Tag Archives: Mike Dean

Joe Hart has LOTG on his side after stupid goal kick

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Referee Mike Dean denied QPR a goal in the match against Manchester City. But was he right to do so? Below the video you’ll find the answer plus an explanation based on the Laws of the Game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpOVLJFEx98

The situation: Joe Hart takes a free kick inside his own box. He unfortunately touched the ball with his left foot before kicking it away with his right one. The ball was shot right at Austin. The QPR player did not hesitate, shoots on goal and scores.

But the referee did make the right call. So why has the referee made the right decision? Here are the rules that explain it.

With a normal free kick “the kicker must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player”. But was the ball already in play when Hart touched the ball for the second time? The answer is NO. The Laws of the Game say that the ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area – in this case the ball wasn’t. That’s not just for goal kicks, also for direct or indirect free kicks in the penalty area of the defending team. And if the ball is not kicked directly out of the penalty area, the kick must be retaken.

Philip Neville in Match of the Day. “That’s a brilliant decision”, he said, although he admitted he didn’t know that at the moment it happened. “I thought it was a free kick for QPR, but Mike Dean got is spot on. A great decision.

After the match Joe Hart explains ‘two kick’ rule to Charlie Austin on the pitch after QPR v Man City:

Linesman advices City players to thank their fans

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Assistant referee John Brooks has some advice for the Manchester City players shaking his hands after the match against Arsenal: Go to your fans, who paid a huge fee for a ticket, and thank them for coming.

Fans of Manchester City were showing banners to protest against the high prices for this match. Football365.com says that Manchester Citry returned 912 unsold tickets (price 62 pounds) for the match at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal.

Mike Dean’s linesman John Brooks has seen the banners too. After James Milner and Joe hart shook his hands, he speaks with Joleon Lescott. Brooks: “Go and see them. They’ve paid 62 quid over there, go and see them.”