In a frustrating game at Anfield yesterday, Liverpool were unable to get a goal past a strong Bolton defence despite creating a multitude of half-chances. The reds would surely have come out victors and avoided a replay had the referee not utterly bottled two decisions: Bolton’s Mills – who had already been booked – should have seen red early in the second half for bringing Markovic down as he was running through on goal (Kevin Friend judged that no offence had been committed), and the hosts probably deserved a penalty late on after ex-Liverpool man Jay Spearing knocked Henderson to the ground, making no attempt to play the ball. These two key incidents beg the question of whether it’s time to introduce video technology to football to aid officials. Barely a game goes by anymore where the referee doesn’t make a blatantly incorrect decision; video replays have proved successful in other sports such as cricket and rugby, and I think it’s time to throw tradition out of the window and introduce them to football.
In a lot of cases, bad calls by officials prove inconsequential. However, in tight games such as the one we witnessed yesterday, they can make all the difference. Credit should be given to Bolton – they were very well drilled at the back, and were able to find a good balance between occasionally creating chances going forward and making sure they had enough men behind the ball when Liverpool came at them. As such, despite the wealth of possession and the nice intricate passing, Rodgers’s side simply couldn’t work a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Had their opponents been reduced to ten men, the task of getting a goal would obviously have been made easier. On watching the replay of the Mills incident, it is impossible to deny that he tripped Markovic and consequently should have been off, either courtesy of a second yellow or a straight red. Had the referee been able to call upon a video referee for assistance, justice would have been served and Liverpool would probably not be facing the prospect of an energy-draining trip to Bolton that could prove detrimental to performance in the league and, consequently, the push for the top 4. As it was, terrified of making a big call without being 100% certain, Friend didn’t even give a free kick. The same was true of the penalty incident – the ramifications of potentially making an incorrect decision (and, partially, a subconscious desire to help the underdogs) prompted Friend not to point to the spot. At any level of refereeing this is poor – at the top of the game, it is frankly unacceptable.
Source: liverpoolfc.com
Video replays seem like the simple solution. But just how simple a solution would it be? A whole new set of rules would have to be created. Is it the referee who decides when to consult the video ref, or can teams demand it? If it is up to the teams, how many times can they appeal per match? Would it be the manager or the captain who decides whether to appeal? There are definitely logistics to consider which many people overlook when demanding video technology. However, in my view, it is worth the effort it would take to implement it. I am sure that I’m not alone in being totally fed up of watching my team get penalised for the incompetence of a highly paid referee – far from ruining the game, video tech would allow results to be dictated by the standard of play rather than the standard of officials.
Of course, while the introduction of video referees to the game would solve the problems witnessed in yesterday’s clash with Bolton, it wouldn’t totally fix the problem of poor decisions from officials. This is because it would not be applicable to offside decisions – if an offside call was appealed and overturned, play couldn’t simply be reset to the exact position it was in before the flag went up. It was an incorrect offside decision that cost us so dearly last season – while the Gerrard slip and the Palace capitulation will be what people remember as the reasons why we failed to win the title, I maintain that the true reason can be traced back to our away game at City around Christmas time. 1-0 up and in control, Liverpool looked certain to double their lead and all but kill the game as Raheem Sterling sprinted through on goal. However, the flag inexplicably went up; Kompany went on to equalise just minutes later before Negredo scored the winner on the stroke of half time. On such things titles are won and lost, and the fact that video refereeing could not rectify this flaw in the sport means that it isn’t a perfect solution.
That said, it’s the best solution available, and we should be embracing it. Now we have the technology to help officials make the right call, not using it simply because it might take some time and thought to implement is preposterous. To paraphrase the ever-wise Joey Tribbiani, a blind man doesn’t walk around with his eyes closed when he gets his sight back. The game has got its ‘sight’: it’s time to start using it.
James Martin
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Yeah that was definitely not a penalty. Henderson had completely lost the ball and would never have got to it even if Spearing hadn’t caused him to go to ground (very easily I might add. Almost Hazard-esque) so no goal scoring opportunity was denied. Henderson’s touch was so heavy that it was an off-the-ball incident at best.
Sincerely,
A non-biased Liverpool fan.
Oh and I completely agree about the title being lost due to things like Raheem’s outrageous offside call at City. Kolo Toure’s pass to Anichebe springs to mind too.