Mike Jones is not a name many people will recognise and after his blunder gifted Sunderland an unexpected 1-0 win over Liverpool, it’s a name we will probably no longer hear in top flight football.
For those of you who haven’t seen the incident, watch the video below and you’ll see what I mean.
I recently defended Sir Alex’s “outburst” which was at best a comment regarding the referees whom I normally praise and I’ll say it again, they have a very tough job enforcing some, oftentimes, very silly rules.
But surely if a bright red beach ball is sitting on the six yard line as a team breaks on the counter, a professional EPL referee would have to notice it?
Even if he doesn’t see it initially and his two assistants are also blind to the ball, then surely a volley which smacks into the ball and deflects in for a goal couldn’t stand?
The laws of the game indicate that such an incident, where a referee should have stopped play for outside interference (eg. A bright red beach ball on the six yard box), should result in a dropped ball. Instead it was a game winning goal for Sunderland which has seen Liverpool slip to 8th in the table, ironically one spot behind Steve Bruce’s Sunderland.
When a former referee comes out and blasts a current official’s performance then you know it was bad. Normally they stick together and show solidarity but this surely is one mistake too big to just condone or ignore.
So what now?
Benitez kept his cool regarding the incident although the fourth official had to step in later on when some heated words were exchanged between managers, however just because he didn’t comment on the issue and risk receiving a fine doesn’t right this wrong.
Football fans the world over accept refereeing mistakes as in the grand scheme of it, the football gods generally level them up. A penalty not awarded is evened out by a hand ball in the box going unnoticed or a goal kick that should have been a corner is compensated by a touch-and-go free kick.
But how is Liverpool to be compensated for this freak goal which – by the laws of the game which are in this case, not open to interpretation – should never have been counted?
The simple answer is, they won’t be.
Benitez was already struggling without Talisman Gerrard and the red-hot Torres. To then lose a game in this manner is a kick in the guts but it’s something he’ll have to accept.
Will Jones come out and apologise? Will the FA, the body in charge of these mistakes being upheld order a rematch? Both scenarios look unlikely, instead the incident will be played down, players and managers will refrain from commenting to avoid hefty fines and the FA will deal with this very quietly.
Expect the idiotic fan who hit the ball on to the pitch – after it appears a steward or a ball boy handed it back to him – to be banned and Mr Jones to be relegated down to a lower league, whether he returns to the top flight in a few weeks or ever again is open to debate.
I personally don’t think he should lose his career for this error, it was a huge mistake which changed a game, that is undeniable but he has two assistants and a fourth official on the sidelines who all could have raised the matter and failed to do so. Surely they are there as a team?
It seems to me that only a rematch will suffice as fair but don’t expect Steve Bruce to be a champion of fair play this week, three points against Liverpool are golden and he won’t be relinquishing them unless he has to and even then, you can expect resistance.
You won’t hear this often from a Man United supporter but after yesterday, I do feel sorry for Liverpool.
Beach Ball goal video
Michael
Guest
I think Arsenal is the most capable of surviving outside the top 4 financially, simply because of their huge stadium revenue, and the stream of youngsters coming through. If worst comes to worst for them, Fabregas will go to Barcelona, and van Persie will probably leave, but they have so many good young players coming through, and Wenger would almost be forced to cave in and buy the experienced holding midfielder. Liverpool though, as much as I don't like them, I don't like them because they win all the time, and if they are not winning, it's not so much of a reason for me to hate them any more :)
sittingbison
Guest
but in this case the often used accusation that the ref, linesmen and 4th official are blind has some merit, as you said it was a large red inanimate object (clearly not Carragher or FSW) parked on the six yard line that clearly deflected the ball. On a more serious note I am astounded that this result stands, despite all the huha about the scousers having enough time themselves to score etc etc. The FA should order a rematch. And I'm a ManU fan.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
It will be interesting what would happen if any of the big 4 don’t finish in the top 4 this year (i.e. if Manchester City get one of the CL spots) That would be a massive loss of income and a huge set back.
Art Sapphire
Guest
After this morning's loss to Lyon. The beachball is the least of Liverpool's worries. Their season is in danger of turning to merde. Thanks to a pair of parasitic debt addled Yanks with massive cash flow issues. As reported in the Guardian Liverpool's fans will quibble anew about some of Benítez's purchases, but the main target of rage will, once again, be the owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks. The Americans, for their part, will be even less capable of assuaging the anger with January signings if early elimination chokes off the flow of Champions League cash. It is rational to suppose that Hicks and Gillett would already be open to offers, but the size of bids to take the club off their hands will drop sharply. Like Mike Ashley at Newcastle United, they might simply see no acceptable way to shed their ownership.
Michael
Guest
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2690213/Leeds-have-a-ball.html
David V.
