*** OMT Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham FC ***

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

It’s a feather of a touch that actually pushes the ball into Gallagher’s path. It was a natural consequence of being a human. You talk about not having time to react, how can he react there?

The most blatant handball was the one against Saudi Sportswashing Machine last season.

My preference would be that anytime the ball touches a hand and advantages/disadvantages either team it’s handball. But people have got so wound up in this ‘deliberate’ and ‘natural position’ crap that literally every handball is up for debate like this.

Did it push it into his path? I feel like Gallagher was about to make a move onto the ball and the hand touch totally changes what the movement needs to be. Defender gains an advantage all day long for me.

I think VAR has meant we’ve just gotten totally away from what handball originally was. Now because the defender’s hand can technically be seen to be in a natural position, which is now a subjective term in and of itself, there’s a reason not to give it. But he literally gains an advantage by stabbing it away with his hand. If it was seen, I think those are given 9 times out of 10 pre VAR and quite right too.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I always try to judge decisions on how I would feel if they were given against us. I would be fuming if we’d given away a penalty for one identical to that West Ham one on Saturday.

From my seat at the stadium I had no idea there had even been a handball. Both I and all the folk around me thought the VAR was for a trip on (I think it was) Simmons and were all very puzzled when the screen said checking for possible handball. Having seen it again via various replays I think the ref and VAR got it right.