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#Post#: 105894--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: Lionator27
Date: May 14, 2026, 3:48 am
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If it’s not given, nobody is talking about it. And yet it was
and here we are. It’s silly.
#Post#: 105897--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: Claretman
Date: May 14, 2026, 5:03 am
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Var in Scotland is on a level with var in England not worth
having.
#Post#: 105902--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: El Referee
Date: May 14, 2026, 5:19 am
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Not a chance in hell that is a penalty. Common sense tells you
that the ball doesn't rebound like that unless it hits his head.
The fact that no one appeals for it makes it even worse.
#Post#: 105904--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: Irishref1985
Date: May 14, 2026, 5:40 am
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Think the picture paints a thousand words even if the replay
doesn’t…..
#Post#: 105907--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: Ancientref
Date: May 14, 2026, 6:35 am
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Sorry, Irishref, but these days with AI et cetera you simply
can’t rely on a photograph.
#Post#: 105908--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: ARF
Date: May 14, 2026, 6:39 am
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It clearly hits the hand, there's no arguing that. I just don't
think it's a handling offence. It's not deliberate, and it
hasn't made him unnaturally bigger, as the ball is hitting his
head otherwise (not to mention the arm has naturally ended up in
the position it's in is because of the attacker hitting it while
the defender's jumping, also when it was in a natural position).
However, from the video it appears that the reason why the
attacker has hit the defender's arm is because he's been shoved
from behind by one of the other defenders, so IMO the outcome is
correct, but for the wrong reasons [emoji23]
#Post#: 105909--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: Joecphillips
Date: May 14, 2026, 6:46 am
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--- Quote from: Irishref1985 link ---
>
> Think the picture paints a thousand words even if the replay
doesn’t…..
>
--- End Quote ---
I believe this is an edited picture that originated from a
Celtic fan page, there’s a less cropped version that shows the
sleeve sponsor with 2 C’s
HTML https://x.com/SparesCeltic/status/2054810176008437966?s=20
Compared to
HTML https://share.google/O1CaLf8xn0CJUarpn
#Post#: 105910--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: ARF
Date: May 14, 2026, 6:50 am
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HTML https://www.alamy.com/motherwell-uk-13-may-2026-motherwells-sam-nicholson-was-given-a-controversial-handball-for-this-challenge-in-the-box-in-the-scottish-premiership-match-between-motherwell-and-celtic-at-fir-park-credit-ryan-fleming-alamy-live-news-image732208395.html
HTML https://c7.alamy.com/comp/3EF6Y7R/motherwell-uk-13-may-2026-motherwells-sam-nicholson-was-given-a-controversial-handball-for-this-challenge-in-the-box-in-the-scottish-premiership-match-between-motherwell-and-celtic-at-fir-park-credit-ryan-fleming-alamy-live-news-3EF6Y7R.jpg
#Post#: 105912--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: DublinRef
Date: May 14, 2026, 8:11 am
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The incident last night is a challenging one to assess in
hindsight. Some of the still images now being released indicate
that the ball did hit the hand of the Motherwell defender.
However, I think we can only really consider the evidence that
the VAR had available and that was shown to John Beaton. Based
on that evidence alone, I’m not convinced it was conclusive that
the ball hit the hand of the Motherwell player.
Saying that, it is difficult to see how the ball could not have
hit the hand. What I’m trying to say is that there’s no clear
image that definitively shows the ball striking the hand. To me,
however, looking at the image shown to Beaton, it does appear
that the ball simply must have struck the defender’s hand.
The reaction, and the way the ball comes off the defender’s head
or hand, does seem odd if the ball had hit the defender’s hand
first, or if the defender’s hand had hit the ball while his hand
was not in contact with his head. I do think, however, that if
the hand, ball, and head all come into contact at once, the
reaction from the ball makes sense — or maybe more accurately,
the flight of the ball makes sense.
I am also sympathetic to the argument that there is an offence
committed by the Motherwell player in his elbow catching the
Celtic player as he jumps for the ball. I’m not entirely
convinced that would not be given as a free kick, and therefore
a penalty, if it occurred in another area of the pitch.
Is any of this “clear and obvious” is really where the issue
seems to lie. Again, I struggle to say. If I look at those
images from last night, can I say with 100% certainty that the
ball strikes the hand? Probably not, but I’d be pretty sure that
it did, be it a glancing contact on the way to the head, a
glancing contact back off the head, or all at once.
I’m not convinced, however, that 100% certainty is the standard
VAR needs to apply. “Clear and obvious” does not necessarily, to
me at least, mean 100% certainty. Although I suppose this is one
of those cases where there is a factual question intertwined
with a subjective judgment. Very, very difficult to interpret.
I don’t agree with the commentators who say this is some sort of
disgrace or some broad conspiracy to help Celtic win. I was very
disappointed to see the Hearts manager describe the incident as
disgusting and say that they are “up against everyone”, or words
to that effect. If I was in charge of discipline in Scotland, he
wouldn’t have to worry so much about the next match because he’d
have a stadium ban and wouldn’t be there watch it.
I don’t follow Scottish football regularly enough. I have seen,
in the last few weeks, a number of decisions go in favour of
Celtic, but I’m sure if I followed the season back there would
be plenty of decisions that went in favour of Hearts,
Motherwell, and other teams that could be deemed questionable or
incorrect.
I am not a fan of this growing trend of judging decisions only
at the end of the season. Three points at the start of the
season count just as much as three points at the end of the
season, and I don’t like the idea that there is extra scrutiny,
or a greater weight of evidence required, to make decisions at
the end of the season compared to the beginning. We saw similar
comments made with respect to the West Ham-Arsenal disallowed
goal.
So where does this leave us? Where does this leave my view? A
bit muddled, I confess, and I suppose that’s because I’m still
not 100% made up.
I think, had the VAR not intervened last night, that would have
been the most sensible decision. There is not enough clear
evidence for me to reach the threshold for an intervention. If
the referee had awarded the penalty on the field, equally, I
think there would not have been enough evidence to overturn that
decision.
#Post#: 105919--------------------------------------------------
Re: Motherwell vs Celtic - John Beaton
DIR By: arabref
Date: May 14, 2026, 10:33 am
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Can I just say it’s been enjoyable to read the thoughts of lots
of neutrals on here who are informed in the LOTG to discuss
this. Scottish football is so tribal at times that moments like
this can get caught up in accusations of cheating and
corruption, and regardless of what you may think of that, I’m
glad the discussion on here is primarily focused at looking at
it from a LOTG perspective.
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