Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa at the weekend, in a game which saw Kai Havertz bundle in an equaliser which was disallowed for handball. Referee Jarred Gillett gave the controversial decision at the time, and VAR elected to stick with the onfield decision. Whilst Gillett angered fans with a number of contentious decisions throughout the match, this turned out to be the correct decision as per the rules, which state that even accidental handballs from the attacker, directly in the buildup to a goal, should be penalised. Given that Havertz gained no advantage from the ball richocheting off his hand, there have now been calls to change what is believed to be a ridiculous rule. Kai Havertz handball sparks calls for rule change Speaking on the It’s All Kicking Off podcast, journalist Ian Ladyman told Chris Sutton that the handball rule, which penalised the attacker, should be changed. “Laws like this damage the game. They make no sense. We looked at this law and I went on the IFAB website and went on it to see if I even understood it and I did understand it and I understand that is wrong,” Ladyman stated. “Handball as it was when we grew up. Deliberate handball. When we grew up we knew what it was,” he replied when asked what he would change the rule to. Sutton then argued that having blanket handball rules removes the problem of subjective decisions, but Ladyman then claimed that this is too harsh. “There is subjectivity when it comes to fouls and handball and obstruction. There is subjectivity in all of that. Everything is open to interpretation in a fast moving game and this should be as well because in no right person’s mind in no planet, in no universe, in no parallel world, it is not handball when the ball hits you when your arm is by your side. There’s no way.” Havertz would likely agree with Ladyman that the handball rule does need changing. He used his physicality well to get on the end of a cross from Bukayo Saka, but was penalised, subsequently costing his side a point, after the ball hit his hand with little time to react. Given that accidental handballs are not penalised for defenders in the same situation, it does highlight that the rule creates a big disadvantage for attackers. If Eddie Nketiah had prodded the ball home after the handball, the goal would have stood, but Havertz scoring after the same offence meant the goal was disallowed. The fact that such a situation is possible, shows that the rule is flawed and perhaps needs to be changed. Source: @arsenalinsider.com

Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa at the weekend, in a game which saw Kai Havertz bundle in an equaliser which was disallowed for handball.

Referee Jarred Gillett gave the controversial decision at the time, and VAR elected to stick with the onfield decision.

 

Whilst Gillett angered fans with a number of contentious decisions throughout the match, this turned out to be the correct decision as per the rules, which state that even accidental handballs from the attacker, directly in the buildup to a goal, should be penalised.

 

Given that Havertz gained no advantage from the ball richocheting off his hand, there have now been calls to change what is believed to be a ridiculous rule.

 

Kai Havertz handball sparks calls for rule change

 

Speaking on the It’s All Kicking Off podcast, journalist Ian Ladyman told Chris Sutton that the handball rule, which penalised the attacker, should be changed.

 

“Laws like this damage the game. They make no sense. We looked at this law and I went on the IFAB website and went on it to see if I even understood it and I did understand it and I understand that is wrong,” Ladyman stated.

 

“Handball as it was when we grew up. Deliberate handball. When we grew up we knew what it was,” he replied when asked what he would change the rule to.

 

Sutton then argued that having blanket handball rules removes the problem of subjective decisions, but Ladyman then claimed that this is too harsh.

 

“There is subjectivity when it comes to fouls and handball and obstruction. There is subjectivity in all of that. Everything is open to interpretation in a fast moving game and this should be as well because in no right person’s mind in no planet, in no universe, in no parallel world, it is not handball when the ball hits you when your arm is by your side. There’s no way.”

 

Havertz would likely agree with Ladyman that the handball rule does need changing. He used his physicality well to get on the end of a cross from Bukayo Saka, but was penalised, subsequently costing his side a point, after the ball hit his hand with little time to react.

 

Given that accidental handballs are not penalised for defenders in the same situation, it does highlight that the rule creates a big disadvantage for attackers.

 

If Eddie Nketiah had prodded the ball home after the handball, the goal would have stood, but Havertz scoring after the same offence meant the goal was disallowed. The fact that such a situation is possible, shows that the rule is flawed and perhaps needs to be changed.

 

Source: arsenalinsider