Soccer should expand instant replay to review more crucial calls
In the year 2014, soccer finally evolved and got with the times.
Without sacrificing the soul of the game, goal line technology was introduced during the 2014 World Cup in order to take the human element out of deciding whether the ball crossed over the goal line. Although this is a remarkably positive step and has since spread to leagues all over Europe and the world, it should not be the end of technological advancements in the beautiful game.
On Saturday in the Premier League, goal-line technology displayed both its limitations and its revelations. Discussing the latter, Chelsea would not have been awarded a crucial goal that changed the completion of the weekend’s premier British fixture.
Against Liverpool at Anfield, Gary Cahill’s effort crossed the line in such a manner that instant replay and the naked eye failed to immediately recognize the goal. However, the Premier League’s goal-line technology provided almost instantaneous confirmation that Cahill had, in fact, scored. The goal was indisputable and no one bothered to argue the decision. The goalkeeper did not throw his arms about, and even Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had to be told his side had leveled the score by one of his assistants.
This is the greatness of the introduction of goal-line technology. It is pure, it is quick and it does not slow down and detract from the pace of the game. It is, without a doubt, one of the most positive advancements in the modern game.
However, the sport should not stop with the advancement of goal-line technology.
Soccer is different than most sports in that the clock continues to run, and a delay to consider replays would not work. That sort of time delay and an alteration to the clock would ruin the essence and spirit of the game. No added replay technology can feature a component where players and managers are simply standing around and fans are anxiously mulling about in their seats.
With this in mind, soccer should adopt two added features of replay, preferably sooner rather than later.
First, on any red card decision, the fourth official or an official in the booth should immediately review the play to deem whether the red card was blatantly a bad call. With players who have been red-carded typically taking up to 30 seconds, often longer, to argue the call before leaving the pitch, the game has space for an independent official to review the crucial decision.
If a clear replay deems that the red card was a result of a false hand ball or a clear indisputable dive by the attacking player, the official on the field should immediately be notified and the expelled player should be called back from the locker room. Play would, theoretically, be allowed to continue for the minute or two that the red-carded player may require to return to the pitch.
Down a man for a minute or two sounds a whole heck of a lot better than down a man for the remainder of the game. In this manner, the match would not be falsely tilted and ruined due to one bad call. Also, no extra time would have been wasted, as the official on the field would continue to follow procedure, provide the card and ask the player to leave the field before continuing the match.
If a penalty is awarded and scored during this time, it would have to stand. Again, being down a goal is better than being down a goal and a man. Hardly a soul would argue about that. This would at least limit the damage of a wrong decision in these events, even if it did not entirely reverse it. It is better to break one arm than two.
Second, on every goal, the fourth official or a new official in the booth with a replay monitor should immediately begin reviewing every goal. If the scoring player was either offside or committed a clear handball, the goal should be disallowed. By only reviewing the scoring player, the time required to review the replay would be short. Also, the official could not look at a missed offside call that may have occurred 10 passes earlier in the buildup to the goal – or even two passes earlier.
In Manchester City’s trip to Loftus road on Saturday, Charlie Austin was judged to be onside when he scored his goal. He appeared to be offside, and the replay review would have taken about as much time as the player’s celebration.
In the same match, Sergio Aguero scored his first goal with the assistance of his hand. The referee on the field was blocked, and his linesman was unable to see the touch through the bodies. By the time the ball was set to be kicked off following the goal, the review would have notified the match referee, and a free kick would be occurring rather than a kickoff.
Although not wasting time is of great importance, getting the call right is paramount.
Similar to goal-line technology, these types of reviews would be indisputable. Players would not argue against a clear offside line or a camera that shows a clear case of hand ball. For the vast majority of goals, however, the play would stand, and the review would have no impact on the game.
What separates these types of technology additions from reviewing every offside decision, every foul or every yellow card are that these reviews would not take time away from the game or harm the referees’ ability to manage and control a match. Instead, these reviews would protect referees and linesmen and lineswomen from making catastrophic decisions that wrongly change and ruin matches, along with ruining reputations.
As an added bonus, goal-line technology has proven that players cannot argue against technology, and so, it would provide referees added credibility when they get it right, which is most of the time.
Goal-line technology helped advance the sport without stealing its soul, and without a doubt, soccer’s technological advancements should not stop there.
Shahan Ahmed is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. He has previously written about the 2014 World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup and regularly provides opinions on the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga. Follow Shahan on Twitter: @ShahanLA
