Bad ref decisions - for and against - season 2025/26

[9LeagueTitles5FACups]

24/8/24 Home to Brighton - won 2-0 Ndaiye 23 Garner 56

Match Officials
Referee:Stuart Attwell
Video Assistant Referee:James Bell
Assistant Referee 1:Constantine Hatzidakis
Assistant Referee 2:Nicholas Hopton
Fourth Official:Tom Nield
Assistant VAR Official:Lee Betts

Hmm.

We were 2-0 up and the ref gave Brighton a penalty after judging KDH 'deliberate' handball whilst blocking a shot.

Another dubious decision in my view. Not as bad as Tarky last week but still one that seems inconsistent with other teams decisions.
Ref gave the pen immeditely on the pitch and not overturned by VAR. Could have let them back in.

'Brighton wasted another opportunity to get back into the game after 74 minutes when they were awarded a penalty when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall handled Yankuba Minteh's shot, but Jordan Pickford dived to his left to save Welbeck's spot-kick'.

We're watching these refs!

My view is that the penalty call was correct, when based on the rule that a penalty should be awarded when the ball has struck an outfield player's hand when the hand is in an unnatural position in the penalty area. Whilst Dewsbury-Hall's hand definitely was not in a natural position, he did not deliberately handle the ball and was only seeking to protect his face. Although it may seem like a harsh penalty, it was a fair call, unlike the call on Monday night against Leeds.

 

[terryefc]

My view is that the penalty call was correct, when based on the rule that a penalty should be awarded when the ball has struck an outfield player's hand when the hand is in an unnatural position in the penalty area. Whilst Dewsbury-Hall's hand definitely was not in a natural position, he did not deliberately handle the ball and was only seeking to protect his face. Although it may seem like a harsh penalty, it was a fair call, unlike the call on Monday night against Leeds.

Fair enough. I think the proximity was also a factor - very close. It's all quite subjective though and the purpose of this thread is to see if these decisions do in fact balance out over the season. I didn't include the possible handball that we 'may' have got a penno for in their area. I don't think it was - but again - undeniable that it hit the Brighton lads arm from a cross.

 

[den]

My view is that the penalty call was correct, when based on the rule that a penalty should be awarded when the ball has struck an outfield player's hand when the hand is in an unnatural position in the penalty area. Whilst Dewsbury-Hall's hand definitely was not in a natural position, he did not deliberately handle the ball and was only seeking to protect his face. Although it may seem like a harsh penalty, it was a fair call, unlike the call on Monday night against Leeds.

This is a reasonable argument for the de facto handball law but not for the law as written or the claims made about how officials have been told to interpret it. We're supposed to see fewer penalties awarded for accidental handballs, and it's supposed to be awarded either when a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand or arm either by moving it toward the ball or away from their body (so-called, "making himself bigger").

By any reasonable interpretation of the IFAB rules and statements about how officials have been instructed to implement them, this shouldn't have been a handball. He moved his hand toward himself and made himself smaller, and given the speed and angle of the strike, it's not humanly possible to have touched it deliberately.

 

[Swagger]

I thought handball required two elements to constitute handball.

One is proximity. If it's too close then it will not be given.

Second is arm is in unnatural position. If by the side of body then again it's not a penalty.

The Tarkowski penalty lacked the second element as arm down by side and the Dewsbury-Hall penalty lacked the first element as too close yet both were given

Further, the directive is to not give harsh handball decisions...

Maybe I'm wrong or the rule has been changed (again).

 

[Dario Terracotta]

These things even themselves out don’t they?

 

[lieneverton]

My issue, as per, isn't even so much with the decisions themselves, its with the wild inconsistency. Even in 2nd half there was one for Minteh - hand not outstretched but hit it - and barely a peep. I personally don't like ones like that being given but zero consistency. You will see loads like the ones we've had against us, not only not given this season, but barely even discussed.

 

[Shibbywiggles]

Tarkowski pen: what’s he supposed to do? Cut his arm off?

Dewsbury-Hall pen from a hammered shot/cross from two yards away: what’s he supposed to do, become a gas?

Brighton player blocking a cross with his arm from about five yards away: not a pen because actually he wasn’t wearing an Everton shirt?

Forgetting small decisions like the clear cut corner two yards out of play against Leeds that’s THREE penalty decisions we’re owed after two games… I can’t wait for it to all balance itself out over the course of the season!!!

 

[terryefc]

30/8/24 away to Wolves - Won 3-2 Beto Ndaiye KDH

Nothing controversial I could see - no need for VAR dodginess to either side.
We had a goal disallowed for offside - correctly - and there were mutterings of a possible penalty to them but I didn't see anything.

Match Officials​

Referee:Michael Oliver
Video Assistant Referee:Craig Pawson
Assistant Referee 1:Stuart Burt
Assistant Referee 2:Lee Betts
Fourth Official:Adam Herczeg
Assistant VAR Official:Nicholas Hopton