Bayern - Copenhagen

[Marat18]

Anyone watching it?
Injury time, Bayern player crosses the ball, hits the hand of defending player - penalty! Var check, referee runs to monitor, few replays - no penalty.
Bayern officials furious of course.
You have to find repjays and watch it yourselves.
I hope someone rises questions on these back to back moments

[toptoon]

It’s the inconsistency that kills you. I would honestly prefer ANY handball in the box to be a penalty. It would be unfair on some occasions but would remove all inconsistency as the idiots upstairs would only need to identify contact between ball and hand.

[HughieG]

I was thinking the same thing watching it, but at least the referee had the balls to call it off - even if she is female.

[Ragatino]

It’s the inconsistency that kills you. I would honestly prefer ANY handball in the box to be a penalty. It would be unfair on some occasions but would remove all inconsistency as the idiots upstairs would only need to identify contact between ball and hand.

Ok so here's a scenario for you and everyone.

The rule changes so that every handball in the box is a penalty.

So you are attacking. Slow build up. The box is packed. The winger has the ball wide right near.
He has a choice of putting a ball in to the box but the chance of a goal is very low most likely to be defended, as happens many times in a match.
Instead of chipping the ball in he has been training to fake a run to get the defender to move/start to run so the natural effect is for the defenders arm to raise up 'out of the natural silhouette (what ever the F that means) the player with the ball instead boots the ball directly at the defenders arm.

That is a deliberate tactic to win a nonsense penalty based on the current rule & the more totalitarian rule suggested Topster mate.

Teams will start to target defenders arms, shout for every thing and we'll spend 50% of the match with teams getting into the final 3rd and looking to win a penalty in this manner. 50% of the time we'll be sat waiting for the VAR clowns to decide who's intentional arm shot is a pen and who's isn't. Or we'll end up with 20 pens a game.

The word 'Deliberate' has to be brought back in. Also if the 'Body to arm/hand' rule had been ratified by UEFA over the summer as it was in the EPL then this would have been waved away. The Miley ball to hand off the body was an identical incident that VAR waved away to that is why the VAR guy has been relieved of his duties for next game week in the UCL. Inconsistencies.

In La Liga they play a similar rule to your suggestions, any ball hitting off the body onto the arm is a pen. So they have a lot more pens and it's really hurting the free flowing nature of the game. Not such a big deal in the tic-a-taca slow paced Spanish game.

Do we really want to see the game devolve into attackers targeting arms knowing they'll always get a pen?

Plus that doesn't conclude the matter it just gives more decisions/power to dictate games to the muppets in the VAR room.

It's a real mess that is for sure. Do I have a clear answer. Obviously not. However. you'd think that with the entire world of football ex-players and pundits, commentators & journos alike all unanimous in their condemnation of this decision that the powers that be need to get their act together on this matter.

Upto that point the Ref had a really good game. Neither He & the linesman believed on field it was a pen / HB he sound have stood by his decisions.

Such is life. On to Game week 6 and the thrashing of AC Milan. HWtLs!

[toptoon]

Targeting arms?

As I said it would be unfair at times (eg ball blasted at player from a meter away) but it would be the same for everyone and thus remove inconsistency. As it stands, it is far too subjective which means some clubs benefit more than others.
Generally what needs changing with var is to reaffirm that the on field ref is ‘in charge’ (var is there to assist him as the name suggests) and, more importantly to correct ‘clear and obvious’ mistakes. If var can’t decide on a decision in say, 30 seconds, then it wasn’t a clear and obvious mistake (even on offsides).

[ex_pat_magpie]

There's nothing wrong with the original definition which was, "hand/arm strikes ball, penalty. Ball strikes hand/arm, no penalty."

[Ragatino]

Targeting arms?

As I said it would be unfair at times (eg ball blasted at player from a meter away) but it would be the same for everyone and thus remove inconsistency. As it stands, it is far too subjective which means some clubs benefit more than others.
Generally what needs changing with var is to reaffirm that the on field ref is ‘in charge’ (var is there to assist him as the name suggests) and, more importantly to correct ‘clear and obvious’ mistakes. If var can’t decide on a decision in say, 30 seconds, then it wasn’t a clear and obvious mistake (even on offsides).

Yeah, Players like Antony, M'Bappe and other scumbags will absolutely take advantage of rules & 'Cheat' by using the rule of every time a ball hits the arm it's a pen. Professional sports people are ruthless if they know it's gonna be a pen they will kick the ball at the defenders are 100%.

I totally get your points though man but the rule should be intentional. The proximity (ie too close), off the body etc need to remain. The whole arms behind the back is ridiculous as it is.

The Referee on the pitch needs to have his authority reaffirmed. Talks of VAR's remit being expanded to 2nd yellows, Corners and other decisions is an absolute NO for me.

It's supposed to highlight 'Clear and obvious mistakes'. Taking the Tino handball. The Lineo & the Ref both watched it in real time, the ref was less than 10ft away so what was clear and obvious that he missed?

This is where VAR's remit falls down.

VAR shouldn't have got involved. Otherwise they should have also given the Miley ball-to-hand as a pen too.

It was either 2 or 0.

Inconsistency and human error is increased by having an addition of the VAR officials. Thus increasing mistakes.

Things need to improve rapidly!