Cesc Fabregas escapes big ban for Chelsea as common sense prevails

It is not a phrase uttered often these days but the Football Association have applied a piece of common sense regarding Cesc Fabregas' bizarre red card against West Brom on Monday night, reducing the suspension to just one match.
The decision to truncate the Spaniard's ban emanated from the Independent Regulatory Commission, who clearly agreed with the wider football world and accepted Chelsea's appeal against what they saw as excessive punishment.
Given some of the wild challenges that have failed to see a player dismissed this season it was quite incredible to see somebody given their marching orders for hitting an opponent with the ball having chipped it back into a group of players.
It was a strange moment indeed though no doubt former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson would have agreed wholeheartedly with referee Mike Jones' decision.
The Scot claimed following a match in December 2012 that Robin van Persie could have been killed when Swansea City's Ashley Williams struck the ball at the Dutchman from close range and demanded a lengthy suspension for the defender.
Sensibly, the arbiters within the FA chose not to submit to Ferguson's hyperbole on that occasion and Chelsea's request for a commuted punishment for their player was handled with similar understanding.
To be completely fair to the FA, this is not the first time this season they have accepted an appeal regarding an excessive suspension. Nemanja Matic saw his ban reduced from three games to two after a retaliatory shove on Ashley Barnes following a challenge that could have broken the Serb's leg.
What remains confusing is what exactly Fabregas was sent off for? Sure, it was an unnecessary act but was it really any more malicious that the shove in the chest he received from Darren Fletcher? Could it really be construed as endangering an opponent, violent conduct, excessive force or a reckless challenge?
Of course, this is not the first or indeed the second time that Fabregas has suffered from some questionable officiating this season. Away at Southampton he was booked for simulation when clearly tripped inside the penalty area by Matt Targett. History then repeated itself when he returned to Arsenal the very first time and received a yellow card for diving despite being clipped.
And let's not forget the dangerous two-footed challenge on him from Danny Welbeck during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal in October. In fairness, Fabregas did have a moment of fortune against Liverpool when he escaped serious censure for a tackle on Raheem Sterling which could easily have earned him a red card.
It is widely accepted that officials have an increasingly difficult and thankless task. The multitude of cameras, the endless analysis of incidents and angry debates on social media whip up a storm that places even more pressure on the men in the middle. It would help though if more thought was applied before decisions were made.
The best referees buy themselves some thinking time before making big decisions and for the most part, they get them right. Mike Jones, however, is not a member of that vaunted group.
Thanks to the FA, only an ultimately meaningless end of season encounter was ruined though the harsh dismissal could have seen Fabregas sit out the opening two games of next season. You can just imagine the look on Mourinho's face had the initial punishment stood and the fixture computer produced, say, Manchester City and Arsenal as the Chelsea's first opponents of the following campaign.
Fabregas has always been hot-headed, something that used to be regularly showcased while at Arsenal through his running battles with Frank Lampard. And it is also alleged that he was the one who infamously threw the slice of pizza that struck Ferguson following the infamous Battle of the Buffet at Old Trafford in 2004.
Those displays of fire and passion are always welcomed by supporters though only if it doesn't force the referee to make a decision and result in suspension. At the Hawthorns, Mike Jones did make a decision. Luckily for Fabregas and Chelsea, he was eventually given the benefit of the doubt.