Mascherano no respecter of reputationsRichard Jolly
Manchester United 3-0 Liverpool
Respect. Something players habitually expect and referees rarely receive. And the buzz word for the FA's latest agenda. And, seemingly, the reason for Javier Mascherano's premature departure from the match that matters most to both Liverpool and Manchester United.
Respect, or indeed a lack of it, is the stuff of playground squabbles and gangland conflicts, when one over-reaction prompts another and consequences are felt for months. It should not be the determining factor in one of the most significant matches in world football.
But it was. Mascherano, certainly naive and in all probability, stupid, lost his discipline and incurred a second yellow card for what was perceived as dissent. But referee Steve Bennett was guilty of a similar lack of control, reaching with remarkable speed - perhaps the product of practice - for his red card. It ensured Mascherano misses the Merseyside derby and Liverpool's inability to take three Premier League points off United continues.
And it was a particularly untimely failure to show respect, the Argentine paying the price for Ashley Cole's sins (or one of the many, anyway) and the current climate where referees are encouraged to act. As Sir Alex Ferguson said: 'With the whole thing that happened during the week with Ashley Cole, there is a focus on dissent. He's been booked and he kept going on at the referee. We talk about dissent and that was dissent.'
For all Ferguson's recent complaints that Cristiano Ronaldo is afforded too little protection, Liverpool felt that Fernando Torres was subjected to some hefty challenges. The Spaniard's reaction to a Rio Ferdinand foul brought him a booking before Mascherano, already cautioned for a rather Scholes-esque tackle on Paul Scholes, approached Bennett.
Rafa Benitez, bellowing from the touchline, was trying to tell the Argentine to back away, advice he should have heeded. But - something amateur lip-reading appeared to corroborate - Liverpool's version of events hardly suggested a verbal assault from the midfielder.
Benitez explained: 'The player [Mascherano] told me and Ryan Babel was there [agreeing], he was asking what has happened. Mascherano is a fantastic professional and has been for years, playing at the maximum level. The player knows he made a mistake but he was really, really surprised. But in this sort of game, just for asking to leave one team with 10 players is a difficult decision to understand.'
It was, and it would be beneficial if any official explanation was proffered. But there remains a lack of accountability among referees as well as too great a tendency to err, no matter how difficult their job is.
Two statements pertain. The first is that there is too much dissent towards referees with certain clubs - Chelsea the most obvious example - persistent offenders. The second is that the standard of officiating in the Premier League is nowhere near high enough. How much one is a product of another is a matter for debate.
Especially on this occasion. Bennett is from the school of referees who officiate in the manner of strict but invariably wrong headmasters children fear. Some will question whether he deserves respect. The odds are that half of Merseyside would decide he doesn't. The FA would argue that the uniform itself merits it, regardless of the occupant.
What is certain is that, as the Liverpool manager said: 'With 10 players, the game was finished.' Even with 11, United led and given Liverpool's lamentable record against them in the Benitez era, would probably have won.
But the outcome was determined before half-time and Jose Reina's decision-making, like Bennett's, comes under the microscope. The Liverpool goalkeeper made a series of fine saves, some outstanding, in one-on-one situations with Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. But he erred in choosing to come for a Rooney cross that Martin Skrtel would surely have headed away. Instead, the Spaniard missed it and Wes Brown headed in.
Thereafter, as Ferguson said: 'Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo could have scored a hat-trick'. The Portuguese, having already hit the post and the bar, finally managed one when heading in Nani's corner, the second eminently avoidable goal Liverpool had leaked. Nani completed the scoring with an unstoppable effort to cap an eventful cameo.
It was barely mentioned afterwards.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Michael Carrick
It was, as Benitez said, two games, but Carrick excelled in both, tracking Steven Gerrard at the base of midfield when confronted with 11 men of Liverpool and helping United to exploit their greater possession and one-man advantage when they faced 10.
MOAN OF THE MATCH: The sending off. Whether Mascherano or Bennett was at fault or both, it ruined the match as a contest. But if the major matches merit the premier officials, it was a shame that none of Howard Webb, Alan Wiley or Mark Clattenburg were in charge.
MANCHESTER UNITED VERDICT: The victory and the commensurate boost to their goal difference leaves them very much in pole position to retain the title. Ferguson had struck a cautious note by fielding Rooney as a lone striker but, as against Arsenal, he appeared to enjoy that role. With 10 men, they were in cruise control and the two late goals reflected their superiority. With Carrick and Anderson preferred and in form, it should be a concern to Owen Hargreaves that he was demoted to the bench
LIVERPOOL VERDICT: Once again, they have underachieved against United. With 11 men against 11, and especially before Reina erred in allowing Brown to score, Mascherano and Xabi Alonso were threatening to erect a formidable barrier in front of the back four, while Ryan Babel was troubling Brown on the counter-attack. With 10, they required Reina to keep the score down. But if they are to become challengers, Benitez's men require better results against the title contenders and, for varying reasons and inhibited by the red card, their supposed stars - Steven Gerrard, Torres and Mascherano - failed to perform.
紅字個幾段個人覺得講得幾岩, 唔係話馬斯冇責任, 但係第二個黃牌真係球證同球員都要負上好大責任...
個人覺得呢篇野真係叫幾公道... |
發表於 2008-3-24 01:07 PM
| 
