Why is it that so many of the pundits who
agree with VAR being introduced to bring
fairness to the game are the same people
who applaud cynical fouls and claim that a
player shown a yellow card had “to take one
for the team”?
The deliberate trip, shirt pull or violent
lunge that prevents a breakaway by the
opposition is one of the most destructive
elements of unfair play in football.
Yet, instead of contempt all round, there
is approving tolerance.
Coaches and managers will tell you that
in the modern game a significant number
of goals are scored directly from moments
of transition – when one side loses the ball
to the other – which is why they work so
hard on this aspect in training and why players
are demanded to “take one for the team”.
But as football changes, so must the laws
and its language.
Movement on this particular form of
cheating is likely to be slow, and it was
nowhere to be seen on the agenda of a
recent meeting of the International Football
Association Board.
Instead, IFAB focused on the vexed issue
of handball, along with trivialities such as
where a player being substituted leaves the
field and the introduction of yellow and red
cards for errant managers on the touchline.
Handball was worth looking at, of course.
Another curse of the modern game is the
cry from players and spectators alike for
“handball” every time a cross is made into
the penalty area and it strikes a defender.
It has become a blight to see so many
defenders playing with their arms unnaturally
hidden behind
their backs
to prevent
a handball
decision. IFAB
seems to agree
and has given
us a new phrase
that will be on
everybody’s lips
from next season when the new regulations
are introduced. It is the “natural silhouette”.
Explanation comes from former FIFA
referee David Elleray, now IFAB’s technical
director, who says the lawmakers wanted to
put an end to defenders placing their armsbehind their backs in fear of conceding a
free-kick or penalty.
According to Elleray: “We’ve changed to
say the body has a certain silhouette. Players
should be allowed to have their arms by their
side because it’s their natural silhouette. If the
arms are extended beyond that silhouette
then the body is being made unnaturally
bigger, with the purpose of it being a bigger
barrier to the opponent or the ball.”
Even if the contact is accidental beyond
the “natural
silhouette” it
is likely to be
a free-kick.
But what is
the “natural
silhouette”
of a footballer
when in the
heat of frantic
action? Maybe they will introduce a special
graphic for use on the VAR screen like the
straight line across the pitch for offside.
Fifteen degrees angle away from the body- good? Twenty degrees – bad?
In a Champions League second-round
tie between Schalke and
Manchester City there was an
incident where a long-range
shot struck City’s Nicolas
Otamendi on the arm and flew
away from goal. The referee
signalled a corner but with
the assistance of VAR it was
changed to a penalty.
Otamendi’s arm was by his
side, naturally so in my view,
and there was no deliberate
movement to stop a ball
travelling at speed. If the new
regulations stop that being
a penalty, it will be progress.
But I cannot see handball
remaining anything other
than a contentious minefield.
Football’s newest phrase
brings to mind the lyrics of
the Queen song Bohemian
Rhapsody: “I see a little
silhouette of a man,
Scaramouch, Scaramouch
will you do the fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning,
very, very frightening...”
The football fandango
is about to begin.
New handball ruling will be football’s fandango
Jim
HOLDEN
AT THE HEART OF THE GAMEGLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE
“Players should be allowed
to have their arms by their
side because it’s their
natural silhouette”
Former FIFA referee David EllerayUnnatural silhouette...Nemanja Matic of Manchester United tries to keep his arms out of the way as David Luiz of Chelsea crosses