The Need for Goal Line Technology - By Muhd El-bonga Ibraheem. The world of football was thrown into chaos on Saturday, last weekend in a very boisterous premier league encounter between Chelsea and their London counter parts Arsenal. The game ended in an emphatic 6-0 victory in favour of the Stamford Bridge outfits - a result that left a dash on Arsenals title hope and also spoiled Arsene Wengers day, who was celebrating his 1000th game in charge of the gunners. Arsene Wenger would have hoped for a win in order to celebrate his 1000th game in style and also to break the voodoo of never beating Jose Mourinho - the special one. It was a bad day not just for Arsenal alone. It was a sad and disappointing game for the fans and other football-loving family across the world as well. What actually transpired in the game was a shocker. The 6-0 victory for Chelsea wasnt just the major highlight but the very inept referring by referee Andre Mariner. Everyone - including the players and the fans were absolutely amazed when Andre Mariner went straight into his pocket and displayed a direct red card to Kieran Gibbs on an offence he never committed and never knew why the decision was made. Although, to the referee, it was an innocuous decision; but to the fans, it was deadly and costly. The real culprit (Oxlade-Chamberlain) however walked away with nothing as he fortuitously escaped being sent off. Several TV replays had shown conspicuously that it was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who (perhaps not intentionally) handled the ball to keep his side in the game not Kieran Gibbs, even though they were 2-0 down already and their chances of coming back into the game was obviously over. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was also amazed with the decision as he rushed and presumably stated to the referee, Andre Mariner, that he was the one who committed the offence and should take the full reprimand. The ref was unconcerned and gave no listening ears to the protesting and seemingly angry Arsenal players and supporters as he still insisted Kieran Gibbs was the culprit hitherto the decision to show him his matching orders. The question here is: was it that Mr Mariner wasnt so close to the foul? Or his assistants couldnt prove otherwise to him? Or he acted based on the fact that hes the match official and his decision is always final? Such a dubious decision calls for a need to embrace the seemingly unwelcome goal-line technology. The goal-line technology would have saved both Andre Mariner and the football game huge embarrassment by spotting the real culprit within the glimpse of an eye With most European countries accepting to have two additional referees at the back of the post, that should have played a key role and it should have proven Mr Mariner wrong and reduce the work rate on the very-far linesmen as well as a referee who is often at the back of the players whenever a foul is being committed. No one would have expected a supposedly top-notch referee in the mould of Andre Mariner to have committed such a terrible blunder. That was totally unacceptable. It is sending a bad signal to emerging referees in England and even outside it. But having critically examined Mr Mariners last outing at Stamford Bride, the answer isnt far-fetched. It was the same Andre Mariner who dubiously awarded Chelsea a last gasp penalty against West Brom which enabled Eden Hazard to slot home the resultant penalty to put the tie 2-2. That result ensured Jose Mourinhos unbeaten home record remains intact despite the Baggies coming very close to breaking such record. Thanks to Andre Mariner, the record remains intact. Even though several TV replays had indicated that Ramirez had dived to earn his side the spot kick, its expected Mr Mariner should have done better because he was just a few distance away, and should have gotten it right. The decision to award the spot kick sparkled a lot of debacle. Poor officiating has been happening in football. But the one from Mr Mariner looks unprecedented or rare to a certain extent. As a referee, he has the right to cancel the sending off based on the basis of mistaken identity and then send off the player who really deserves it. It is as simple as that. He could as well stop the game and consult the attention of his linesmen to make sure justice was done instead of dubiously killing the game even though the game looks apparently beyond Arsenals reach given Chelseas sublime start to the game. In 2010, England hopes of clinching their first World Cup since 1966 was shockingly dented against Germany when the referee wrongfully denied Frank Lampard a conspicuous goal even though several replays had indicated the ball was completely in and Manuel Nuer had nothing to do to stop it. England players were already celebrating when the ref waved play on! Had it been the goal-line technology was in place, that silly mistake would have been settled. There are quite a plethora of examples including a 2005 league fixture between Manchester United and Spurs at Old Trafford, where Spurs midfielder Pedro Mendez launched a long ball having spotted Roy Carroll off his post. Although the Manchester United goalie managed to spin the ball off the line, several replays had shown the ball has indeed crossed the line. Referee Mark Clattenburg alongside his assistant, Rob Lewis was unable to spot the incidence and that was how Spurs were denied an apparent goal and victory in the 89th minute. For Chelsea, alongside their charismatic manager, it is a massive result; while for Arsenal, the battle with the FA to rescind the decision on the basis of mistaken identity has just begun. There is no doubt the FA will surely rescind the decision for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to fully take the responsibility paving the way for Kieran Gibbs to return to action. Muhammed Ibrahim Abba is a young football analyst as well as aspiring football columnist who supports Manchester United. He can be followed on twitter @el_bonga for a more direct engagement
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 09:57:07 +0000
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