OK...FIFA needs to change the rule...handball on the line...

[Assasin]

Bwoy while mi understand and yes the penalty should have been harsher, knowing how much I left on the field in my days I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing on the last minute of such a game.

[Peter R]

Me too... but...

[Karl]

Well i's about time that something is done... the Law is flawed if the cheater regains an advantage by committing a foul.

And it matters not that it is because it happened to Ghana that some posters are upset... anyone with a sense of justice would be; cheating cannot be allowed to benefit the cheater...especially in football where, as in today's match you can play for 120 minutes and only two legal goals are scored... a goal in football is VERY VALUABLE and cannot be cheapened the way it is by this obvious oversight in the Laws of the game.

FIFA should do the right thing and rewrite the deliberate handball Law... when committed by the last line of defence, on the goal-line.

All deliberate fouls satisfy the cheaters cause. Even many 'far from goal/out field fouls' are committed to disrupt the opponents attacking foray.

What do we say about those? Expulsion and an award of a goal???

...and how would you punish a player who is standing a few feet in front of the goalkeeper who uses his hand? ...Expulsion and the award of a goal?

...and the goal-line runs from corner flag to corner flag?

...and what about those shots that would be deemed by the ref to have been going out of play...missing the goal-posts (upright or crossbar by inches)? ...how do you decide those close ones would have missed or gone in? ...who or how is that possible goalscoring opportunity decided?

...do we decide to hell with it if it is anywhere near the goal...or appears to be going in goal by one of these World Cup 2010 blind refs ...expulsion and the award of a goal?

...and...so on and so 'fifth'?

I think we would not want to open a Pandora's box?

[Peter R]

Karl, My point is clearly stated... handball, when committed by the LAST LINE of DEFENCE on the goal line... There is no Pandora's box there as I see it.

And why can't FIFA use technology to assist in decision making?

Result: award the goal and a red card.

[Karl]

There is!
First you ignore the fact that the goal-line stretches from corner-flag post to corner-flag post.

The you ignore that the law as it stands is intended to cover all such actions occurring in the penalty-area.

You would to put additional burden on the referees...this after you have previously on another matter alluded to the "impossible task" they already have...to apply a law asking for even more precise judgement on trajectory of ball...judgement on whether or not it would cross the line (I am sure you realise that a defender using his hand to 'play' the ball on the 'goal-line' or elsewhere within the penalty-area, within this dynamic game of ours, may have thought the ball was on its way to goal, when it was not, and played the ball with his hand to 'prevent' what he thought would be a goal)...

...we have all seen goalkeeper's 'saving' balls that were going wide? Right?


Why would want to give a goal for an offense that already has, in "Law" instructions on action that the referee must take? What would you now do if the ball was 'handled' at various other positions within the penalty-area and the player playing the ball with his hand was not on the goal-line?

...directly in front of goal but beyond the goal-line? Why would one case be a penalty only and the other no penalty...but a goal?

...and why in your scenario your action be taken if the player is on the goal-line and not taken if the players is 6", 1', 2' 3', 4'...or 12' (as far away as the penalty-area) or 17' 11" away?

Why must the referee now have to decide...at say, peering through or vision being block by a 'body of players'...if the feet of the offending player was on the goal-line?

Peter R, I cannot now go through all the different circumstances that would make applying such a 'law' in a consistent manner a nightmare for the officials....particularly when you consider the fluidity of the movement of players during a goalmouth melee.

A simple three step process such as we saw is the way to go.
Ref makes decision on offense. Ref takes appropriate action of caution or expulsion. Award penalty. End of story.

No judgment on whether or not the ball would have entered goal. No judgment on where the player was relative to the goal-line?

Just player used his hand to play the ball?!
Penalty!

In the referee's opinion tried to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity.
Expulsion!

It is simple! It is clean/clear-cut!

[Willi]

With that pressure? You lucky to get 50% conversion.

All the ref shoulda do was award the goal, justifying it by saying him see it cross the line. Who can argue wid dat!

The law can be an ass, but Justice is blind!

[Willi]

Bringing the game into disrepute.

The biggest crime in football is handball!

[Gamma]

ok..but a blind ass?!!! c'mon willi....

[Willi]

Him shoulda try head it out. It was not going fast!

[Assasin]

look at it again. The other bredda beside him went up to head the ball. Him couldn't head it out.

[Willi]

Did he TRY?

If him did have time fi do a Vollyball set, he coulda mek a decent try at heading it out!

[Assasin]

TRy???

Try the unsure fi the sure? It is just reaction, if he thought he would have headed it out he would have.

[Peter R]

Sorry.. goalline between the goal posts... or even if somewhere in the 6yd box fi dat matter!

Karl, my point is based upon the fact that refs have been given the discretion to determine that a ball DID NOT cross the line viz, England V Germany.

So why can't they determine that a ball would have entered the goal had it not been impeded with a hand?

Obviously you have not read everything I have said on this so I will update you... the Law would give the refs the discretion to award the goal in conjunction with the use of video replay. If it cannot be determined that the ball would have entered then award a penalty and apply the red card.

It is NOT rocket science nor do I agree with all the scenarios you have laid out would pose grief to refs (if video is used). It is usually pretty clear from replays when a goalie has saved a ball from entering the goal... use hawkeye if you must but there is no way my opinion will change that this particular infraction should be addressed.




If the ref

[Assasin]

You really want give them ref yah more decisions fi make? Them can't even make the basic ones already. Man would score a goal and the ball nuh pass the 5 yard line???

Wha kinda thing that? So what if a man had a clear path and goal and goalie take him out? should that be a goal too?

[Willi]

So it premeditated???

LoL