THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi I

[Carlo Romano]

Ed, though you've obviously taken a deal of time and trouble over these posts, in effect you are voicing the principal FIFA/Uefa objections, those being reducing the game to a stop-start affair while the replays are viewed, the fact that the officials' authority would be undermined when their decisions were proven wrong, perhaps to the point of losing control of the game, and finally, by introducing computerised technology they would effectively be setting the precedent for the eventual removal of the human element from the equation as arbitrators.

Yes, it's hard to decide on the best solution to a problem which must be addressed...there is now too much at stake to allow the continued erroneous decisions by officials, fortunately mostly still genuine (we hope) but nonetheless when we see a team bounced from a major tournament for example because of a wrongly disallowed goal then sticking to the status quo ceases to be acceptable in this day and age.

We've seen the second referee, one in each half and though it worked fairly well, the idea was dismissed after the trial period. In my opinion we should be at that point now but...we aren't. But where would that or indeed FIFA/Uefa's current proposals lead? Eventually to 6 touch judges and 2 referees...technology would be a cheaper option than wages under those circs.

Irrespective of which road the football authorities decide to go down, I think we fans can at least take some heart from the fact that finally, everyone agrees something must be done to cut down the amount of bad calls on the pitch!

[Italiamia]

[vtec]

[Italiamia]

[p_maldini_3]

its interesting though, the 2 main people against technology are on the other side of the pond. we might have been brainwashed from the NFL.

i think that players should be punished for small incidents that the ref didn't see. if a player dived for a penalty, and its blatantly obvious, the team should lose the result. if its not so obvious, give the player a 5 match ban or something. if its a handball goal like adriano's vs. milan, give adriano a 5 match ban for lacking the integrity to tell the ref it went in off his hand (like de rossi some time ago).

you start HEAVILY punishing the players [and teams in some instances] for cheating, you will slowly eliminate those stupid actions from the game.

as for offsides, its possible to put tracking systems on the field, so if a striker is really offside, the system can detect where he is on the pitch relative to the last defender and if he's offside some kind of warning light goes off. then no striker can argue (like inzaghi) if the linesman got it right or wrong, because computers are never wrong.

[Italiamia]

But shinpin they do not make a reasonable argument against the use of technology. It's the same old BS that was used a decade or more ago. It was not reasonable then, so why would it be reasonable now. I do not see how you can be intellectually honest and not support the use of replay in certain situations during a match. What the anti-techno crowd never seem to address is that the game is faster, the athletes stronger and more skilled, and it is just humanly impossible even without bias, favoritism and corruption to be in the proper position to see everything. I will not, and cannot accept that it is just part of the game.

[vtec]

ideally, technology will be used not to punish players for cheating, but to prevent them from doing it in the first place.

[maro]

[maro]

[Italiamia]

[vtec]

[SPqR]

[Pauly W. Nuts]

[Pauly W. Nuts]

[Jamoldo]

[Carlo Romano]

Guys, I've had my say on the merits of technology being introduced to help eradicate errors as being a better option than the FIFA/Uefa proposed addition by 2012 of extra officials...I've posted the above logo with companion slogan simply because FIFA ultimately sanction any and all changes within our favourite sport irrespective of source and the present name of Sepp Blatter does not fill me with any more confidence than that of Joao Havelange, his predecessor. Indeed, I consider the slogan under the logo to be at least somewhat a contradiction in terms.


Former president Lennart Johansson proved to be little better than FIFA's puppet. I'd had hopes of Michel Platini which are now fading...but perhaps he may yet pleasantly surprise me.


Tommaso, it's a fact that certain refereeing decisions do determine the outcome of a game and when it's there for all to see then what are people supposed to think? But at the end of the day what we think doesn't matter unless it chances to coincide with the decision of those who purport to have "the Good of the Game" at heart...



On a more lighthearted note...

ASR asked us two questions: firstly, as Totti, De Rossi, and Panucci will not be available to face Udinese, who will be il mister's designated capitano for the day? Secondly, who would we choose, were it up to us?

Gio is correct in saying it usually goes by seniority. It also takes into account the length of service a player has at the club, and the natural inclination toward an Italian, which is why I think if Perrotta starts we could well see him wear the armband even if he was born in England to Italian immigrant parents.

