The Goal that was/not part 2!

Now, recently, I read that the referee in the England v Germany game gave an interview, in which he said that whilst he was in an excellent position, Lampards shot travelled too fast for him to track properly, and he needed assistance from the linesman.

OK, now, last time I looked, but Lampards goal was not exactly a screamer, more of a wonderful lob, which are not known as hard shots...



Nope. Not really a hard shot to track.

And of course, its not as though ref's routinely miss these. After all, at the last World Cup, Zidane bagged a penalty which bounced down off the crossbar, and barely made it over the line.

Now, the ref, Larrionda.

He has previous for this, ruling a perfectly good goal out when Brazil scored in a game against Colombia. He then went on to admit his mistake, and then go on to voice his opposition to video technology, preferring to leave things in the hands of the guy in the middle.

Sorry, but in games of this magnitude, refs at this world cup have basically handed those who want technology in the game, a huge assist! There have been a number of major decisions that referees have screwed up and led to increasing calls for rules to be changed to allow corrective action to be taken. Such as punishing divers, rescinding cards, etc. Technology, however, should really be brought in for the goal line. 

Games at the World Cup take on such significance, that ref's are proving more and more incapable of NOT playing a role in deciding the outcome of the game. It should be left to the players, but through refs bad judgement, it is increasingly out of the players hands.

I am not saying England would have gone on to win, but in that game, after the first goal, England where on the rise. Now, if the goal should have been allowed to stand, where would the game have gone? We will never know!

After the game, on the Monday, Espinosa, the linesman, denied making a mistake (Er. It was a goal. You saw it. You didnt call it. Thats a mistake) and chalks it up as "one of those things in Football." Again, we cant have "one of those things" any more. The World Cup is far too big now!

Unfortunately for the linesman, a recent interview has even had his WIFE laying in to him. In an interview carried in the Sun, apparently, she was screaming at the TV that he was wrong, and after he returned to Uruguay, he had hardly spoken as he was really depressed.

During the game itself, at half time, apparently the ref asked him 4 times if it was a goal, which Espinosa denied. Saying he was sure it wasnt. Then was shown a replay, to which he dropped his head, and declared "Oh my God."

Something else this raises. If the ref is very convinced that he saw a goal, so he has to clarify 4 TIMES with his linesman that he has an opposite opinion, surely he can be confident enough to give it as a goal!

One thing this whole debacle has done, has been to drag an apology out of FIFA. Hopefully action will be taken. I know they have their list of elite referees. However, technology needs to be used. The game is progressing beyond the capabilities of a single man in the middle. Certainly at the top echelons of the game. A 4th set of eyes above the game, maybe. After all, the officials are all miked up and able to talk to each other instantaneously. Goal line technology has the be brought in. So much hangs on a game, that the ref needs help. We are not talking about taking it away from him, but a system which will alert him to a goal. If he sees a foul, he can just ignore the system, and rule it out!

With regards offsides, then a 4th official up in the stadium may help, miked up with the rest of them. Things like diving, well, it is tough for the ref to do something about it, unless he sees it clearly. However, allow the manager of a team a chance to lodge a protest about a carding incident, or diving, the ref then sits down, with a panel, and give the ref the power the ability to rescind yellow and red cards. also, we need FIFA to step up and hammer those that cheat to get decisions their way!