**Referees’ chief Howard Webb says there has been an 80% reduction in the number of video assistant referee (VAR) errors this season.**
It has now been five years since VAR was introduced in the Premier League, but the system and the way it is used continues to attract plenty of debate.
According to the independent Key Match Incidents panel (KMI), there were 31 incorrect uses of VAR during the 2023-24 season.
In June Premier League clubs voted 19-1 in favour of keeping VAR after Wolverhampton Wanderers triggered a vote to scrap it.
An independent survey commissioned by the Premier League suggested that four out of five fans want to keep VAR in the league.
The Premier League has started explaining VAR decisions using a dedicated social media channel, but the introduction of [semi-automated offside technology](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwyj7y89yq4o) (SAOT) – originally scheduled for after either the October or November international break – has been delayed until 2025.
Webb – chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) – has claimed that mistakes are down 80% this season.
“We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, ‘that’s clearly wrong on first view’. We’re good at spotting those most of the time.
“We have this independent panel which has got ex-players on it, and they judge each decision each week, and according to the panel – which is independent from us [PGMOL] – there has only been two VAR errors this season compared to 10 at the same time last year.”
Webb added that greater emphasis has been placed on reducing the time taken to reach decisions.
“We’ve been better at hitting the mark but that can change and we’re not going to get complacent, but it’s been better,” said Webb.
“For me, the biggest thing of all is that it’s been quicker. The average delay last season through VAR was 70 seconds per game and this year it’s 25 seconds. It’s way better.
“I said to the guys, ‘don’t ponder for too long, if you see a situation that jumps off the screen at you then get involved, but if you’re having to think about it too much and analyse it too many times then just say check complete because we’ll leave it with the referee on the field’. That’s why the term, ‘referee’s call’ is useful.”
krizkuzz on
I say Howard Webb is a fraud
Jackjec17 on
not taking into account when they ignore it for fun haha
Jackjec17 on
Why does he bring up the fernandes red arguably still could have been a red and if it was anyone outside the big six they wouldn’t discuss it any further
Happy-Ad8767 on
Politicians claim corruption is down 80% also, and if you pay them enough, they’ll tell you it has gone down to 90%.
repeating_bears on
>”We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, ‘that’s clearly wrong on first view’. We’re good at spotting those most of the time.
Doesn’t give you much confidence, does it? “We’re good at spotting things that are clearly wrong most of the time.”
You should be spotting things that are clearly wrong *all the time*. That’s what the word “clearly” means.
cokey11_ on
The issue is that when VAR gets the decisions right, no one cares. Which is the majority of the time.
But when it gets something wrong or maybe dubious, the whole media jumps on it and acts like it got every call wrong, such as the outrage that’s applied.
dragosn1989 on
Glad to see Arsenal firmly part of the 20%. 😜
peoplepersonmanguy on
Now do refereeing errors. VAR had some big ticket items last year, but it’s the errors from the man in the middle causing most of the issues.
AlGunner on
Refs back other refs, Its getting fucking ridiculous that everyone has yo say refs have got it right every time. They are literally untouchables. People arent allowed to say they made mistakes unless its so glaringly obvious there is no defending it. Just look at the 2 red cars Arsenal got. By the letter of the law you could argue they were 2nd bookings but when you look at al of the other similar incidents every single match and no one else gets a yellow unless its really blatant and no rational person can argue its being applied fairly and equally across all teams. But what do refs do, say tall of these decisions are right. And for that reason Webb can take this and shove it where the sun doesnt shine.
Rant over.
iamdeeproy on
*down to 80%
TravellingMackem on
Absolute fucking bollocks is it 🤣🤣
Bzoku on
Man needs specsavers!!
PandiBong on
Well, of course they are – if he gets to decide what’s an error or not. Meanwhile we haven’t had a single game week this season without at least one (and more often several) mind-boggling, game ruining refereeing decisions.
But hey, guess asking Webb about how good refs are is like asking a politician or the police if they are good at their job…
Billoo77 on
They just moved the goalposts on what constitutes a mistake.
It’s all gone back to the referees discretion. Then that ugly bald cunt pops up with excuses every Monday on why there actually was no mistake, what happened was everyone else with common sense got it wrong, and it’s the referees who are right!
This blatant gaslighting is more infuriating than the mistakes.
ClawingDevil on
“…because it’s an international break. But our refs and VAR have somehow still made mistakes even when there have been no prem games. I don’t know what to say.”
What Webb actually said.
seana39223 on
Errors are down because PGMOL have decided they aren’t punishing violent conduct and leg breaking challenges anymore…
OptimisticRealist__ on
We investigated ourselves and found no wrongdoing
Noriadin on
From 180%?
gary_desanto on
Don’t understand how they aren’t down 100%
Even with the technology they still manage to fuck up.
