We’ve got to get back into the spirit of the rules rather than these technicalities. If someone has their arms spread facing down a cross, they’re trying to block it with hands so give it. If they’re running around with their back turned and it strikes an outstretched arm then don’t.
The key word was always ‘deliberate’ but that seems to have been forgotten
It's never been a great rule. It's far too subjective, and so you can't really have consistency. I've seen pens given for stuff that was nowhere near deliberate, yet others that probably were not because a player is good at making it look accidental (Terry got away with loads).
Similarly it seems unfair that an almost certain goal is blocked accidentally by a hand yet is not 'punished'. Look at the Man U game yesterday. The WBA player wasn't 'deliberately' handling the ball and so shouldn't be given, but the deflection on it potentially altered the course of the ball and it might have gone in without it, so that needs taking into account.
They're tying themselves up in knots making the law so convoluted trying to solve the problem when just a simplification of 'handball is handball' and punishable by an indirect free kick whereever it occurs on the pitch takes all the controversy out. Hockey has that rule and there's no controversy or problem - it's the rule and you get on with it. Only possible subjective call is a 'deliberate' handball to stop a scoring opportunity being a red card.
People argue that it'd lead to players kicking balls at hands and stuff but so what. Players adapt what their doing to reflect changes, just like now players make sure their body is between the defender and the ball because you can't tackle from behind so guaranteed a foul and goalkeepers have had to get better with their feet since the backpass rule changed. 5 years after the change no-one would even question it.
