FIFA's VAR and refereeing changes

[Nick Bateman]

In an attempt to improve the game and the spectacle of the World Cup, FIFA have made several changes and here's my opinion of them and whether we should apply any of them next season in the Premier League.

The 5-second rule for taking set-pieces is a good one. Players have often slowed the game down especially when they are winning and now you see how quickly they take throw-ins for example.

The water break has annoyed many supporters and they are now audibly heard booing. Whilst I thought it might be a necessary safety feature I am thinking we are pampering these players too much. An alternative would be for any player who feels too hot to have a water bottle thrown on the side of the pitch, rehydrate, then throw the bottle off. But perhaps they've done it this way to suit the American TV networks to have advertisements.

The ref cam is another good change. If that were applied in the Premier League no ref can claim he didn't see the incident.

VAR ruling on whether is was a corner is possibly a good thing but apparently they don't rule if a goal kick is wrongly awarded.

I think FIFA are trying to make the World Cup better, as they did in Qatar, with less rewards for diving which is making for better viewing and flow of matches.

Not sure if any of this would work in the Premier League as we saw last season how incompetent and corrupt the PGMOL administer the sport, favouring certain teams massively not wanting to improve the fairness in our game. More VAR in the EPL would probably be worse.

[YankeeJim]

The "hydration" break has nothing to do with water. It's simply an excuse to have some ads. This IS American TV after all.