymore is it?!

 

[jrpb-3]

I beg to differ, he was never getting to the ball and closing down his man, it's an off the ball incident. Wasn't a clear and obvious error.

But agree Cunha should have been sent off

That’s the issue. Should it have been reviewed by VAR

Was it a foul? Well Cunha takes a look to see where player is then expecting him to come past him puts out an arm to hold him off, player isn’t as far forward as he thinks so it ends up being a thrown arm going towards head. It’s off the ball and has no real impact on the goal, but on balance a foul and maybe worthy of a yellow.

The real issue is should VAR have got involved. The issue here is there’s very little consistency in what they do and don’t review in similar situations. Seen plenty of potential fouls in lead ups to goal that haven’t even been looked at, and then others that have.

If VAR do get involved then is it a clear and obvious error, if the ref didn’t see the incident then OK reasonable to ask him to take a look and make up his own mind, if he did see it and thought no foul then it’s not a clear and obvious error, again too many inconsistencies in what is deemed clear and obvious. As there is no transparency in the decision making we won’t know if the ref saw the incident or not

 

[Dr Wolfenstein]

Imagine a season without goals. VAR has done its job. Last day of the season, 20 teams in with a shout of the title & 20 keepers contesting the Golden Glove.

 

[Munich_Wolf]

Not going to make a scrap of difference but I've just cancelled my Sky Sports sub and told them why.

I only watched us but VAR has taken the fun out of that too. Will listen to audio comms when I can but that's my TV match viewing done

 

[clivewolves]

I know watching on telly you get more information than being in the stadium, but don't be fooled into thinking VAR has been created for the TV audience. It's just as tedious in another way. Watching three or four minutes of the same replay to find a 'clear and obvious' isn't what I want to see. VAR was created because players, coaches, and yes some fans were moaning about bad decisions and the authorities tried to do something to solve it. But like a game a Whac-A-Mole it just created other problems.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Isn’t football meant to be a form of entertainment?? VAR has taken that joy away

 

[Munich_Wolf]

I know watching in telly you get more information than being in the stadium, but don't be fooled into thinking VAR has been created for the TV audience. It's just as tedious in another way. Watching three or four minutes of the same replay to find a 'clear and obvious' isn't what I want to see. VAR was created because players, coaches, and yes some fans were moaning about bad decisions and the authorities tried to do something to solve it. But like a game a Whac-A-Mole it just created other problems.

I really don't know how anyone, watching on TV or not, can honestly say VAR is a benefit to the game. It's absolutely terrible watching replay after replay and thinking they are going to disallow this/give the pen/send him off (thinking Boly for trees here). I only saw the Brighton home match so didn't get to "enjoy" VAR live, but it must be absolutely soul destroying in the stadium week in week out

 

[tamwolf]

Imagine a season without goals. VAR has done its job. Last day of the season, 20 teams in with a shout of the title & 20 keepers contesting the Golden Glove.

Ironically, this is the highest scoring Premier League season.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

We had a sport so great it was called The Beautiful Game, there was nothing wrong with it, some sides dominated but others were able to compete. Then;

Money became king as the Premier League was formed.
Supporters became secondary and 3:00pm kick off on a Saturday started to become a rarity
Transfer Windows were introduced to restrict player movement and protect bigger clubs with bigger squads
Referees weren't up to scratch so they formed PGMOL to professionalise them - HUGE failure!
They couldn't have clubs outside the big boys threatening the cartel so FFP was "ill" conceived to maintain a pecking order
Referees were getting worse/obvious bias was more scrutinised, so someone invents VAR and lots of brown envelopes later it is introduced and reviled by clubs, coaches, players and fans universally.
The Premier League show total lack of respect to the rest of the League and devalue the FA Cup - this first, finest and oldest competition in this country.
The Champions League expands and nobody cares about the clubs outside of European competition anymore. TV proves it regularly - our win against Brighton in the Cup fails to get a mention on SSN the following morning and last nights game doesn't get acknowledged this morning.
They even think of introducing a Blue Card and a sin bin.

