Arsenal’s 1-0 victory at West Ham has caused debate for the nature of the Hammers’ disallowed equaliser in second-half stoppage-time.
West Ham thought they equalised when Callum Wilson fired home after a scramble in the box following a corner.
However, a lengthy VAR check ruled Hammers striker Pablo had fouled Arsenal goalkeeper Raya as he went for the cross, and the goal was ruled out by referee Chris Kavanagh.
That decision has resulted in a massive talking point in the Premier League – with VAR coming under the microscope for its consistency once more.
Now Daily Mail Sport’s experts have waded into the topic and how they would look to fix the issue moving forward.
West Ham’s equalising goal against Arsenal was ruled out for this foul on David Raya (right)
Raya insisted that Pablo had fouled him and Chris Kavanagh eventually agreed after being sent to the screen to review the flashpoint
Oliver Holt
I was a fan of its implementation in the first place but we’ve created a monster. It hasn’t worked and, critically, it has robbed celebrations, the best part of the fan experience, of their spontaneity.
I’d like it to be scrapped but if that is not viable, then at least scale it back. Revert to the original guidelines about correcting only ‘clear and obvious’ errors and leave the rest to the officials at the game.
And if that happens, then everyone needs to have patience. Humans make mistakes but when it comes to regulating football matches, they are still better than machines
Ian Ladyman
It needs to go back to its initial principles – namely correcting clear and obvious mistakes.
Incidents that need viewing and dissecting more than a couple of times should be left with the on-field decision.
Sunday’s goal at West Ham – for example – would have stood.
Life isn’t fair. Sport isn’t fair.
But waiting for three minutes for blokes in a caravan to tell us whether we can celebrate a goal or not is no way to live a life.
Matt Barlow
Football was better without VAR. Football as a match-going experience, that is.
VAR is part of a depressing TV takeover and tedious over-analysis of a sport at its best inside a live theatre with the thrill of spontaneity. So, I’d scrap it. I think that’s cleanest and simplest way to restore the game to its true spirit.
If that is impossible, (not going to happen, mate) scale it back to line decisions. Leave the offsides, out of play, in/out of the box checks with VAR and put responsibility for all contact issues including handball back in the hands of the on-pitch officials because they can feel the temperature of the contest.
All of which means accepting mistakes will be made.
Tom Collomosse
The threshold for intervention should be far higher. I’m talking handballs on the goal-line (like Luis Suarez for Uruguay against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup) or when attackers are cleaned out as they go through on goal.
Any uncertainty, stick with the ref’s call. This is the only way we can recover the spontaneous joy Premier League fans used to feel when their team scored.
Chris Kavanagh took his time making the decision to disallow the goal, killing the spontaneity
Nathan Salt
I think that VAR is incredibly difficult to ‘fix’ because ultimately you are relying on a human, not technology, to make the final call and that always leaves it open to interpretation.
The one thing I would do is do away with slow motion replays and freeze framing everything to within an inch of its life. Watch it at full speed like the referee has done on the field and make a call.
Freeze frame an entire Premier League game and you’ll find 100+ reasons to give fouls, penalties, red cards and more.
Oh, and if you can’t make a decision after three replays, original decision stands.
Mike Keegan
How to fix it? Keep goal line technology and use VAR for offsides, preferably with the daylight rule. Anything else leave it to the referee. Simple. Perfection does not exist so let’s stop killing the game trying to find it.
Chris Wheeler
Don’t fix it, ditch it. Write it off as a horrible idea and go back to where we were. It has sucked the joy out of football and replaced it with mind-numbing micro-analytics.
Sunday’s farce was a case in point: we still don’t know if they reached the right decision.
