It is amazing how quickly we've forgotten all the issues the game had before VAR that were alleviated. Sure, we can talk about players looking for contact in the penalty box, but remember that before VAR it was a valid strategy to just flop and if the ref fell for it there was no way out no matter how obvious. Or look up something like Arnautovic's red card in Sweden v Austria (featuring Elmander). That's the kind of garbage we used to have that isn't viable anymore. Is VAR perfect? Of course not. Could it be implemented better? Of course. But anyone who thinks that football has gotten less fair because of VAR is completely deluded.

Before VAR injustices were definitely happening all over the place. This Sid guy is insane.

VAR is not rubbish. Game was riddled before. VAR has brought improvement, not prefect, but an improvement.

Swedish FA just trying to cut costs lol. No one thought VAR would get rid of every bad call. People believed they would be reduced greatly and they were (94% to 97% means a 50% decrease in incorrect calls). It even discourages dirty play like diving. It’s not VAR’s fault that referees are sometimes unable to use it correctly. And the argument that it prevents players from celebrating is just weird because they still do

Stevie is completely right and it’s very refreshing seeing someone who’s older and played the game so long ago being on the side of technology

Appoint Afcon VAR officials to train them! Not one controversy throughout the tournament.

We aren't now going to pretend that the controversies with VAR are the same with out VAR. It's also still new there is so much left to be done to improve it. but even this version is better than before

Sid’s archaic approach and old school football mentality is legit like saying, “yes 10 percent of weapons went past airport security, so therefore we don’t need airport security whatsoever.” Soooo delusional

Why was VAR working so well at AFCON but not in Europe?

Stevie on 🎯, we just need to improve how var is used

Sid is right - actual match going fans have been polled and they're mostly against VAR. Those who sit at home don't have the same experience.

Well said Stevie, VAR is a MUST & here to stay. It has improved the game but is only not perfect because of the incompetent referees using the technology. Imagine if a clear offside was the difference between winning the title/surviving relegation but it was missed cos there was no technology, wonder how Sid would be feeling after that…

So we're spotting things we haven't spotted before, to make it a fairer game; and that's wrong. Got it.

It's 2024, every country that can afford it should have VAR involved. This whole anti-VAR message is really odd. The problem lies not with the actual technology, but with those who operate it.

VAR has been around in Rugby and Cricket since the beginning of time. It's simple, easy and frankly normal. It's 2024...

Sid is expecting VAR to completely wipe out human error, but how can it when it's human operated.

it's exhausting when people look at the incompetency and decide "VAR IS BAD!" and not "PGMOL IS BAD!!!" when so much of the problems with VAR happens in england and not other leagues.

The problem is not with technology but the officials using it. VAR was so aptly used during the African cup of nations. There were no controversial decisions during the AFCON because of VAR. I thing the UEFA has to probably give refresher courses on the technology.

I can't believe we are having this discussion, VAR is not perfect but it is miles ahead of what we used to have..

I guess this means they prefer to spontaneously celebrate goals offside than not so spontaneously celebrate fair goals 🤷‍♂️

VAR is not about making the game perfect. As long as theres a net positife its worth it which there is. And as time goes on theyll continually improve it such as semi automated offside. It is the way forward. We cant go back now

LMAO SID HIGH SCHOOL PHOTO LOOKING LIKE A HOGWARTS STUDENT

I think VAR and replays can still be effective while maintaining game flow if some restrictions are made (Limited zoom/slo-mo and if there isn’t anything clear/obvious after 20 seconds, play on)

as much as all these comments are against Sid, I think he has a very valid point. The idea that football had to be "fixed" is the root of most of these problems with VAR right now

I hate that technology with all my heart. It messed up the beautiful game

I completely agree with Sid here. VAR has fundamentally changed the best moment in sports - the moment when your team scores a goal. It used to be such a wonderful explosion of joy - now it’s yay-oh-uh well now let’s wait to see if what we just watched will actually count. And we still have just as much controversy about bad calls now as we used to.

