Agreed. But the media and the fans are partly to blame for that. Last season it was early season backlash on the incredibly high VAR intervention threshold. That quickly got lowered by about October, due to the negative reaction. This season it's the incredibly harsh handball law, changed in about November. Of course one could argue that the authorities could be stronger and ignore that negative reaction. (That's not to say that the negative reaction is not necessarily unwarranted. Some of the handballs being given early season really were a total joke - although I was, and still am, completely against the lowering of the VAR intervention threshold. But that doesn't change the fact that changing the rules mid season is unfair.)
If I was Wilder, I'd be tearing McGoldrick and McBurnie to pieces. Sheff Utd are up against it, barely with an out ball. But the rare times they can get it up to one of them, they're always offside! So, so poor from both of them.
The rule is totally unfair. A defender can deflect the ball off his thigh, onto his hand and then clear the ball and not only is a penalty not given, but the accidental handball has allowed the defender to break up what could have already been a goal scoring move. Whereas an attacker can deflect the ball off his thigh, onto his hand and then put the ball in the net only to have the goal disallowed. (This is correct, yes?) Each interpretation favours the defence. I know the rule wasn’t right before, but it has now gone too far the other way.
- hmmm .... at this rate with referees picking up “injuries” there won’t be enough to cover all the games. Better get your whistle ready, Tom!!
And when Bertie gets injured, I’ll cover at Left Back. Tom reffing, me playing. What could possibly go wrong?
