Victory and Wanderers fight out 1-1 draw

"If the VAR was used in any meaningful way, the incorrect decision that resulted in the field position would/should have been reviewed." I'm sorry, but this is just not true. There is too much misunderstanding about what VAR can & cannot do. VAR cannot be used on anything other than 4 specific situations: 1) GOALS VAR will assist the ref to determine if an infringement means a goal should not be awarded 2) PENALTY DECISIONS VAR is use to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made to award or not award a penalty 3) RED CARD VAR is used to ensure that clearly no wrong decisions are made to send a player off; or not send a player off 4) MISTAKEN IDENTITY VAR is used to inform the ref that he has cautioned or given red card to the wrong player VAR is being used perfectly. But, people are not paying attention to what VAR has the authority to do

The goal was fine Nemisis, what Waz (I presume) is talking about is the lead up. The throw in was incorrectly awarded to Victory. The ball is thrown in and immediately the Wanderers player fouls (was it Deng?) the resulting free kick, head onto the post into goal. If the VAR was used in any meaningful way, the incorrect decision that resulted in the field position would/should have been reviewed. Now how far do we bring it back is a question of course, and that is an issue with the VAR. I would much rather be complaining about that decision going against us, and then have someone say yea but..... swings and roundabouts. the point being the Ref's make mistakes and I can whinge over coffee to others in the office, but they are human and mistakes happen and in the end they do even themselves out. But VAR is supposed to virtually eliminate it and it isn't. I do not see any positives in it.

I said the VAR was introduced to create more advertising space. I stand by that, nothing in the debate with you has changed my opinion on that. My next issue with the VAR is its selective use - mistakes still occur, some get VAR corrected, others don’t. That makes the system unfair - at some point in the season every fan will be upset with its use to the point where the negatives will outweigh any positives. That’s dangerous - if you alienate fans they will stop coming to games and stop watching on tv. So basically the VAR slows the game down, doesn’t eradicate all errors, alienated many fans, and is not proving to be any better than what we had before. It has made the game worse not better. Just my opinion, but one shared by many fans ... including fans in Germany.

You do both players named a disservice - both are far from “one trick ponies” imo. Riera has spent most of his career outside Europe’s top flight leagues playing in second divisions, unlike Klose and Cahill.

"You’re point on perfecting the “one trick” is perfectly valid, opposition coaches and defences will work to counter that though." And, yet, Tim Cahill & Miroslav Klose did the same one trick over 20 year professional careers - at the highest level of World Cup finals competitions & club competitions. Coaches knew what was going to happen when those 2 played. Didn't stop the players from burying the ball in the back of the net with their one trick.

Nemesis.......I was going off the commentators on the tv and the reports. I sat and watched on TV as the lack of drama unfolded. I was surprised that the penalty was awarded in the first place as Jumpei was busy giving the ball away. When it came up for review, then the green light came on, then went off, then came on again, the commentators stated it was a review about the yellow card which I found even more perplexing. I belong to a small minority that accepts the referee’s decision and we get on with the game. We have 90 minutes to rectify any mistakes the players or the official makes somI hate the VAR and the stoppages in the game especially when performed like that one last night. If it genuinely reviewed the decision to award the penlty, then my faith is slightly restored but I’d still say it is a part of the game I could happily live without.

"And yet we still have mistakes – Victory’s goal last night" What was your problem with Victory's goal last night? Have you ever seen any problems with Brisbane's goals, or is this the only team that has had 100% perfectly legitimate goals over 12 years? PS: If you're referring to an "M" symbol as advertising (& you're right it is), then you must be offended by shirt sponsors & all other branding that you see on your TV screen during the coverage.