Utter drivel from Lowe. VAR has cut down massively on bad calls. Football was getting farcial before it, just a total lottery. VAR is still in its early stages, give it time. And get people who can use it properly, unlike the PL.

Sid saying going from 94% to 97% correct decisions thanks to VAR isn't good enough, well that literally means that the amount of wrong decisions has been reduced by 50% though..

VAR is a benefit to the game, there's always going to be subjective decisions that people wont like regardless. I can't count the amount of people I've seen wrongly enraged over VAR. People will always look for someone to blame. The ref Is ultimately responsible for bad decisions, VAR reduces this. The pack mentally you see from enraged people grouping together over perceived injustices is outrageous. It's understandable when things are objectively wrong but it's often a matter of opinion (dus the 'clear and obvious'). There would be more objectively wrong decisions without VAR. Some people need to wake up to that reality. People praising Sweden for this are wrong to do so. It's a poor idea to ultimately not reduce bad decisions overall. Accountability on controversial decisions is what I would call out for, based on how often refs or VAR officials make dubious decisions. They should be demoted to lower leagues or potentially face being sacked. An open merit system on bad/good officiating if you will. Accountability for the individuals, not the removal of the tools (VAR) that ultimately help more than they hinder. P.S- Please don't engage me in the replies, I've said my thoughts on the matter. Not looking to debate or converse about it with others.

Stevie is completely right. And I don't get ppl like sid saying var massively effects games badly like its a fact. Games feel almost the same to me as before. Few more stoppages to get the right calls... Big deal

Sid is completely wrong. Stevie is absolutely right.

goal line technology, and that's it. Beyond that VAR is unnecessary. Oh, and getting GOOD referees and linesmen.

We need to see more of Sid. Intelligent writer.

Unfortunately a lot of fans here in Sweden are against VAR (which is why the FA has not been able to go through with it).

Don't need VAR? Tell it to Ireland

VAR is an improvement on the game. How the different leagues use it, however, leaves a lot questions rather than answers.

There's no debate. VAR needs to be in the game. End of story

Sid is an amazing journalist. I completely agree with him and his points. VAR has really killed my enjoyment of the game. I notice that I watch less football now.

4:52 "clear and obvious" not being exactly that is NOT an issue with VAR. It's an issue of interpretation of footballing laws. If anything, VAR has made us realize that many of our laws rely on interpretation and hence, need reworking.

VAR issues have to fixed. It is ruining the game While it has fixed few things…

With all the problems that we've had with the VAR it's still better than no VAR at all. I think the biggest problem of the VAR is all of this nonsense about "is it really clear and obvious" and "the VAR must not re-referee the game" that created this grey area that people can use to justify all kinds of calls. At the end the person that sees the most should have the possibility to evaluate the game on his own without having to consider if there may be a reason why the original call by the referee might not be totally wrong. The VAR needs more responsibility not less.

The subtle "hates VAR" below Sid's name 😂😂😂🙈

VAR just gives you the opportunity to revisit some genuine refreeing mistakes, the final decision is for the refree to make. VAR has drastically improved refreeing and there is no going back. Its a new tech and it will improve. Me as a fan i don't wanna lose games and trophies because of refreeing mistakes.

Does VAR help refs make more accurate calls absolutely. I just prefer it without VAR because refs messing up brought an extra level of excitement to the game. The refs calls brought another dynamic to the game, it was like a mystery box you just didn’t know what you would get and honestly it was fun

Fixed time!!!! Pause the clock whenever it goes out of play and thats it.

Do you remember the Goal from Maradona against England (the Hand of God). Some people forgot the 80 and 90 with al the weird goals and hard fouls.

Just have an appeal system like cricket; three appeals and if it’s a good call they keep them, if it’s a false one you lose your chances.

Where would Varca and Varchester be without it? 😂

I’d like to see VAR of the Swedish FA rejection VAR.

