The "new handball law".

[Seamus Colemole]

Laws of the game 2020/21.

As i've seen and heard about a million times this season from pundits and fans, all these penalties are fouls under the new handball laws.

But if you actually look at the new laws for this season there's nothing there that clearly states any of these decisions (apart from maybe Maupay yesterday) are fouls. It's typical from IFAB and the PGMOL, IFAB use language that can be ambiguous and aren't clear, and the PGMOL do whatever they feel like doing.

These penalties could easily have been given under last years laws, as they often were, i'm sure we all can recall debates over handballs in previous seasons.
The main points in the new law are :

1. deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, including moving the hand/arm towards the ball
2. touches the ball with their hand/arm when: • the hand/arm has made their body unnaturally bigger • the hand/arm is above/beyond their shoulder level (unless the player deliberately plays the ball which then touches their hand/arm)

There may well be some directive or guidance given to refs this season that might explain how they interpret those laws above, or possibly after 1 was given earlier in the season they've decided to be consistent, even if it's consistently wrong.

But it seems clear that they are deeming any movement of the arm towards the ball a foul, even if its part of normal playing movement (you know, jumping, running, turning, even out for balance), and that "unnaturally bigger" is any time the arm is not right next to the body, even though if you take a snapshot of any game of football you will see players with their arms in all kinds of positions away from their body, playing with your arms behind the body is more unnatural than the position of Wards yesterday.

So basically to me it's not the new laws that are the issue but the referees making their own definition of them, something they could have done any season.

 

[trueblue84]

Laws of the game 2020/21.

As i've seen and heard about a million times this season from pundits and fans, all these penalties are fouls under the new handball laws.

But if you actually look at the new laws for this season there's nothing there that clearly states any of these decisions (apart from maybe Maupay yesterday) are fouls. It's typical from IFAB and the PGMOL, IFAB use language that can be ambiguous and aren't clear, and the PGMOL do whatever they feel like doing.

These penalties could easily have been given under last years laws, as they often were, i'm sure we all can recall debates over handballs in previous seasons.
The main points in the new law are :

1. deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, including moving the hand/arm towards the ball
2. touches the ball with their hand/arm when: • the hand/arm has made their body unnaturally bigger • the hand/arm is above/beyond their shoulder level (unless the player deliberately plays the ball which then touches their hand/arm)

There may well be some directive or guidance given to refs this season that might explain how they interpret those laws above, or possibly after 1 was given earlier in the season they've decided to be consistent, even if it's consistently wrong.

But it seems clear that they are deeming any movement of the arm towards the ball a foul, even if its part of normal playing movement (you know, jumping, running, turning, even out for balance), and that "unnaturally bigger" is any time the arm is not right next to the body, even though if you take a snapshot of any game of football you will see players with their arms in all kinds of positions away from their body, playing with your arms behind the body is more unnatural than the position of Wards yesterday.

So basically to me it's not the new laws that are the issue but the referees making their own definition of them, something they could have done any season.

Will change once a decision is given against Liverpool or when one which should have been given isn't.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Either we give all handballs like feet in hockey, or we give only the blatantly deliberate.

But in the meantime, keep your arms down, keep them by your side and don't turn your back on the ball. Defenders have to adapt and the same pundits who demanded var and are now moaning, need to pipe down.

 

[carlos21]

Laws of the game 2020/21.

As i've seen and heard about a million times this season from pundits and fans, all these penalties are fouls under the new handball laws.

But if you actually look at the new laws for this season there's nothing there that clearly states any of these decisions (apart from maybe Maupay yesterday) are fouls. It's typical from IFAB and the PGMOL, IFAB use language that can be ambiguous and aren't clear, and the PGMOL do whatever they feel like doing.

These penalties could easily have been given under last years laws, as they often were, i'm sure we all can recall debates over handballs in previous seasons.
The main points in the new law are :

1. deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, including moving the hand/arm towards the ball
2. touches the ball with their hand/arm when: • the hand/arm has made their body unnaturally bigger • the hand/arm is above/beyond their shoulder level (unless the player deliberately plays the ball which then touches their hand/arm)

There may well be some directive or guidance given to refs this season that might explain how they interpret those laws above, or possibly after 1 was given earlier in the season they've decided to be consistent, even if it's consistently wrong.

But it seems clear that they are deeming any movement of the arm towards the ball a foul, even if its part of normal playing movement (you know, jumping, running, turning, even out for balance), and that "unnaturally bigger" is any time the arm is not right next to the body, even though if you take a snapshot of any game of football you will see players with their arms in all kinds of positions away from their body, playing with your arms behind the body is more unnatural than the position of Wards yesterday.

So basically to me it's not the new laws that are the issue but the referees making their own definition of them, something they could have done any season.

That's what they said on talksport yesterday.

 

[ilikecheese]

I think it's very clear the refs have made the conscious effort to remove interpretation of intent. It's a good thing for me, so long as it's consistent.

 

[trueblue84]

I think it's very clear the refs have made the conscious effort to remove interpretation of intent. It's a good thing for me, so long as it's consistent.

See my comment about the rs, above.

 

[visitingholte]

I put this in the other thread but on NBCSN right now, Rebecca Lowe brought up that there have been 18 penalties already this PL year in 24.5 matches this year. last year there were 8 after 30 games.

 

[f.t.r.s]

Its a farce, will take the focus of var this year

 

[Terrarian]

Going to see some mad jumping techniques if you need your arms behind your back like

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

Need to convert Pickford to play CB as he has no arms and therefore can never give away a handball in the box.

 

[Huyton Layne]

Played footy all my life and not once have my hand ever been above my head when I'm at the highest point on my jump. They may go up before the ball comes in to push down someone else's shoulder but by the time the ball arrives they're down. Defenders have been getting away with too much for a long time, like the snide grabs and rolls that City got done for. Pens all day.
My advice to players is to stop fouling people or putting you hands up away from your body.

 

[Bluewolf]

The media is just upset that the rule is going against the top teams now. Happened Last week against United everyone went mental, it happened to spurs this week and everyone went mental.

Yesterday United got one after the matched had actually finished and no one said a word.

Personally I prefer the rule this way it's not open for interpretation so it's actually fair. Arms not at ypur side and the ball hits it it's a pen.

Id rather have a crap rule that's fair to everyone then a fair rule that only works for the top teams.

 

[Huyton Layne]

Why's his arm there? He's making himself bigger to block the ball and has been rightly punished.

 

[DOMNOLAN]

I stopped watching serie A highlights because of this change to the handball rule. You'd have a 2-2 game where all 4 goals were penalties from handball. Just no fun anymore. Immobile and Ronaldo scored like 13 pens each, Lukaku like 11. It's ridiculous. What people are saying about how players will just kick it against hands is true, its what serie A started doing.

 

[longers]

I’m fine with it. Hits your hand = penalty regardless of intent.

I’m happy football is finally getting rid of interpretation and making things clear cut, it’s ridiculous that the biggest sport in the world has been officiated in such a sloppy and unprofessinal manor for so many years despite obvious solutions having existed for yonks.

Now they just need to stop having refs keep track of added time and instead have the on screen clock stop when the ball is out of play, game ends on 90 minutes without fail.