“Pure Frame Circus” and “Video judges who completely lack self-confidence”.
After the chaos in the Premier League ended, former elite referee Jonas Eriksson has criticized the way VAR technology is being used in the league.
– They come out on incredibly thin ice, Ericsson tells Sportbladet.
The English Referees’ Association has recognized two VAR decisions made at the weekend were wrong, the BBC reported. Jonas Erickson Understand them.
The former Swedish elite referee believes the VAR ruling out the 2-2 equalizer for West Ham is a “mystery”. Newcastle’s 1-0 goal for him was “incomprehensible” how he could not be accepted.
VAR is a system that is used so that no error occurs. A system that judges use as an aid to ascertain their critical decisions. How could it go wrong?
The judge judges on instinct when something happens. You don’t have time to think about the consequences. But when you have two minutes to watch, for example, a sneak, then you have time to think: “What if I made a mistake and got it right?”. Jonas Erickson says that the more you think like a judge, the worse you become.
“I created anonymous judges”
There are more factors that play a role in VAR’s ability to make a mistake.
It’s as if the referees in the Premier League and the video referees are completely lacking in confidence. They don’t trust themselves and if they don’t, wrong decisions will often be made. It’s like asking for it. Referees who are not in good shape should not analyze and think too much.
The system is used so that no error occurs. But when it doesn’t look waterproof, do you need where?
– What we have seen in the Premier League in the last few rounds, that it turned and created problems. Video referees create uncertain referees. It is the judges who do not dare to make decisions anymore. It affects a lot.
Is it that they do not dare or feel that there is a lifeline?
– If you don’t blow offside or a penalty, the video referees can correct you, but they didn’t make it clear as if they changed the direction of your decision. It makes you a little afraid of actually making decisions.
But there are also good things about helping, according to Jonas Erickson.
I am an advocate of VAR when it helps referees. And I want to believe that when the referee makes an obvious mistake, clumsy hand or offside three metres, you should get help. But no one should enter the gray areas.
“You don’t understand almost anything”
Jonas Ericsson believes the recent VAR decision in the Premier League has also affected the way UEFA views English VARs.
In the Premier League now, it’s pure circus.
In tonight’s Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, the main referee is Anthony Taylor. But any English VAR team is not. Instead, the video referees come from Germany. Ericsson thinks it’s a clear “statement”.
– VAR technology in England on such incredibly thin ice. I hardly understand anything sometimes. Then I’m still one of those who have more experience with it. I judged using VAR, and I have read and studied the protocol very well.
Jonas Ericsson gives his view on the judges’ ratings this weekend:
Chelsea – West Ham: West Ham’s 2-2 draw canceled
West Ham’s Jared Bowen tried to avoid Chelsea goalkeeper Edward Mendy, who rushed forward. Bowen’s left leg touched Mendy who was lying down while Maxwell Cornet made it 2-2.
– For me, it is a mystery to be convicted. This is football for me. This is how football is played. You should know that the goalkeeper is the only player on the field who is allowed to put himself in danger. This means that Mindy can count on a bang when he throws himself in front of the player’s foot.
Having said that, a player should never come across as careless or violent, but in this case, the slap is perfectly normal. I think it’s a very exciting and totally wrong decision. The VAR was not supporting the referee. On the contrary, it creates a problem that was not needed.
Newcastle – Crystal Palace: Newcastle 1-0 . goal disallowed
Crystal Palace’s Terrick Mitchell pushed Newcastle’s Joe Willock to his goalkeeper and scored an own goal. The goal was disallowed after the VAR decision and Crystal Palace received a free kick instead.
– Willock was clearly pushed into the goalkeeper. Is it enough to be punished? number. Then it would have been a soft penalty and the VAR shouldn’t judge that. You shouldn’t go in the VAR and say ‘Look he’s been pushed towards the goalkeeper’. What happens is that the goalkeeper gets fouled. Because it’s a free kick on the goalkeeper if you ignore how the player ended up on him. And VAR can tell. If they follow strict black and white digital protocol, the video referee will not be able to tell that the player has actually been pushed towards the goalkeeper.
It seems very strange that they are not allowed to.
– yes. This is the problem with the strict protocol. This is my only interpretation.
But should it have been a target?
For me, there are two decisions. It’s either a penalty kick or a goal. And of course it was a goal, so why would they give a penalty when the ball is inside. But I am amazed at what the referee saw in the video. The angle we got that he was able to see was basically just an overhead camera from the side of the camera. Had it been from a different angle, the push would have been very straightforward.
Manchester United-Arsenal: Arsenal 1-0 . goal disallowed
Gabriel Martinelli seemed to give Arsenal a great start against Manchester United. But the striker’s goal was disallowed after the VAR evaluation. Instead of scoring a late goal, United conceded a free kick in midfield when Martin Odegaard’s interference on Christian Eriksen was deemed illegal.
– You can go back and check possession of the ball when the offensive phase begins. And yes, it was probably a free kick. But the referee said it wouldn’t, and the VAR generally has a very high standard of not interfering and changing referee ratings. If I were an Arsenal fan, I would go crazy, given that he hasn’t set things up like that before.
Aston Villa – Manchester City: Aston Villa 2-1 . goal disallowed
Philippe Coutinho hit there 2-1 at the end of the match against Manchester City. But the brass was detonated for offside even before the shooting and replays showed that the decision was incorrect.
If the referees see an offside, they must let the match continue until the goal opportunity has expired. Because you never see if it’s a target or not if it explodes. What the assistant referee thinks is that the attack is over when the player steps back and then raises the flag. It turned out to be a wrong decision.
– But I also think it is wrong to say that they removed an approved target. I’m not sure the attacker would have been given the space he was in if the play hadn’t been canceled. But in such situations, VAR cannot intervene and change the decision.