Sin Bins would be such an incredibly stupid rule, one of the great things about football is the relative simplicity of the rules and the running order of a game, creating more rules and regulations and more stoppages to play is completely unnecessary.

Football is no longer the game I grew up and loved spoiled by money and bureaucracy

The part that worries me is nobody is talking about potential corruption. As was mentioned in this video, once a ref runs to the monitor to check for a pen, it is almost always then a pen. So a couple of guys working for VAR are swerving major results, like the PSG example here. The decision then made, makes little sense, meaning, how can we rule out corruption at this point, when so much power is handed to so few? It is no secret, the oil money teams have backers with huge financial clout & influence. A point here, a point there, changes everything. Qualifying for champions league v not qualifying, winning titles, even winning the champions league itself. Fine margins. Those fine margins can be dictated by a favorable decision here or there & nobody wants to even consider the possibility of VAR going away. Why? Why is it so powerful? Who is buying what?

09:51 “ If he would have pushed him in the Supermarket he ain’t fallen into the Frozen Chips is he “ 🤣🤣😂

How we refuse to acknowledge the refs are in the pocket is ludicrous

Merson is absolutely bang on

IFAB in order to justify it's own existence has to pretend there are loads of rule changes needed because if there were no rule changes needed there wouldn't be as much need for IFAB and therefore all the people who claim expenses or a salary from it would be losing out on money. It's a prime example of a committee just creating work for itself for the sake of it.

Merson's sin bin rant is so spot on. In fact, it's pretty refreshing to see football people talking honestly about VAR and (minus one) not just calling for walk backs.

There was once upon a time when we called Handball because the player intentionally swung his fist to block a sure-in goal, or quickly punch it in the net hoping no one had seen him. Same as the time when we used to call Offside when some forwards were camping by the box like a fox. How can my floating hair being offside from satellite's pov give me an advantage?

"If you'd push him in the supermarket he ain't falling into the frozen chips" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Sin bins will further ruin the game. It will spark a debate did the incident deserve a sin bin. More scrutiny of the game

I agree with what the guys are saying on this. One of my main concerns is the powers that be never talk about changing things back. If there are any issues with new rules. Their solution will be more new rules. As an obsessive fan for nearly 40 years something has changed in me. I just don't feel the same way about football anymore.

7:04 - 7:05 What?! 😂😂😂😂😂

Wait till they decide to play quarters next ...2 hour games around the corner ...TV bosses are responsible for introduction of VAR and so they're controlling the game ..every week the big talking points are VAR not the game

Football was ruined for me when I could not pronounce the names of all the foreign players in my "home" team.

What I don’t understand is that we all can see when VAR makes an error. Then why can’t the VAR officials see what all of us see?

VAR has destroyed so many fantastic goals since it was brought into the EPL. Not only that but took away for me the fun factor watching the game the real instant joy and cheering when your team would score a goal. Now you have a half assed celebration waiting for VAR to destroy the moment. VAR is making me less interested watching the game today. VAR should be only used for RED cards if its clear and obvious error from the REF don't use it for anything else simple as that !

Rugby's strength is they insist players try to play advantage. I would love it if they did that in football with VAR. There's a possible foul but the team tries to play on, while the ref makes note of where the foul took place. If the team can't consolidate their advantage by retaining possession further up the field or having a decent attempt on goal, bring it back to the original foul which VAR will have had a head start on checking. If the original incident is cardworthy (a foul or a dive) then do that.

When I played many moons ago at youth level, hand ball was hand ball. The only question was whether it touched the arm or not. Once interpretation of a player's intent was brought in, it became almost impossible to administer. All this shizzle would disappear overnight if they revereted to the original defintion. When goailies release the ball, usually by drop kick near the edge of the area, it's often hand ball, but never given. Many people might remember goailies taking a few long strides backwards to give them enough space to release behind the line. Throw ins during again usually include multiple foul throws. I've even seen some games where the player is rushing and ends up releasing the ball standing on one foot like a flamingo. Never given. Free kicks are very often never given a 10 yard distance to the opposing player. Years ago, clever players would take a quick free kick and it would hit the opposing player and he'd get booked for not getting back. Sometimes a gap of about 7 yards is often paced out by the ref. When the ball hits the ref, it should just be play on. Now we have the farce of the game being stopped and the ball given to the side who had possesion using some sort of drop ball. This links in well with another rule that's now been changed mainly because of players being too weak. That rule is the drop ball. Both sides used to contest it equally and the game would continue. Because players were too afraid to contest the ball, it's now become a joke where the ball is handed to a team by the ref as he tries to wave the opponent back a bit. There have been too many rule changes over the years and it's totally destroyed the game.

