26 Sep 2020 19:26:56
Why was the Abraham goal to make it 3_3 not chalked off for a handball by Havertz? I was under the impression if the ball hit the hand of an attacker in the build up to a goal it was given as handball. Did the rule change for this season Ed's?

{Ed001's Note - the rule did change but I am not sure anyone is quite sure what is handball and what isn't right now.}


1.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 19:45:09
Ed001 I don’t think anybody knows the rules regards handball any more. 3 weeks in and we’ve seen some very dodgy decisions.

{Ed001's Note - exactly, I mean the Everton game there was one where an Everton player played volleyball with it and it wasn't given even after a VAR review, yet an other one was. I can't get my head round it now.}


2.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 19:46:18
But that is still a handball right? The commentators were saying= that should+ have been given as handball and one of the comments Taylor was ex Chelsea player. Also they mentioned if it happened to a defender that would be given as pen.

{Ed001's Note - yes mate, it is supposed to be.}


3.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 19:51:05
Ed the handball law is now an absolute joke imo. The penalty Everton got today was ridiculous.

{Ed001's Note - they have been happening every game. It was the same last season though, you benefitted in one game I remember when an almost identical decision was given in your favour but not at the other end. The officials are clearly unsure as well. All the changes have done for this season is made it worse. I think every team has had either one against or for them already this season, it certainly feels that way.}


4.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 20:19:36
Even though it is the rules, I'm sure even the refs must think it's a joke. Dermot Gallagher's defence of it the other day was, "you cannot argue it's not consistent". Which seems like code for I know it's hopeless, however, it's hopeless for everyone. I'd argue it's also easier to enforce these decisions with no fans in the ground.

It'll be a shame when later in the season a cup exit, relegation etc is confirmed by a penalty won by the opponent flicking a ball from 3ft away onto someone's hand.


5.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 20:37:32
The way its going, instead of C.V. sending lower leagues to the wall, maybe all this VAR and handball nonsense, along with all the screaming and diving, might push people into watching proper football at a lower level but with more reality. When restrictions lift obviously.


6.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 20:56:52
Consistent? I’m still not over the decision against Lindelof last week, followed by a more obvious decision in the arsenal game, not 2 hours later, which wasn’t given.

It’s hilarious watching ex referees try to justify it.


7.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 22:56:55
It's insane, if a defender had of done that today the ref would of give a penalty.


8.) 26 Sep 2020
26 Sep 2020 22:41:21
Ed the consistency indeed is shocking. I also don’t think refs should be allowed to watch in slow motion. Everything looks worse in slow motion.


9.) 27 Sep 2020
27 Sep 2020 04:16:22
I think the issue is we have tried to introduce VAR with scientific method. So every decision must be a point of fact, no sporting judgement or experience from the referee seems to be allowed.

So we get these ridiculous rule changes that say if the ball touched your arm in any way in lead up to goal the disallowed. This is a major rule change from the previous 100 years plus of football, but was applied to make VAR easier.

Now it seems if the ball touches a defenders arm in anyway in the area it is a pen. Again, crazy change to rule in an attempt to make VAR work better.

Look at de gea's disallowed pen save for foot not touching line. No official would have called that for running out from line. It must have been 1mm, it is getting to the point that it runs the game.

Of course it swings both ways. Of course we benefit from decisions and lose decisions. But I'm not sure football was so broken before.