Possible solution for the handball rule

[HTG]

Now the last years were quite crazy when it comes to the handball rule. Basically everywhere people are angry and confused about it and no solution is in sight. But ever since we can't leave the house anymore and I have loads of time to spare, I came up with a possible solution. It won't ever be implemented, but I like the idea so here it is:
The rule in itself basically stays the same. But the consequences for a handball need to change. And here is my proposal: not every foul inside the box should be a penalty, some fouls outside of the box should be. A penalty or a freekick is essentially an attempt to recreate the advantage destroyed by a foul. But a penalty is often much more valuable than the original situation. And fouls outside of the box might take away a situation much more dangerous than any freekick could ever be.
So instead of awarding penalties solely for fouls inside the box, a penalty should be awarded, whenever a clear scoring opportunity has been destroyed by a foul. No matter where on the pitch that might have occured. And if a foul, especially a handball that didn't really do any harm, occurs, a freekick should be awarded. The distance would be relative to the severity of the foul, of course.

Now that I made my proposal, I guess it's your turn to tell me why it won't ever work. Have fun!

 

[giorno]

The idea of awarding penalties for fouls outside the box is absurd. The kind of situations you describe are already punished severely with a red card - which in most situations is actually a bigger advantage than a penalty btw -

Besides, it's really only the handballs that are the issue, because often enough defenders have no fault in it

The actual obvious solution would be to bring back the indirect free kick in the box for those unintentional handballs. Or a free kick at the edge of the box, or a short corner, depending on the dynamic of the handball.

Also unintentional handball should be tied to advantage - should only be awarded a foul if the defence gains a clear advantage thanks to it

 

[TheGame]

I’m all for changing the rule but awarding penalties for stuff happening outside of the box is ridiculous and has no place in football.

The awarding of indirect free kicks for unintentional handballs should be given more thought although there will always be arguments for what is and what is not intentional.

 

[horsechoker]

Football players, except goalkeepers, don't need hands.

That's all I'm saying...

 

[MikeeMike]

The idea of awarding penalties for fouls outside the box is absurd. The kind of situations you describe are already punished severely with a red card - which in most situations is actually a bigger advantage than a penalty btw -

Besides, it's really only the handballs that are the issue, because often enough defenders have no fault in it

The actual obvious solution would be to bring back the indirect free kick in the box for those unintentional handballs. Or a free kick at the edge of the box, or a short corner, depending on the dynamic of the handball.

Also unintentional handball should be tied to advantage - should only be awarded a foul if the defence gains a clear advantage thanks to it

Where to start. You say, “And if a foul, especially a handball that didn't really do any harm, occurs, a freekick should be awarded”, VAR is inconsistent enough without bringing “harm” into the mix.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Football players, except goalkeepers, don't need hands.

That's all I'm saying...

Hands amputations for all outfield players won't lead to any handball.

That's all I'm saying...

 

[MikeeMike]

Hands amputations for all outfield players won't lead to any handball.

That's all I'm saying...

Throw ins might hold up play somewhat

 

[Abizzz]

Football players, except goalkeepers, don't need hands.

That's all I'm saying...

Arms count too and how would anyone ever throw an elbow without those?

 

[Sky1981]

By itself handballs are often harmless and wasnt intended.

But if this is not harshly penalized more teams would "handball" more.

Just keep it as it is. It's not broken enough to fix

 

[RedCurry]

I have another idea, let’s create multiple penalty spots all over the box. Wherever the hand ball occurred the penalty taker should take the penalty from the nearest spot to it. Would love to see some wicked angle penalties and also would discourage the lame hop penalties.

 

[afatzp]

Instead of adding more ambiguity in penalty giving rules, the determination of handball foul could be solved by technology: maybe some censors could be installed on players' shirts, when 1) the ball hit the hands (should be easy enough, just place censors along certain length of sleeves) , 2) the hand hit is at "unnatural position" (may need some algorithm but machine learning can train AI to tell what is considered unnatural from natural positions in different scenarios), then a handball foul is determined and penalty given.
Similarly, VAR's problem is more on the technology instead of bringing VAR in the game: Simply put some censors at the chest area of shirt and in the center of the ball, then when the ball is hit with force, instantly determine the positions of all players at the pitch and see if any offside , if yes then foul is signals to the ref. This way everyone knows instantly if it's foul or not, instead of waiting VAR ref to make ambiguous decision by looking the slow mode for thousands time and all passion and excitement down to the drain.

 

[giorno]

Where to start. You say, “And if a foul, especially a handball that didn't really do any harm, occurs, a freekick should be awarded”, VAR is inconsistent enough without bringing “harm” into the mix.

I didn't say that at all. I said unintentional handball should be tied to gaining an advantage. That is very easy to determine, generally speaking

 

[Bobcat]

The idea of awarding penalties for fouls outside the box is absurd. The kind of situations you describe are already punished severely with a red card - which in most situations is actually a bigger advantage than a penalty btw -

Besides, it's really only the handballs that are the issue, because often enough defenders have no fault in it

The actual obvious solution would be to bring back the indirect free kick in the box for those unintentional handballs. Or a free kick at the edge of the box, or a short corner, depending on the dynamic of the handball.

