After the game, Howard Webb gave a very clear and simple explanation for why, if Mascherano did make

[Monty91]

contact with Iwobi, even if unintentional, it was still a pelanty. His reason being that it does not have to be deliberate to be a foul, merely careless.

Yet when they returned to the studio, Rio and Wrighty both maintained it wasn’t a pelanty because Mascherano made no attempt to tackle him.

Either they were talking during Webb’s explanation, or they are genuinely too thick to apply even the most basic level of thinking to anything.

[Brentwood]

despite it being obvious that the slight contact caused him to trip over his own feet

[Luis Anaconda]

[Monty91]

[Luis Anaconda]

You have factored in that Webb is a know-nothing c**t though haven't you?Two players running, there is slight collision of feet - not really sure that it can be described as careless

[Pokster]

a bit like the hand ball rule, how many players would deliberately handle the ball in the area if it wasn't going in the net?

[Luis Anaconda]

[Monty91]

against the person who caused it.

[Pokster]

and the forward kicks it past him and then runs into him. Why should the defender move out of the way??

Should all hand balls be hand balls? Would stop any of the ball to hand confusion????

[Luis Anaconda]

[Luis Anaconda]

even if it is deliberately played onto it, it is a foul.

[Monty91]

block a player, which seems fair.

The question is, how is this different to when a player shepherds the ball out of play?

I think handball rules are fine. The “arm in a natural position” interpretative element of the rule seems sensible and fair…

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

That's the critical point.

[Monty91]

as attackers will constantly be trying to scoop the ball against their hand (a fairly easy skill for a professional football - even some of our bostonbrians).

[redgunamo]

those who aren't. Or, in your example, "standing still."

And anyway, the officials mostly get to use their discretion. Such as it is..

[Monty91]

[Luis Anaconda]

[PSRB]

- FACT

[redgunamo]

[Jake]

Let's be honest, no one had any expectation for us to get that.