The End Of "I Didn't See It" For Wenger

Filed in archive Premiership 2006/7 on November 21, 2006

The use of video evidence (which like it or not, is coming) came a step closer today. The Premier League will be sending a paper to FIFA in January proposing video technology to help referees with "did it cross the line" decisions, off the ball incidents and - crucially - penalty decisions.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger makes a good case for the move:

"The media are so close to the bench now," said Wenger, "when the referee makes a decision, the bench checks the television - is the decision right or not? That has increased the frustration on the bench, because before you knew you could not have access to the television during the game and had to check it after the game. Every decision of the referee is on television and is analysed, but the only one in the whole game who has no access to the video and the right picture is the referee. What is even more surprising is that the referee does not want to use it."

That's a solid argument based on common sense. And - even better - next time Wenger says "I didn't see it" we can say "watch the replay."