![\"Frank](\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/af743439110291_news.jpg.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFrank Lampard, Chelsea(Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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COMMENT Judging by the riotous manner in which John Terry<\/a> celebrated win number eight in Chelsea<\/a>\u2019s last nine league matches, this derby victory has altered the title balance.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The skipper pumped his fists, swept his arms skywards in unison and jumped on David Luiz\u2019s back like a jockey soaking up the acclaim on Grand National Day.<\/p>\n Following his 500th<\/sup> appearance for the club he has represented at senior level for 13 years, Terry joyously marked a triumph that ensures leaders and long-time favourites Manchester United still have a few hurdles to negotiate before racing to the finishing post.<\/p>\n Sir Alex Ferguson did not stay to watch Salamon Kalou score the winner from an off-side position on Saturday evening but he had seen enough to know that Chelsea\u2019s thoroughbreds will provide a test of his team\u2019s mettle over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n One of the final fences United must clear comes at Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon against a struggling Arsenal team who could provide trickier opposition than expected because they will be playing without pressure or expectation.<\/p>\n It remains United\u2019s title to lose but Chelsea\u2019s fightback makes it a nerve-jangling away day for the champions-elect.<\/p>\n To his credit, Carlo Ancelotti did not seek to hide from the crucial role that 12th<\/sup> man Lady Luck played in keeping his team\u2019s title flame burning.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can see that we were lucky with both the goals\u201d admitted the Italian of Frank Lampard\u2019s \u2018ghost\u2019 goal and Salamon Kalou\u2019s winner from a marginal off-side position.<\/p>\n Tottenham have effectively been relegated to the Europa League after match officials wrongly judged Lampard\u2019s speculative 30-yard shot to have crossed the line. Gomes spilled it under his body, then desperately scrambled to halt the ball\u2019s path as it dribbled towards the line. Replays showed that only about three-quarters of it had crossed the chalk.<\/p>\n That it was horrible goalkeeping by the error-prone Gomes is not in doubt. He makes some fabulous reflex saves but his concentration wilts at too many crucial times for him to be considered a reliable last line of defence.<\/p>\n He made a similar mistake in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid from Cristiano Ronaldo but that had not proved decisive as Spurs were already 4-0 down on aggregate. This time it did. Gomes errors have directly led to five Premier League goals this season, the equal-worst count (with West Ham\u2019s Robert Green) in the top division. Expect Harry Redknapp to be in the market for a new No1 in the summer.<\/p>\n For Lampard, it was atonement for the goal that never was in the World Cup against Germany last summer.<\/p>\n Moreover, it has re-ignited the debate about the requirement for goal-line technology. But, in truth, there is no debate. Only a minority of Luddites, most of whom are employees of Fifa, believe a piece of machinery that can make line decisions in seconds should not have been introduced at least a decade ago.<\/p>\n Cricket, rugby, tennis, cycling and many American sports have been benefitting from this technology for the best part of two decades, while football is still stuck in the caveman era.<\/p>\n Linesman Mike Cairns had to reply on his eyesight from a relatively poor angle to make a judgement that could be worth millions of pounds. Pity him if Spurs fall a point short of fourth place at the end of the season.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has guessed and guessed wrong,\u201d opined Redknapp in a fair and good-natured summary of Cairns\u2019 mistake. \u201cIt\u2019s the most difficult thing in the world to see from where he was \u2013 he was probably on the 18-yard box when the ball dropped on the line, and he has given what he thought was the right decision. No-one can judge from there. It\u2019s impossible to judge. But he has not done it because he wants Chelsea to win or Tottenham to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n Redknapp questioned the wisdom of jobsworth fourth officials patrolling the dugouts and haraunging managers for overstepping the technical area by a yard when they could simply be handed a TV monitor and told to get on with it. The halt in play for a camera trained along the goal-line to produce the correct decision would be so infintessimal it would be barely worthy of mention. \u201cIt takes five seconds to get the right decision,\u201d said Redknapp.<\/p>\n But football persists with the belief that the official is always right while careers and matche outcomes are at the mercy of a man with a flag.<\/p>\n Not that Chelsea will spend too long ruminating on a debate that should have been open and shut a long time ago.<\/p>\n The warmer weather has brought a steady improvement in their results, despite that Champions League quarter-final defeat to Manchester United, their next opponents in the Premier League.<\/p>\n The old guard of Lampard, Terry, Petr Cech and Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba, impressive in both a free-floating right-sided role and as the centre-forward when Fernando Torres departed after an hour, are providing the foundation for their late title challenge.<\/p>\n Ancelotti joked afterwards about them hibernating for too long when the nights drew in early but it was no coincidence that when Lampard, Terry and Drogba were absent at various periods in midwinter, the champions were a shadow of themselves.<\/p>\n All three were instrumental in the fightback against Spurs, even if Ancelotti needed to call on all three substitutes \u2013 Ramires, Nicolas Anelka and matchwinner Kalou \u2013 to turn the tide and claim all the points.<\/p>\n Should United fall short at Arsenal, there will be genuine hope that the outsider can topple the favourite in Manchester next weekend.<\/p>\n Follow Wayne Veysey on\u00a0<\/span>
<\/strong>By Wayne Veysey<\/a> at Stamford<\/span> Bridge<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/2554551b118311hp2.jpg.jpg\")
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Old guard |<\/strong> John Terry and Chelsea’s 30-somethings have been kept their title bid alive<\/p>\n\n\n
\n “<\/span>Gomes errors have directly led to five Premier League goals this season, the equal-worst count (with West Ham\u2019s Robert Green) in the top division. Expect Harry Redknapp to be in the market for a new No.1 in the summer<\/span><\/strong>“<\/span><\/strong> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/6025f63d130348_hp.jpg.jpg\")
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