When is a penalty not a penalty ?

Covered End

Why is it, that if you "touch" or "clip" someone in the area then it's a penalty ? Examples being Ashley Young & let's say Michael Owen on numerous occasions.

However, at corners especially & at other times to a lesser extent, players get away with pushing, shoving, pulling, dragging around the neck & there's no foul given ?

Why is it if you touch them it's a penalty, but if you do far worse, it isn't ?

Covered End

Anyone ? Presumably we're all clueless ?

Covered_End_Lad

refereeig is inconstent that is the answer.

Lincsaddick

easy .. it's a penalty when the referee awards it ... all the pushing etc you allude to in your post has become very very tedious and is mostly (as 'Lawro' would have it) 6 and 2 3s .. however, if the referees blew for every 'foul' or 'infringement', games would last for 4 hours and finish 3 a side ...

AshTray

Usually the more blatant grappling that goes on is before the ball is kicked, so not a pen. and the reason why refs are always pulling people aside and talking to them. Once the kick is taken, it's not a penalty if the ref doesn't see it. There's so many players all moving that it's hard to spot. Players are also very adept at hiding it. Also, a lot of the time it's probably 50/50 defender attacker.

Karim_myBagheri

...when its against us.

DaveMehmet

When it's ajar...... Oh hold on, that's a door

Shrew

the only way its going to change is if referees start giving more penalties

Granpa

For me it's simply a question of poor management by the FA and by Referees. It will be interesting to see whether the current flurry of cards for sliding tackles actually is maintained, and then whether we see it less and less. The mayhem at corners would be difficult to control, but not impossible. Take a lead from Rugby and do not allow players to harangue the referee at every opportunity. We might have to allow a season of frustration while firm actions cause problems, but in the end we will all benefit.

smiffyboy

Ash tray you say it's not a penalty because the ball has not been kicked yet, so should not be seen as a foul. Does that mean if one of the players was to punch the other one in retaliation at being pulled that he would not be sent off because the ball has not been kicked yet.

Lincsaddick

Ash tray you say it's not a penalty because the ball has not been kicked yet, so should not be seen as a foul. Does that mean if one of the players was to punch the other one in retaliation at being pulled that he would not be sent off because the ball has not been kicked yet.

the player would be sent off for serious foul play or possibly unsporting conduct .. the game would restart with the corner, free kick, throw in or whatever .. penalties may only be awarded when the ball is in play

NorthWestAddick

Penalty winning has become an art form. I hate to see strikers one on one with the keeper knock the ball past him (often so hard that it goes straight out of play) then dangle their legs where it's impossible for the keeper to avoid them. Did the keeper cheat and stop a blatant goalscoring opportunity. In my opinion, No. It's the striker who stopped the goalscoring opportunity with the overly heavy touch and contorting their legs like a deranged puppet. I think a penalty should be awarded when the defending team has denied the attacking team a genuine goalscoring opportunity. If the striker knocks it past a keeper straight out of play then falls into the keeper, no penalty! The punishment should reflect the level of intent, so a goal line blatant handball or a hack from behind is an instant red card. A clumsy defender or goalkeeper falling into a striker should be yellow at very worst.

The one that gets me is when you hear pundits say "Well if the referee isn't awarding a penalty then they've got to book someone for diving". No, No, No. What if the striker falls over his own feet (as often happens)? Diving or penalty? Neither!!

queensland_addick

A foul is a foul wherever it occurs on the pitch. A simple laying of the hand on the back of an opponent as happened with the Ashley Young penalty, would not have constituted a foul had it occured on the half way line, therefore it should never have been a penalty. Same with the slightest tugging of a shirt, if inside the area it's a penalty, anywhere else on the pitch and nothing is given 99.9% of the time. The whole thing is a joke and it's ruining the game.

Chirpy Red

Why is it that in English football you get awarded a penalty but in Scotland it's a penalty KICK? Heavy emphasis on the second k as well.

JiMMy 85

Somewhere along the line, 'contact' became enough to award a free kick/ penalty. In order for the ref to acknowledge the 'contact', the player has to show he was impeded - by falling over. Players can argue that they were impeded enough to ruin a chance, but not enough to fall over, hence they 'dive' to force the ref into a decision.

And that, for me, is the biggest problem in football (apart from, and alongside, dishonesty!!).

The cure, the obvious cure, is for referees to make a decision as to whether the player chose to fall over or not. Of course, they can't do that. So it comes back to the dishonesty thing. Refs getting the blame for all the ills in football is really winding me up. It's really not their fault.

barstool

when its at Old trafford

AshTray

Actually it would be violent conduct otherwise you are right Lincs. it happened to Rufus at Newcastle in 1999.