That third one is another prime example of VAR devolving into a game of find a foul or find a penalty. Yes, this is a textbook foul in isolation. Though, games aren’t officiated (our at least shouldn’t be) down to a zoomed in video clip over a few seconds. Given the entire context of the match, the location on the pitch, the overall impact, let it be, let it be.
Yes, but this goes back to one of my favorite points/arguments from circa 2016. Would VAR be identifying "clear fouls" in the penalty area or would it be focused on "clearly wrong decisions?" And, if the latter, does the game's history of certain types of defensive fouls in the penalty area almost always being missed matter? We've never got an answer or unified approach to any of this. I know UEFA instructed its referees with a sort of sliding scale, whereby certain types of fouls should have a higher threshold for scrutiny than others. But it's still all subjective. And when some competitions or individual VARs hew to the "was it a clear foul" standard and others take an approach more like what you're advocating, we're left with even more subjectivity and inconsistency on certain penalty decisions than when we didn't have VAR. It's paradoxical, but it was also entirely predictable.
Any thoughts on the throat grab on Salah in the Liverpool-Villarreal match? Nothing called or sent down. PH
photo here: Yes, Liverpool should have had a penalty after Mo Salah got throttled by Pau Torres pic.twitter.com/3AP41lWjK8— Has the Referee or VAR made a poor decision? (@PoorEPLreferees) April 27, 2022 PH
we have a winner! https://www.concacaf.com/en/champions-league/news/2022-sccl-referee-appointments-second-leg-final/ Referee: SAID MARTINEZ (Honduras) 1st assistant referee: WALTER LOPEZ (Honduras) 2nd assistant referee: RAYMUNDO FELIZ (Dominican Republic) Fourth official: JOSE TORRES (Puerto Rico) VAR: RICARDO MONTERO (Costa Rica) AVAR1: SELVIN BROWN (Honduras)
I didn’t see it, but John Strong said Martinez signaled advantage as the ball crossed the line for the Sounders goal late in the first half. Had that not gone in, I’m guessing it would have been a SPA caution, but DOGSO-handling wouldn’t have completely been out of the realm of possibility.
How long does Martinez allow Pumas to keep fouling without any additional punishment? I know he had 2 cautions in the first half, but there really should be more.
He did, though not quite instantly - a few beats after the goal, he did the two-arms-spread gesture towards the goal and then towards the center. Source: me, standing in the fourth row.
Still have no idea how this wasn’t a red pic.twitter.com/xBY0QuVpXC— s o u n d e r n a v i a (@SNDRNVIA) May 5, 2022 Is this a red or a fair yellow?
One would have to see that at speed to have a truly informed opinion. The height of the challenge is really the only clear component that would be a clear consideration for red. But everything else makes it look like an easy yellow. So there would need to be a LOT of force in that challenge—an “excessive” amount—for it to be a red card. Truthfully, I look at that and I don’t see anything close to a red card. But at full speed and with the entire context, maybe it’s plausible. Doubt it though.
Kind of what I thought. I’ve given reds for something similar but that was because the player did the kick to the thighs twice in quick succession.