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Is Human error having too much of an affect on Football games, Results and ultimately League Standings?
As my first sports Blog, I have chosen a subject with many, many, many talking points. There are arguments for technology in all decisions in the game, a completely electronic referee. A lot of people oppose this as it takes away interpretation of complex situations such as playing advantage. It seems to me of late there have been a lot of decisions that are seriously affecting games and league position, now if this is the case it needs to be rectified as human error can't hinder team’s progress as much as it is. This seems a bit of an over-exaggeration I know. But some of these decisions have been jaw droppingly bad.
Now the first games that come to mind are Manchester City vs Liverpool, and Chelsea vs Liverpool. (I’m not biased honest), but hear me out. Now, Christmas day 2013, Liverpool are top of the league at Christmas for the first time time since 2008/2009 under Rafael Benitez. We all know Liverpool were doing pretty well to be up there, it has been the closest season at the top of the league that I can remember in my lifetime.
The upcoming games for Liverpool were Manchester City away and Chelsea away, 3 days apart from one another. As a Liverpool fan, I wasn’t expecting to pick up any points from these games. I always said "we won't be in the top 4 in January, we will struggle against City and Chelsea".
Having watched the both games, I came away feeling massively hard done by not to have any points from the games.
Manchester City vs Liverpool
Firstly ill refer to the City game, at 1-0 up in a very open game, it was looking good for Liverpool. City were always very dangerous on the ball and Liverpool were defending attack after attack in the first half after going 1-0 up. Liverpool won the ball and played out on the counter attack, a delightful through ball was put to Raheem Sterling who ran through one-on-one, when the whistle was blown, and offside was given. (Attached).
Now, I can't guarantee that Sterling was going to go on and score this chance. But I would say it was highly likely that he was. This would have left Liverpool 2-0 up away at Manchester City and in a very strong position to protect our score line and come away from this with at least a very good point, maybe even all 3. I can’t remember a worse offside decision given, I know the officials have a very tough game, it’s played at a million miles an hour and sterling is a very quick player. The defender is stepping out as sterling runs in and in real time it’s very quick, but he is 2-3 yards onside in this instance. Hard job it may be but these officials are professionals at this job. We may not have gone on to win or draw, it may have ended 3-2 if the situation was a 2-0 lead. But I would say it’s highly unlikely we would have come away with a loss. This obviously gives the big favourites for the league a 3 point advantage on us and knocks us off top spot.
Should technology exist in the case of offside? How would it work? Watching on sky sports there is a slow motion replay within 60 seconds of the incident. But I understand how do you manage it, would it be a "claim" similar to Tennis?....but if so, then what? A penalty as he was one-on-one? A free kick where he was called offside? It’s an impossible decision, but that incorrect decision could possibly have a massive effect on the league standings, when Liverpool lose out on the title to Manchester City by 2 points.
Chelsea vs Liverpool
Now comes 3 days later, feeling very hard done by at the Etihad, Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge for an even tougher game. Liverpool got off to a wonderful start, with a goal from Martin Skrtl after just 3 minutes. Chelsea quickly turn it around and dominate the rest of the first half, with a brilliant strike from Eden Hazard it was 1-1. Until Samuel Eto'o makes it 2-1 later on in the game. Now my first question is, Should Samuel Eto'o have been on the pitch? (Attached)
This was a challenge made in the 4th minute of the game. Howard Webb was yards away from this and awarded a foul but did not even give Eto’o a booking. Never mind a red card. Eto'o has since came out and apologised for the foul, admitting it was a red card offence. Well that’s all well and good Samuel, but you went on to win the game so it doesn’t really matter.
Liverpool are 2-1 down and in the last 15-20 minutes of the game, pushing for an equaliser and creating chances, the game is starting to look like we might grab a point. In the 81st minute of the game, that man again, Samuel Eto'o cuts across Suarez's run and brings him down, away from the ball and right in front of the referee, for me this was a stone wall penalty. (Attached)
Now I’m not trying to be bitter, I don’t think Liverpool were ever really going to be title contenders. I believe that these were significant factors in Liverpool coming away from them 2 games 0 pints instead of at least 2 points, maybe 4.
Newcastle vs Manchester City
Now, I’m not just going to talk about Liverpool, it was just them two games were so close together they really stuck in my mind. I assume everyone this weekend has had the chance to see the Cheik Tiote disallowed goals for Newcastle against Manchester City. Newcastle were 1-0 down and deservedly so after a wonderful goal from Manchester City. After the goal, Newcastle started the dominated the game. Making many chances and just before the half time, a corner came and was partially cleared by the Man City defence, it fell to Cheik Tiote who hit a wonderful strike on the half volley, its squeezed through the crowd of players and rifled into the top corner, possibly the best goal he will ever score.
Technically, Gouffran is in an offside position. But the debate is "is he interfering with play?” he does have to duck out the way of the shot, but is his being there, affecting whether the goalkeeper saves it, or whether the defenders may have been in a different position depending on his position. You may argue the keeper was never going to save it, and that he wasn’t interfering with play. I have heard other arguments that because of gouffran's position, this means the defence step out, to put him in that offside position, therefore he interfering with other player's positions.
The general footballing world seems to think this was an incorrect decision. To the point that referee Mike Jones will now not be refereeing a Premier League game this upcoming weekend. Not purely because of this decision though. As the second half kicked off, Newcastle dominated the entire second half and deserved to grab a point. It was visible to see the frustration in the Newcastle players, as Nasri was brought down my Yanga-Mbiwa with a blatantly deliberate kick out. The foul resulted in Nasri leaving the field injured and now has been ruled out of action for 8 weeks. The player was not given a red card, another very very poor decision from the referee.
I can go back historically and discuss other referee decisions that were missed that had big effects on games, such as Thierry Henry's handball against the republic of Ireland, which single handedly (excuse the pun) stopped reaching the European championships.
Please leave a comment and discuss these issues and decisions, It’s something that can be debated all day long. Were these examples I mention even bad decisions in the first place? If so, what can be done? Technology? Retrospective points penalties? Games could be replayed? Or is it part and parcel of the game for mistakes to happen? It would be very hard to take to lose the league or even on a top 4 finish based on 1 or 2 points, if a decision had affected the outcome of a game earlier in the season.
This is my first piece of blogging on football, please comment, advise and criticise.[/article]
