The latest data must influence the decision Arsenal make in the upcoming Premier League vote to scrap VAR.
All twenty Premier League clubs will vote in June on whether or not to scrap VAR.
Arsenal will have a vote, and if 14 of the 20 top flight outfits do opt to get rid of the video assistant referee system then it will be disposed of before the start of next season.
VAR was introduced to the top flight of English football in the 2019/20 season, and has been a source of controversy ever since.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, in particular, feel that they have been on the receiving end of a number of questionable VAR decisions and have triggered this Premier League vote, as reported by The Guardian.
However, the Gunners have suffered at the expense of the technology too. Mikel Arteta has been critical of the standard of Premier League officiating already this season, and points lost in these instances may well have dramatically altered the outcome of the title race.
Has VAR cost Arsenal in the Premier League?
Journalist Dale Johnson, reporting on X, has now presented data that shows how much Arsenal have suffered due to VAR over the five years since it was introduced. Overall, as a net score, with the total of decisions against Arsenal subtracted from the total figure of VAR decisions that went in favour of the North London club – worked out the same way goal difference is – Arsenal came out with an overall score of -7.
Essentially, over the course of the last five years, Arsenal have had seven more VAR decisions go against them than they have had go for them. Only Wolves has been negatively impacted by VAR to a greater extent than Arsenal, as they have recorded a net score of -17.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have a net score of +3, meaning that, overall, VAR has had a positive impact on their behalf. The same can be said of Manchester United, who share the same score, and Liverpool who have a score of +4.
What will Arsenal do in Premier League VAR vote?
PGMOL chief Howard Webb admitted that VAR made a mistake during Arsenal’s draw with Liverpool in December. On that occasion, the error favoured the Gunners, as the Reds were denied a penalty after Martin Odegaard handled the ball. What this shows, though, is that the technology is far from infallible.
On top of a string of poor decisions having cost a number of Premier League clubs, there is also a strong argument that VAR detracts from the overall fan experience of watching the game. Long delays for checks are common, with a lack of communication meaning that supporters, especially those in the grounds, are unaware of what is going on.
Taking all of these factors into account, Arsenal must seriously consider voting in favour of scrapping VAR in June.