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This could be a case of the biter bit. Sky’s coverage of the Premiership this year has been characterised by fewer goals in televised matches. This is hardly surprising. Any leniency by officials favours the cheaters and, as cheaters are usually those trying to prevent better players succeeding, this necessarily detracts from the spectacle.
Manchester United’s failure to win the Champions League since 1999 owes a lot to the fact that their attacking style was protected in the wake of the 1998 World Cup but as the CL refs went back to their old ways, so lauded by the Sky experts, defences started to take over again. This had always been the case in the European Cup. Real Madrid’s success against United in 2000 was based on sound defending. Once they went the ‘Galacticos’ route they were seen off by those ultimate cynics: the Italians.
We all know why ‘professional fouls’ are dealt with by red cards so I don’t intend to argue the case anew but some people seemed to think that, “A penalty is punishment enough.” I would agree if a goal was guaranteed from the penalty spot. But no goalie is going to do a Fabien Barthez and lean against a post while the penalty taker rolls the ball into an open net.
Imagine the scene at Old Trafford at the end of the Arsenal game. Jens Lehman had given the last minute penalty away , not Martin Keown. What would his choice have been if he were offered, “You can have a red card or a goal against?” We all know the answer to that.
Media auhorities on the game have a responsibility to stand up for the people who try to ensure fair play and not try to demand fair play for players who have basically tried to cheat.
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