VAR

CLAUDIO RANIERI earned the nickname ‘Tinkerman’ during his spell at Chelsea as he was forever changing his player line-ups but that meddling moniker should surely now be passed on to football’s governing bodies.Next season there will be more new rule changes. When will this ever end and are you, like me, ­baffled and bamboozled in equal measure as to what the actual rules of football are?Referees will punish goalkeepers for time-wasting with a corner for the opposition next seasonCredit: GettySunSport columnist Karren Brady thinks if it aint broke, don’t fix itCredit: GettyFrom next season goalkeepers will be penalised for holding on to the ball for more than eight ­seconds, with the punishment a corner to the attacking team.Referees are supposed to indicate when a keeper has held the ball for three seconds, giving him five more seconds to release it. Apparently, this new rule has been tried and tested and will be in place for next season.So what was wrong with the old rule which gave keepers six seconds to release, with punishment in the form of an indirect free-kick? Beats me. It was hardly ever enforced anyway.The body which has come up with this latest daft tinkering, I meant well-researched brainstorm, the International Football Association Board, must have spent ages on it. Probably in a well-stocked five-star hotel somewhere near Fifa’s Swiss Alps headquarters.Read more football newsThe purpose of this newest change is to cut down on time-wasting but how can extending possession from six to eight seconds do that?And also the fact that the ‘old’ rule was almost never imposed surely means it was a good rule.A bit like competent refereeing, if you don’t know they are there, chances are the official is doing a decent job.Every year we are told greedy water companies will clean up their act and every season football makes changes which confuses the hell out of fans. Dirtying the waters, so to speak.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSWe have had ‘golden’ goals, ­‘silver’ goals, the advance ten-metre rule, you name it. If anyone can ­successfully tell me what the current rules around handball are, please let me know.As for VAR, well let’s just say the jury is still out on that one.We have been told the introduction of Semi-Automated Offside Technology will solve the ridiculous amount of time it has taken Stockley Park assessors to actually reach a decision.’In one year the decision will be made’ – Wenger demands new offside rule that will be ‘impossible to defend against’Well, that wasn’t true last weekend at the West Ham v Forest game, as that quick check we were promised turned into an excruciating six-minute delay as the offside technology was not working.And don’t get me started on the financial fair play rules.Professor Brian Cox might be able to name all the stars in the sky but even he would struggle with that.I’m the first to admit that some changes have been of great benefit. In 1992, the introduction of the backpass rule where keepers cannot handle the ball when it has been deliberately kicked to them by a team-mate is one.When will this ever end and are you, like me, ­baffled and bamboozled in equal measure as to what the actual rules of football are?Karren BradyGoal-line technology came in 2012 following the uproar over the Frank Lampard World Cup ‘goal-that-never-was’. That was another. But in recent seasons the dribble of rule changes has become a downpour.From allowing the kick-off to be taken in any direction, to teams now requiring a mandatory captain, complete with armband, to additional subs if a player has received a concussion injury.Have any of these actually improved fans’ enjoyment?Just leave the game alone please. The International Football Association Board should adhere to the wise man, more likely wise woman, who said, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Or to put it another way, stop bloody tinkering.I’m just waiting for the first referee next season who awards a corner after a keeper has transgressed this newest rule change.Read More on The SunCue hundreds of examples by irate fans where the ‘offence’ was not spotted.Football. They say it used to be a simple game which involved two jumpers and a ball. Not any longer. More

ARSENAL fans have been left furious after Bukayo Saka was “chokeslammed” by Andy Robertson during their clash with Liverpool.Robertson wrapped his hand around Saka’s neck during the first half as the pair tussled for the ball, but VAR and referee Anthony Taylor failed to intervene.Andy Robertson appeared to strangle Bukayo Saka during the first half of Arsenal vs LiverpoolCredit: Sky SportsThe incident occurred while both players were trying to win the ball, with Robertson wrapping his hand around Saka’s neck and pushing him to the floor.The officials clearly didn’t seem to think it was a foul as play was waved on and Liverpool were awarded a throw-in.In fact there was very little discussion of the incident whatsoever, even on Sky Sports’ coverage, despite Saka’s pleas to the linesman over Robertson’s grasp.Arsenal fans certainly didn’t let it go quietly though, taking to social media to vent their frustrations.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLOne wrote: “How the hell was Robertson allowed to just strangle Saka?”While another added: “Saka just been chokeslammed by Robertson. Apparently that’s allowed these days.”A third fumed: “Wtf is this? Robertson with both hands round Saka’s neck? And it wasn’t a foul? What is going on?”And a fourth asked: “So you’re allowed to strangle players now?”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSTo make matters worse for Arsenal, just a matter of minutes later Liverpool took the lead through Cody Gakpo – with Robertson providing the assist.And that opener snowballed into serious momentum for the Anfield outfit, who doubled their advantage to 2-0 through Luis Diaz just 82 seconds later.MORE TO FOLLOW…THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball. More