Premier League 2020/21

[Chris2K]

Well that was... unexpected.

[Kyle]

I only have one complaint and that is that we're no longer top.

[Bobfoc]

I hope Everton and Leicester can keep this up. More contenders for European places are always welcome.

[Gazz]

The fuck is this season

[Benjamin]

What the fuck Wolves. West Ham was supposed to be one of your easier fixtures 

This season is fucking mental.

[DavidMarrio]

David Moyes: Armchair Manager 

[Chris2K]

"They were lucky" says Rodri unironically after losing 5-2 at home.

[Jimmy]

16 hours ago, Liam said:

That's basically how we played. In this instance, Dier's arm stopped or impacted a potential Newcastle attack, whether he meant it to or not.

I backed Spurs also, so nothing would have given me more joy than them to see the game out.

I mean, he's not facing the ball after jumping in the air. 

The rules also supposedly have discrepancy for players not facing the ball, or if the ball ricochets off another player at close range. Both of those things were ignored in our last two games.

I also feel growing up, that would never have been handball in the playground. Handball was all about intentional handball, or if it truly stopped a definitely goal-scoring opportunity. 

I'm not saying it as a Spurs fan, I think the Palace one the other day was outrageous and there's been a few already. Also the massive inconsistency in the rule; Havertz getting away with 'handball' and Gabriel as well. The game is much worse off if this rule stays, we're gonna see a massive increase in penalties, and more people just pumping the ball into the box hoping to get a lucky penalty. It's shite. 

[Colly]

I don't think it should be a handball (it is by current interpretation of the law but I agree that interpretation is a load of shit) but I don't see "not looking at the ball" as a defense, why would you go up for a header looking the wrong way?

I'm finding the playground stuff odd too. Granted it's a long time since I was in the playground, but I don't remember contesting many aerial balls so I'm struggling to find a comparison there.

Havertz one is very different, and while I've made my thoughts on the fact attacking and defensive handball have completely different rules clear last season I now understand why that wasn't considered given the clearance afterwards.

It does need to be addressed, but are the league/referees prepared to do it? Dale Johnson keeps saying the rule can't be changed mid season, but the interpretation? We've seen for years refs giving penalties for grabbing in the box in the first weekend of the season before giving up two weeks later, there's definitely scope to do the same here.

[Colly]

You know what, I've changed my mind again. Perfectly fine penalty decision.

 

[Gazz]

In this particular case, Dier's not looking at the ball because he's misjudged the flight of the ball and missed his header, so the ball is behind him while he is still in mid-air. Although his arms are away from his body, they're not in what I would consider an 'unnatural' position for the task he's performing at the time i.e. jumping. We use our arms for balance when we jump, especially when not jumping from a stationary position. If that's a handball by the interpretation of the law, the law is wrong.

To add to that, it was never a free kick for the set-piece that lead to the incident. Joelinton hit Hojbjerg like he was an NFL Linebacker.

[Tigerstyle]

Everywhere I look it’s handball chat. Let’s chat about how everyone has a soft spot for Leicester and Everton and hope they continue doing well?

[Colly]

21 minutes ago, Gazz said:

To add to that, it was never a free kick for the set-piece that lead to the incident. Joelinton hit Hojbjerg like he was an NFL Linebacker.

That's the best bit. I half expected a 5 knuckle shuffle to follow. 

P.S. Not a wank.

[Kyle]

2 hours ago, Tigerstyle said:

Everywhere I look it’s handball chat. Let’s chat about how everyone has a soft spot for Leicester and Everton and hope they continue doing well?

And you call yourself a Liverpool fan.  

[DavidMarrio]

9 minutes ago, Troy said:

And you call yourself a Liverpool fan.  

I hope you finish 17th every season. Cause if you get relegated you might actually win a trophy....

[Benjamin]

3 hours ago, Tigerstyle said:

Everywhere I look it’s handball chat. Let’s chat about how everyone has a soft spot for Leicester and Everton and hope they continue doing well?

I feel dirty cheering for DCL but he was still on my team this week 🤷‍♂️

[Tigerstyle]

2 hours ago, Troy said:

And you call yourself a Liverpool fan.  

My mums an Everton fan, she needs the support.

[Liam]

9 hours ago, Jimmy said:

I also feel growing up, that would never have been handball in the playground. Handball was all about intentional handball, or if it truly stopped a definitely goal-scoring opportunity.

It tended to be a case of whether it impacted upon an offensive opportunity when I was playing. 'Intention' is a load of rubbish for me as it is rare that anyone intends to handle the ball, yet there are times when an unintended handball negatively impacts upon the attacking team.

8 hours ago, Colly said:

I'm finding the playground stuff odd too. Granted it's a long time since I was in the playground, but I don't remember contesting many aerial balls so I'm struggling to find a comparison there.

It wasn't a literal like for like. We are just talking about how we interpreted a handball before the majority of us were aware of what the formal rule for handball actually was.

[Gazz]

Whent I were a lad, we played with jumpers for goalposts, no referee, no fouls and a tennis ball.

An actual football was a luxury and we only used to get one of um for five minutes before going back down into t'pit for a twenty-five hour shift.

[Colly]

I was just thinking the other day, at school the vast majority of our games at lunchtime were with a tennis ball, or if someone forgot the ball we found a decent sized stone. Must explain why Teesside churns out ballers like the Brazilian favelas do.