Perrotta ( 31 ) joined us 2004.
Tonetto ( 34 ) 2006
Doni ( 29 ) 2005
Brighi ( 28 ) 2004
Mexes ( 26 ) 2004
Taddei ( 28 ) 2005

My reason for choosing Vučinić (which is unlikely to happen) is because he showed a driving force and maturity beyond his 25 years when captaining Montenegro against our Azzurri. Some men are born leaders and others like Vuci rise to the occasion when called...

[Italiamia]

[maro]

All right, guys, I give up. Let me just note why I give up. First, I think Populusque probably did read my post and, as a result, did see that I at no point suggested that "referee errors have little or no effect on the outcome of a game." I can't be bothered glossing that point. Secondly, I've not once given an argument based on 'tradition' as 'moldy seems to suggest. And, thirdly, I think one thing I can say with complete confidence is that no refereeing decision has ever "determine[d] the outcome of a game," Carlo. Every refereeing decision decisively determines the course of a game, but that is, again, a quite different thing.

I suppose I could put it like this. Which is the bigger problem here: that technology couldn't be used to determine whether (that???) Grosso dived over Lucas Neill or the disgusting outcry at the decision that was made?

[Jamoldo]

Tom, its true you didn't mention tradition (taht was ED), but I cannot buy the argument you make, particularly in Italy where there has been confirmed rigging of matches going on. You had better believe that referee decisions are critical even if overblown. Then again everything in Italy is overblown.

Of course if DDR had finished that chance or laid it off to Panucci we most certainly would not have made as big a deal about it. In the end though, (like I have always maintained, dive or not) Balotelli was always going to get that penalty call in Italy, particularly at the San Siro and he knew it. Give the man an Oscar.

[RomaShield27]

I haven't got the energy to comment on the technology discussion, although I will say we should all stop being such ultra-techno uber-geeks and ditch this forum business and revert back to the pigeon method of communication which Maro still uses to ring in sick to work. That and no to technology in football.


TRIGORIA: DE ROSSI HA LA FEBBRE, GHIACCIO SULLA CAVIGLIA PER AQUILANI, BAPTISTA E MENEZ RECUPERANO
– pubblicata venerdì 6 marzo 2009

Seduta di rifinitura questa mattina per la Roma, in vista della sfida di domani contro l'Udinese (ore 16). Spalletti dovrà rinunciare agli infortunati Totti, Cassetti e Perrotta. De Rossi e Pizarro hanno lavorato in palestra. Vucinic ha svolto un lavoro differenziato in palestra. Il montenegrino è stato convocato.

Recuperati Baptista e Menez che hanno smaltito l'influenza e oggi hanno lavorato con i compagni. Anche Brighi (affaticamento muscolare) si è allenato regolarmente. Confermate le buone notizie che riguardano Juan e Cicinho, disponibili per domani.

Anche Aquilani si è allenato con il gruppo, ma ha saltato la partitella. Il centrocampista prima di uscire dal campo, si è fermato per qualche minuto sulla panchina con del ghiaccio sulla caviglia. Il gruppo dopo una fase di riscaldamento ha lavorato sul possesso palla. A seguire attacco contro difesa e partitella con sponde.

La partitella. Gialli: Julio Sergio, Motta, Loria, Panucci, Riise, Taddei, Brighi, Menez, Baptista. Rossi: Doni, Cicinho, Mexes, Juan, Diamoutene, Tonetto, Filipe, D'Alessandro, Montella.


PROSSIMA GARA: Roma-Udinese (serie A, sabato 7 marzo, ore 16).

INJURED: Cassetti (lesione distrattiva di secondo grado a carico del bicipite femorale della coscia destra), Perrotta (lesione muscolare di secondo grado a livello dell’ileo-psoas), Totti (fastidio al ginocchio).

DIFFIDATI: Aquilani, Mexes, Taddei, Diamoutene, Pizarro

PROBABILE FORMAZIONE (4-2-3-1): Doni; Motta, Mexes, Panucci, Riise; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei, Brighi, Menez; Baptista.

BALLOTTAGGI: Tonetto/Riise, Brighi/Aquilani, Cicinho/Menez.


De Rossi Rossi has a slight fever and didn't participate in full training, but should be fine for Udinese. Vucinic (sore back), Juan (thigh) and Cicinho (knee) have all recovered and could play but are likely to be rested. Menez has also fully recovered and is likely to feature tomorrow. Brighi has some 'muscular fatigue' but should be ok because is a T2 robot from the future. Aquiani, sigh, is not, and he suffered a sore ankle and had to put ice on it, but its not thought to be too serio, although a stiff breeze is likely to knock him over on his walk home and he will be hospitalised for 6-8 weeks.