World Cup 2018 | 21st June Matches | Next Match: Argentina vs Croatia, KO 19:00 (BST)

[tweety]

No complaints on the penalty, Var doing its job.

 

[BlueAnorak]

That was never a penalty in a billion years. Definately not deliberate.

 

[willipp]

They don't know the rules of the game then, it doesn't require intent, just the hand being in an unnatural position. If the referee had judged there was intent it's a straight red card.

It wasn't unnatural at all. The guy is running and jumping with another 6ft plus bloke and he is expected to jump and challenge with his arms by his side? When do you ever jump when challenging for a ball and your arms dont come up? I'm not having that at all.

 

[Bozo]

Oh good, more dissection of VAR.

Also 'Socceroos' is the worst nickname in football.

 

[peter.evans]

They don't know the rules of the game then, it doesn't require intent, just the hand being in an unnatural position. If the referee had judged there was intent it's a straight red card.

Unnarural position ? Try jumping for a header without using your arms for leverage. An utterly ridiculius decision and yet another example of the shambles that is VAR. Subjective decisions made by men in a bunker instead of a ref. It simply cannot succeed.

 

[aguero93:20]

It wasn't unnatural at all. The guy is running and jumping with another 6ft plus bloke and he is expected to jump and challenge with his arms by his side? When do you ever jump when challenging for a ball and your arms dont come up? I'm not having that at all.

His hand is at head height and away from his body, it's not in a natural position. If you jump like that defending in your own area you're taking a risk.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Proven by England and today.

the match we won ?

 

[Mr. Wednesday]

Of course it's in a natural position. You try jumping as high as you can, challenging another player to head the ball with your hands low down at your side and you will look and feel a complete tit.

 

[lancs blue]

Would a free kick be awarded outside the area for that? I think it would be, so a penalty is the correct decision.

The conspiracy theorists on here would be raging if that wasn't given for us as well as raging if it was given against us. ;-)

 

[Eds]

The laws re handball are as follows:

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with the hand or arm.

The following must be considered:

• the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
• the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
• the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an offence
• touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.) is an offence
• hitting the ball with a thrown object (boot, shinguard, etc.) is an offence

I haven't seen this penalty but the point about 'the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an offence' surely puts to bed this nonsense about when people talk about an unnatural position. What might be unnatural for some isn't for others.