A&H

MU - CP

Shaw also encroaches before the penalty is taken. All the focus is on De Gea but he’s in quite a way before Ayew kicks.

On the retake everyone is careful to wait before running in
 
The Referee Store
I could be wrong as the image is blurred, but is that his left glove covering the gap between foot and line? I’m assuming the referees might have a different angle if that’s the case
His right foot does look slightly longer that usual. Maybe a more crisp image could have seen an inch of grass between the foot and the line. But the point still stands. Haven't we learnt anything from women's World cup? FIFA did a back flip on being picky on half an inch. I await a PL backflip. But again PL was calling offsides on half an inch on a line with much larger margins of error.
 
I think you are correct. Sky showed a still from behind the goal which showed that his right foot was well off the line. There's no doubt that his left foot was from the side on images, it is only the right one that is debatable, so it is the correct decision. That said, I don't agree with that level of scrutiny, but as long as they are consistent with it I can live with it.

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That only shows his right foot is off the ground. It does not show it is not in line. Yoy need the goal line image (above) for that.

Don’t trust the meedja!

Unnatural position? I haven’t seen it but it is now the worst thing on the LotG. Because it is being implemented based on training and guidelines that are not in the LotG.

In the prem it now means your arms have to be touching your body to be ”natural”. It would be better if the laws said that!

(The other day I had a grassroots game, ball hits outstretched arm of player losing his bslance... play on... he’s falling over... that’s natural for me!)
 
I think you are correct. Sky showed a still from behind the goal which showed that his right foot was well off the line. There's no doubt that his left foot was from the side on images, it is only the right one that is debatable, so it is the correct decision. That said, I don't agree with that level of scrutiny, but as long as they are consistent with it I can live with it.

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The image shows that de gea's foot is off the ground but it doesn't show that it's not in line with the goal line. The same image makes Ayew's hair appear to be on the edge of the penalty area but we know that isn't true. It's all about camera angles.
 
The image shows that de gea's foot is off the ground but it doesn't show that it's not in line with the goal line. The same image makes Ayew's hair appear to be on the edge of the penalty area but we know that isn't true. It's all about camera angles.
Agreed. This is like if you put a ball, just in with only the very edge hanging over the line, walk six yards away and it will appear as though the ball is over the line. The only way you can get a definitive is if you use the absolute goal line angle.
 
I could be wrong as the image is blurred, but is that his left glove covering the gap between foot and line? I’m assuming the referees might have a different angle if that’s the case
It's his glove. It's obvious from the MotD replays.

As to the penalty itself, the big problem now is that - unlike GK off his line - "unnaturally bigger" is subjective, so the accusations of unfairness will multiply.

I hate to go back to last season....

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which apparently PGMOL reckoned was OK because
“That was a subjective call. Michael Oliver 100 per cent knew it hit Trent Alexander-Arnold’s arm. It was from a short distance [it wasn't], his arm did not move towards the ball [it did] and it was not deliberate [it doesn't have to be if it makes him unnaturally bigger]. His arm was in a natural position for his body position at that time [irrelevant under 'unnaturally bigger'] and he was happy for that to go."

Now even allowing for fanzonery, that sounds an awful description (both of what happened, and the law), but the point is that this is just setting up a "last week's referee" scenario at the top level. And attackers will be looking for a defender's arm out of place, and be playing for penalties. It's going to be an awful season.

And without my taking my usual critical look at the confused wording of the law, does anyone else wonder if the words in brackets were meant to apply to both bullet blobs?
  • 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)
 
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It's his glove. It's obvious from the MotD replays.

As to the penalty itself, the big problem now is that - unlike GK off his line - "unnaturally bigger" is not subjective, so the accusations of unfairness will multiply.

I hate to go back to last season....

View attachment 4549

which apparently PGMOL reckoned was OK because
“That was a subjective call. Michael Oliver 100 per cent knew it hit Trent Alexander-Arnold’s arm. It was from a short distance [it wasn't], his arm did not move towards the ball [it did] and it was not deliberate [it doesn't have to be if it makes him unnaturally bigger]. His arm was in a natural position for his body position at that time [irrelevant under 'unnaturally bigger'] and he was happy for that to go."

Now even allowing for fanzonery, that sounds an awful description (both of what happened, and the law), but the point is that this is just setting up a "last week's referee" scenario at the top level. And attackers will be looking for a defender's arm out of place, and be playing for penalties. It's going to be an awful season.

And without my taking my usual critical look at the confused wording of the law, does anyone else wonder if the words in brackets were meant to apply to both bullet blobs?
  • 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)

Going back to last season is absolutely pointless as the handball law has changed, as has the way VAR is being used. If FIFA had taken control and insisted VAR was used properly last season as they have this then that would 100% be given as a penalty, but they hadn't so it is totally and utterly irrelevant.
 
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