Also unintentional handball should be tied to advantage - should only be awarded a foul if the defence gains a clear advantage thanks to it

Fully agreed. Right now stopping a cross that is no real danger with your hands in a natural position is punished the same as flailing around and stopping a shot heading towards goal

 

[MikeeMike]

I didn't say that at all. I said unintentional handball should be tied to gaining an advantage. That is very easy to determine, generally speaking

I only quoted a sentence from your post. Sorry to be blunt, maybe it is a wind up, but you say , and I quote -
“And if a foul, especially a handball that didn't really do any harm, occurs, a freekick should be awarded. The distance would be relative to the severity of the foul, of course.”

So if a high severity handball occured that didnt really do any harm what is the distance?

 

[giorno]

I only quoted a sentence from your post. Sorry to be blunt, maybe it is a wind up, but you say , and I quote -
“And if a foul, especially a handball that didn't really do any harm, occurs, a freekick should be awarded. The distance would be relative to the severity of the foul, of course.”

So if a high severity handball occured that didnt really do any harm what is the distance?

....i think you've got your streams crossed here....

 

[Uniquim]

Throw ins might hold up play somewhat

 

[Adam-Utd]

The handball rule was perfect as it was, nobody was even complaining about it.

if your hand is down by your body and in a natural position and you haven't made any movements with it to block the ball - then no foul.

If it's up in the air above your head or out wide enough to create yourself to be bigger to block it - foul.

 

[Striker10]

There is no solution as a law in football is based on interpretation. We've seen United win so many pens really with Var but the media and many people don't look at the incidents but just the numbers and go....hmm...you're getting more now. That must mean many decisions are wrong but actually we've been cheated by officials for years

The perfect solution don't exists in the heat of the moment, people are emotional...dishonest...biased..call it what you want. We see players sometimes make 3 fouls and not get booked...and then another makes one nothing tackle and get's booked. We've seen teams foul and refs only decide to book after half time. They make it up as they go along. The number of time our player get's booked first is a joke.

We can go on but there is no point. We saw De Gea make a pen save earlier in the season...and they made them take it again. Now i'm sure he's not the only one to have done what he did but is that law being enforced really? We had it ourselves in Europe but people forget and they should stop messing with the laws

 

[meamth]

Hands amputations for all outfield players won't lead to any handball.

That's all I'm saying...

Then dribbling is useless. Football will be like golf.

You cannot run as fast without hands you know, never mind turning in high speed.

 

[André Dominguez]

Almost impossible to solve due to a lot of grey area.

 

[MikeeMike]

....i think you've got your streams crossed here....

I did. I apologies.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I have another idea, let’s create multiple penalty spots all over the box. Wherever the hand ball occurred the penalty taker should take the penalty from the nearest spot to it. Would love to see some wicked angle penalties and also would discourage the lame hop penalties.

You know, I actually love this idea.

Basically it's like a free kick inside the box with no walls.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Throw ins might hold up play somewhat

Change to Kick ins.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Then dribbling is useless. Football will be like golf.

You cannot run as fast without hands you know, never mind turning in high speed.

We use hands like fins, swimming in/on air at ground level?

 

[bri2013]

Even easier, Just replace the traditional football shirt with a pillowcase type design so the players arms are enclosed within the shirt and the shirts are all tight fitting. No more need for a handball rule and probably a great laugh watching players trying to sprint in them!!

And yes, I am joking!

 

[meamth]

We use hands like fins, swimming in/on air at ground level?

More like so, hands for the balancing. You can't dribble wickedly without hands, messi will fall off like bowling pins.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

More like so, hands for the balancing. You can't dribble wickedly without hands, messi will fall off like bowling pins.

Ok I'm just messing with you. Yeah hands are most useful in changing directions, balancing and even runnings.

However disagree with you at the bolded parts.
It still is possible to dribble without hands, hell even with no elbow or arms, it still is possible. I once play with a handicap person (you know the special people with literally no arms at all) and my gahd, he dribbles around and still beat players. Of course there are definitely limitations but then what are limits until we test it to the fullest.

^ Best way we can try to feel closest to it, and to an extent, trying to prove it is simply cup your hands together and hold it at your backs. Then play football, you'll realize you can still move that fast, turn and beat-dribble past players with speed and skills. It's not too hard. It's all about adaptation. Having hands helps doing that but it's not a must. Never has. It's just a supporting tools.

So if we cut off every outfield players hands, then the best dribblers who adapted to it best will still dribble wickedly.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Even easier, Just replace the traditional football shirt with a pillowcase type design so the players arms are enclosed within the shirt and the shirts are all tight fitting. No more need for a handball rule and probably a great laugh watching players trying to sprint in them!!

And yes, I am joking!

Straight jacket?

Spoiler

 

[bri2013]

Straight jacket?

Spoiler

Not quite the look I was going for but it would cover up that chevrolet logo!