[Albion] Premier League 1-3-9/23

[US Seagull]

I don’t understand the handball rule. Does anybody ?

In that case you might be ideally qualified for a job at PGMOL.

 

[Weststander]

They should just make handball the old imperfect rule. This is subjective chaos.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

They should just make handball the old imperfect rule. This is subjective chaos.

It seems to be entirely random. I don’t think there is actually a rule that anybody bothers with. More like Russian Roulette for players and referees.

 

[JonnyComeEarly]

Why have refs stopped adding "proper" injury time since week 2?

Started with 10+ mins injury time now back to 5/6 mins despite goals, subs and timewasting

 

[Jim in the West]

I honestly can’t understand how the Premier League, which is clearly the richest and best league in the world, puts up with this amateurish refereeing.

 

[El Turi]

West Ham struggled as they couldn’t play their usual anti football no possession game. Luton are not good but deserved a draw which they would have got if VAR wasn’t useless.

 

[Weststander]

It seems to be entirely random. I don’t think there is actually a rule that anybody bothers with. More like Russian Roulette for players and referees.

The “touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation”.

Gives a free for all for refs and their VAR mates to waste minute after minute micro analysing ball to arm, in a lucky dip. Entire commentary teams certain no pen will be given, then the little dictator dramatically points to the spot in his moment of fame. Players would have to be amputees to possibly avoid some of these harsh calls. Or the lucky dip of a West Ham or Manure player getting away with exactly the same or more blatant.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Can we get a PGMOL apology thread running alongside the Red Card tracker? See who’s the winner at the end of the season?

No doubt there will be some overlaps as well.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

The “touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation”.

Gives a free for all for refs and their VAR mates to waste minute after minute micro analysing ball to arm, in a lucky dip. Entire commentary teams certain no pen will be given, then the little dictator dramatically points to the spot in his moment of fame. Players would have to be amputees to possibly avoid some of these harsh calls. Or the lucky dip of a West Ham or Manure player getting away with exactly the same or more blatant.

I’m not sure that makes it any clearer. You seem to be saying the calls are harsh then that they are getting away with stuff. Maybe just me but I’m none the wiser. I’m not going to take seriously the stuff about bias because most football fans claim that and they all can’t be right. I still think it’s a mess that nobody understands.

 

[dwayne]

I honestly can’t understand how the Premier League, which is clearly the richest and best league in the world, puts up with this amateurish refereeing.

Yep need to get foreign refs in urgently to break this horrendous inner circle of English refs.

 

[Weststander]

I’m not sure that makes it any clearer. You seem to be saying the calls are harsh then that they are getting away with stuff. Maybe just me but I’m none the wiser. I’m not going to take seriously the stuff about bias because most football fans claim that and they all can’t be right. I still think it’s a mess that nobody understands.

My summary is:
1. Ridiculous pens are being given where the alleged handball was definitely not deliberate (the old rule) and the arm had to be somewhere when the ball hit it.
2. The endless minutes wasted at times on the entire process, altering forever the imperfect game we knew.
3. The new rule was meant to take away the subjectivity of deliberate. But in reality replaced by a new subjectivity and an unconscious bias (if I give this handball against Manure or Spurs, and I’m deemed wrong, all hell will break loose).

 

[AlexBH]

My summary is:
1. Ridiculous pens are being given where the alleged handball was definitely not deliberate (the old rule) and the arm had to be somewhere when the ball hit it.
2. The endless minutes wasted at times on the entire process, altering forever the imperfect game we knew.
3. The new rule was meant to take away the subjectivity of deliberate. But in reality replaced by a new subjectivity and an unconscious bias (if I give this handball against Manure or Spurs, and I’m deemed wrong, all hell will break loose).

Surely these new handball rules make it less subjective not more subjective E.g before you had to question whether there was intent to handle ball, now you have to question whether their hands are away from their body i.E not tucked in and no movement towards the ball. In summary, the JWP incident IS handball as his hands are away from his body and moved towards the ball.

 

[Weststander]

Surely these new handball rules make it less subjective not more subjective E.g before you had to question whether there was intent to handle ball, now you have to question whether their hands are away from their body i.E not tucked in and no movement towards the ball. In summary, the JWP incident IS handball as his hands are away from his body and moved towards the ball.

That was the aim. But imho:

Pens are being unfairly awarded where an arm is in a completely natural place in the fast paced moment in time.

Then the subjective bit. Some are, some aren’t. With an unconscious bias at times in not wanting to unleash a storm of the decision costing a club with media mates.

 

[AlexBH]

That was the aim. But imho:

Pens are being unfairly awarded where an arm is in a completely natural place in the fast paced moment in time.

Then the subjective bit. Some are, some aren’t. With an unconscious bias at times in not wanting to unleash a storm of the decision costing a club with media mates.

I don’t understand why they changed the handball rules as they could always get away with plausible deniability as there was clear subjectivity when interpreting intent. Now that element is removed, it should just be a case of looking at the still images, you don’t even need video replays: either their hands were away from their body or they weren’t. All this has done is raise even more suspicions about bias when very similar incidents are getting different results.

 

[One Love]

I honestly believe we now have a situation where the officials are deciding the results of these games.

 

[jcdenton08]

Why have refs stopped adding "proper" injury time since week 2?

Started with 10+ mins injury time now back to 5/6 mins despite goals, subs and timewasting

I called this early on, the day it was announced by Webb. I said for the first two weeks they’d add 9-10 minutes where warranted, but it will stop almost immediately after that.

Exactly the same with the delaying of free kicks and throw ins, kicking the ball away etc.

Refereeing is very poor.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Yep need to get foreign refs in urgently to break this horrendous inner circle of English refs.

Like lambs to the slaughter with our fans. I’m sure they will be queuing up to be accused of being cheats…..

 

[Bodian]

Just seen the incident; shocking - will Luton get an official apology?

Maybe the VAR refs had seen Dunk's penalty, which shouldn't have been awarded for Luton - and decided to 'even it up' for Luton?

 

[Questions]

The biggie is just about to start…..
Sheff Utd V Everton. Should be great to watch.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

The biggie is just about to start…..
Sheff Utd V Everton. Should be great to watch.

Relegation 6 pointer that one. Unmissable