Completely agree with Merson on this again. Madness. As for Sin Bins, clearly the people who thought that up has never ever played a game in their lives.

Who’s getting tugged off in the background at 7:03?

Would love to hear the audio between var and the ref, clearly pressured to give PSG a result.

How VAR could see this as a clear and OBVIOUS error is beyond me. Once they call the ref to the screen they are basically saying that he has made a mistake, and with the pressure of the players and partisan crowd the referee unfortunately buckled.

Yeah, was never a pen in the Newcastle game but that's not the only thing that was wrong with the game. Can anyone tell me where they got the 8 mins of added time in the second half because realistically it should be about 3-4 mins

They gave him the WORST angle. Not only that, they froze the image when it his arm and not when it not his body.

That was a straight forward easy decision and somehow they made it a penalty. Like drogba said when chelsea lost in champions league from corrupt barcelona paying off referee "its a fu**in disgrace" cause the decisions match that game in terms of decisions not been given that are obvious.

I've been going to Newcastle united since 1968 season ticket since 1977/78 season I'm thinking about calling it a day what happened the other night make me think this is not the game I started to watch all them years ago 😮

"If you'd pushed him in the supermarket, he ain't falling into the frozen chips, is he?" I CAN'T 🤣🤣🤣

They invite the ref to the monitor to show him as to why he should reverse his original decision. They are not putting back onto the ref to decide they already decided from just 1 camera angle. Corruption 100%

'The beautiful game' is turning into a cross between the NFL and Rugby League, unwatchable mess. 📺💤

They clearly are not listening to fans opinions if they go through with sin bins

Doing everything but changing the main issue in football the officials. Nothing needs changing other than the standards & accountability of referees and VAR Decisions, Harsher punishments and more Justice for clubs who get robbed due to bad decisions. VAR is great but the rules need to be much clearer to get rid of interpretation excuses, Camera's need to be installed to cover every angle of the pitch.

Offside - When BOTH feet begin in a position that is further advanced beyond the last defender. Handball - Ball to arm from an opposing player or where an arm is hit by the ball in such a way that avoiding the ball is possible but wasn't attempted. Additional Time - The clock is stopped when the ball is not live. Referees to wear - microphones.

There is no reason I can see why it can't be as consistent as goal line technology. The watch pings if its over the line. Same should happen for any other rule. There is is no room for the ref to decide its not a goal if its past the line...

That’s exactly what happens in ice hockey …the power play has a countdown clock

Imagine Cantona, Keane in a sin bin? 😂😂

Why are IFAB continuing to paper over the current cracks by not looking into resolving the issues that are currently not working? Adding in more issues because of current issues creates more issues!!! Focus on refereeing standards and solidifying the rules, then VAR and the refs themselves won't be scrutinized or abused. The referees right now are not fit for purpose to ref on pitches or to use the technology at Stockely Park.

Agree 100%... VAR has already ruined football for me. Cant stand havin to wait to celebrate goals. Much preferred football without VAR. And now this sinbin nonsense will make it worse. Football, with all its imperfections, was perfect the way it was. All this stop start over analysis nonsense is takin the instantaneous joy out of the game. The soul of the game. Who are all these dickheads that are so desperate to change the game??? Its the most popular sport in the World. Leave it alone.

Would the same decision have been made if it was PSG about to concede! I don't think so!!

Can they sort out VAR first

And VAR was introduced to clear things up 😮 so now we have a penalty for Belly Ball.....

They cant even get the added time correct some matches teams waste time from kick off and they put up 2 mins at the end if the refs was tougher on the small things then the diving and other play acting wouldn't happen

Merson is spot on, how on earth 3 people in a room looking at that couldn’t see that was not a penalty is unbelievable, they are either stupid or being bribed. As for sin bins no no no

Merson is the voice of every single football fan. They are trying to ruin the game to gain utter control

Why can’t the ref decide, in real time, if he wants another look at a decision? Instead of waving away a pen or giving one, how about he holds up an arm/hand to signal he’ll be re-looking at the challenge/handball claim.

7:03 WTF lol

Ive been to a couple of non-league games where the sin bin has been used, and its been fine. Yes, in an ideal World, there wouldnt be a need for sin bins, but until the players learn to respect the referees, deterrents will be tried to be put in place.

