Sheffield United's Chris Wilder calls for VAR and offside law to help attackers more

Selected cup games have used the VAR system since January 2018, but this season has been the first when it has been applied to all Premier League matches.

There has been no end of controversies about decisions, protocols and interpretations, and statistics show the Blades have had more rulings against them from Stockley Park than any other top-flight team.

Perhaps the most frustrating came at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where what would have been David McGoldrick's maiden Premier League goal was chalked off because John Lundstram's big toe was ruled to be in an offside position by a matter of millimetres early in the build-up, despite VAR not being accurate to that degree.

Often when goals are scored this season, it appears the officials are looking for a reason to disallow it, and Wilder hopes that emphasis can change.

“The offside law's been at the forefront of the discussions this season and I've said all along if there's an alternative to the offside law that favours the attacking side I think everyone in football would support it,” commented Wilder.

“We don't want to see goals ruled out my millimetres as is the case at the moment. If it can favour the attacking side and more goals are going in, I'm sure that benefits the game overall.”

Consistency and speed are two other bugbears.

“It's definitely here to stay and we have to mould and get on with it,” said Wilder.

“We're just looking for consistency, there was one last week when the linesman stuck his flag up and the referee blew for offside straight away and you still flick back to what happened against Newcastle.

“There's still going to be that debate. You'd like quicker decisions but it's still subjective and objective.

“You'd like to think with camera angles and somebody else, you have a better opportunity of getting the correct decision.”

Even goalline technology has been against the Blades this season, with the makers of Hawkeye apologising after their technology failed to register what was clear to the naked eye, that Oliver Norwood's free-kick at Aston Villa in June had crossed the line, and the on-field officials put blind faith in that.

“We're still waiting for the stills from the Villa game!” joked Wilder. “It's a little bit raw still, as you can imagine.

“It makes me laugh when some managers think they've been on the receiving end of the worst decisions. We have been on the receiving end of the worst decision by a country mile.

“When the Premier League came around at the start of the season they talked about upping the percentages of correct decisions that's what we're all after. Hopefully we'll get the correct decisions.

“I won't say what I'd like to say about what happened at Villa Park but hopefully all watches are switched on and people are watching from a distance.”

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