How can he be sent off for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity when Atsu put the rebound in? Deliberate handball is a yellow card offence so he should have been booked. He didn't deserve a red because Newcastle scored. I kind of get where you're coming from but I disagree with the law changing.
I agree, and I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t booked. Presumably if Atsu had missed from the rebound a penalty and red card would then have been given. The irony is that if that had happened, TAA wouldn’t have set up the next Liverpool goal a few minutes later, so justice definitely wasn’t served even if the law was.
So if Atsu had missed, would a red card then be given? My personal opinion is that TAA DID deny a clear goal scoring opportunity, his actions just happened to lead to another goal scoring opportunity. Where the ball ends up after his handball was pretty much down to luck, the red card should be for the choice to block the shot on the line (denying clear goal scoring opportunity).
Okay hypothetical question (I know this would never happen) What would have been the outcome if Atsu had stopped the ball dead and said to ref 'I m not going to shoot, we'd rather have the penalty'?
Good question. I personally would say to the player "stick it in the net, I'm not going to send off the player as you've got an open goal".
What about this then... a player is through on goal and a defender hacks him down from behind. As he falls an attacker beats the next defender to the ball (both were behind the other two players).... runs on and scores against the keeper. Surely a red card should be given.
Final one from me then, if everything leading up to Atsu’s shot happens exactly as it did, but then he missed woefully (trying to score), is it still only yellow because The clear goal scoring chance was not denied?
Huddersfield's Mbenza kicks the corner flag after equalising to ManU and apparently breaks it. So they stop the game for 5 minutes while they work out what to do with it. Made me wonder if the flags are necessary. I suppose so. I suspect that it helps with player's sight lines, but I can't really remember noticing the corner flags much when I played. Perhaps it's subliminal. And do I remember halfway line flags once upon a time?
Technical exam answer: yes Real life answer: if Atsu hasn't scored in about the time it takes to get whistle to mouth, the ref will probably just give a penalty and red.
