ROBBED!!!

CSKA Moscow 1
(Carvalho 24th)

The Arsenal 0
(Henry, disallowed - "handball", 86th)

Simply outrageous ...

As aptly described by His Holiness, Lord Arsene the Wenger ...

"We have (in the past) referees awarding goals because they didn't see what happened but now we have a new thing. A referee not awarding a goal because he saw something that didn't exist."

You want the name? It's Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez of Spain.

But I dunno his optician now, do I?

But you know what? He's just another ref being tossed to the lions by the footballing authorities.

What is the current reason for not employing hi-tech viewing tools to assist the referee in games? To preserve the drama of the modern game, to paraphrase the innumberable quotes that littered the last World Cup like so much kulit kuaci.

Hello, sirs. It's fine if it's just a bit of drama but this is descending to the level of Latin telenovelas and Falstaffian farces of epic proportions.

And talking about telenovelas, is it only me that's getting the impression that those occupying the so-called corridors of power are in all likelihood, not unfairly based on the English FA's recent history, more preoccupied with chasing each others' women (are spicy South Asian bints also preferred in these quarters?) than in solving the refereeing problem.

The crowd sees it on replay in the stadium, the audience at home sees it on replay - and the only f***ing sod (the one with the whistle) involved who doesn't see the replay is actually f***ing forbidden to look at it by his f***ing benighted paymasters.

Do excuse the asterisks, they're designed to brighten up the page ...

So the world is treated to the ridiculous spectacle of this lone man, employed by one of the richest sports organisations on this planetary rock to arbitrate a game played by millionaire athletes, doing a job with only minimal, archaic methods (or tools) of assistance - while the millions watching avidly are presented with an fully detailed spectacle including slow motion replays via currently run-of-the-mill technology.

The game? That's the thing - CSKA played very well with their two Brazilians, Vagner Love and Daniel Carvalho, creating havoc in the Arsenal half time and again. They deserved to win on the strength of this performance.

But this superb game of football and CSKA's well-deserved win will forever be tainted by the spectre of a poorly-supported Spaniard making a poor decision that enraged many.

What do those in power care? They got their millions in. And their Faria Alams waiting.