The VAR Debate: To Keep, To Abolish, or To Change Its Scope?

Might soccer improve if we removed the VAR protocol?

Premier League supporters, managers, and footballers received a glimpse of what the game was like without VAR during the FA Cup fourth round – and it is accurate to state this weekend was not without its controversies.

In the current campaign and the previous FA Cup campaign, VAR has remained absent until the fifth round, with many fans looking forward to a return to football without delays from technology.

Following a campaign packed with controversy, delayed decisions, and uncertainty driven by VAR, its very existence has been debated repeatedly, with numerous voices stating the sport would be more enjoyable if it were scrapped.

In fact, after a day full of extensive stoppages, mixed messages, and furious managers in early February, a former Premier League midfielder commented: "To benefit the game, you'd get rid of VAR."

"The problem is what it is doing to the games, to the spectacle, with the length of time it takes to get there."

"Do you want increased accuracy or do you want a more free-flowing football product that is genuine and spur of the moment?"

Following a couple of goals from offside positions being permitted to stand, a obvious penalty not being awarded plus various other contentious calls, the weekend certainly brought the topic to the forefront of the public eye.

'A Better Spectacle' or 'Greater Accuracy'?

The arguments against VAR are familiar the criticisms of VAR.

Rulings being excessively delayed, goal festivities being put on hold while reviews take place, confusion as goals are awarded – or disallowed – for extremely close reasons, denying referees the opportunity to use their own common sense.

But one club's debated victory at Aston Villa on Saturday could scarcely have been more favorable for advocates for VAR – or worse for those who argue football is better in its absence.

The first goal was clearly offside, a defender somehow avoided giving away a penalty for handling, and the same player could arguably should have been sent off for a dangerous challenge as well.

One manager commented: "I'm so torn because the game is more exciting without VAR regarding spontaneity and the viewing experience for the supporters."

"But it does give correct outcomes. It does make the game more precise in terms of officiating. You have to respect those moments."

The defeated team's boss added, saying "VAR is essential. It's necessary to help the referees".

There was also some dispute at a different stadium during a different fixture.

A teenage player had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, while the opposition were furious a penalty was awarded against them.

Another top manager remarked: "Overall, I enjoy watching football without VAR because if you then score you're like 'it's a goal'."

"I support VAR only for the clear and obvious things... We should avoid using it for subjective calls and only go to goal-line decisions."

Another esteemed coach was unsure whether football was better with VAR, despite seeing a goal denied for a questionable offside in his side's win.

"On occasion before I thought it was better and sometimes I think VAR aids us to have a more fair game," he said. "To be honest I don't know."

Are Officials Become Over-Dependent on VAR Now?

For some, it is simple – rather than VAR being a solution for errors, they would contend officials just need to make correct calls.

When asked whether the mistakes seen made him in support of VAR, a former striker responded: "No. I would like the officials to do their job properly. It is not too much to ask, is it?"

"If you ever needed any evidence of the negative impact that VAR has done to referees, I think that match is a great example of that."

"These guys look petrified to make a decision because they didn't have a comfort blanket."

A former goalkeeper added: "It shows you why we use VAR. A lot of decisions the officials got wrong... VAR is like a security blanket for referees."

"The decision is taken away from the officials. The linesman has been told all season not to put their flag up, so their instinct has been trained."

When asked whether football had become overly dependent on VAR, a head coach had some sympathy with the notion.

"There is an argument to say yes," he said. "Because when VAR is there, there is a inclination to think 'oh well I won't give that because VAR is there to check it'."

"Then your decision making isn't as decisive as it would normally have to be. Maybe there is a difference there."

But a retired official believes it is incorrect to claim officials hide behind VAR.

"I really don't think that's accurate," he said. "Clearly I work with them closely and I know these guys and they're not like that."

"I spent half my career with VAR and half without it... And your approach essentially stay the same."

"What has changed though is with VAR you don't have that spell in a game where you know you've made a really big error and you now have to recover and go again."

'Much Better Without' or 'A Shambles' – Fan Views

Opposed to VAR:

• James: Football without VAR is authentic football. As a long-term attendee, the last few years have been dreadful in comparison. I don't bother cheering goals any more as the officials are far more interested in finding ways of ruling goals out than the entertainment of the match-going fan.
• Frank: I backed the introduction of VAR, but it was refreshing not having it. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many absurd VAR errors.
• Alan: Much, much better [without]. VAR has damaged the game, thankfully I now support grassroots football where there are humans, making human mistakes.
• Stephen: Much better without VAR. No waiting for clear situations that everyone can see immediately but takes VAR forever to decide. Time for return of refs and linesman to start refereeing the game again.
• Mike: Better, even though a goal was probably wrongly disallowed. Right or wrong, its so much better to just know straight away if its a goal or not. VAR is a moment-killer.
• Les: The game is so much better without VAR. It moves without problem like it used to do. The officials are there to make decisions rightly or wrongly. VAR are always making wrong calls so I can't see the point of it.

For VAR:

• Bonnie: As a supporter, that is exactly the decision that VAR doesn't get credit for. VAR gets it right 100%.
• Roger: That was so blatantly offside, have linesman lost their natural ability to spot stuff like this since the introduction of VAR? Poor decision.
• Peter: There's an simple solution for VAR offsides. If you can watch one TV replay and see the on-field decision is clearly wrong, you intervene.
• Stephen: That's what you all wanted isn't it? More goals irrespective of whether they're actually fair or not?
• Liga: It's these types of situations and these types of situation only where VAR should and needs to be used for offsides. Not those hairline millimetre pointless situations.
• Callum: This season is proving 2 things. 1) VAR is a necessity. 2) Attacking football is under threat.
• Ben: What are linesman for exactly? Having no VAR is yet more chaos, who makes these decisions?