It definitely feels it disrupts the game. I also think its changing how players play the game. Trying to look for things like PKs rather than play and score.

VAR should be used like tennis or cricket. Give the captains and managers the right to send the ref to the monitor 2 times every game (you only lose if the decsion isn't changed). And semi-automated offsides. Will add a new dimension to the game. will take expenditure on extra var officials etc and will put the onius on the team to get their decisions checked.

Zlatans height sees everything from above and only through zlatans approval can a goal be allowed😂

Get rid of it. Cant celebrate a goal anymore. Its runied the best part of the game

I’m sure VAR will helpus on the road to endless but perfect and controversy free 0 -0 games with perfect attacking and defending BORING

If you saw Chukwueze's disallowed goal vs Sassuolo the other week you'll know automatic offside isn't perfect either

When decisions go against teams, they'll miss VAR.

VAR, Very Annoying Regulations. Needs to go. If not, it needs to be implemented correctly by the officials. Too many grey areas with the current rules.

Pundits and commentators keep saying "we need to use var betrer"... but var in EPL gs in complete shambles. Howard web and PGMOL are responsible

As a fan. Try celebrating a goal these days...you need to wait 5mins to see if it is a goal or not.

VAR has been a mess! 😂

VAR as is belongs in the bin. There are at most four things video assist should be used for imo. Goal line technology, fully automated offside decisions, finding hidden red card worthy offenses and clearing up cases of mistaken identity. In short VAR should only deal with things that either don't break the flow of the game or that truly violate the spirit of the game. Everything else should be in the hand of the on-field referee with no outside interference. Yes, there will be a few more wrong decisions, but real football isn't a factory product, it's entertainment. And human imperfections are a significant part of what entertains people. With music most studio produced songs are arguably better than listening to a live performance if we are talking about audio quality and yet listening to a band in person is a far better experience even if the singer messes up a note, the lead guitar misses a beat and the audio equipment isn't tuned to perfection. Same with art, something fully computer generated without human input doesn't speak to us on the same level as what a painter can do, because of the human imperfections and idiosyncrasies. With football all the wrong decisions we argue about are part of the entertainment. Of course you want as few as possible, but if they occur in the heat of the moment and just because of human limitations and not gross incompetence we can accept it if we enjoy it live. What kills the enjoyment is celebrating a goal only to watch the referee stand around for a minute and then run to some screen and decide wherher to award the goal because of a supposed foul somewhere. Stop treating football as something you order on Amazon and from which you can expect perfection and treat it as the human live performance it is.

Refs are already awful. You want to remove something holding refs accountable.

VAR was supposed to help better decisions but they are not. Most times they backed up wrong decisions of the referees or didn’t intervene because not “clear and obvious”

The proof we all needed for way too long: the guy is out of his mind.

Just keep goal line technology. In the past it was easier to accept a refs mistake. Now fans are always baying for blood

VAR for the lines only, those constant interruptions are against the very nature of the game.

Just use var when the goal is on the line or over the line..handball in the penalty should only be consistent enough for referee to judge whether it's ball to hand or hand to ball.. handballs outside the box need not have to use VAR..it's the referee decision without the var .

Replays have helped the nba for decades

Sweden is correct. Technology can’t fix everything and clearly it hasn’t. VAR even with replay even with the thousands of angles even with extra people looking at it have still messed up horribly. It is no different mistakes were had before VAR and they are being made with them also.

IT should be rejected at this moment in time, the powers at the top use it too loosely.

VAR worked well for us Scousers this year , just watch the Spurs game again and get back to him lads!!

Var will improve if the people using it new what they were doing .Better usage like rugby union .

Clear and obvious error. That is the key, in my opinion. VAR should only be involved when they spot a clear and obvious error from the referee. A penalty that takes more than 30 seconds to decide is not clear and obvious. An offside that takes different color lines on the pitch and players' body to check is not clear and obvious. A red card foul that takes multiple viewing at 5 different angles at super slo mo is not clear and obvious. A handball that requires the camera to zoom 400% to find the mark between shoulder and arm is not clear and obvious. A clear and obvious error should only takes one replay viewing in less than 10 seconds to notice. If not clear and obvious, ruling on the pitch stands.

