The Rational Ref | Oddballs they are, but goalkeepers are not protected by referees
The myth that goalkeepers - whose mistakes have a huge impact - are protected isn't true
Goalkeepers are the oddballs because they do not have nifty footwork and any mistake will usually influence a match's outcome. As such, there has long been a sneaky suspicion that referees overly protect goalkeepers.
From last weekend's English Premier League matches, Arsenal's David Ospina would wholeheartedly agree, Manchester City's Joe Hart would not, and Aston Villa's Brad Guzman would want to forget his nightmare.
The goalless Arsenal-Chelsea match belied the fact that this meeting was full of important incidents. In the first half, there were penalty shouts that were all not given. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will no doubt continue his siege mentality in claiming there is a "campaign" against his team, even though one of those penalty claims was Arsenal's.
Goalkeepers cannot afford to depend on referees being protective and just have to keep doing what they do
Arguably the most important incident, involving Ospina's unfair challenge on Chelsea's Oscar, is what conspiracy theorists use to support the claim that referees favour goalkeepers.
Oscar had beaten the offside trap and lobbed the onrushing Columbian goalkeeper. As the ball looped towards the Arsenal goal, Oscar was knocked down by Ospina's ill attempt at a challenge inside the penalty area. The ball was headed away and referee Michael Oliver whistled for a corner. Oscar was checked by medics, substituted at half-time and sent to hospital for possible concussion.
This bizarre non-penalty decision prompted fans to fill Twitter with parodies of the incident. In one, Ospina is seen "saving" Oscar from an onrushing train.
With video replays, it is easy to see why Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty. Some fans also believe Ospina should have been sent off.