22 Comments
**Referees’ chief Howard Webb says there has been an 80% reduction in the number of video assistant referee (VAR) errors this season.**
It has now been five years since VAR was introduced in the Premier League, but the system and the way it is used continues to attract plenty of debate.
According to the independent Key Match Incidents panel (KMI), there were 31 incorrect uses of VAR during the 2023-24 season.
In June Premier League clubs voted 19-1 in favour of keeping VAR after Wolverhampton Wanderers triggered a vote to scrap it.
An independent survey commissioned by the Premier League suggested that four out of five fans want to keep VAR in the league.
The Premier League has started explaining VAR decisions using a dedicated social media channel, but the introduction of [semi-automated offside technology](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwyj7y89yq4o) (SAOT) – originally scheduled for after either the October or November international break – has been delayed until 2025.
Webb – chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) – has claimed that mistakes are down 80% this season.
“I don’t think we managed expectations well in terms of VAR,” the former Premier League referee told the [Stick to Football podcast, external](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/howard-webb-new-laws-controversial-calls-stick-to-football/id1709142395?i=1000673390324).
“We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, ‘that’s clearly wrong on first view’. We’re good at spotting those most of the time.
“We have this independent panel which has got ex-players on it, and they judge each decision each week, and according to the panel – which is independent from us [PGMOL] – there has only been two VAR errors this season compared to 10 at the same time last year.”
Webb added that greater emphasis has been placed on reducing the time taken to reach decisions.
“We’ve been better at hitting the mark but that can change and we’re not going to get complacent, but it’s been better,” said Webb.
“For me, the biggest thing of all is that it’s been quicker. The average delay last season through VAR was 70 seconds per game and this year it’s 25 seconds. It’s way better.
“I said to the guys, ‘don’t ponder for too long, if you see a situation that jumps off the screen at you then get involved, but if you’re having to think about it too much and analyse it too many times then just say check complete because we’ll leave it with the referee on the field’. That’s why the term, ‘referee’s call’ is useful.”
I say Howard Webb is a fraud
not taking into account when they ignore it for fun haha
Why does he bring up the fernandes red arguably still could have been a red and if it was anyone outside the big six they wouldn’t discuss it any further
Politicians claim corruption is down 80% also, and if you pay them enough, they’ll tell you it has gone down to 90%.
>”We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, ‘that’s clearly wrong on first view’. We’re good at spotting those most of the time.
Doesn’t give you much confidence, does it? “We’re good at spotting things that are clearly wrong most of the time.”
You should be spotting things that are clearly wrong *all the time*. That’s what the word “clearly” means.
The issue is that when VAR gets the decisions right, no one cares. Which is the majority of the time.
But when it gets something wrong or maybe dubious, the whole media jumps on it and acts like it got every call wrong, such as the outrage that’s applied.
Glad to see Arsenal firmly part of the 20%. 😜
Now do refereeing errors. VAR had some big ticket items last year, but it’s the errors from the man in the middle causing most of the issues.
Refs back other refs, Its getting fucking ridiculous that everyone has yo say refs have got it right every time. They are literally untouchables. People arent allowed to say they made mistakes unless its so glaringly obvious there is no defending it. Just look at the 2 red cars Arsenal got. By the letter of the law you could argue they were 2nd bookings but when you look at al of the other similar incidents every single match and no one else gets a yellow unless its really blatant and no rational person can argue its being applied fairly and equally across all teams. But what do refs do, say tall of these decisions are right. And for that reason Webb can take this and shove it where the sun doesnt shine.
Rant over.
*down to 80%
Absolute fucking bollocks is it 🤣🤣
Man needs specsavers!!
Well, of course they are – if he gets to decide what’s an error or not. Meanwhile we haven’t had a single game week this season without at least one (and more often several) mind-boggling, game ruining refereeing decisions.
But hey, guess asking Webb about how good refs are is like asking a politician or the police if they are good at their job…
They just moved the goalposts on what constitutes a mistake.
It’s all gone back to the referees discretion. Then that ugly bald cunt pops up with excuses every Monday on why there actually was no mistake, what happened was everyone else with common sense got it wrong, and it’s the referees who are right!
This blatant gaslighting is more infuriating than the mistakes.
“…because it’s an international break. But our refs and VAR have somehow still made mistakes even when there have been no prem games. I don’t know what to say.”
What Webb actually said.
Errors are down because PGMOL have decided they aren’t punishing violent conduct and leg breaking challenges anymore…
We investigated ourselves and found no wrongdoing
From 180%?
Don’t understand how they aren’t down 100%
Even with the technology they still manage to fuck up.
They’re just admitting their total incompetence.
Enjoyment down 50% too
Down *to* 80%