The problem is offside law not VAR

This week has seen the controversy over Video Assistant Referee (VAR) revived as Tottenham beat Chelsea1-0 in the Carabao Cup semi-final courtesy of a VAR decision.

The fact that Tottenham scored their only and winning goal in this game through a VAR decision has seen the debate about it return in earnest.

I was a sceptic about VAR when it was first mooted as a solution to the enduring controversies in professional football.

The game has always had these controversies. But with the recent huge growth in football’s profile, the vast amounts of money in the game, plus twenty-four hour media, these problems have been brought into much greater focus.

The stakes for coaches and managers in particular have never been higher with the average tenure of a Premier League boss being roughly less than two seasons.

So unsurprisingly they often react badly to any slightly debatable decision as it could literally cost them their job.

However I was unconvinced that simply introducing new technology such as VAR, would solve these problems. Technology is not a panacea and the experience of other sports that have long used something similar has not seen controversies over decisions eliminated.

But in last summer’s World Cup VAR did seem to have a more positive impact and although there was a huge spike in penalties awarded and some still very debatable moments, the overall impression seemed positive.

Instead of maintaining that momentum, the Premier League decided not to introduce it for this league season. So it’s been restricted to use in the domestic cup competitions.

There are two major problems with this approach.

First of all match officials, managers, players and fans are inexperienced in the use of the technology. Then suddenly after not having it in any league matches, they are being required to now use the technology in a cup game.

Secondly VAR is then being used in the most high-profile games within that cup competition, thereby maximising the potential of one of those decisions being critical to a team progressing to a final and the chance to win a trophy.

And that’s possibly exactly what has happened. Chelsea might well overturn Spurs’ one goal lead in the return leg at Stamford Bridge. Then again they might not and the VAR decision could prove crucial.

I think that if you’re going to experiment or come up with what seems to be a messy compromise arrangement, then it should probably have been used in earlier rounds of the tournament.

But actually regardless of whether VAR should be used all the time or just in select games, the real problem that the Carabao Cup semi-final underlined, is the changes to the offside law.

The meddling with the interpretation of the offside law by football’s authorities in recent years has created great confusion, which no amount of technology will really solve.

By creating a situation where players can be technically offside but if they are perceived not to be interfering with play they are considered not to be, it has created situations in which referees’ opinions are even more important to deciding offside.

It was easier when the law simply stated that if you were in line with the last defender as the ball was played, you were only then onside.

Then it was much clearer for referee’s assistants and the referee was essentially taken out of making offside decisions, they simply looked for the flag.

Now it’s true that while moving back to the old interpretation of the offside law wouldn’t eliminate controversy over penalties for example, it might help to reduce the number of such decisions. And make the introduction of VAR much easier. However there’s not much hope of that though.