Manchester City vs Everton: VAR Chaos Shows Need for Improved Communication

Mixed messages, managers getting different calls relayed and a whole lot of nothing communication wise.

The match vs Everton had it all in the final 10 minutes. After Phil Foden’s great goal came a sequence that changed the course of the match and possibly the season. One where Pep Guardiola was told there was offside prior to the alleged hand ball and the one that Frank Lampard was told it was not a handball.

The plays:

The miscommunication of it all is perhaps the most puzzling. Lampard told it was not a handball. Then, Pep being told there was offside prior so that nulled the play. It has become chaos. Once accurately called out for it, the Premier League leadership came out much later and claimed it was not a handball.

In the end, so much miscommunication or lack there of, has underscored a massive need for better communication, structure and accountability that is needed in the VAR application.

What is the richest league in the world has become downtrodden in officiating. It’s shameful as no other league has such clear holes in application and explanations.

Something has to change and with it impacting everyone it should be heavily critiqued and fixed for the betterment of the game.

One solution is quite clear and that is having access to the dialogue being talked through by the head referee on the pitch and the one on the VAR HQ.

What else can be done? I’m sure we can figure it out, for now the important part is declaring a need for it to improve.