Question Number: 33102

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/28/2019

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

Foul recognition

Would like to hear the panels thoughts on the play leading up to the Bournemouth goal in the recent Arsenal v Bournemouth match.
Foul or no foul?

https://www.yoursoccerdose.com/2019/02/27/arsenal-vs-afc-bournemouth-highlights/

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
No foul for me. The Bournemouth player plays the ball in a fair manner and then makes contact with the Arsenal player before gathering himself to pass the ball to the scorer.
It was simply poor play by the Arsenal defender who failed to protect the ball from challenge by better shielding.
While the referee is a distance from it looking through the players the AR is well placed to view the challenge from a side on view which would have shown the ball being played by the Bournemouth player and then contact which was not careless or reckless.
The learning point I would take from this is that the referee should know that Arsenal are going to pass the ball out of defence so the referee needs to be bettered placed to anticipate such challenges. It looks like the referee was expecting a longer ball out from the back which did not happen. In that instance the CR is relying solely on his AR.
If VAR was available I do not see enough here for a clear and obvious error by the match officials.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
In my opinion this is one where I wouldn't have been too surprised to see it given but on the other hand, not one that, if subject to a VAR review for example, would (for me) have been seen as a clear and obvious error that would have needed to be reversed.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 33106