Video Assistant Referee

[ktdNYCFC]

OKAY so we have what looks like the first real use of replay (in MLS preseason this round) from the Portland / RSL friendly. Posting another Hugh video because he's like the only one I know really digging into this. Coverage of the topic is about 1:05 - 4:40.

Things to note:
-Looks like the right call was definitely made after the replay (blatant elbow to head = red).
-No peripheral ref to review and tell ref, he had to go and look himself (bad).
-Because of that, Hugh said it was something like 8 minutes between the elbow and the free kick being taken.

 

[mgarbowski]

Because of that, Hugh said it was something like 8 minutes between the elbow and the free kick being taken.

Fuck that.

 

[ktdNYCFC]

Fuck that.

Lol agreed. This is the very beginning though. I think all they need to do is have one ref dedicated to watching the footage, who would relay the call to the other ref. This would eliminate the need for him to review it himself, etc. and probably cut a lot of time off. They will get there. The good thing is Chara got what he deserved.

 

[mgarbowski]

Villa gets a red card against Houston for hands to the face. If they implement this he better be careful. He's not a dirty player but he has had a number of incidents since he came here where he kicks or lashes out at an opponent in a minor and plausibly deniable way. Most recent before last night was game 1 against TFC. The TFC fans moaned about it all week.

Review changed the way a catch is defined in the NFL such that nobody is happy or even knows what the rule is anymore. In baseball, it altered how they call sliding over a base. I expect in soccer strict enforcement of minor offenses will likely become the norm under video review.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Exactly the problem with retrospective review of onfield incidents. Can you go back and penalize all the fouls Houston did leading up to that? But the ref was aware of those fouls meaning he understands the retaliation also. But dopey ass video review takes that understanding out of the game. Can't wait to sit through ten minutes of Taylor twellman debating whether his pinky contacted the opposing players face.

 

[FootyLovin]

Exactly the problem with retrospective review of onfield incidents. Can you go back and penalize all the fouls Houston did leading up to that? But the ref was aware of those fouls meaning he understands the retaliation also. But dopey ass video review takes that understanding out of the game. Can't wait to sit through ten minutes of Taylor twellman debating whether his pinky contacted the opposing players face.

It really is an interesting unintended consequence. VAR effectively takes the ref's judgment out of play. As they said in the game last night, the ref saw the incident. He gave the yellow. He knew that the red was letter of the law correct but outside the purpose of the rule. But VAR forced his hand. (So to speak.)

 

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

I expect in soccer strict enforcement of minor offenses will likely become the norm under video review.

Be careful what you wish for.

Strict enforcement of minor offences is precisely what those of us who favour video review are wishing for. Games should be decided on the basis of skill and execution, not on the basis of surreptitious violent acts. If Villa (or anyone else) wants to stay on the field, he'll just have to stop doing illegal things.

More fundamentally, video assistance is welcome in all sports because the primary task is to get calls right. There is an objective reality out there; and video review helps that reality to be seen more clearly.

 

[Sabo]

Technically the red card to Villa was the correct call according to the laws of the game. Technically de la graza fouled Villa in the box by holding him with both arms right before the love tap to the cheek.

Correct strict enforcement after video review would have been penalty kick for NYCFC and red card for Villa. In real time nobody thought either of those calls were appropriate.

 

[Seth]

Technically the red card to Villa was the correct call according to the laws of the game. Technically de la graza fouled Villa in the box by holding him with both arms right before the love tap to the cheek.

Correct strict enforcement after video review would have been penalty kick for NYCFC and red card for Villa. In real time nobody thought either of those calls were appropriate.

Was the ball live at the time Villa was being held though? Vaguely recall it was a free kick so it was before the play. Which would mean it wouldn't have been a penalty kick infraction, and so not reviewable. I could certainly be misremembering though. But Villa's pop-in-the-nose infraction was definitely reviewable as a direct red possibility.

 

[Ulrich]

VAR should only be used to distinguish goals. Everything else is left to the refs.

 

[Seth]

VAR should only be used to distinguish goals. Everything else is left to the refs.

