I can admit that and I can also see why it's frustrating for rivals to see it. I think the refs started clamping down on it partway through the season, it feels like it's been a while since we've scored a set piece where we've been fouling. I remember more of it earlier on in the season
VAR and Refereeing 2025/26 | General Discussion
- Thread starter Pogue Mahone
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In the latest edition of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) discuss the absolute VAR shambles that lead to us losing the Manchester Derby.
But is it all on the VAR room? How much blame can be placed on Carrick and the players?
They also preview the 2 matches before the International Break and update on the struggles at MUWomen.
Just thought about this. Look at this pic, it's incredible. It's ridiculous now and was then. Neville's comments are annoying but he can be annoying quite often.Remember this? Goal given:
Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville said: “That’s back to De Gea’s early days at United – getting bullied.”
Wonder what Neville said about the incident today.
It's a foul, if decisions are not consistent I don't know... if you really want to see how VAR is actually teleported in a rigged league, just have a look at the two goals ruled out to my team yesterday and the two goals allowed to Roma 20 minutes ago.
Most people agree its a foul??
The irritation comes from Arsenal doing it without being punished all season
Impeding the goalie is not for everyone
In these situations they never counter check which I always find weird. Once they decide West Ham goal should be ruled out, the next checks should be, “is there another foul before the keeper gets fouled”?
Or you need a central command center for these decisions like you get in the NFL and NBA so that there isn't so much variability from game to game.
I remember that. The general consensus among journalists and pundits was fouling keepers was ok if they judged the keeper to be a wimp (I'm paraphrasing). "Just weak goalkeeping" was the mantra.
Frankly I've no idea what is or isn't a foul at corners anymore. I paused the City match yesterday at a corner and saw seven hands pulling shirts but nothing happened.
Do you remember when pre VAR the chat on here was that Smalling would have to be sold because VAR would give 5 pens a match against him for his holding.
Bloody amateur compared to the average CB now.
Bloody amateur compared to the average CB now.
I forgot about that
My memory is actually really good but I can’t remember feck all in football these days. I think it’s because it’d wind me up too much.Gives the lie to the old adage that cheats never prosper.
Well, this is consistent for a long whole season
The dark act goal is only allowed from Arsenal..It sums up all that is bad about the beautiful game in one short clip. The cheating, the mess that is the replay system.
That absolute travesty of justice will likely go a long way toward a) handing that cheating bunch the title and b) condemning West Ham to relegation. Numerous fouls on the play...and once again, VAR f*cks it up.
I'd rather Arsenal win than City but I will admit that the idea that a blatant foul on a keeper not being given would cost them the title was hilarious. They've committed fouls in every game at corner time and it's been allowed so they were lucky today the rules got enforced for once.
It's bizarre how VAR has coincided with dirty off the ball fouls being more common.
Just seen it. There’s absolutely no way that’s not a foul on the keeper. Aside from the arm to the face, his shirt is being pulled.
I can understand the double standards though and as I’ve said, I reckon thanks to Arsenal’s behaviour there’s going to be a review of the situation with corners for next season.
I can understand the double standards though and as I’ve said, I reckon thanks to Arsenal’s behaviour there’s going to be a review of the situation with corners for next season.
I genuinely don't understand why VAR exists. So often now at full time it's all people talk about. Nobody likes it. It hasn't made the game fairer or less subjective.
Get rid of this awful system.
Get rid of this awful system.
Then tell me.. why pushing, hugging and blocking are allowed for a long whole season and no turnover for any single goal from Arsenal ?
Clear foul or not? TELL ME
Definite foul on the Arsenal keeper tbf.
This one obviously a foul.
Loads Arsenal got away with also very clear fouls.
Putting all that pressure on the ref was madness.
Would have been incredible if he'd just thought sod it, I'm making it about me and allowing it.
Loads Arsenal got away with also very clear fouls.
Putting all that pressure on the ref was madness.
Would have been incredible if he'd just thought sod it, I'm making it about me and allowing it.
Stop wasting your time trying to reason with them, they are here for entertainment and not any good faith discussion.
An arm on GK is always a foul, people don't see anything wrong with them disallowing the goal as it was indeed a foul on Raya. The primary issue comes from the fact that Arsenal have been beneficiary from a lot of these fouls on keeper throughout the season and the goal have stood. Then there is another aspect of their players grabbing the opposition players by both hands which is never ever punished. THAT is the real source of frustration and it's up to the Premier League to sort this mess out.
The delicious to not give Brentford a penalty yesterday is WAY more contentious.
Remember this? Goal given:
Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville said: “That’s back to De Gea’s early days at United – getting bullied.”
Wonder what Neville said about the incident today.
He said it was a foul.
