[Football] Handball Rule

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

We could cut every professional outfield player's arms off? Or perhaps make them all wear straitjackets? Or zorb it up? Actually I'd love to see professional footballers playing a regular game in zorb suits. No chance of handball and could reduce the number of injuries too.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

It is the new rule though, any goal as a direct result of the ball hitting the arm has to be ruled out. They've removed all room for interpretation.

No, you're right, that part is nonsense.

 

[Beanstalk]

If they made touch the ball with your hand or upper arm then it is handball, intentional or not then things would be much easier to understand.
Unintentional then its a free kick or penalty.
Intentional then the same and a red card for cheating.
At the end of the day you cannot use your hand in football.

I think it's fairly straightforward at the moment - at least more than it was before VAR.

The definition of hand/arm and shoulder has been defined to make it more easy as to what is and isn't handball. The definition of what constitutes handball has become a lot clearer than "deliberate" as per below.

Handball should be given if:
- The hand/arm is clearly away from the body and outside the "body line".
- The player clearly leans into the path of the ball.
- The ball travels some distance.
- The ball touches a hand/arm that is clearly raised above the shoulder.
- The player falls and the hand/arm is extended laterally or vertically away from the body.
- A deflection clearly makes no difference to the ball touching a hand/arm that is clearly extended away from the body and/or above the shoulder.
- Immediately after touching the ball with the arm, even accidentally, the player scores a goal or creates a goal-scoring opportunity.

Ultimately, the Fulham one was correct as the next touch was a goal, and the Kante (not a penalty) was correct as his arm was below his shoulder and the ball didn't travel far enough.

I think a lot needs to improve with VAR but I don't think it's handball or offsides. They're pretty clearly defined to avoid confusion currently and is just something, whether you agree with it or not, we are going to have to get used to.

 

[portslade seagull]

Although it helped us it was a harsh decision as the ball was hit straight at him and his arm was by his side.

 

[brightn'ove]

No, you're right, that part is nonsense.

Agreed

 

[AZ Gull]

Changed for next season:-

[TWEET]1367818893293723648[/TWEET]

 

[crodonilson]

So how to fix it? My Football Weekly colleague Philippe Auclair tweeted after the Inter penalty: “A suggestion to sort out the mess that is the current handball law. All handballs in the box sanctioned? Fine. If deliberate, penalty. If not, indirect free-kick, which is also great fun for spectators. Keep punishment commensurate with the offence. Right now, it isn’t.”

I have to say this would be a quite superb interpretation of the handball rules after the farces involving our English clubs in Europe last night.

 

[Is it PotG?]

So how to fix it? My Football Weekly colleague Philippe Auclair tweeted after the Inter penalty: “A suggestion to sort out the mess that is the current handball law. All handballs in the box sanctioned? Fine. If deliberate, penalty. If not, indirect free-kick, which is also great fun for spectators. Keep punishment commensurate with the offence. Right now, it isn’t.”

I have to say this would be a quite superb interpretation of the handball rules after the farces involving our English clubs in Europe last night.

‘Deliberate’ is not always clear cut, it can be quite subjective.

 

[5Ways Gull]

‘Deliberate’ is not always clear cut, it can be quite subjective.

Easy innit. Ref just asks the player "did you mean to do that?"

 

[jackanada]

So how to fix it? My Football Weekly colleague Philippe Auclair tweeted after the Inter penalty: “A suggestion to sort out the mess that is the current handball law. All handballs in the box sanctioned? Fine. If deliberate, penalty. If not, indirect free-kick, which is also great fun for spectators. Keep punishment commensurate with the offence. Right now, it isn’t.”

I have to say this would be a quite superb interpretation of the handball rules after the farces involving our English clubs in Europe last night.

Though Tyrone's brain fart would still count as deliberate.
You could see the ref really wasn't enjoying giving that decision but clubs keep banging on about consistency and refs get poor assessments if they don't follow the letter of the law.

 

[AZ Gull]

‘Deliberate’ is not always clear cut, it can be quite subjective.

Surely, the vast majority of decisions made by referees are subjective?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Surely, the vast majority of decisions made by referees are subjective?

Offside?

 

[AZ Gull]

Offside?

Yes, there are some decisions that are not subjective. SOME offsides fall into that category (although there are still some offsides which ARE subjective, ie whether a player in an offside position is interfering with play).

 

[The Optimist]

Rather than deliberate how about denied a good chance? (I don’t think it needs to be as strong as clear goal scoring opportunity for a red card). The logic being Mings handball did not in any way prevent the opposition from having a decent chance on goal and therefore a penalty feels like a very harsh punishment. The Inter keeper’s punch on the Arsenal player didn’t stop Arsenal having a chance so an indirect free kick seems fair.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Yes, there are some decisions that are not subjective. SOME offsides fall into that category (although there are still some offsides which ARE subjective, ie whether a player in an offside position is interfering with play).

As Cloughie once stated, 'if you're not interfering with play then what are you doing on the pitch'?

 

[drew]

Surely, the vast majority of decisions made by referees are subjective?

Actually I would suggest the opposite, the vast majority are not subjective, eg most fouls are quite obvious, ball out of play and offsides (particularly now with VAR). However, the minority that are subjective are the ones that attract the most debate and can be controversial and therefore stick in the mind more.

 

[AZ Gull]

Actually I would suggest the opposite, the vast majority are not subjective, eg most fouls are quite obvious, ball out of play and offsides (particularly now with VAR). However, the minority that are subjective are the ones that attract the most debate and can be controversial and therefore stick in the mind more.

EVERY "foul" decision is a subjective decision.

 

[Justice]

Surely no supporters want penalties given when ball is wacked against players arm

Last minute against Palarse most definitely obviously in our favour otherwise it would be a disgrace.

 

[beorhthelm]

EVERY "foul" decision is a subjective decision.

certainly shouldn't be, they get it wrong sometimes, but they should be applying the laws.

handball rule was reasonably OK until they started trying to "improve" it and ended up making it worse. then add in VAR so someone miles away interprets a still differently to live action.

 

[BadFish]

Chop all* players' arms off at the shoulder.

Problem solved.

* yes even goalkeepers, more goals = more fun