World Cup 2018 - Rossiya

[Diamond Dog]

That having been said... I've enjoyed this World Cup much more than most recently. I'm not sure if the quality is that high, but the games themselves (with a few exceptions) have generally been close and entertaining.

[The Modernist]

That having been said... I've enjoyed this World Cup much more than most recently. I'm not sure if the quality is that high, but the games themselves (with a few exceptions) have generally been close and entertaining.

I actually think the quality of forward play, and shooting in particular, has been quite low. Still really enjoying it tho'.

[KeithPratt]

Shaqiri make me laugh. I reckon he looks like a provincial Italian station master from about 1920. I can imagine him in his uniform, puffing out his chest, carrying his little flag and treating everyone around him with a haughty dismissiveness.
Second best game so far of the WC today -great determination from the Swiss.

An extra from a De Sica film perhaps. Liverpool to sign him as he's an excellent player.

[jimboo]

It just means var isn't being implemented as effectively or correctly as it should be, it doesn't mean that it can't work. Give it time.

Well, it should really have hit the ground running. I really cannot understand how it will need time as the very reason for its existence was to implement the rules of football . If we see it in real time then they see it too. The swiss mugging and the Kane incidents are the very reason that I have doubts. Neymars 'i've got no strings to hold me up ' comedy stagger is hailed as a success , rightly so. The missing of blatant penalties and dangerous play however is worrying.

[jimboo]

From FIFA website.
PENALTY DECISIONS
The role of the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with the award or non-award of a penalty kick.

DIRECT RED CARD INCIDENTS
The role of the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with sending off or not sending off a player.

STEP 1
Incident occurs
The referee informs the VAR, or the VAR recommends to the referee that a decision/incident should be reviewed.


STEP 2
Review and advice by the VAR
The video footage is reviewed by the VAR, who advises the referee via headset what the video shows

STEP 3
Decision or action is taken
The referee decides to review the video footage on the side of the field of play before taking the appropriate action/decision, or the referee accepts the information from the VAR and takes the appropriate action/decision.


FIFA is extremely satisfied with the level of refereeing to date and the successful implementation of the VAR system, which on the whole has been positively accepted and appreciated within our football community," a statement said on Wednesday."It is acknowledged that there will still be discussion and divided opinion surrounding certain decisions and we appreciate you understanding that it is not possible for FIFA to comment on each and every situation."Four penalties have been awarded via VAR in the 17 games played so far, and one possible red card incident reviewed.

We are in a bad place already.

[The Modernist]

It just means var isn't being implemented as effectively or correctly as it should be, it doesn't mean that it can't work. Give it time.

Well, it should really have hit the ground running. I really cannot understand how it will need time as the very reason for its existence was to implement the rules of football.

Because any new system implemented by humans always does take time to get right, that's just a general rule of life. It really should have been trialled for a few seasons before being introduced straight into the World Cup - it feels like a tournament too soon.
But I think there have been positive examples of its use in this world cup too ( overturning the Neymar dive the other day for example) and I haven't found that it's been slowing things down to any noticeable degree either. It's here to stay I think and that will be a good thing.

[jimboo]

Despite my worries I am not totally against it. This is the world cup. This is why , with the whole world watching, it should really be on the ball. FIFA should not say they are happy and at the same time completely ignore the ridiculous missing of the controversial penalty incidents.

[`]

Pretty much agree with the point Geezee made about VAR's being long overdue and needing time to adjust a page or so earlier.

Only problems for me are those arising from the fact that FIFA being FIFA has totally mis-managed the system's introduction and does not seem to have sat everyone involved down in the same room and told them how the rules were going to be enforced.

The other unedifying sight is players involved in often trifling incidents starting to unilaterally decide where VAR is needed.

[Penk!]

All that is well and good but I would really like to know why Neymar did not receive a second yellow for diving after the penalty decision yesterday.

[Darkness_Fish]

You've just decided to get in a tizz over it, it's got most things right so far. It's hardly ruining things.

Give me more of your red hot condescension, please.

Perhaps it's because I work in software, but if I released some functionality that worked "most of the time", which is highly debatable in this case, it would be switched off. If it occasionally did the opposite of what it should, there'd be a rollback of the software, and I'd be in deep shit. Is expecting professional standards too much?

[Diamond Dog]

The other unedifying sight is players involved in often trifling incidents starting to unilaterally decide where VAR is needed.

This is exactly the kind of thing that can be stopped immediately. Just introduce a rule "Any player or manager making the VAR/TV monitor signal is dismissed for ungenlemantly conduct". And then do it. See how quickly it would stop.

[Diamond Dog]

You've just decided to get in a tizz over it, it's got most things right so far. It's hardly ruining things.

Give me more of your red hot condescension, please.

Perhaps it's because I work in software, but if I released some functionality that worked "most of the time", which is highly debatable in this case, it would be switched off. If it occasionally did the opposite of what it should, there'd be a rollback of the software, and I'd be in deep shit. Is expecting professional standards too much?

You clearly don't work for Microsoft.

[Darkness_Fish]

I'm clearly not competent enough to work for Microsoft

[Darkness_Fish]

Difficult call whether that was a penalty or a free kick. But video did indeed show that it was a stupid tackle to try and make.

[Penk!]

Why couldn’t Tunisia have been this comically shit against England? I guess England did miss a lot of chances but they never got gimmes like the penalty or that Carln Palmeresque miscontrol on the second goal.

[Penk!]

Blimey they’ve got one back!

[andymacandy]

The other unedifying sight is players involved in often trifling incidents starting to unilaterally decide where VAR is needed.

This is exactly the kind of thing that can be stopped immediately. Just introduce a rule "Any player or manager making the VAR/TV monitor signal is dismissed for ungenlemantly conduct". And then do it. See how quickly it would stop.

I do think we are starting to see less of the comical Rivaldo-esque play acting.Starting......

[Darkness_Fish]

I think we're seeing more play acting. The lack of yellow cards for diving or persistent time wasting and feigning injury is annoying.

[`]

I think we're seeing more play acting. The lack of yellow cards for diving or persistent time wasting and feigning injury is annoying.

Agreed. That thing where the slightest breeze from a rival player's shirt whistling harmlessly past an opposing player's ear causes the latter to fall to the ground clutching his face as if he's been in an acid attack is even more irritating. Anyone found doing that should be yellow or better still red carded instantly.

[`]

The other unedifying sight is players involved in often trifling incidents starting to unilaterally decide where VAR is needed.

This is exactly the kind of thing that can be stopped immediately. Just introduce a rule "Any player or manager making the VAR/TV monitor signal is dismissed for ungenlemantly conduct". And then do it. See how quickly it would stop.

Too late for round one now, but be great if they implemented it from the knock out stage and enforced it stringently thereafter. FIFA being FIFA, that sadly ain't going to happen though.