Gotta agree with the second half especially from Mers. Don't agree that VAR hasn't improved some of the game, and it absolutely can work if done properly. They're just constantly messing up the implementation. Some of this needs to get separated from VAR the system and VAR the process, cos it's the process that's making things worse. Can't forget that some of this comes from wanting the ref on the pitch to have the final say and VAR to only override for a "clear and obvious" error - that dynamic just creates situations where the VAR don't want to make the really big calls, the refs in high pressure situations going to look at a screen.... Not a one stop solution but I think that 1) the VAR screens need to be played in real time on the screens at the stadium, see the logic going on, and 2) the ref and VAR need to be mic'd up like the NFL and Rugby. The lack of transparency during the game is absurd in 2023.

The game is getting ruined and worse every season! Ridiculous! Well said Paul Merson 👍🤣😂

I think it’s curious the way a lot of footballers now have an “urban” accent when only a couple of years ago they spoke with no accent at all! People have always had regional accents depending upon where they live but the urban one I find rather odd.

I miss the days when you watch a game with your mates at the stadium in the pub or at home and you would argue or debate about the match was it offside or not was it a penalty or should it of been a yellow or a red you can't really do that now because of var all we talk about now is var got that wrong or they took to long to make a easy decision and if they use sin bins what next time outs and roll on roll off subs

What percentage of people will have the Jokers in VAR throwing the decision back to him, implying he has hot it wrong and then it is ONE MAN against 50.000 or more and he will then have to make a REAL POINT of saying NO to VAR and the overwhelming majority of the crowd, under lights,in the 76th minute. Can you imagine the hostility he faced making that decision?

If we really have to keep VAR which I would’ve never allowed in the first place, do it like cricket and let each team have 3 VAR calls a game, if they were correct they keep the VAR call, if not they lose it. Captains call on pitch. That way it’s in the hands of players not every single goal etc.

Let the ref have a phone in pocket that shows replays, so when the var are deciding he can watch rather than stand there doing nothing. Then when he gets to hear the decision he can either agree or disagree with their decision without having to go to monitor.

I do not want sin bins and I miss the pre var days. The worst part is some of us wanted the heads to bring in technology to “improve the game” and now look. I dread to see how future tournaments like the 6 country host 2030 World Cup will look with whatever “new rules” they bring in.

I've played and watched football for years.......I'm afraid its in a complete state..... Go back to the old ways.... Only thing I would change is put an extra line from the centre circle to the semi circle on the area and have off side Only after that line....gives the lino only half the area to cover...and that's only so the lino can keep up with the game for offside..as its alot faster now.

If a bad decision by var has been made and because of that decision a team has lost points then after the game the points what were wrongly lost should be rectified

One could imagine what Brian Clough would think of vcr and sin bins. God save our football.

Mers spot on~!

A sin bin is bollocks. Thats what yellow cards are for!

As I understand it , a "Sin Bin" is being sent off....for a few minutes ? 🤔🤨🙄. Not much of a deterrent or punishment...

Either bin Var or put a pro in to look at decisions as well. its ruined football to the point where some decisions look corrupt

why aren't these decisions put to the fans? or at least considered as the average football fan is not entirely educated on the rules of the game, but seriously they are fuckin about with our game that WE fund and run. shame it's hard to boycott anything without hurting your own club directly.

Why are there not challenges, like tennis, 3 challenges per game only manager or captain can challenge a ref. Its that straight forward.

The other thing is , who is in the Reffs ear .

Referees should request help from VAR if unsure of decisions, to provide angles of view that were not available to them. There should be communication between ref & VAR, and the ref should ONLY go to a screen if VAR has CLEAR evidence of an incorrect decision. As it stands now, VAR are realistically taking the decision away from the ref.

"He aint falling into the frozen chips". lol classic Mers!

instead of replaying one angle at a time on one screen, maybe have 4 angles on the screen so the ref can look at all angles at once rather than just the angle VAR pick to emphasise

The second the ball hits his torso it is inevitable it will hit his arm, the only way it's being avoided is his arm falling off in that precise second which would defy the laws of physics

Var is an open wound now. But let's not forget that coulda been easily given as a pen pre-var as well

That is Kama for Newcastle from and by me a Arsenal fan

Its so simple No sin bins get the Ref to book the players who dont show Respect and Decent to the Ref and the players who are trying to get on the Olympic diving squad 👍 in other words the Refs need to do there jobs and Var should be run like in Rugby were you all see and hear whats being checked !!!

