leapinghalibut

or indeed how rude people can be when they feel hard done by. I've watched the moving pictures and it all happens fast. I see the ball striking the arm when the player has a natural silhouette. You see something else. The new rule is going to cause a lot of debate, I'm just trying to figure it out.

Both arms out in matching positions. What's he blocking with his right arm? Seems "natural" to me. Plus the ball hasn't yet hit him in that freeze frame.

When the ball makes contact Flynn's arms do not make his "silhouette unnaturally bigger". But he's back into a natural silhouette only just in time. Before that he's stuck his arm out (instinctively? intentionally?) so may have been a pen by last season's rule. I take "natural silhouette" does not mean arms touching side of torso or tucked behind players back. In this instance, facing the ball, legs slightly apart, the natural position would be with arms pointing down, slightly out from the body. But, as a St Mirren fan, I'd be raging if it were the other way about. Having considered it I think the ref is right, but only because he didn't see it properly and didn't want to make a decision. And the linesman shat it.