Aston Villa News 24/7Does what it says on the tin, these are quite literally the random thoughts I have running through my head right now. Apologies if this turns into an incoherent ramble, it’s tricky to assemble much order at the moment. I’m not looking to make excuses here, the better quality side won through in the end.
Officiating
I’m generally not one to moan about referees. The reason for this is simple; I want humans refereeing, not robots, and humans make mistakes. How persistent and repetitive errors are dealt with is the key, but accusing officials of cheating isn’t the solution.
Personally, I believe that it’s entirely possible to introduce video replays to assist referees’ decision making for key incidents without unduly interrupting the flow of the game. Certainly no more than occurs when half a dozen players or so surround the referee in some vain attempt to force a change of mind. We were able to watch it a couple of times on TV while Gabby was still thrashing around on the floor like a fish on the side of the dock in protest.
That’s a big topic, I’ll leave it there, but I wonder if Howard Webb would stick to his decision if he got a second look. Then again, it was right in front of him and could hardly be more clear, so I’d have to presume that he would only see whatever he thought he saw the first time.
Under the same heading, it has to be accepted, I think, that a number of incorrect decisions going against a team in quick succession can have a very real effect on that teams’ morale and consequently how they play. Ultimately, that means the result too.
For instance, during the first 5 minutes of this game against Chelsea, the linesman on our right hand side incorrectly awarded Chelsea 2 throw ins in the final third of the pitch. OK, we generally don’t get too worked up over bad throw in calls, especially so early in the game, but these were blatantly wrong. First John Carew and then Stewart Downing were left bemused to say the least.
The first instance was the more troubling as John Terry came across to tackle Carew and clearly knocked the ball out of play, but immediately and strenuously made the claim that it was Chelsea’s throw. The linesman agreed straight away. Chelsea re-started the game while John Carew was left with his jaw swinging around in the wind.
Clearly we need to be equally “professional”, especially since we expect to be playing at this level more frequently, but that shouldn’t excuse poor officiating in any way.
Considering that Webb failed to award a nailed on penalty within 10 minutes of these two incidents, one can’t help but wonder whether the players started to feel that decisions just weren’t going to go their way at Wembley once more. Hardly inspiring.
The Wembley Pitch
Simply unacceptable. Obviously this was the same for both sides, although the Aston Villa equipment manager might have noted that the Chelsea players didn’t seem to slip over quite as much as our players. James Milner changed his boots early in the first half. What about the others and why weren’t they wearing the right studs in the first place?
That shouldn’t be an issue though. This has been a problem at Wembley for far too long. No more excuses, it needs to be fixed. Whoever is responsible now; give them their cards, they’re done. Get someone in who knows what they’re doing.
That Tackle
My TV is paused right now with John Terry sliding in on James Milner, at speed, studs up and, once again, right in front of Howard Webb. When I hit the play button I will see Terry go through Milner, who is fortunate not to be badly injured, and Howard Webb will wave play on by signaling advantage as Stiliyan Petrov comes away with the ball.
We were deep in our own half, Milner was clearly hurt, what advantage did Webb think that we really had at the time?
When Petrov was unable to launch the counter attack that Webb presumably thought was on, mainly due to being body checked by Deco, he stopped play and went back to show Terry a yellow card. A booking that was apparently unfathomable to the Chelsea captain.
Obviously the point has come up that this tackle was particularly distasteful being made, as it was, on a fellow England player so close to the World Cup. I understand that point, but it almost suggests that it’s reasonable to risk injuring fellow England players when there isn’t a World Cup on the horizon or, indeed, players from other countries or non-internationals at any time of the season.
This was a dangerous tackle that can’t be justified and occurred right in front of the referee. There’s a very strong case that John Terry should have been shown a straight red card. A very strong case. I’d love to hear from Howard Webb why he did not send Terry off.
That said, just as I’m unwilling to leap to the conclusion that we would have won the Carling Cup final had Vidic been sent off, I’m equally unwilling to assume that we would have got back on terms within the remaining 17 minutes plus stoppage time without John Terry out there. Let’s be honest, we weren’t exactly giving Cech much to be concerned about before this point, but, once again, it’s hardly inspiring when we’re apparently not receiving the correct judgment from the officials.
Fix The Problem, Not The Blame
At this point, I’d like to wrap this post up, but I feel like I ought to offer some solutions lest this just reads like one long whine. However, I’m not going to. I have a few ideas, but I’m just venting here a little and I did say it was random thoughts.
Could the result have been different with more accurate officiating and a proper pitch? Well, of course, that’s entirely possible, but that’s really my point; we shouldn’t really be left to wonder. We ought to feel that the final result was influenced only by the 22 players and their actions on the pitch, no one or anything else.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case with Howard Webb, I can’t discount him as a factor in the result. The decisions he made during this game need to be examined, understood and explained. If they can’t be, then he should be fired in the same way as the person who is apparently incapable growing an acre of grass inside Wembley stadium.
That is all.
