No wonder we all moan about the standard of referees in the premiership

[kinboshi]

Does it say in the rules that it has to be hand to ball?

[bolt pp]

also how was the spurs penalty not given!!!

I can understand if it happend on the edge of the box and the ball was going nowhere and he says ball to hand  but when its in the 6 yard box, its an open goal and the balls clearly going in and brown dives down to stop it how can he not give it?

If brown had stuck his arm out I'd have agreed with you, but as his arm was by his side as he jumped to get his chest to the ball I'd say that it was ball to hand.

It was probably ball to hand but when he's the last man and its virtually in the 6 yard box heading for goal surley he has to give it?

the fact is he's arm has stopped a goal.

[kinboshi]

also how was the spurs penalty not given!!!

I can understand if it happend on the edge of the box and the ball was going nowhere and he says ball to hand  but when its in the 6 yard box, its an open goal and the balls clearly going in and brown dives down to stop it how can he not give it?

If brown had stuck his arm out I'd have agreed with you, but as his arm was by his side as he jumped to get his chest to the ball I'd say that it was ball to hand.

It was probably ball to hand but when he's the last man and its virtually in the 6 yard box heading for goal surley he has to give it?

the fact is he's arm has stopped a goal.

That's what I meant.  He deliberately put himself in-between the ball and the goal to block it - and it was his arm that did the blocking.

The linesman was VERY sure of himself that it wasn't a penalty. 

[Rod Paradise]

The Law of the game is a direct free kick(or penalty) if a player handles the ball deliberately.

As Brown hadn't extended his arm, I'd say that proving he deliberately handled the ball was a toughy to prove. He deliberately attempted to block the shot, that's his job. If he went in like a keeper with his arms outstretched, then yes a penaly, but he's not supposed to only challenge with his arms behind his back to avoid being hit on the arm.

[Pelham Boy]

What do we have here? The referee makes a mistake!! Shock horror.

Was it the ref who gave away a penalty? Was it the ref who missed a penalty? Have you seen a ref unable to make a simple 10 yard pass or score an own goal??

Ref's make mistakes but not as many as players.Im just about fed up with Managers blaming ref's for their teams defeat,when the real reason is a lot closer to home.

Graham Poll was on Talksport about 18 months ago,and he said he had done a Juventus champions league game after Patrick Vierra had gone there.Poll said that Vierra knocked on his hotel room door to say that it wasn't until he left English football that he realised how good the ref's here were.

Football might have a lot of problems but most of them are bigger than the standard of refereeing.

[jizzemm]

What do we have here? The referee makes a mistake!! Shock horror.

Was it the ref who gave away a penalty? Was it the ref who missed a penalty? Have you seen a ref unable to make a simple 10 yard pass or score an own goal??

Ref's make mistakes but not as many as players.Im just about fed up with Managers blaming ref's for their teams defeat,when the real reason is a lot closer to home.

Graham Poll was on Talksport about 18 months ago,and he said he had done a Juventus champions league game after Patrick Vierra had gone there.Poll said that Vierra knocked on his hotel room door to say that it wasn't until he left English football that he realised how good the ref's here were.

Football might have a lot of problems but most of them are bigger than the standard of refereeing.

I heard that as well.

As a referee myself, its something you do because you like football, you want to be involved, and you realise that without the referee games dont go ahead. You get one chance one angle to see everything, and depending on where your standing you can only give it as you see it.

From seeing pictures of Liv v Chelsea I can see why styles gave it, as much as I hated it.

Referee gets it wrong, but he will get it right thousands of times more than he gets it wrong, it's just highlighted so much with TV.. How many bad decisions happen in lower leagues week in week out, you dont see all of them in the papers or tv or SS News all the time..