Guest
No, it's more that Liverpool are missing the qualities Xabi Alonso brought to the team, and the most obvious replacement (Aquilani) is injured. Every successful Liverpool side has had a schemer behind it- McDermott and Molby being two of them. Jamie Redknapp would have if not for injury, then Gary McAllister was vital to their plastic treble success. Two players can't do it alone for the team, especially when balance and subtlety go out the window.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
http://goal.com/en-gb/news/2558/news/2009/10/20/1572063/manchester-united-fans-to-be-searched-for-beach-balls-at - Ok, that I find funny. I imagine it was Man United supporters stocking up on the beach balls, undoubtedly some of them will get through security with them, I just hope they don't hit them on to the pitch but at least everyone knows the rules now.
Mattay
Guest
Incorrect. Liverpool had 89 or so minutes to rectify the problem. They didn't and never looked like it. That lost them the game and any title aspirations, not a beach ball.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
I thought the whole thing was hilarious. At the same time Liverpools owner is hocking them around the middle east so I thought the beach ball was great symbolism. Feel sorry for the kid and the referee though.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Not true. Magpies and Swans are the only protected birds in the AFL.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Dasilva, you admit if Graham Poll's error had of cost the Socceroos the match you would have been pissed off, well it did cost Liverpool the match, there were no other goals and to say "In the end, it still just a sport"... Well for us fans yes, but for the administrators, players, managers etc whose careers depend on results, what if that wasn't liverpool yesterday but some team in a relegation battle, what if that had of put them into the second tier? It's not just a case of the fans being disappointed, every position on the table has huge financial implications and a relegated team can literally fall apart because of the lost revenue, just look at Leeds, I think you'll agree their situation is hardly amusing. I am not some old grouch who can't find anything funny but a crappy dub of der Untergang which has been done countless times is just unimaginative and this incident should be taken seriously, yes it is funny to watch but I just spoke with a Scouse mate of mine and he was pissed as hell, it's not the sort of injustice you can just explain away with "the football gods".
dasilva
Guest
Freud I know the decision was a mistake but I think you are taking this far too seriously The way I see it, Liverpool fans would be angry and want to hang the kid who chuck the ball and the referee, Sunderland fans would be ecstatic after beating Liverpool Everyone else, the neutrals would just be laughing at the extraodinary circumstances and how unlikely the goal was. It just like how the neutrals laugh at the circumstances at how Graham Poll gave out 3 yellow cards to Josip Simunic before sending him off. Sure if that cost Australia the match I would be pissed off and want to kill Graham Poll but I wouldn't want the rest of the world to stop deriving some enjoyment out of a pretty extraordinary referee blunder just like the beach ball incident was also a pretty comical referee blunder. In the end, it still just a sport
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Freud, mate, you're starting to worry me - a Man Utd supporter going in to bat for the scouser!! Life's a beach.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
How very juvenile of you Art. Do you know what Bruno Ganz, the actor playing Hitler is saying (it might surprise you that the translation isn't actually about the beach ball goal)? I've seen enough of these parodies of Der Untergang and they for the most part aren't actually funny, this one included. It is actually quite a good film with a horrible translation. I don't think any Scousers will be taking this too light heartedly.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
:lol:
Art Sapphire
Guest
The point I am trying to make Freud in as light hearted a manner as possible is this. We all know the goals should not have stood, but I am not going to get too serious about. Otherwise you run the risk of ending up like this :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=graYzmNuZt4&feature=related Now, thats funny. Have a good day.
Colin N
Guest
"Benitez would have probably been charged if he had let everyone know what he was truly thinking too, the FA don’t take kindly to criticism of themselves or referees, regardless of who is right or wrong." I don't actually think Benitez knew the rule (did anyone until the ex-referees actually had their say?). Usually, the managers will imply the referee got the call wrong (without wanting to risk getting charged), but Benitez didn't even do that.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Very "founded", yes sure. As I said in the piece above. No players and managers are going to come out and blast the ref for this, "however just because he didn’t comment on the issue and risk receiving a fine doesn’t right this wrong." - I just saw that Ferguson has been charged by the FA for his comments regarding Alan Wiley, Benitez would have probably been charged if he had let everyone know what he was truly thinking too, the FA don't take kindly to criticism of themselves or referees, regardless of who is right or wrong. Re: Bruce - "on’t expect Steve Bruce to be a champion of fair play this week, three points against Liverpool are golden and he won’t be relinquishing them unless he has to and even then, you can expect resistance." Do you really think you were going to see a quote from him saying that he thinks it shouldn't have been a goal and a rematch? No, when Wenger did that a few years back it raised many an eyebrow but he was the manager of Arsenal, a big team who find it a lot easier to win than Steve Bruce's Sunderland. Think a little bit Art or at least read what I write, there won't be mass condemnation here from players or managers because they know there is nothing they can do. If Fergie can get banned for calling a referee unfit then imagine what the punishment would be in this day and age for directly calling a referee, his two assistants and a fourth official blind for missing the incident and/or incompotent for not correctly enforcing the rules.
Colin N
Guest
"Next time get your facts right." It wasn't a fact, it was a point, which is probably correct. If Torres and Gerrard were both out for three months, I would very much doubt that they would get into the top 4, nevermind challenge for the title.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Eddie, one match does not make a season. Liverpool lost the title last season from all the points they dropped while Torres was missing. So next time get your facts right.