I thought as much at the time. Gotta keep the star attractions on the FOPExcessive Force, VC, take your pick? VAR now allows this?? View attachment 3662
It's hard to tell from a still photo, but grabbing someone round the neck like that has to be VC.
Not sure what this ahs to do with VAR though. Stuff like this was let go before VAR came in
Because there’s no hiding place with VAR. it means an official has sat there, seen it and decided to ignore it. It’ll be punished on another day though.
While there were inconsistencies pre-VAR, it’s fair to argue some things were missed. Now the only explanation is that they’ve been ignored.
Be the same for keepers coming off the line to save a PK. Some will be let go some will be punished. Be interesting to see which clubs benefit from selective officiating the most come may!
You see, half of the reason behind the introduction of VAR is that we have had a two tier refereeing system in the UK for years........the laws for the professional game have always differed from grass roots refereeing. The likes of Rooney would have walked every week at grass roots, how many times was he sent off for OFFINABUS?
Then there's the other one you heard every week on motd, "if that was anywhere else on the field it would be a free kick, so why is it not a penalty?"
Agreed, @zarathustra, VAR is really a construct purely to satisfy the professional game, it had no relevance to grassroots football and is yet another giant step on the road towards a different set of laws for professional and amateur sports........It is the problem with PGMOL.
While I am in no way saying that they are told to give decisions to or against particular teams, the premier League is one of the stakeholders and fund PGMOL (I believe but happy to be corrected).
Teams are the major stakeholders in the premier League, so it stands to reason that they will not want referees who are going to send their star striker off for swearing etc, whether it is correct in law doesn't matter, it's all about the spectacle and money.
I went to an evening with Anthony Taylor a few seasons back, and someone asked about the amount of holding that is let go.
He said that all the professional club's got together before each season and decided on things like the amount of holding they are happy to let go etc.
Agreed, @zarathustra, VAR is really a construct purely to satisfy the professional game, it had no relevance to grassroots football and is yet another giant step on the road towards a different set of laws for professional and amateur sports........
Red for me. Excessive force or not, there’s no reason for one player to grab another round the neck during a little bit of handbags. Violent conductExcessive Force, VC, take your pick? VAR now allows this?? View attachment 3662