The Death of Football, R.I.P.

[Ned]

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.

Same, I just cannot comprehend what goes on in the head of people who don’t have an issue with it. It’s nothing against them but I just can’t get myself into their school of thought to be even slightly sympathetic to their views.

 

[Oliwolf44]

Dont think its just var its a wider malaise in what football as a whole has become. yes been cheated a bit this season but it is just one part.
Everything you read about the way football is going is just not what the game and people who love it actually value.

- Games being moved to the US and abroad
- Financial charges, rule changes
- Media love in of big teams and bias, complicit in tv agenda
- Disneyfication of football, more overseas games, complete saturation of tv documentaries
- Closed shop at the top
- Elite clubs bullying others and governing bodies to increasingly get what they want
- Expanded CL
- Expanded World Cup and club world cup
- Destruction of pyramid and financial structure
- Complete degradation of the FA cup
- Increase in ticket prices (tied in with cost of living crisis added to that)
- Terrible standard of refereeing in general, soft penalties, rule changes (I have less of an idea of what constitutes a penalty or a handball now than i did when i was 5yrs old, which cant be a good thing.)
- VAR and everything that comes with it

Could go on lol. but the tide really does feel like its turning.

On the positive side the list is much shorter but would love to know what others think has actually improved in recent times?!?
- Goal line tech
- Improvement in coverage and standard of womens football
- Possibly the Conference league (intention was more money as per, however does give those teams not normally in europe some aspiration and exposure)

 

[chignalwolf]

I just got up and walked out after Hwang's goal was disallowed. The game has gone, it's been totally ruined by the pseudo-forensic bean-counting kill-joys of Stockley Park. I just don't want to watch it any more. I don't care if we are **** (as we were for most of what I saw), I just want to see a game of football with all its highs and lows. They have robbed us of that. The sport has been going at the elite level for about 150 years and they have killed it stone dead in a couple of seasons. I'm done with it.

 

[RMNottm]

It's become where every little thing is being scrutinised, trying to find any little way of disallowing a goal. It didn't need to be like this.

Even putting VAR to one side, these officials are proper useless.

For me VAR has made the officials more useless. They do not need the strength of their convictions. Numerous times last night I noticed delayed decisions- was there a quick replay in there. Stadium foot is awful, poor facilties, poor expensive food, poor expensives drinks. We have seat police in the Steve- why- because it most definitately is not safety. (actual serious accidents in allocated seating anyone?).

I will go so long as my kids want too; I love the time with them but cou;d get into other activities for the money and travel less to watch games with tech. .

 

[RMNottm]

Agbonlahor on the radio this morning - "We have to trust the VAR officials if they say a VAR decision is correct then it MUST be "

That attitude will result in some real atrocities (not football related).

 

[RMNottm]

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

Those were the squad for the Luton game getting an early night

 

[Timberwolf]

It’s a tiny but I think important point. VAR isn’t in place to re-referee. Neither is it there to judge yellow cards.
Therefore, on what grounds did VAR have to intervene? Similar to Kilman’s previously disallowed goal.
I can see why an opinion of both occasions could go against us. However, surely the bar has to be higher for the intervention of VAR than just a difference of opinion. It’s like VAR and its operators are just looking for situations that they can just get involved in. That’s not what VAR is for. They shouldn’t be the ultimate arbiter of what is right and wrong. Yet seeing the ref go over to a screen, you just automatically know that the original decision is going to be overturned. That is wrong.

 

[Timberwolf]

Agbonlahor on the radio this morning - "We have to trust the VAR officials if they say a VAR decision is correct then it MUST be "

If the time ever comes that I follow any advice from Agbonlahor, commit me to a 1920’s mental institution.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

It’s a tiny but I think important point. VAR isn’t in place to re-referee. Neither is it there to judge yellow cards.
Therefore, on what grounds did VAR have to intervene? Similar to Kilman’s previously disallowed goal.
I can see why an opinion of both occasions could go against us. However, surely the bar has to be higher for the intervention of VAR than just a difference of opinion. It’s like VAR and its operators are just looking for situations that they can just get involved in. That’s not what VAR is for. They shouldn’t be the ultimate arbiter of what is right and wrong. Yet seeing the ref go over to a screen, you just automatically know that the original decision is going to be overturned. That is wrong.

It intervened because it was a goal, and then they decided Cunha was a yellow card, but they only got involved due to the goal.

