Sweet Touch
OK. So not the most riveting game ever played at the new Wembley. Or maybe it was because it was one of the first games ever played there. Whatever.
But after 116 minutes of sometimes intense and challenging play and a lot of meaningless midfield shuffling, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard exchanged a series of one-touch, pinpoint passes that led to the only goal as Chelsea defeated ManU 1-0 in the FA Cup final. So perhaps the Ref and Meanbaldguy can each take pleasure in successful domestic campaigns this season -- Chelsea winning the domestic double and ManU the Premiership title -- and rest until the battle renews in the fall.
Meanwhile, I have to say that Sir Alex's post game comments -- the routine bashing of the ref -- are a bit disappointing. I thought Steve Bennett did a fine job. I don't think the was the most difficult game to call and, aside from getting into passing lanes a couple of times, Bennett seemed to be in the right place and he kept the match under control throughout. On one handling call he blew the whistle too fast -- a ball hit one Chelsea player's arm from a kick that began about a foot away.
Ferguson's complaint focuses on the play when Giggs* slid into Cech, pushing the keeper and the ball apparently over the line. Bennett allowed play to continue, awarding neither goal nor foul. Sir Alex contends that Essien pushed Giggs and ManU should have won a penalty, but a look at the replay doesn't support this contention. (If the link works, the Giggs play is at 2:30 and the goal at 2:47.) As for Bennett's noncall, either he didn't see the ball go over the line, as Giggs was in front of the ball and Cech was cradling it, or if he did, he decided to allow play to continue. Technically, he should have called the foul -- no way it could have been a goal as Cech stopped the ball before it crossed the line and only Giggs momentum crashing into the keeper pushed the ball over -- because once a ball crosses a boundary line the Laws require a restart. So my guess is that neither he nor the assistant ref saw the ball over the line, and play continued.
(To be fair, had Manu won the game, we'd probably have seen similar comments from Mourinho. Teams never win or lose; it's always the officials' fault.)
(*Typo corrected per Ref's comment.)
2 comments:
good recap and approving of all said even the misspelling on ryan giggs as griggs cause he doesnt deserve anything - is old and washed up (hence the substitution) and is a pain in the ass on the field always complaining... the only good thing he did was hit that early freekick in champions league
for the ref to rag on giggs is just astonishing. he is one of the most accomplished and decorated players in Prem history and he has been loyal to one team his whole career- perhaps not something a Chelsea man understands.
I found a shorter clip on you tube and, as much as i wanted to, couldn't see a clear foul- it looks like he was sliding anyway- or see that the ball crossed the line. Sir Alex's rant seems misplaced.
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