A-League Tackle: Refereeing is again in the firing line as red cards dominate final
A controversial second red card for Sydney kicked off a huge weekend of finals football, once again putting referees in the firing line. ROBBIE SLATER and MARCO MONTEVERDE share their thoughts on the two semi-finals.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde go through their likes and dislikes from a massive weekend of A-League finals football.
DISLIKES
Dubious decisions
Unfortunately, refereeing decisions are again a talking point in the A-League finals series.
It has been a season to forget for A-League officials, so it was perhaps too much to ask for things to change in the finals, and they haven’t.
Sydney FC profited from a poor decision to send off Macarthur FC’s Kealey Adamson in week one of the finals, but it was the Sky Blues who were on the other end of a questionable call in their 2-1 semi-final first-leg loss to Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.
Two Sydney players - Jack Rodwell and Corey Hollman – were sent off by referee Ben Abraham.
Rodwell’s straight red card was deserved. It was a dangerous, as well as needless, studs-up challenge on the Mariners’ Christian Theoharous.
A player of Rodwell’s experience should have known better, and he has let his side down badly.
However, Abraham’s decision to send off Sky Blues midfielder Corey Hollman was extremely questionable.
Hollman was dismissed after being booked twice but there was no need for Abraham to show him the second yellow card.
While Hollman’s arm struck the neck of Mariners substitute Ronald Barcellos, the Sydney youngster wasn’t looking at the Central Coast player, who was already falling when the contact was made.
A free-kick would have been sufficient. Hollman didn’t deserve to be booked and subsequently given his marching orders.
It’s a pity the VAR couldn’t intervene because it was a yellow card offence.
That’s a law that should change. If a player is sent off after receiving a second booking, the VAR should be able to review the second yellow card if there is any doubt over the decision.
Not that we’re advocating more VAR intervention in the A-League. It’s a process that has been used far too much this season.
Former A-League match official Matthew Breeze, who was in charge of the 2009 grand final, summed things up well concerning the over-use of VAR and the effect it has had on referees with a weekend post on social media.
“Refereeing is more than just YC (yellow cards) and RC (red cards),” Breeze wrote.
“I get the sense that ALM referees are losing their feel for the game.
“In some ways, it’s the intervention of VAR in pursuit of perfection and precision. These refs have done 10,000 hours…let them decide. The bar for VAR needs lifting.”
Breeze is spot on. Referees are becoming too reliant on the VAR and are reluctant to make decisions.
LIKES
Mighty Mariners
The Mariners again deserve great credit for another gritty performance in what has been a remarkable season for the Mark Jackson-coached team.
Having returned on Tuesday from Oman, where they won the AFC Cup, Jackson’s men could have easily, and legitimately, used tiredness as an excuse, and dropped their heads, after Sydney took the lead after 25 minutes on Friday night.
However, as we have seen so many times this season, the Mariners are made of much sterner stuff.
With the brilliant Josh Nisbet controlling proceedings, the Central Coast boys weren’t going to be denied.
It was fitting that man-of-the-match Nisbet and Mikael Doka, who has also been excellent for the Mariners this season after a slow start, scored the goals that have given Central Coast the advantage going into Saturday night’s second-leg in Gosford.
The Mariners deserve a sellout crowd of 20,000 at Industree Group Stadium, and with the Sky Blues sure to bring plenty of fans, it promises to be a superb atmosphere on the Central Coast.
Of course all is not lost for the Sydneysiders.
In the end, they did well not to concede more goals on Friday night after being reduced to nine men.
Down 2-1 ahead of the second leg, the Sky Blues know that a win in normal time in Gosford will at the very least ensure the contest will go into extra-time.
Having beaten the Mariners in Gosford during the regular season, the Sky Blues know they can get the job done against the A-League premiers, so confidence should not be an issue.
It’s perhaps a chance for Max Burgess to stamp his authority on the finals series.
In the absence of injured Sydney star Joe Lolley, Burgess was unlucky not to start on Friday night, and he was even less fortunate to be sacrificed after Rodwell’s send off.
He’s due for a change of luck, and it could come in Gosford.
Arzani ace up Victory’s sleeve
Melbourne Victory coach Tony Popovic’s decision not to start playmaker Daniel Arzani in Sunday’s semi-final first-leg against Wellington Phoenix came as a surprise, particularly in the absence of suspended star Zinedine Machach.
As expected, it was a cagey contest at AAMI Park, with the Phoenix no doubt the happier of the teams as they head home to Wellington for next weekend’s second leg with the score at 0-0.
The Victory struggled to break down the Phoenix’s resolute defence, and perhaps had the creative Arzani had played the entire match, it might have been a different story.
However, the Victory remain well and truly in the hunt, and maybe Arzani might be unleashed from the opening whistle in Wellington.
Regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench, the former prodigy remains the ace up Popovic’s sleeve in what’s likely to be another tense affair at Sky Stadium.
Player of the week: Josh Nisbet (Central Coast Mariners)
More Coverage
Originally published as A-League Tackle: Refereeing is again in the firing line as red cards dominate final
Matildas star saluted by peers
One of the Matildas’ most popular players has been recognised by her peers for her good form.
Fan favourite wins young player of the year, as star snubbed
An Aussie fan favourite has joined an exclusive club as a second time winner of the FPA’s best young footballer award, while one of the nation’s fastest rising talents was snubbed by their peers.