Andy Gray on Nani's Tottenham strike
Every week, Betfair Football's star tipster Andy Gray picks out and answers his favourite question out of those he is asked on Twitter and Facebook. Here's his answer to this week's poser...
"What did you make of Nani's goal against Tottenham?" - @swm2k2 and @ZimHen
I think everyone would agree this is water under the bridge now and after a few days of debate we must move on. Since you ask, my view is that if we apply the letter of the law then referee Mark Clattenburg did nothing wrong.
Heurelho Gomes says the ref was unclear about his decision but I think the Tottenham keeper has a lot to answer for here. The truth is, he made a mess of it.
If I was Harry Redknapp, I'd be asking Gomes what he was doing. Why didn't he clear the ball up field when his team were trying to score an equaliser? Clattenburg might have managed the situation better but Gomes was at fault.
I don't blame Harry for speaking out about the decision but his ferocity was uncalled for. It was not a match-defining decision, it did not cost Spurs the match.
To call it the worst decision he'd ever seen was wrong. It doesn't begin to compare with Maradona's handball - the worst decision I've ever seen by a referee - and, in fact, Pedro Mendes disallowed goal for Spurs at Old Trafford in 2005 was far worse.
Do you agree with Andy? Let him know what you think by following him on Twitter
Published: 4 Nov 2010
jerkinmahjurgen (November 4, 2010 3:07 PM) said:
Dare we bring to light that Harry took one for the boys? Gomez lapsed and Harry diverted, is what it looks like to me... Gomez owes him now and hopefully he and the squad will respond like the men Harry's trying to make of them and, with this Inter performance behind us as well, take it up a level. COYS!!!!
Richard (November 4, 2010 3:17 PM) said:
The problem is, he claimed he played advantage (to cover his back) but made no gesture (other than a shrug of the shoulders to Nani which indicated the truth of the matter) for play-on, and when no Advantage was gained he should have pulled the game back for a free-kick.
The fact is, he missed the handball, and has since admitted as much. "to a colleague"
Yes Gomes did not help matters, but the Linesman gave Clattenberg a get out of Jail free card, but he refused to take it.
JB (November 4, 2010 3:43 PM) said:
Erm, the "letter of the law" would have seen a handball awarded.
John White (November 4, 2010 4:15 PM) said:
The referee may have wanted to "play on" after Nani's original handball, (though he made it far from clear, which is very bad refereeing), but when Nani kept his hand on the ball and then moved the ball away from Gomes's grasp when he first tried to get it from him, the referee should have realised that no advantage had been gained, given the free kick and booked Nani.. But as he was wandering back up to the halfway line in anticipation of the next phase of play rather than controlling the current phase, he missed that incident. He then overruled his assistant who had been in a far better position to see what had gone on than he had. Gomes was in no way to blame. Clattenburg was completely at fault, and should have been man enough to admit it. Then we could all move on. It also needs to be pointed out that Andy Gray and the rest of the Sky team didn't want to move on when Zokora dived for a penalty a few years ago. Neither do they when their old hobby-horse of Video replays (rather than Video technology!) is wheeles out after any controversial goal-line incident. They go on for weeks when that happens.
JOHN ADAM (November 4, 2010 4:23 PM) said:
I know this controversial matter is well behind us now but Andy Gray's comments require a response. Gomes did not clear the ball up field precisely because he thought, rightly or wrongly,that it was a free kick and in the process of putting the ball on the ground to kick it away, Nani pounced on it and scored in a somewhat cheeky and poaching manner which did not at all look sportsmanlike.. The referee could have prevented this messy situation if only he had asserted his 'play on' decision to Gomes through some kind of timely signal or gesture. Goal or not,sometimes common sense and good judgment and fair play should prevail over the rule in certain bizarre situations such as what we saw at Old Trafford.
johnboy (November 4, 2010 4:52 PM) said:
Well if Peros Mendes 'goal' and Maradonna hand ball were worse, then Clattenberg has got two of the top three then!
Say no more!
Gee (November 4, 2010 5:53 PM) said:
He didn't play advantage...don't think advantage is played a couple of yard from the goalline!!
Clattenberg was in the "Theatre of Dreamland" for sure and lost control of the match.The advantage was talked about as his only excuse because it was such a piece of shocking refereeing !
Alan Maile (November 5, 2010 10:47 AM) said:
To endorse the theory that away teams are treated less fairly at Old Trafford did anybody else notice that when Fletcher, in the commentator's words, scythed down a Spurs player, he was not even spoken to. Gallas and Kaboul later committed far less serious fouls and were cautioned. No wonder Utd rarely lose at home.