Premier League clubs to hold talks over new VAR changes for next season with focus on handball and penalty decisions
PREM club chiefs will help agree how to improve VAR next term when they meet virtually on Thursday. The latest meeting of the 20 ‘shareholder’ clubs is due to discuss the feedback from the survey commissioned by League bosses. Clubs have been given an extra 48 hours, until Wednesday to return their thoughts on a […]
PREM club chiefs will help agree how to improve VAR next term when they meet virtually on Thursday.
The latest meeting of the 20 ‘shareholder’ clubs is due to discuss the feedback from the survey commissioned by League bosses.
Clubs have been given an extra 48 hours, until Wednesday to return their thoughts on a series of incidents that have taken place this season.
Fans and players alike have voiced their frustrations over some crunch calls especially over defensive handballs and penalty decisions.
It is hoped that the responses of players and managers will enable refs’ chief Mike Riley and his officials to agree on a consistent approach for the new campaign from August.
League bosses and clubs accept that subjective refereeing calls mean there can never be 100 per cent consistency.
But the aim is to give all officials clearer starting points for their decisions, either on the pitch or in the VAR booth at Stockley Park.
So far there have been 99 on-field decisions in the Prem this season altered after VAR intervention.
Liverpool have been the hardest hit, with a net six ‘goals’ chalked off, costing them four points.
West Ham, by contrast, have gained four points from VAR decisions in their favour.
PL TABLE WITHOUT VAR
1 Man City 30 22 4 4 64 22 70 (=) -1
2 Man Utd 29 16 8 5 59 34 56 (=) -1
3 Leicester 29 16 7 6 54 32 55 (=) -1
4 Liverpool 29 15 5 9 54 37 50 (+3) +4
5 Chelsea 29 13 9 7 44 28 48 (-1) -3
6 Tottenham 29 13 8 8 50 30 47 (=) -1
7 Arsenal 29 13 6 10 43 32 45 (+2) +3
8 West Ham 29 12 9 8 44 37 45 (-3) -4
9 A Villa 28 12 7 9 43 32 43 (+1) +2
10 Everton 28 13 4 11 40 39 43 (-2) -3
11 Leeds 29 12 3 14 45 48 39 (=) =
12 C Palace 29 9 9 11 30 46 36 (=) -1
13 Brighton 29 7 14 8 33 37 35 (+3) +3
14 Wolves 29 8 10 11 31 37 34 (-1) -1
15 Southampton 29 9 6 14 38 54 33 (-1) =
16 Burnley 29 8 8 13 22 39 32 (-1) -1
17 Newcastle 29 7 6 16 27 46 28 (=) =
18 Fulham 30 5 10 15 24 39 25 (=) -1
19 WBA 29 3 10 16 21 56 19 (=) +1
20 Sheff Utd 29 4 2 23 14 51 14 (=) =
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Without VAR, Liverpool would have been fourth in the table, two points ahead of Chelsea, with the Hammers down in eighth.
Brighton have three points fewer than they would have won without VAR, costing them three places in the table. The bottom four, though, are unchanged.
At the same stage last term there had been 81 changes, with the season’s aggregate of 109 overturns almost certain to be surpassed this time round.
One of the reasons for the higher number was the initial hardline approach to handballs which was relaxed after Riley received dispensation from the International FA Board to be less doctrinaire.
Ifab has now clarified that goals will only be ruled out next season if an accidental handball is committed by the scorer, while the Law-makers agreed that there is more margin for defenders to handle if they are in a ‘natural position’.
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