Otis
Well-Known Member
Caught a bit of the Man U v Southampton game last night and Mourinho was going mad over a penalty not being given for the ball hitting the hand of a Saints defender in the penalty area.
Watched a bit of MOTD last night and both Shearer and Ian Wright were saying it WAS a penalty, but the referee expert that BT had back in the studio during the actual match was saying 'no penalty.'
He said just because a player's arm is away from his body and the ball hits it, it doesn't mean it is a penalty and it has to be deliberate. Obviously the ref on the field felt the same and I too didn't think it was a penalty. The guy's hands were away from his body, but he was trying to pull his arms away from the ball.
It clearly needs some clarification once and for all and the problem I forsee is that if managers and players keep seeing any handballs as clear penalities that then puts the pressure on the referees and could well influence their decision making.
What is happening now is every time a ball hits a hand managers are up in arms about it (no pun intended).
Worst thing of course is that a decision like this can alter a team's fortunes and win or lose them a cup, or promotion, or a championship, or cost them their place in a league.
Watched a bit of MOTD last night and both Shearer and Ian Wright were saying it WAS a penalty, but the referee expert that BT had back in the studio during the actual match was saying 'no penalty.'
He said just because a player's arm is away from his body and the ball hits it, it doesn't mean it is a penalty and it has to be deliberate. Obviously the ref on the field felt the same and I too didn't think it was a penalty. The guy's hands were away from his body, but he was trying to pull his arms away from the ball.
It clearly needs some clarification once and for all and the problem I forsee is that if managers and players keep seeing any handballs as clear penalities that then puts the pressure on the referees and could well influence their decision making.
What is happening now is every time a ball hits a hand managers are up in arms about it (no pun intended).
Worst thing of course is that a decision like this can alter a team's fortunes and win or lose them a cup, or promotion, or a championship, or cost them their place in a league.