We now have a game where we no longer talk about beautiful goals created by individual or team brilliance, or cliff hanger games where two teams go toe to toe and enthral us with the spectacle we truly love.

We are now force-fed a diet of VAR, PGMOL, FFP, PSR, and will they/won't they point deductions, in a game where the referee's ethic of getting through the game unnoticed was once the mark of a great official to celebrity officials who arrogantly think they are more important that what we have paid to see. Football.

The kids who weren't good enough to play are now reaping their revenge on us.

This sick mutation of the game we all love has sold its soul for TV views and Social Media clicks and likes has left me feeling cheated and a little dead inside. The most important people players and fans have no voice, no opinion, no way of protesting.

As the Waterboys once sang "The Thrill Is Gone!"

 

[ombyman]

50 years time....a contentious VAR decision is decided by the managers playing a game of fifa, broadcast Live at an extra cost obviously

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

I really don't know how anyone, watching on TV or not, can honestly say VAR is a benefit to the game. It's absolutely terrible watching replay after replay and thinking they are going to disallow this/give the pen/send him off (thinking Boly for trees here). I only saw the Brighton home match so didn't get to "enjoy" VAR live, but it must be absolutely soul destroying in the stadium week in week out

It is soul destroying. But they don’t care we aren’t a top 6 club

 

[The Wolf In The North]

Ironically, this is the highest scoring Premier League season.

To be fair, though, 10% of goals scored have been against Sheffield Utd. They're the tide that even VAR can't turn back.

 

[wulfie88]

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

You say that you like VAR, but it is the officials who are terrible. Fair enough, but it is those same terrible officials who are in the VAR room.

You are perfectly entitled to your opinion, but I just can’t understand how anyone can like VAR and what it has done to the game.

I wouldn't say I like it haha! I just hated how it was previously more so.

The issue I have now is that, for example, Forest are fuming with VAR after Sunday. Yet if you remove VAR, as they wish, they still get no penalties. What would be happening if they were denied three penalties (IMO) in a crucial relegation match? They'd have sent out a tweet demanding VAR is brought in.

With us, the majority of our decisions have still been referee mistakes.

Take away VAR, we still don't get a penalty at Old Trafford. Luton still get a terrible penalty against us. Sheffield United and Newcastle both get penalties for dives. Fulham still get a terrible penalty against us.

So, for our injustices, the majority of incidents have been a lack of VAR involvement.

Because VAR is available, people rightly dig them out. However, the main point has to be that without VAR, we were still getting cheated, so that just can't be the solution.

 

[WorcesterWanderer]

If it wasn't my first game I think I'd have left after the second disallowed goal. After seeing it in person myself and joining in on the chant I will say it- **** VAR. Get it out of our sport.

 

[manchesterwolf17]

On the final day of the season, if that exact goal is scored to win Arsenal or Man City the league, is it disallowed? Never in a million years.

As someone else so perfectly illustrated it - If you got a set of people who despised football into a room and asked them how to ruin the game, they wouldn't be able to have conjured up anything worse than VAR.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I wouldn't say I like it haha! I just hated how it was previously more so.

The issue I have now is that, for example, Forest are fuming with VAR after Sunday. Yet if you remove VAR, as they wish, they still get no penalties. What would be happening if they were denied three penalties (IMO) in a crucial relegation match? They'd have sent out a tweet demanding VAR is brought in.

With us, the majority of our decisions have still been referee mistakes.

Take away VAR, we still don't get a penalty at Old Trafford. Luton still get a terrible penalty against us. Sheffield United and Newcastle both get penalties for dives. Fulham still get a terrible penalty against us.

So, for our injustices, the majority of incidents have been a lack of VAR involvement.

Because VAR is available, people rightly dig them out. However, the main point has to be that without VAR, we were still getting cheated, so that just can't be the solution.

I did say the same the other day, but let's not forget that now the last two 'goals' we've properly scored, checked the ref, checked the lino, made sure there aren't any appeals from the opposition, then gone mental - still ruled out by VAR for forensically spotted non-offences.