I actually don't see how last night can go against us. I really struggle to see how anyone can judge that to be a foul. Kluivert pushes Cunha, Cunha swings an arm and doesn't catch him. Swinging arms would happen on every goal from a set-piece. Tarkowski pushed Szoboszlai last night before Calvet-Lewin headed in.

I agree that when they go to the screen you know what's happening. Last night was the perfect opportunity for Attwell to change that narrative. I blame him almost as much as Darren England. He should've stuck to his guns, it was an easy decision to stand by.

 

[Contrarian]

Same, I just cannot comprehend what goes on in the head of people who don’t have an issue with it. It’s nothing against them but I just can’t get myself into their school of thought to be even slightly sympathetic to their views.

Some people just tend to trust authority more than others do.

 

[BridgnorthWolf Inc]

Some people just tend to trust authority more than others do.

or are WUM's like Hot Fuss! ;-)

 

[Contrarian]

It intervened because it was a goal, and then they decided Cunha was a yellow card, but they only got involved due to the goal.

I actually don't see how last night can go against us. I really struggle to see how anyone can judge that to be a foul. Kluivert pushes Cunha, Cunha swings an arm and doesn't catch him. Swinging arms would happen on every goal from a set-piece. Tarkowski pushed Szoboszlai last night before Calvet-Lewin headed in.

Arsenal's first goal on Saturday, there was definitely some contact with Doc even closer to the moment of goal scoring. Did they spend 3 minutes studying it? Nope. Kicked off immediately.

Would be interested to know the actual time spent, because it feels like every goal we score has a long check, enough to make you think it's going to get disallowed. While the goals we concede, no such hope, it's back to kick off immediately.

I agree that when they go to the screen you know what's happening. Last night was the perfect opportunity for Attwell to change that narrative. I blame him almost as much as Darren England. He should've stuck to his guns, it was an easy decision to stand by.

It's definitely not "clear and obvious". And probably not an error. I have no idea how this clear and obvious error clause is meant to be interpreetd and I don't think the experts do, either.

 

[NottsWolves]

It’s getting nasty now. There’s a real undertone.

The whole set up is flawed, full of refs who are simply not up to the standard, incompetent or quite frankly biased beyond belief.

They seem to have no accountability and the lack of support/questioning from the premier league borders on contempt. Why haven’t we heard from them? Why are they not demanding more?

Over the course of the last few seasons I’ve gone through the range of emotions. I’m now fully at the nothing surprises me anymore.

I use to watch pretty much the matches on tv, now I rarely sit down to watch it, and if it is on, it’s a background noise and I’ll occasionally look up. I’m not on my own with this, complete lack of interest.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

 

[Contrarian]

Would you have seen that goal disallowed if we were City,United,Liverpool,Arsenal? I very much doubt it.

I'm surprised some ****ed up fan hasn't been on the pitch and put one on the ref.

Albion haven't had VAR with fans in the ground yet. If anyone does it, it will be them!

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Remove VAR petition here Sign the Petition

 

[Munich_Wolf]

Think they would ignore it even if it reached 1M but done anyway

 

[Contrarian]

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

And another 10% soft penalties to Sky 6 clubs. And another 10% due to teams faffing about at the back. Then there's set pieces after players have "felt the contact". Actual goals in open play are about 1 every other week.

Interestingly enough, despite apparently solving our goal scoring this season, we are the third lowest scorers in open play. Only Everton and Sheff U with fewer. 26 goals in open play and 20 from set pieces/penalties/own goals. For comparison, Burnley have 30 from open play and 4 from set pieces, Forest have 36 from open play, 6 from set pieces. From that, it looks like the difference between us and the relegation battle is our set pieces and not our blistering pacey attack.

