The Premier League has further delayed the introduction of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) after the record eight-minute VAR check in the FA Cup fifth-round tie between Bournemouth and Wolves.
The technology, which was trialled for the first time in English football in seven of the eight fifth-round ties, failed at the Vitality Stadium owing to what sources described as a “congested penalty area”. This led to an unprecedented wait while the video assistant referee, Timothy Wood, made three checks before the Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez’s first-half goal was disallowed for offside.
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Plans to introduce SAOT in the Premier League after this month’s international break have been put back as a result. The FA has confirmed it will hold another trial in three of this month’s FA Cup quarter-finals and continue to use it in the semi-finals and final. Preston have been drawn at home against Aston Villa in the quarter-finals and, as a Championship club, do not have the capacity to operate the system.
Premier League sources have indicated they would like to implement SAOT this season, but that would need the support of the clubs. The earliest it could be introduced is the weekend of 5-6 April, although some clubs are questioning whether a significant change should be brought in with eight games remaining.
The clubs voted unanimously to introduce SAOT last April and it was scheduled to be brought in last October but in-stadium testing revealed problems with its accuracy that were not resolved until last month.
The Premier League’s chief football officer, Tony Scholes, admitted to having “severe doubts” over the viability of SAOT last month and a number of concerns remain. Given the controversy surrounding VAR there is some reluctance at the league to invite more criticism.
Professional Game Match Officials Limited has argued that SAOT would reduce the waiting time for decisions to 30 seconds because the lines are drawn automatically, so there was some embarrassment that one of the first trials should lead to the longest VAR check in English football.
The FA had warned before the trial that marginal offside decisions in crowded goalmouths could prove too tight for the new technology to detect. At Bournemouth, after the all-clear regarding a possible handball, an offside check began but SAOT did not work. As frustration mounted over the delay, home fans sang “It’s not football any more” and “This is embarrassing”, and Wolves supporters did not celebrate when the goal was disallowed.
The delay was more than two minutes longer than the previous longest VAR check, which was five minutes and 37 seconds during a Premier League game between West Ham and Aston Villa last year.