Here's the rules:

In which situations will officials be able to call on video for assistance?
Only match-changing decisions may be reviewed:
1. Goal scored – Revision of potential infringements of the Laws of the Game in the build-up to a goal, including offside, foul, hand ball or any other relevant infringements or offences
2. Penalty decision – Revision of potential infringements of the Laws of the Game within or near the penalty area, resulting in a (potential) penalty kick, or in case a penalty kick has been awarded incorrectly
3. Direct red-card incident – Revision of potential infringements of the Laws of the Game resulting in a (direct) red card
4. Mistaken Identity

From FIFA. Source: http://resources.fifa.com/mm/Docume...es_20160712_FINAL_Neutral.pdf?t=1468311354520

 

[Ulrich]

Here's the rules:

In which situations will officials be able to call on video for assistance?
Only match-changing decisions may be reviewed:
1. Goal scored – Revision of potential infringements of the Laws of the Game in the build-up to a goal, including offside, foul, hand ball or any other relevant infringements or offences
2. Penalty decision – Revision of potential infringements of the Laws of the Game within or near the penalty area, resulting in a (potential) penalty kick, or in case a penalty kick has been awarded incorrectly
3. Direct red-card incident – Revision of potential infringements of the Laws of the Game resulting in a (direct) red card
4. Mistaken Identity

From FIFA. Source: http://resources.fifa.com/mm/Docume...es_20160712_FINAL_Neutral.pdf?t=1468311354520

And those rules suck. As last night showed, the red card was arbitrary because while hand to face always is, the video dude never bothered to levy a red for a harsh tackle on Maxi. That's why there should not be a second set of eyes interpreting the game.

 

[Seth]

And those rules suck. As last night showed, the red card was arbitrary because while hand to face always is, the video dude never bothered to levy a red for a harsh tackle on Maxi. That's why there should not be a second set of eyes interpreting the game.

Not necessarily disagreeing with you but I think it's a good experiment to run, especially in pre-season when it doesn't count. They may change the rules based on how it goes, add more reviewable things, or scrap it completely (unlikely, I'd think). I totally agree with you that goals scored should be reviewable though.

 

[Ulrich]

Not necessarily disagreeing with you but I think it's a good experiment to run, especially in pre-season when it doesn't count. They may change the rules based on how it goes, add more reviewable things, or scrap it completely (unlikely, I'd think). I totally agree with you that goals scored should be reviewable though.

I hope they revise it. If a harsh tackle isn't given a red then what's the point?

 

[Seth]

I hope they revise it. If a harsh tackle isn't given a red then what's the point?

Maybe they could do it like in the NFL where the coaches get a red flag then can use twice a game.

 

[Ulrich]

Maybe they could do it like in the NFL where the coaches get a red flag then can use twice a game.

It'd interrupt the game too much

 

[Sabo]

Was the ball live at the time Villa was being held though? Vaguely recall it was a free kick so it was before the play. Which would mean it wouldn't have been a penalty kick infraction, and so not reviewable. I could certainly be misremembering though. But Villa's pop-in-the-nose infraction was definitely reviewable as a direct red possibility.

Good point Seth. De la garza is a smart enough player to try to let Villa go right before the ball is in play -- I suspect there was no way for the Ref to determine whether or not he succeeded based on the video replay.

 

[LionNYC]

The only way I'd accept VAR is if replays are only viewed at MLS or Pro Headquarters and the "official" review decision is communicated to the ref on the field. Replays can be viewed quicker, less stoppage of play, the ref doesn't have to walk off the field.

 

[Fantazma]

And those rules suck. As last night showed, the red card was arbitrary because while hand to face always is, the video dude never bothered to levy a red for a harsh tackle on Maxi. That's why there should not be a second set of eyes interpreting the game.

technically thats what Disco is there for.....but even they dont get it right.

but it does bring a good point. what makes the slap more of a revised play than tackles from behind.

 

[JGarrettLieb]

It'd interrupt the game too much

I'm almost entirely convinced that's why FIFA put in VAR in the first place. So there was a definable and reliable 2 minute break in the game; this seems to be the average length of a video review across multiple sports.

The dollar value of this in terms of commercial opportinity is staggering, soccer is already titanically valuable as a media endeavor, and that's without any opportunity to deliver full screen commercials in the middle of a game. A lot of people stand to make a lot of money so long as VAR can guarantee at least 1 commercial break per game.

The fact that calls will now be more correct is just a happy side effect.