Noble tears into handball rule after West Ham defeat to Sheffield United
Last week against Sheffield United, West Ham United fell victim to the handball rule which has created controversy throughout the season.
The ball was headed against Hammers midfielder Declan Rice’s arm from close range prior to the England international running forward and finding Robert Snodgrass, who converted what appeared to be a last gasp equaliser at Bramall Lane.
However, the goal was ruled out for VAR because the ball hit Rice’s arm, even though it wasn’t intentional and he couldn’t have done anything to avoid it.
It was a decision met with dismay in east London, and certainly by Irons captain Mark Noble.
“We were at first mystified, no one more than Declan, who said to me as we walked back: ‘I didn’t handle it, I thought they were looking for offside’,” he wrote in his Evening Standard column.
“Back in the dressing room, there was anger and, just for a little while, you thought, ‘What is the point?’ We’ve worked hard, there was little in the game and when you score in added time to force a draw, it feels as good as a win.
“At Sheffield United, as I walked down the tunnel, I saw their manager Chris Wilder. He should have been buzzing, but he said: ‘Sorry, Mark.’ We need to dump this rule as soon as possible.”
Should the handball rule be changed?
It probably should, yes. There’s no way that a player should be penalised because somebody else knocks the ball against their arm.
If it’s not intentional – a la not a Luis Suarez against Ghana situation – then the player shouldn’t be penalised.
Rice wasn’t trying to use his arm to knock the ball forward and give him and edge, it just so happened that the opposition player headed it against his arm. It was very, very harsh on the Irons, and the rule probably should be altered.
In other West Ham news, David Moyes has ruled out a promising youngster from featuring for the senior side anytime soon.