Fraser Forster handball: Ex-PGMOL chief re-analyses Tottenham-Forest footage
12/26/2024 03:43 PM
Fraser Forster did not deserve to be penalised for handball during his Tottenham side’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, Keith Hackett has said.
The ex PGMOL cheif and former FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that a lack of clear evidence meant the officials could not punish the Spurs goalkeeper over the incident in question.
Under scrutiny Ange Postecoglou saw his side suffer another setback at the City Ground on Boxing Day, with Anthony Elanga’s goal enough to condemn them to a 1-0 defeat.
Things though could have been even worse for Tottenham had Forster been punished for another incident later on in the game.
Fraser Forster survives handball call as Tottenham beaten at Nottingham Forest
In the 70th minute of the game, Forster raced to the edge of his penalty area in order to gather a long ball that had been fired forward by the Forest defence.
Having comfortably caught the ball, the Tottenham goalkeeper then appeared to take a step out of the area with the ball still in his hand, although whether the whole of the ball was out of play as less clear.
Although he did so on the side of the pitch where he was directly in front of the assistant referee, the goalkeeper managed to avoid being penalised either by the on-field officials or VAR.
Now Hackett believes that was the correct decision to make given the lack of clear evidence as to whether or not Forster carried all of the ball out of the area.
Speaking to Football Insider about the incident, the former referee said:
“The situation here is the goalkeeper stepping out of the area in itself is not an offence. The judgement is what holding the ball in his hands.
“Could the referee and VAR determine if the whole of the ball in the goalkeepers hand is outside the penalty area. If any part of the ball is viewed has been in the line – no offence has been committed.
“So the video does not give confirmation that the goalkeeper has carried the whole of the ball out of the penalty area.
“There is no evidence to give that clarity. Referees should not guess. Therefore I support the referee’s decision.”
With first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario already out long-term with injury, Tottenham will be relieved they did not lose their back-up in Forster as a result of this incident.
In other news, Tottenham fans have laid into one player after what happened against Nottingham Forest.
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The post Fraser Forster handball: Ex-PGMOL chief re-analyses Tottenham-Forest footage appeared first on Football Insider.