Sin bins works well in rugby and hockey, cuts out a lot of back chat, and is an option where an offence may be borderline between a red/yellow card. Merson makes fair points as to whether it would be useful in football. I think they are going to trial it in the Netherlands first to see if it works. As I understand it, no league will be compelled to adopt sin bins, whatever the outcome of the trial. Sin bins are already in use here in youth football without any issues.

Imagine players like big Dunc, Keane or Vinnie Jones getting sin binned! All hell would have broke loose 😂😂😂😂😂

Paul was a brilliant player in his day

Whst did VAR say? Did they say hit body first? Then ref can say ok no need to look as he hadn't given it.

I don't understand why everyone saying VAR ain't going anywhere? They brought it in,they can take it out

i am surprised people havent started to point at VAR as fixing matches.

Also rugby is much more physical, so it's easier to identify a dangerous tackle. It's so much more subjective in football. You think there are complaints and discussions now about red and yellow cards, imagine adding sin bins to the mix. Maybe 25 years ago this could have worked, when players were actually allowed to put in strong tackles. These days a slight touch and a player goes down...you're going to send a player off for 10 minutes?

Love how the tone has changed now, sky sports has no shame😂

Sin Bins? Hell no. A game could be 5 a side in half an hr, and what if a keeper gets binned? Sort VAR first.

Since when was the ref the most important person and most spoken about person on the pitch

Exact same scenario with Arsenal last night....no penalty lol

You could stop the micro managing of the game and go back to refs just refereeing a game as they see it and still use VAR. Put the use of VAR in the hands of the managers, let it be on them to call for its use if they think a game changing moment is a clear and obvious error. The problem with that is that managers would be tempted to abuse it over every minor incident and as a time wasting tactic. That could be dealt with by only allowing them to use it a set number of times per game and the risk of losing the privilege for several games if they abuse it.

Love sun bins. Will have powerplays like hockey

Just fine the players a years wages. Respect is earned and players only respect money.

What I’d like to we when someone gets clattered, the player gets booked and the injured guy has to go off the field and wait to be allowed to come back on, giving the apposition an advantage, now a sin bin would be fair to take off the booked player, but VAR it’s made the game worse, get ex players in VAR, or scrap it and go back to the refs in charge but get 4 lines men/ women to keep up with play

Nonsense. Yes the ref was asked to check the monitor but ultimately it's still his decision to make. His original onfield decision was no pen. How he has concluded from the replay that his decision was a clear and obvious error is mind boggling. They need to grow some balls and stick to their original decision.

Even as a Mackem. I honestly don't understand it. 😂

Forget all this rubbish about arms being in unnatural positions and so on and just go back to the extremely sensible rule we used to have. If it's deliberate handball then it's a penalty. If it's accidental then it's not. If you really feel the need then include the regulation that rules out GOALS scored after a handball - accidental or otherwise. Stop complicating matters just for the sake of it. The stuffed shirts at the top of the rule making department haven't got a clue and I bet 99.9% of them have never even played the game at ANY level.

Why not mic up the referee so the whole staduim can listen to their on field decisions making. Instead of having sin bins. They need to be accountable for their awful ability to ref a game and getting decisions wrong all the time

They should allow a 1minute stand up fight, no red cards and a few minute timeout for both players 😂

UEFA, like FIFA under Blatter, they want the big money making clubs and big name players in the latter stages of major competitons. VAR is being used to make sure it happens.

7:04 😳

Aas a Liverpool fc supporter of 38 years I felt really sorry for Newcastle never a pen for me it came of his side up onto his hand while running at pace.its just a shocking decision VAR stinks at times it can't be right that get it so badly wrong it happened to us with VAR this season to it can cost clubs millions for their mistakes.YNWA

Sin bins would just move the shift of critical focus onto "what constitutes a yellow card" and there'll be years of debate on it. "Clear and obvious" yellow card debates? Not going to work out, since we'd need VAR to settle that debate as well.

Get all the VAR people from another sport to replace the ones in football

Merse is right. It's exactly what I said earlier this week when the news hit. In rugby you can exploit the man advantage by having extra bodies in the scrum, ruck, maul etc. Or have an extra man overlap in the attacking line. In football teams will just park the bus for 10 minutes. It will be boring to watch.

Hendrie doing his best to rock the Mellberg beard

Why don't we just get rid of var upstairs take the ear peice away let the ref ref the game and if the ref wants to watch a video of a incident then he can if the ref chooses to