 

[Oliwolf44]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1783508555909194220

 

[Northbank cigarette]

It's not clear to me what the direction of travel is here in the next couple of seasons, how will this play out, as clearly the status quo isn't sustainable:

Scenario #1. Stuck with VAR - the authorities continually strive for perfection, for instance bringing in more & more semi-automated technology, perhaps even AI to remove 'human error'. There may be some 're-brands' of the technology system to appease the paying supporter, and some tinkering with the rules around intervention (yellow cards, etc). VAR, or variations of it, get rolled out to more leagues, and further down the English pyramid too, further embedding it into football culture. Before we know it, the technology even auto-calculates how long additional time shall be; there may even be an 'Ad break' to appease broadcasters before the added time slot (no doubt sold to fans as a measure to help player welfare). In the long term, the manufactured game itself might become so different to organic/original football that you see breakaway leagues

OR Scenario #2. Removal of VAR - this wouldn't be an instant reversal (too many vested interests) but there would be a gradual rowing-back, perhaps leaving us with goal-line technology, or a challenge-based system as a back-stop for blatant miscarriages. There would have to be a really big fu*k up (e.g. incorrect use of VAR in a high profile World Cup match, or blatant evidence of human bias/corruption) for the entire pack of cards to tumble down instantly. The drivers for Scenario 2 would be: supporter apathy, reduction in attendances, reduction in match day atmosphere, falling TV viewership, collective fan lobbying (something we haven't seen since the European Super League debacle). This process could take years.

Depressing on both scenarios really. I'm not sure how the so-called custodians of our Beautiful Game have managed to balls-this up so spectacularly.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Other countries will follow soon

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

VAR is one of the reasons why I have massively fallen out of love with football, along with the cost, the greed and bias towards the Sky 6, a future super league and the devaluing of domestic competitions, it's just not the same anymore. I used to watch so much football I could tell you most of the starting 11 for all the teams in the big foreign leagues, now I couldn't even tell you which teams are in those leagues I just don't' watch football anymore

 

[Wonder Boyo]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1783508555909194220

 

[WV10Wolf]

They need to stop re-refereeing the games with it and take a leaf out of Rugby Unions book. Watch the six nations, the TMO won’t get involved with every try/penalty awarded, rather the on field ref will ask the TMO to specifically check an incident. E.g. “everything looks ok, not sure if white 7 was offside when the ball was kicked, can you have a look” and the TMO will.

Why can’t the refs in football do this? Why can’t refs ask VAR to check a particular incident in a build up to a goal, (rather than VAR having Carrie Blanche to check for any reason to chalk it off) and then have a 30 second window, with all replays shown in real time, to decide?

It’s there for clear and obvious mistakes (you know like the time Henry’s hand kept Ireland from qualifying for a tournament) not for the forensic, frame by frame analysis which is what they’ve given us now

 

[Golden Arrow]

Not for a long time have I looked forward to the end of a season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers is a passion of mine and I've been fortunate to have followed the club home and away, season after season for donkeys years, but things of late have started to take their toll as we cough and splutter towards the finishing line.
I'm not even up for the Euro's tbh and will instead look forward to a summer of cricket and Olympics.
Heaven knows who will leave and who will join our illustrious club (i've gone beyond caring tbh), but I do know that on the final whistle at Anfield, I will think "thank ****"!

 

[S G Wolves]

I don't think it's been mentioned on Talksport today.

Unfortunately our game was a dead rubber of sorts. If this had happened in the Scouse Derby it would have been massive and there would have been supporter uproar.

Such an appalling decision.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

I don't think it's been mentioned on Talksport today.

Unfortunately our game was a dead rubber of sorts. If this had happened in the Scouse Derby it would have been massive and there would have been supporter uproar.

Such an appalling decision.

If it happened in the Merseyside derby I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been disallowed. There's enough pressure on referees and VAR in the big games to trigger the unconscious bias. Apart from that you're right. If these sorts of decisions happened against the big six we wouldn't hear the end of it. It's the currency of the media to provide it for the the club's that pull in the most viewers. Audience capture. As stupid as Forest's statement was, it brought even more attention to the decisions in their game and further discussions. The media didn't seem to really pick up on Shi's statement after the West Ham game.

I imagine if there's a 50/50 decision in a future Forest game it could well go in their favour because of the spotlight on the poor decisions they've had. As for Wolves, as the West Ham and Bournemouth games have shown, it could happen again on Saturday against Luton and we'd barely get a shoulder shrug from the media.

 

[Coshamwolves]

First time i`ve felt really angry last night, not good for me BP. Come up from Portsmouth every home game. I don`t know anymore.

 

[Contrarian]

They need to stop re-refereeing the games with it and take a leaf out of Rugby Unions book. Watch the six nations, the TMO won’t get involved with every try/penalty awarded, rather the on field ref will ask the TMO to specifically check an incident. E.g. “everything looks ok, not sure if white 7 was offside when the ball was kicked, can you have a look” and the TMO will.