To any denier of VAR: Let me hear that strong argument when you get a goal against you on a final and it should’ve been disallowed 😉

Why is everybody having a go at Sid. He's just voicing his opinion. How many people on here have moaned about the decisions, week in, week out.

5:01 like the Barca ghost goal

Geez people football has existed for over 100 years without var, and lived with refereeing decisions... which contributed to the excitement and passion of watching a game. Every decision doesn't have to be analysed down to a science

Var has killed the fan experience. I rather run the risk of my team having a decision go against them due to referee making an error and I will be able to enjoy football again

VAR may get a % of more decisions right but it’s ruining the game as way to slow in making a decision and way to many stoppages

VAR is not perfect. It needs improvement. But, there is no way we r going back...

Sid Lowe "Really hate VAR" hahahaha well played ESPN!

What about goal line technology

fantastic statement about VAR. VAR WAS THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED TO FOOTBALL

and the gambling houses rejoiced they thought that point shaving was a dying art they are so back baby

They know Malmo would never win the league again🤣🤣

Sid Lowe is such a top journalist. I don't agree with him on this particular issue, but he puts his thoughts and opinions across very, very well. Love listening to him.

Sid is just a romantic. He believes we should be fine if referees make a wrong decision and the whole world accepts it as sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s an extremely personal and short-sighted point of view. In this day and age, if officials don’t look at replays, you can 100% bet every news channel, media outlet, YT creator, etc will look at replays and will bring a tremendous amount of pressure to bear on referee performance. Can you imagine if Maradona’s Hand of God happened today and there was still no VAR? Do you think with media being so much more present and immediate today you could tell England the same “just accept it” line? Before the game was over, replays would be going, clips of the handball from stadium spectators would start going viral on Twitter, etc. Maybe even before the game is over, the referee’s head would be demanded. And Sid thinks that scenario is fine. That if a handball eliminates a country from the World Cup, that’s fine because it otherwise interrupts game flow. He’s English but I doubt he speaks for England in this case.

haven't heard a worst take on anything in a while, wow just wow

How about you simply have better refs AND VAR? Only the EPL has got as much issues with it. EPL is not a good example. Take notice of other leagues such as Bundesliga or La Liga. They have introduced VAR almost perfectly... those league simply have much higher quality refs than the EPL does.

Sid just be yapping

not a big fan of VAR but now swedish fans have to accept that referees makes mistakes !!

Don’t do away with var lots of mistakes caught

It's like people who complaing about VAR don't understand there are humans behind it. There's nothing wrong with the system....humnas will just always make mistakes.

Never forget Chelsea vs Barcelona, thats why we need VAR

Good job Sweden 🇸🇪 👏 👍

We need a VAR Lite, because I fundamentally don't like offsides because of 'a toe', or something of the same ilk.

WOOHOO go Sweden!!!! Sport is entertainment. Does VAR make the sport more or less entertaining? Less. SO, so much less. Instead of a wrong decision, we get to wait 5 min for a wrong decision. And why is Stevie defending VAR? His Liverpool lost the title (10+ points) to refs/VAR, not City or Arsenal (ie Doku high booting McAllister in the Chest, Luis Diaz "offside", Odegaard handball, Gakpo live ball). We tried VAR, it hasn't worked, so let's try automated offsides and maybe--like goal-line tech--it'll be ok and a good addition. Isn't VAR just the FA trying to cover themselves legally after getting sued by relegated clubs a couple years back? I mean seriously this is crazy.

Sid is on point.

Unbelievable....all these fans are then the ones that cry out corruption or conspiracy theories when a ref gets a decision wrong.

I like it a lot even though nobody watches swedish football anyways