Football needs to ‘grow up emotionally’ or we will continue to be in a ‘VAR death spiral’

The Mailbox enjoyed watching FA Cup matches without VAR on Saturday as refereeing and the Tyne-Wear derby dominates…

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A foul is a foul, or is it
This old chestnut – ‘if it is a foul outside the box, then it should be a foul inside the box’. I see it in the mailbox again today, and often hear it said by TV pundits.

It sounds completely reasonable, the rules are meant to be the same everywhere.  However, in reality it has never actually been the case.  And it really shouldn’t be.  The problem is in a low scoring sport like football, major decisions like penalties decide matches.  The bar for making those decisions should be higher.  When officials make a result deciding decision, it should be clear cut.  It’s not that the rules are different, but that the degree of certainty must be higher.

It’s like a judge sentencing somebody to a prison term or the death penalty.  The rules for certainty of guilt may be the same, but the reality is if you are sending someone to the chair, you better have the murder weapon, eye-witnesses and DNA.  The burden of proof has to be higher.

There is something deeply unsatisfying about a result being decided on a soft penalty.  There was a perfect example in the Villa-Burnley game.  Burnley with 10 men fight back to 2-2, minutes to go and hanging on against wave after wave of Villa attack.  It is all great drama, but then the tiniest of flick on the bottom of a players boot.  It was never enough to make the player go down but of course he decided to go down.  Penalty awarded and match decided.   It is such an anti-climax.  All that drama, effort, commitment by the players, but ultimately decided by the softest of soft penalties.  If a match is to be decided by a penalty decision, I want it to be a nailed on penalty.

One of the biggest failings of VAR is it has lowered the bar for these result deciding decisions.   Now penalties are awarded for the faintest of touch.  Players are being sent off for tackles that didn’t used to be bookings.  Goals are disallowed by drawing lines and finding a toenail over the line.

These decisions decide the results of matches.  When the officials are making them, they should be absolutely certain or let them go.
Jim (THFC)

One for the VAR crew at the back 
Happy new year!
unhappy same VAR!

Tonight Thiago Silva timed his run from the edge of the box to perfection, heading in directly from Cole Palmer’s corner.
When starting his run, he was almost 18 yards behind the ball.

This was checked by VAR… for OFFSIDE.

Is this a world first? The player, clearly behind the ball when it was played. From a corner. No deflections or flick ons. And time was wasted checking it for offbloomingside. WHY??

In addition… Enzo’s goal was onside by a mile and 3 mins of VAR review finally got to that result. Without drawing lines!
They make it up as they go don’t they?

Funny that no var is used in the league cup because not all stadiums are able to accommodate it and it “challenges the integrity” of the competition, however it’s used in the fa cup for some games but not others.
Maybe the Emirates don’t care about integrity of competition. That’s funny eh.

Yours faithfully,
Ash (more confused than Poch when picking his defence/starting 11), CFC, Kent

Well Villa squeaked past a well drilled Boro side and nearly got our pants pulled down a couple of times, but everyone’s favourite pantomime villain (Matty Cash) scored so that will boil a bit of piss with some fans. Which is lovely.

Watching the whole game without VAR was a little surreal but ultimately a much cleaner and enjoyable experience. Every attack was called offside promptly. I didn’t have to worry about our goal being disallowed 5 minutes after we celebrated. Most importantly, even when the referee did not give us a nailed on penalty (and, oh boy, it was) I really, honestly wasn’t that bothered. The ref either didn’t see it or misjudged it. Fine I thought. I didn’t rant or rave, question why VAR isn’t used for FA cup games. I accepted it and moved on.

Until football grows up emotionally (From Arsenal fans and Arteta to the idiot parents in grass roots football) and learns to deal with mistakes/disagreements in officiating we will be in a VAR death spiral of every corner, throw in and coin toss being checked. Already I hear people on the radio/TV asking for yellow cards to be looked at by VAR, for the award of corners too.

I hope our FA cup run continues so I can watch a few more VARless games with my team.
Funstar Andy

Tyne-Wear Derby 
Look, I’ve been socialized to detest the m*ckems as much as the next laddie. Hell, I posted a Cartman “your tears are delicious” gif in response to it in a Discord group. But even I felt for Daniel Ballard in the derby. The highlights inevitably made him the reason Sunlun lost to the Toon, but I thought he put in what we Americans call a heck of a performance. His ownie and the penalty were both the result of trying to take responsibility when nobody else would or could. He absolutely threw himself around the pitch today and, as a decent person, I hope somebody can convince him of that tonight, smb or no.

I was incredibly nervous for this match. I’ve insisted that Howe is not in danger, but this match was an undeniable banana skin. The sight of a credible first-choice lineup was encouraging, despite the threadbare bench. Isak is proving to be one of the most reliable finishers in the league; he just doesn’t seem to miss many chances. (Readers less under the influence of intoxicants than I am right now could surely prove me right or wrong.)

Almiron played as well as he has in ages without scoring. I’m hoping his assist gives him more confidence as a passer. He’s got one really good foot and the ability to get into problem areas. I find it continually surprising how few assists he gets. If football kept score like ice hockey and allowed second assists, he might look better. I thought Lewis Miley was a bit wobbly when he came on, perhaps overwhelmed by the occasion.

But it was lovely to see Paul Dummett, Matt Ritchie and Jamaal Lascelles get a shout after all their time at the club. One more instance of Howe’s respect and affection for his players. Dan Burn’s performance was vintage, and one he’ll remember, even if he didn’t really feature. He isn’t very likely to play in another Tyne-Wear Derby, but he’s got a good one to remember.

United took their customary victory photo on the pitch for once, with the scarf-waving Geordies still sequestered in the stands behind them. It must be driving the Sunderland supporters nuts, after the handsome way the club welcomed the visiting Geordies had already infuriated them. I’m not gonna lie: that delights me no end. But I do hope Sunderland cobble together the means to get back to the Barclays, so we can do it again and again. I don’t even mind losing from time to time. I love how even the all-time record is between the clubs. Football is nothing without enemies to hate (bless them).
Chris C, Toon Army DC

The beauty of the FA Cup 
I’ve been following all the cup games today: well done Maidstone! This is what the FA Cup is all about.

When I was kid I remember Blyth Spartans in the 70’s…fantastic. Sheffield Wednesday, also in the 70’s taking Arsenal to the wire in two cups and Wrexham shoving us aside.

I have always loved the cup, please don’t change it.

Also, after reading some of the comments after my previous ‘tongue in cheek’ post, please take me with a ‘pinch of salt’
Earl of Purley (AKA: Chris, Croydon)

When typos go good 
Hi,

I enjoyed the piece on the relative c**tiness of Klöpp and Arteta, and wholeheartedly agree with the thesis and reasoning behind it, but most enjoyed the inadvertent description of Arteta’s post Newcastle “disgrace” complaints as actually about a “serious” of borderline calls. I think we should make this a thing. “My toilet is blocked, because a bad curry caused me to have a serious of bowel problems,” that kind of thing.

More please
Laurie, BCFC

Drugs in real football
Mick you are spot mate. I agree with every word you say about drugs in football. I have laughed for a long time that football is supposed to be faster now because food and pitches the equivalent of panna e aqua.

The amount of money in football for clubs and individual makes it even more likely.

The evidence, such as you mention, has been mounting for years but the authorities either don’t care or going to massive lengths to cover it up
Paul “of course there is a doping problem in football” Rhodes