Burnley v Arsenal

Anyone thinking that was a penalty for handball against Burnley?

Very similar to the Liverpool one for me - proximity can be the only issue.

EDIT: I think it was the wrong decision. Just trying to think of a reason for it.

Clear penalty. Hand is well out from the side.

proximity? Fair enough he's very close but his arm is out at 90 degrees from his body and hits him on the hand/lower arm. Has to be a pen

I’m trying to ask this seriously, but I’m sure this will look like a sarcastic question. Which of these two bullet points takes priority?

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)

I know that if this happened in a game I did, I’m probably going to give a penalty.

It doesn't matter which takes precedent because if either is true then proximity is not a factor. If sticking your arm straight out like that doesn't count as making your body unnaturally bigger what does?

I do not understand that decision.

They got the later one correct.

RefIADad said:

I’m trying to ask this seriously, but I’m sure this will look like a sarcastic question. Which of these two bullet points takes priority?

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)

I know that if this happened in a game I did, I’m probably going to give a penalty.

Click to expand...

Neither takes priority. It's an either/or.

If, ITOOTR, the player is making himself unnaturally bigger, it's an offense regardless of other criteria--even if the player deliberately plays the ball first. (Though what makes a position "unnatural" is often hard to fathom--arms are not naturally pinned to the body when athletically balancing.) This is really an outgrowth of trying to catch hidden deliberate actions.

If the arm is above/beyond shoulder level, it is still handling, even if that is a natural place for the arm to be in the context. But for this there is an exemption if the player has already deliberately played the ball.

On the plus side, by the time I get on a soccer field again, only unnatural position will matter.

Not been a worse season for refereeing decison in thr EPL in 10 years.
If this isn't handball, there IS no handball.

Don't blame it all on referees. On top of changing laws that have confusing clarifications (oxymoron, I know) I am sure they also get directives from leagues on which way they should lean because there is too much of this and not enough of that etc.