What is a goal-scoring opportunity? It seems like a simple question, but it’s one that often causes controversy in football. The reason for this is that when a defender commits a foul on an attacking player in or around the penalty area, there’s a real chance of him receiving a straight red card for denying the attacker a ‘clear’ goal-scoring opportunity.
In Saturday’s early kick off at St. James Park, Chelsea defender David Luiz fouled Newcastle’s Demba Ba, as the striker attempted to get on the end of a pass into the penalty area. It was just the fourth minute of the game, and it looked like Chelsea would have to play the majority of the match with 10 men. But referee Mike Dean showed Luiz a yellow card, with Sky’s pitch-side reporter suggesting he had told Newcastle that it wasn’t a clear goal scoring opportunity. Later in the day, Stuart Atwell sent off Gary Cahill during Bolton’s match against Tottenham. After losing possession, Cahill fouled Scott Parker about 10 yards into the Bolton half. Incredibly, Atwell produced a red card, despite the ball being nowhere near the penalty area, and Parker having a lot to do before he could think about shooting.
The rules of the game state that a red card will be shown should the defender be guilty of ‘Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick.’
In the Newcastle game, Ba was running to get onto the end of a pass that was running into the centre of the penalty area. Although Ba never actually had possession of the ball, if David Luiz didn’t foul him, he would almost certainly have gotten to the ball before Petr Cech and had a chance to shoot. Surely if a striker’s next touch is going to be an unimpeded shot on goal, then that is a goal-scoring opportunity?
Meanwhile, at White Hart Lane, Gary Cahill’s red card was bewildering, even to Harry Redknapp. Parker had won the ball after a poor touch from Cahill, and was clearly fouled. But Parker was still around 20 yards from the penalty area, and would have taken several touches before finding a team-mate or taking a shot himself. Parker is hardly the quickest player in the Premier League either, and Zat Knight could have closed him down before he could shoot. If Ba would have instantly taken a shot, there could have been more than 10 seconds between Parker winning the ball and Spurs having an effort on goal.
A lot of people will look at Mike Dean’s decision in Newcastle and believe that one of two reasons led to him not sending off Luiz. The first would be that Luiz plays for Chelsea, one of the Premier League’s big boys, and the second is that it was so early in the game (the 4th minute), and giving a red card then would ‘spoil’ the game. Newcastle fans will certainly be in no doubt that had it been their own big-haired South American centreback, Fabricio Coloccini fouling Didier Drogba, that he would have seen a red card.
So just what is a clear goal-scoring opportunity? If a player is one-on-one with a goalkeeper in a central position as he approaches the penalty area, then that is certainly a clear goal-scoring opportunity. If he is fouled by the goalkeeper, or a defender from behind, then either player will be sent off. But after that example, it becomes more difficult to judge. If an attacker is up against one defender near the penalty area and beats him, but is then fouled, is that a clear goal-scoring opportunity? He may have shot instantly, but he might have taken a touch or two before picking his spot.
The problem with the rule is that the wording of it leaves it open to interpretation. Referees only see incidents once, and have to make snap decisions. They might consult their assistants at times, but the ultimate responsibility is with the referee. The majority of red cards given for denying clear goal-scoring opportunities are given correctly. But the weekend’s Premier League games have shown that when it comes to this rule, clarity isn’t always crystal.
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