Interesting debate on the beeb and MOTD 2 last night: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63197543 The handball calls are all over the place at present - the first example on the article is comparing the Dan Burn handball (given) vs the Gabriel vs Liverpool (not given) - almost identical but what I would say is that Burn is not facing the ball where as the Gabriel one he is facing the ball so it's crazy that ours was given (correctly) and the other wasn't! Both travel a very short distance but think Liverpool should have had a penalty which was a huge swing in that game. The Scamacca one is clearly handball - was watching the game and even before the replays you could tell something had happened - how they didn't manage to pull it on multiple replays is unbelievable - no point having VAR if they can't get that right. Rashford and Antonio - consider both harsh as if a defender is booting the ball at you from a few yards it's difficult to get out the way. By the laws of the game though I think both should have been given as handball but again for two similar instances you have 2 different outcomes! I really don't know how they plan to sort out the issues surrounding VAR - as with any thing new it takes some getting use to but they've had 18 months/2 years now and are still getting the majority of decisions wrong - 3/5 handballs alone were incorrectly called this weekend... Marco Silva from Fulham will get a fine for his protests this weekend but was absolutely correct.
The only real way of getting consistency is to say if the ball hits the hand. Regardless of intent or otherwise. It’s a handball. If the ball is kicked against the hand. It’s a handball. Without that it all because a bit murky.
That probably is the best way to deal with it in all honesty but the officials will find a way to mess it up! The standard of officiating is completely devoid of any sensibility atm - can't remember officials getting so many decisions wrong and that's WITH VAR - offside and goal line technology now and it's basically impossible to get those decisions wrong now. Think challenges are re-ref'd to often, usually not for a clear and obvious error but because you are watching a "nasty" challenge in slow motion several times making it look worse than it probably is.
Slow mo replays should be discarded. If you can't tell a clear error in full speed then you move on with the game
But then the likes of Trev wouldn't know what's going on if were all at normal/full speed. He needs slow mo so he can keep up.
I get the feeling this happens more than most would think. Said last week against Fulham I thought the Chalobah sending off was more to do with the Mbabu challenge 5 mins earlier on Willock that was not even a booking for despite being out of control and dangerous - really could have broken Willocks ankle very easily. Chalobahs challenge was rash but clearly going for the ball and yeah the studs were showing but it was an honest challenge for the ball just badly timed and not malicious for me.