 

[Scallywolf]

Cunha was fouled, just as he was seconds before the throw when the same player aggressively/recklessly charged at him without an attempt to play the ball.

It was as much self defence, it’s also very debatable if Cunha then even touches him or the player just backs away.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1783240370412749209

As I mentioned in a previous post, I didn’t see any complaints by any Bournemouth players, even Kluivert himself.

They just carried on playing.

Just a ridiculous decision. Yet another one where the referee changes his onfield decision, just like our ‘goal’ against West Ham.

Why bother with onfield referees and officials anyway. Why not have the incompetents at Stockley Park do it remotely with loudspeakers in the stadiums, so fans can hear their whistles and listen to their decisions.

 

[WorcesterWanderer]

Not sure how Bournemouth players would have seen anything to complain about seeing as they spent half the match on the ****ing floor.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

We should definitely make 10 changes against Luton and Man City and put it down to an injury crisis that will hurt their PL product although we are giving away points left right and centre it won’t make much difference

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

I did say the same the other day, but let's not forget that now the last two 'goals' we've properly scored, checked the ref, checked the lino, made sure there aren't any appeals from the opposition, then gone mental - still ruled out by VAR for forensically spotted non-offences.

Yep, I agree. They've been poor decisions as well.

I strongly feel the Kilman one was wrong, but, in hindsight, there is logic to it.

Last night is an atrocious call.

But the point still stands, and for many clubs moaning. Most of the VAR complaints stem from them not getting involved.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Yep, I agree. They've been poor decisions as well.

I strongly feel the Kilman one was wrong, but, in hindsight, there is logic to it.

Last night is an atrocious call.

But the point still stands, and for many clubs moaning. Most of the VAR complaints stem from them not getting involved.

I know we've done it all before, but Chirewa has no effect on the play once the ball is headed and he becomes offside, Cunha swings an arm recklessly, but only as he is shoved from behind in the back and at the most he brushes Kluivert and it has no effect on the play.

Both of these are not offences at all, but even more so not ones that VAR should be getting involved in. They have made me much angrier than the conning of the ref in the pens that onfield refs gave against us, or the failure of VAR to overrule those.

 

[dewolfman]

I'm seething still about that decision.

 

[dewolfman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1783249117189218423

odule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FStanCollymore%2Fstatus%2F1783249117189218423

Collymore is right "Nit picking jobsworthness of the highest and most frustrating kind."

 

[WorcesterWanderer]

I'm seething still about that decision.

Cannot describe the anger I felt searing through me. The morning after it's all hitting home now and I am very ****ed off.

 

[marrs-guitar]

I wouldn't say I like it haha! I just hated how it was previously more so.

The issue I have now is that, for example, Forest are fuming with VAR after Sunday. Yet if you remove VAR, as they wish, they still get no penalties. What would be happening if they were denied three penalties (IMO) in a crucial relegation match? They'd have sent out a tweet demanding VAR is brought in.

With us, the majority of our decisions have still been referee mistakes.

Take away VAR, we still don't get a penalty at Old Trafford. Luton still get a terrible penalty against us. Sheffield United and Newcastle both get penalties for dives. Fulham still get a terrible penalty against us.

So, for our injustices, the majority of incidents have been a lack of VAR involvement.

Because VAR is available, people rightly dig them out. However, the main point has to be that without VAR, we were still getting cheated, so that just can't be the solution.

If there hadn't been VAR in operation at the Everton v Forest game then the referee may well have awarded them a spot kick though.

The presence of VAR has made it far too easy for the on-field officials to simply avoid doing their job, knowing that if they really make a complete and utter howler the VAR will give them a second chance anyway. Meanwhile, the VAR official too frequently decides just to keep quiet and back their mate, depending on the hierarchy of officials involved.

And the next generation of officials is only going to be even worse, because they will have had it engrained in them from the very start that you don't necessarily have to get the big calls right on the field as the VAR will help you on those.