Why can’t the refs in football do this? Why can’t refs ask VAR to check a particular incident in a build up to a goal, (rather than VAR having Carrie Blanche to check for any reason to chalk it off) and then have a 30 second window, with all replays shown in real time, to decide?

It’s there for clear and obvious mistakes (you know like the time Henry’s hand kept Ireland from qualifying for a tournament) not for the forensic, frame by frame analysis which is what they’ve given us now

The difference is that goal scoring in football is much rarer than point scoring in rugby. If the nature of rugby was such that there was an average of only 3 penaltys/trys per match, then they would examine each of those with the same scrutiny that goals get in football. Our goals, that is.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

First time i`ve felt really angry last night, not good for me BP. Come up from Portsmouth every home game. I don`t know anymore.

Was your dad a teacher? Don’t let it wind you up dude. We will be back stronger next season

 

[wolvesjoe]

Was your dad a teacher? Don’t let it wind you up dude. We will be back stronger next season

Interesting to see so many decisive comments. That's just how I feel. Having argued for
years that VAR could be salvaged with reform, I can suddenly see that it is not possible.

Of all the complaints, its the ruination of the joy and ecstasy of the goals scored that is top of the list.

I cant see myself following the game closely until the inevitable removal of VAR finally takes place.

 

[Planty]

Basically the only people who want to be refs are either hugely egotistical or are too **** at everything else in life to do anything better or both.

Giving them extra power to control and influence games was always going to end in tears. Plus the fact they apparently get to regulate themselves/their mates and not be held accountable is ****in ridiculous.

 

[SE10 Wolf]

Perhaps a fitting slogan might be: “Football: I’m out ‘til VAR’s out”.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

STH and supporter since the 50s. Wont be renewing ST - VAR has killed it for me (plus other nonsense which now surrounds football).... And the FA say VAR has increased accuracy in decisions by a whole 1%.......

To quote Danny Baker:- "VAR is the football equivalent of the bore who sits behind you in the cinema who, during a really exciting film says, "Hmm. This film is set in 1983 but they didn't actually introduce that rolling stock on the railways until 1987."

Still deciding between Telford FC and Kiddie Harriers for next season. Any recommendations?

 

[rubyloo]

To quote Danny Baker:- "VAR is the football equivalent of the bore who sits behind you in the cinema who, during a really exciting film says, "Hmm. This film is set in 1983 but they didn't actually introduce that rolling stock on the railways until 1987."

Ref to VAR: "wolves have scored - everyone is really happy"

VAR to ref: "Don't worry, we'll find a way to rule it out if it kills us"

Ref to VAR: "Cheers, I appreciate that - was really worried for a minute"

 

[sedgwolf1980]

Crazy to think that the Onana assault in match week one probably don’t get into the top 10 of mental VAR/ref decisions against us this season.

If you didn’t laugh you would cry.

 

[lobodelsur]

However, the main point has to be that without VAR, we were still getting cheated...

Surely the main point has to be that with VAR we were supposed to be getting unfailingly correct decisions ? And we're not.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

STH and supporter since the 50s. Wont be renewing ST - VAR has killed it for me (plus other nonsense which now surrounds football).... And the FA say VAR has increased accuracy in decisions by a whole 1%.......

To quote Danny Baker:- "VAR is the football equivalent of the bore who sits behind you in the cinema who, during a really exciting film says, "Hmm. This film is set in 1983 but they didn't actually introduce that rolling stock on the railways until 1987."

Still deciding between Telford FC and Kiddie Harriers for next season. Any recommendations?

Go to both? Plenty of non league clubs in the midlands

Stourbridge, Alvechurch, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Halesowen, Staff Rangers, Stratford, Sutton, Rushall, Khelsa, Solihull, Romulus, Worcester, Hereford, Stourport, Malvern

 

[lobodelsur]

Some people seem to think VAR is enabling better decisions whereas all its actually doing is bringing in another opportunity for human error.

As far as I'm aware there aren't even any clear, measurable objectives for VAR - they're just playing around with it at our expense.

This.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Go to both? Plenty of non league clubs in the midlands

Stourbridge, Alvechurch, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Halesowen, Staff Rangers, Stratford, Sutton, Rushall, Khelsa, Solihull, Romulus, Worcester, Hereford, Stourport, Malvern

Intrigued by Khelsa and Romulus.