The advertising does occur: 1. It’s called the MacDonalds VAR, that’s advertising 2. On screen in the stadium when a VAR review is on the little red/green flashing logo is accompanied by the Maccers “M”, that’s advertising 3. The same occurs on the tv coverage - on screen the Maccers “M” appears, that’s advertising 4. The commentators even refer to it as the Maccers VAR, that’s definitely advertising This is exactly how it started out in Rugby - a little to begin with and increasing over time. Two things will occur imo - we will get more VAR reviews, and the reviews will start to take longer. That enables more advertising- that’s what they did in Rugby. That’s what they’ll do in football. And yet we still have mistakes - Victory’s goal last night, Adelaide’s goal two weeks ago, O’Donnovans second goal in R1 ... we still have the errors, only now we have more breaks with advertising.

yes there was McDonald's advertising. I was at the game last night as well. just because you did not see the McDonald's does not mean there was none at the stadium. that is called a false negative. Unless you are the spokesperson of all things advertising at the stadium?

Mate, seriously though you know where I’m completely ng from with that comment surely? You’re point on perfecting the “one trick” is perfectly valid, opposition coaches and defences will work to counter that though.

I was at the Stadium yesterday. There was absolutely no McDonald's advertising during the VAR deliberations. And, there was none during the Sydney Derby during the VAR before Bobo's penalty - I watched on TEN and TEN do show ads during breaks in play.

Nemisis McDonald's. On the advertising Waz is correct, he is also correct about how bloody useless it is. Waz is incorrect on Riera though, he is pretty good with the ball at his feet, he can hold up the ball really well. Would love to see someone playing off him a bit more

hey numpty nemesis If you have any video footage of your coaching successes, can you please provide the links so I can fully appreciate how a team functions under a successful manager like yourself. Unless, we resort to a fan-based coaching system it’s laughable to read the same people offer their same coaching advice to a forum that’s filled with people who have ZERO ability to act upon the advice. Utter waste of time. You’ll have more success urinating into a tornado. What’s the point of going on about the Coach or the System? An utter utter waste of time.

I thought you were smarter than that? I've never - not once - suggested you need to be qualified to have an opinion on players, coaches, or any thing. What I've said is: don't try to suggest you know more about coaching, playing, or any topic than the people who have qualification and experience in coaching, playing, or any topic. In relation to Riera, your opinion is as valid, & as invalid, as anyone else on this forum

"It has been put in to sell advertising and nothing else. " What advertising is the VAR selling? I was at the stadium last night, there was no advertising during the VAR deliberation. I've watched ALeague on PayTV & Ten Network when VAR is used. There has been no advertising. How about we stick to facts, rather than just making stuff up?

Bundesliga fans demanding an end to VAR: http://punchng.com/bundesliga-fans-demand-end-of-video-assistant-referee-testing/

Buddy, I hate the VAR and am getting over commenting on it. It has been put in to sell advertising and nothing else. Another reason why it’s unfair again last night - victory get a thrown in incorrectly awarded, the VAR sees it but doesn’t correct it, the throw in leads to a free kick, the free kick to a goal. The VAR is a sham.

Nemesis - why are you commenting on players, you’re not qualified by your own admission?

"We learnt that it was reviewing whether Williams should get a yellow card, not whether it was a penalty" Nonsense. The VAR first checked the penalty decision & gave the all clear. Then it checked the YC identity & said "mistaken identity". If Riera is a "one trick pony", then so is Tim Cahill & so was Miroslav Klose. Regardless, even if all these players are one trick ponies, their trick is extremely successful so, maybe, other players should work on perfecting one trick, rather than failing at all tricks.

No thoughts on VAR? We learnt that it was reviewing whether Williams should get a yellow card, not whether it was a penalty. It was farcical at best. I was a bit surprised it was awarded in the first place as Jumpei moved the ball sharply to the left, well away from his body where two defenders were waiting for him and then the leg went out...I suppose you could say it was a silly decision by Williams but it really ended badly what with the delay, then get set, then further delay and finally, how far off his line was Thomas when he saved it? I tend to agree about Riera but he is finding the net. I’d like to see them try and play with two strikers at times. So far this season the same line up pretty much is being churned out and they are doing the same things, playing the same way and we expect a different result? I would like to see Clisby on the left side and Llorente play in front of him, at least as an experiement. Perhaps with a new coach there will be new ideas and new thinking as to how to change things without upsetting the rhythm but the team able to switch to a plan b or c or anything but the same old same old!