If you look at a still image, the West Ham player who has his arm across is being grabbed by both Trossard and Gabriel. Then you have the Rice take down at the back post.
This is the real issue with VAR. It was a foul on the keeper I don't think anyone can deny that.
My issue with VAR is if the ref really wanted to influence a game he could do so on every corner. You can pause at any point during a corner/free kick and find a foul going either way, either a penalty for a team or a free kick the opposite way. The foul on Rodri from Hojlund springs to mind a couple seasons ago.
I'm a firm believer that VAR should only be used for offsides on an automated bases.
Its frankly stupid to start calling fouls with 3 games to go in this match of all matches. Having played 2 games against arsenal basically everyone has conceded at least one stupid, set piece goal to them. So every single supporter can post a video, or a screenshot of a more obvious and significant foul than this one . Most matches are dead rubbers you'd think they'd clamp down on this in one that doesn't matter. Sucks for this particular referee but the wider body have fecking terrible timing.
Its pretty much every team, Arsenal have just had more success with that tactic than the rest because of their delivery and targets so become the posters boys for it as a tactic.
But yes, the FA need to do something about it, if it means disallowing set piece goals on mass or giving pens at ridiculous rates then so be it, as long as they are consistent (which they won't be)
Doesn't even have the one against us day 1 of the season
Sure he/she will be back to say “yeah, fair point” any time soon…….
The refs need to point to the spot for the slightest foul in the box from corners. The argy Bargy stuff is ruining the game big time
Indeed!
I am not sure. I can’t tell from a still frame. I don’t know how people decide that?
In a normal world that is the right decision.
But, if we’re seeing the same level of contact for 35 gameweeks not being called a foul, VAR not intervening and PGMOL not stating that lack of intervention is a mistake, then you’re led to believe that this is the level of physicality they’re allowing this season and that actually we’re not allowed to say that all those calls for 35 gameweeks were wrong. That does make it the de facto rule that the referees are applying within the wiggle room they have.
For all of the shithousing at corners that has been widely bemoaned, the one thing they have been is they have been consistent with their application of it.
To then come out in the 36th gameweek and suddenly decide that this level of contact actually is a foul, and not only that, to state that not giving this as a foul also reached the clear and obvious threshold is an absolute travesty. And for the biggest offenders of corner shithousery to be the beneficiaries of this switch in mentality with three games remaining is what makes it a joke.
But, if we’re seeing the same level of contact for 35 gameweeks not being called a foul, VAR not intervening and PGMOL not stating that lack of intervention is a mistake, then you’re led to believe that this is the level of physicality they’re allowing this season and that actually we’re not allowed to say that all those calls for 35 gameweeks were wrong. That does make it the de facto rule that the referees are applying within the wiggle room they have.
For all of the shithousing at corners that has been widely bemoaned, the one thing they have been is they have been consistent with their application of it.
To then come out in the 36th gameweek and suddenly decide that this level of contact actually is a foul, and not only that, to state that not giving this as a foul also reached the clear and obvious threshold is an absolute travesty. And for the biggest offenders of corner shithousery to be the beneficiaries of this switch in mentality with three games remaining is what makes it a joke.
VAR ruined an absolutely all timer of a moment man
It will take something drastic such as this measure to change things. A bunch of players sent off for diving would help too. Right now, it is a terrible mess and as you rightly state, ruining the game.
This was surely one of most important VAR decisions in it's history so far. Arsenal in title race, West Ham in relegation battle. So much at stake. 95th minute or something, you have to make a decision if you're going to disallow home team's late equalizer. VAR refs and Chris Cavanagh made a correct, just decision that it was a foul on GK.
We're mentioning different situations - Bayindir goal, Arsenal vs Villa, Arsenal vs Chelsea etc. Don't think any of those situations were as clear fouls as this one today. But some of them had to be fouls. Which is why PL will have to do something about it next season. Think they're aware of that as well, especially with the outrage from fans of other PL sides.
We're mentioning different situations - Bayindir goal, Arsenal vs Villa, Arsenal vs Chelsea etc. Don't think any of those situations were as clear fouls as this one today. But some of them had to be fouls. Which is why PL will have to do something about it next season. Think they're aware of that as well, especially with the outrage from fans of other PL sides.
I was whooping, left the room came back in and actually thought they were for some reason judging a handball on the line even though it had already gone in.
Then the misery unfolded.
Oh well, perhaps we can be an even less deserving title winner next year and have everyone moaning about us. Would love it.
Mad isn't it. They'll spend 10 minutes playing one frame by frame, and another will immediately get 'checked and cleared'.Remember this? Goal given:
Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville said: “That’s back to De Gea’s early days at United – getting bullied.”
Wonder what Neville said about the incident today.