Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward (right) makes contact with Everton defender Lucas Digne's header with his arm on Saturday in London. Photo: VCG

 

Football was differentiated from rugby (and what would become rugby union) when William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran in a game back in 1823. It was decided that hands were not to be part of a game called football and the new sport broke free, taking the name from Rugby School, where Webb Ellis was a pupil.

The Football Association would not begin until 1863 and association football as we know it began to take shape.

Those rules were taken on by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) from 1886 and then the Laws of the Game, as they are officially entitled, became closer to what we know today.

They are, of course, subject to change, which they do regularly. Ahead of this season they did so again when it came to handball.

Accidental handball was removed from referees' guidelines - using a distinction where "an unnatural ­position" of the offending arm became important. This did away with the idea of intent, long part of the laws that pointed referees to the idea of a "deliberate handball."

Instead for the 2020-21 season the handball law was replaced with a new ruling, where accidental handball could only be penalized if it took place just before a goal, and any handball below the bottom of the armpit would be punished. Nothing above the shoulder would be.

The IFAB wording is clearer still - an accidental handball will only be punished if it takes place "immediately" before a goal is scored. If play continues then the game will not be whistled back.

On the other hand, if the ball hits a player who has made their body "unnaturally bigger" then punishment will occur.

This rule change has seen more defenders punished this season, which is only a few weeks old, and instead of people talking about the implementation of VAR, they are talking - or not talking - about the handball rule.

"It's bizarre how referees and VAR referees are getting these decisions so horrendously wrong," wrote former England striker Gary Lineker on ­Twitter. 

"I can only presume it's because previously they've never had the chance to see replays in super slow motion. Important to watch things in normal time too. Different perception entirely."

"I just don't understand how we've allowed it [the handball] to happen. The Premier League, the referee, the coaches, the managers, the players, I don't know how we've allowed this type of situation, which we have at virtually every match at the moment, to occur because the rules of football are important," Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson said after his side's loss to Everton on Saturday.

The game had seen Joel Ward punished for a handball that proved controversial and the resultant penalty scored by Richarlison put Everton 2-0 ahead of the Eagles.

"Now we have to take on board rules which are being suggested, but are they the right ones to judge ­handball? For me, they aren't so I think the whole thing is a nonsense.

"I'm always disappointed when a good game of football between two good teams, which probably should have finished as a fairly evenly contested draw, now means that one team goes away with three points and the other with zero. 

"Of course, the winner leaves knowing full well it shouldn't have been a penalty and the loser goes away thinking 'we played well enough but this sort of penalty has robbed us of any points in the game.'

"I criticized the decision last week and I don't think this was a penalty," Hodgson said.

The previous week had seen Palace given a penalty against Manchester United, when Victor Lindelof was punished for a handball that deflected upon to him.

"The game I watched on TV before this game started when Neal Maupay was judged to have handled the ball, I didn't think that was a penalty."

Hodgson was referring to Manchester United's trip to Brighton and Hove Albion where, with the scores level at 2-2 deep into injury time. A Harry Maguire header from a corner was adjudged to have hit Seagulls striker Maupay's arm and despite the final whistle being blown just after the header was cleared off the line, the referee went to VAR following vociferous appeals from the Manchester United players.

Play was brought back and Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes scored the penalty to decide the game 3-2, with the hosts no time to search for an equalizer as the final whistle was then blown for a second time. That was the first goal of its kind in the Premier League but it might not be the last given the new handball laws.

"I think the rule is a nonsense. I think it's a nonsense when we get one, I think it's a nonsense when we get one against us and I think it's only serving the purpose… for polemics, discussions and dramatic moments," Hodgson said.

"I just find it very disappointing that the game I love and believe in is being reduced to this level where every week, games are being decided on so-called penalty decisions for handball which aren't handball.

"Unfortunately, instead of the quality of football today between the two teams, which I thought was actually very good and probably worthy of two teams who have started the season so well, all of the discussion is going to be about handball or not.

"I will probably find myself in the spotlight for an obvious truth. The rule is wrong and I don't understand how we in football have allowed it to happen."

Hodgson's thoughts were echoed by Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti. "We can agree or not with the rules, I know I cannot be agreed with this kind of rule but at the end, it is a really difficult decision. There is a new rule and you have to accept that first of all."

While managers, players and fans are still coming to terms with the new ruling then there will be more controversy. We all have to accept that.