Match #49 - BRA : CHI - WEBB (ENG)

Webb more than makes up for the 2010 World Cup final.
Bravo. PI inconsistency aside - superb game.

 

This one is hard for the armchair ref to parse, given all of the talk in this forum about:
1) There doesn't have to be contact at all for RC for studs up challenges.
2) Force - is it always a factor? But, that said, he was moving at speed toward the GK.
3) Different treatment / protection for GK.
4) Keeper with 2 hands on ball, if albeit momentarily, before the contact with the ball. The complete focus on the ball meant he had no idea if the keeper was going to get his hands on it a 1/4 second earlier...
5) No need for attacker to expose cleats - he even starts with them down...
6) If he had put his leg down and merely knocked the crud out of the keeper with his body or knee, how would this have been called?

Video clip here, at 93', under Lo Mejor tab (the most awesome tab on the Interwebs right now...):
http://deportesenvivo.univision.com/game/chile-at-brasil-on-20140628?mc=1

 

Persistent Infringement is its own category under Law 12, separate from Unsporting Behaviour.

 

USSF direction is to list a series of fouls by different players on one opponent as UB. USSF referees only use PI for a series of fouls by the same player.

 

I misread superdave's post - thought he was referring to basic PI.

 

Any issues with the run up from Naymar on his penalty? Was a bit over the top.

 

Nah. Did not pause after completing his run up.

 

Or after starting it!

 

Can someone explain how the Hulk goal was a handball. I dont think it even touched his bicep. Was that the biggest missed call in the game.

Fernandino could have got a yellow much earlier in the game and there was a lot of flopping from chilean players that was getting rewarded. Ref looked to me like trying his best not to make any calls in favor of Brazil even if they were in the right. Case and point Dani Alves yellow was a total botched call. At least now no one can claim favoritism from the ref which was very frankly getting out of hand.

Overall a very good game for the ref.

 

If after watching the video, you don't think the ball makes contact with his arm (bicep) then you're not going to agree with me when I try to explain that it was handling because Hulk trapped the ball first using his bicep to control the ball into his chest, and by raising his arms up he made himself bigger which makes this an example of deliberate handling.

Of course, in my viewing of this foul, I did see it hit his arm.

 

My broadcast wasn't clear it was a handball. It seemed to be chest first. This one does seem to show it come off his bicep I guess a great call by Webb or the AR whoever made the call, other wise people would have screamed cheating..

 

Here in Brazil Webb is under hard attack. To many brazilian FIFA retired referees Hulk goal was legit and Webb was wrong. The ball hit his chest/shoulder and not his arm.

 

And in the unbiased parts of the world, such as this message board, the decision is being celebrated as an example of brilliant teamwork to get a critical and difficult decision correct.

 

I think it's a call that could be interpreted both ways. I can see in the replay where the referee's call came from, but I think the ball was controlled by his shoulder, not his arm. I think most referees wouldn't call that a handball on the field. It's an extremely ballzy call to make, especially against Brazil at home in a tough game like this. The good thing about it is that I hope it's now clear how there's no favoring of Brazil in the WC.

 

I love the way Webb went right up to the touch line with Scolari doing his best impersonation of an irrational maniac, and simply turned his back to him, allowing the fourth to handle it. No doubt Webb knows Scolari from his EPL days, and has little to low regard for his ref-baiting ways ...

 

From two of the three angles that I saw, it looked like Hulk's disallowed goal was legitimate. From the third one, it looked like it was handling.

 

You are absolutely correct in saying this is a ballsy call. One team will be upset with whatever you call. He (or, more likely, his AR) saw it hit his upper arm. That's the very definition of a judgment call. If he hadn't have been sure he would not have called it. Either way, he has a call to make (a non-call is still a call).

I like that we can disagree and yet still get along. Breath of fresh air.

 

I was wondering if he was going to say anything to him. I know I would have. The entire time it took hit to reach the touchline I'm thinking "you better chew him out, tell him to sit down", but then he didn't. Whoa, maybe I need to learn that and referee more like Webb. It worked!

 

I don't think the call was that surprising. Not to toot my own horn (warning: about to totally toot my own horn), but I said "handball!" before the ball was even in the goal.

Webb's distance to play made the decision more difficult than it otherwise would have been. Also, the fact that Hulk's right arm controlled the ball made it hard to see for Mullarkey (unlike Henry's left arm/hand in the famous France - Ireland incident, which was easier to see for the AR on that side of the field). Despite these factors, they still got the call correct (IMO), which adds to the mostly outstanding refereeing in the tournament so far.

I suppose the decision further dispels the nonsensical conspiracy that FIFA referees are match fixing in favour of Brazil. But I very much doubt that was on the minds of this referee team.

EDIT: Yes, the call was ballsy. But honestly, anybody who makes it to a world cup as a referee has to have a pair of balls so massive that it's unbelievable they can run at all.

 

I think there was a missed handball on a maybe Neymar header , which should have been called a penalty..
Real time it was hard to make out and in replays it was clear. But Brazil did not appeal either..

Cant blame the ref was bit too difficult to catch in real time..

 

No... these brazilian FIFA referees who work in television are pretty neutral. Many times we can hear them saying that Brazil was benefited with something. An example was in the game against Croatia.

 

The Hulk goal looked weird to me in real time. I immediately looked at the defenders but none of them had their hands up. I thought it was 100% handling from the first angle we saw and was disappointed the announcers didn't have to balls to say so. Hulk clearly made himself bigger -- if his arm is at his side the ball skips right off his chest for a goal kick.

I was surprised CHI got the first caution for PI -- at the time the fouls were something like 10-5 Brazil.

 

How in the world did Webb see that hand ball? I think they got the call right...but on the replay that is up on google highlights, you can see that Webb is really far away (understandably) and was likely shielded. You can also see the AR1 go up the line after the goal. As I said, I think it was a great call...but for the life of me I can't figure out how he saw it.

And I do think the caution was absolutely necessary just to sell the foul. I know you are not supposed to do that, but this was obviously an exception to the rule.

 

One thing I've learnt from hearing SG refs and ARs talk over the years is the amount they communicate via headset before giving decisions. I'd be surprised if Mullarkey wasn't saying to Webb that he thought it was handball and checked with Webb if he'd seen it differently before flagging, hence the delay. Obviously it's a big call at a crucial time, so seeing as they have the headsets, they may as well use them to take their time and get the decision right. Remember this trio work almost exclusively together and have done for about 4 or 5 years. If Mullarkey says he's seen something, I'd expect Webb to trust him and support him 100%.

 

Hulk was always pretty good at that.