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11 Comments to “Random Thoughts From The FA Cup Defeat”
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I don’t like getting on referees backs. As you say they are only human and with the speed of the game now human error will always be a factor. It also sickens me when analysts after watching slow motion replays time and time again slate a referee who has to make a decision in a split second in a cauldron of noise watched by 40,000.
But in saying that we have had two Wembley appearances this year where we have played top four opposition and have suffered crucial crucial refereeing mistakes.
I think with the amount of media coverage the big teams get, it does affect referees and they will always give these teams the benefit of the doubt before giving a decision against them.
SAF also has a part to play in this and part of his make up is savaging referees so as to get the benefit of decisions in future games.
The time is nigh for technology
Glad to hear some confirmation of my opinion that referees give the big teams the benefit of the doubt – the disturbing thing in this case is it is hard to see how there could be any doubt. I am fine with referees making errors – I just don’t think they always have to favor the big revenue clubs and the most obnoxious managers.
Technology is fine for goals and boundary calls – but how do you use technology for penalty calls? It always involves several facts and circumstances and a certain amount of judgment, even in fairly clear-cut cases as yesterday.
i saw your comment on the other post, Stewart, but i’ll just respond here.
i wouldn’t say that my position has radically altered from that just after the Carling Cup final, but i’m obviously more pissed off about it.
it would be naive to suggest that refs aren’t influenced by the game’s power brokers, it’s inevitable, but the question is whether it is conscious or sub-conscious.
i simply prefer to keep it a bit more grown up than other places and assume the latter; never presume a conspiracy when incompetence provides a perfectly acceptable explanation.
I certainly agree with the incompetence theory as generally more reliable than the conspiracy theory, in any human activity – but I keep hearing that Howard Webb is an outstanding referee, and the play happened right in front of him. I would like to think he simply missed it, for whatever reason, than any alternative theory.
I can only imagine what some of the more histrionic Villa sites are saying – I don’t read them. I imagine it is somehow all Martin O’Neill’s fault.
Webb seemed to have a good view of the penalty shout but I am only basing this on what I saw on TV.
I think you are right about the sub conscious effect Dan.
I presume Webb saw Gabby moving with the ball in the box and getting away from Mikel who stuck out a leg and didn’t make contact with the ball but caught Gabby and caused him to tumble.
In a split second what thoughts flashed trough Webb’s head. Probably did Mikel foul him, is gabby trying to con me. If I give a penalty will I have to send him off. Chelsea are top of the table best wave it on.
I am convinced that if we were playing Portsmouth in the semi and a similar incident occurred we would have got the penalty.
i imagine the thought process, what there can be of one in a fraction of a second, went exactly along those lines.
it’s very easy to create hypothetical situations and proclaim what the referee would have done to increase the sense of injustice. the example you cite is a fine one and i would be inclined to agree. another would be to say that if that had been up the other end, richard dunne dragging down drogba, he would have given the penalty.
the truth is, we don’t know and never will. however, i’m fairly confident that there was a similar challenge in this game, but it took place around the centre of the pitch and webb did award us a free kick.
if i’m right and i can find it, it would be interesting to get an answer about why it’s an infringement in the outfield, but not in the penalty box. the implications is, once again, obvious.
Stewart
“[...] but I keep hearing that Howard Webb is an outstanding referee, and the play happened right in front of him”
as our (England’s) represent at the world cup, he should be immune from these apparent external influences. his selection raised eye brows, he’s not without controversy, but i still expect better.
Off topic I know but I was delighted for Pompey yesterday. There is still a bit of romance left in the cup. Relegated on Saturday and Cup Finalists on Sunday, you couldn’t make it up. Add in the fact that they knocked out ‘Arry’s team and it just made for a great story.
With they way football is at the moment and they need for a mega rich Godfather to have any chance of success and the prizes being shared out between an ever decreasing band of rich elite teams, it did wonders for the soul to see a good old fashioned upset on the big stage.
The banner that read (You can break many things but you cannot break our spirit) said it all. Money can buy most things in the game but it can’t buy spirit and the Pompey players and fans showed it in abundance.
It’s incidents such as that, that restores ones faith in the game and it really has been a good week for the game when you factor in the amazing display of Messi during the week. The reason most people get hooked on this game is from tales of magic displays by legendary players and last week live we saw a mesmeric performance from a little 22 year old Argentinian that will be recounted for decades to come.
Well said. I was glad to see that also. I certainly wish Portsmouth the best of luck in the final, and we know that the officials will certainly give the team in administration the close calls against Chelsea, right? I just hope Terry doesn’t cripple anyone.
on the basis of never being very impressed by either spurs or ‘arry redknapp, i’m delighted that pompey beat them. delighted.
on the other hand, it makes our failure to make the final sting a bit more. regardless of that result, pompey are always more beatable for us than spurs.
never mind.
i have no romanticism about their achievement regarding their plight though. it’s not the fans’ fault of course, or the players either, although that “spirit” would have been quite handy at the start of the season, but the way that club has been run is nothing short of a disgrace and they’re very much reaping what they sowed.
sorry if that seems harsh. just another leeds i’m afraid.
The organization is certainly mismanaged, but I think the character of the remaining players is inspiring. I am happy for the foul-weather fans as well.