Former England midfielder Danny Murphy says VAR is ruining football as a spectacle and wants it scrapped.
The Premier League welcomed the Video Assistant Referee system on its opening weekend, with the new technology providing several talking points.
Three decisions were overturned in the 10 matches, with Manchester City and Wolves each having a goal disallowed by VAR.
City’s luck later evened out at West Ham as Sergio Aguero’s saved penalty was retaken, because Declan Rice had encroached into the area and then cleared the ball.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Murphy said VAR is taking away from the game as opposed to adding to it.
"I'd knock VAR on the head."
"Do we really want to see goals being disallowed by an armpit being offside?"
"Perfection is never going to happen."❌
Danny Murphy says the @PremierLeague should scrap VAR
What do you think? pic.twitter.com/bTQFxZoziS— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) August 12, 2019
I went to the (VAR) conference and it was really helpful. I like the fact that they are really going to set the bar high in terms of overturning anything unless it’s a really bad decision.
I like that mindset because that’s what helped the World Cup run smoothly in Russia. But if you gave me the choice I’d knock VAR on the head...
Do we really want to see goals disallowed for an offside that’s an armpit ahead of another armpit by four millimetres?
He might be offside by four millimetres by the letter of the law. But it’s supposed to be an entertainment business, isn’t it?
Murphy would be known for his preference of 'old school' football, so his opinion on this subject is not at all surprising.
Still, you feel his points are fairly empty. VAR was used in every match in the Premier League last weekend, and it got every decision right. Apart from two games, you wouldn't even know it was in use.
There were reportedly around 70 VAR checks on the Premier League’s opening weekend, compared to an average of around eight per game during trial matches and in other competitions already using VAR.
-Press Association
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