REFEREES CHIEF MIKE Riley accepts VAR has missed four errors in the Premier League this season but promised officials are “constantly learning”.
The new technology was introduced at the start of the 2019-20 campaign to mixed response, intervening on six occasions across the first four match weeks after 227 reviews.
Much of the focus has been on incidents where VAR has not had an input, however, and Riley, manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), acknowledged four mistakes in a meeting with the Premier League on Thursday.
He told Sky Sports: “We’re learning as we go along and we’re constantly improving as we go along.
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“Undoubtedly, out of the four match rounds, there have been some really good examples where we have intervened. We’ve had six instances where the VAR has advised the referee and we’ve got a better decision as a result.
“What we’ve talked about are the four instances where the VAR didn’t intervene and, had we done, we would have had a better understanding of the role VAR plays in the game.”
Explaining the errors, he continued: “They’re all about the judgement of the VAR and the process we adopt and then discussing those with the clubs, with the players, with the managers to make sure these really are examples where the VAR could have had a benefit and intervened and helped the referee on the day.
“It’s a combination of factors. That’s the fascinating thing as this project evolves. We’re constantly learning as we do things.
“On occasion, it was a judgement decision the VAR made, on one, it was a process mistake, and on others, it was trying to protect the high bar we want to not disrupt the flow of the game.
“On these two occasions, actually, the judgement should have been that the high bar had been crossed, it was a clear and obvious error and the VAR could have advised the referee of that.”
It is reported the four incidents Riley flagged up in the meeting were Jefferson Lerma’s challenge on David Silva, Youri Tielemans’ apparent stamp on Callum Wilson, Fabian Schar’s goal for Newcastle United against Watford and Tom Trybull’s trip on Sebastien Haller.
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Premier League referees chief admits four VAR mistakes this season already
REFEREES CHIEF MIKE Riley accepts VAR has missed four errors in the Premier League this season but promised officials are “constantly learning”.
The new technology was introduced at the start of the 2019-20 campaign to mixed response, intervening on six occasions across the first four match weeks after 227 reviews.
Much of the focus has been on incidents where VAR has not had an input, however, and Riley, manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), acknowledged four mistakes in a meeting with the Premier League on Thursday.
He told Sky Sports: “We’re learning as we go along and we’re constantly improving as we go along.
“Undoubtedly, out of the four match rounds, there have been some really good examples where we have intervened. We’ve had six instances where the VAR has advised the referee and we’ve got a better decision as a result.
“What we’ve talked about are the four instances where the VAR didn’t intervene and, had we done, we would have had a better understanding of the role VAR plays in the game.”
Explaining the errors, he continued: “They’re all about the judgement of the VAR and the process we adopt and then discussing those with the clubs, with the players, with the managers to make sure these really are examples where the VAR could have had a benefit and intervened and helped the referee on the day.
“It’s a combination of factors. That’s the fascinating thing as this project evolves. We’re constantly learning as we do things.
“On occasion, it was a judgement decision the VAR made, on one, it was a process mistake, and on others, it was trying to protect the high bar we want to not disrupt the flow of the game.
“On these two occasions, actually, the judgement should have been that the high bar had been crossed, it was a clear and obvious error and the VAR could have advised the referee of that.”
It is reported the four incidents Riley flagged up in the meeting were Jefferson Lerma’s challenge on David Silva, Youri Tielemans’ apparent stamp on Callum Wilson, Fabian Schar’s goal for Newcastle United against Watford and Tom Trybull’s trip on Sebastien Haller.
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A work in progress David Jiménez Silva Fabian Schär Football Leicester City Manchester City Newcastle United Premier League Video Assistant Referee - VAR West Ham United Youri Tielemans