Whether the goal should have been disallowed or not, I have no sympathy. If the rules state that the ball is still in the control of the goalkeeper if he bounces it, then the rule is over generous. Samuel Eto'o managed to nick the ball from the Cardiff keeper when it was mid bounce. I think that if the keeper had possession, then why the fuck did he need to bounce it.
NOTICE TO ALL GOALKEEPERS: The ball does indeed bounce - no need to test that.
So, the strange obsession that leads goalkeepers to bounce the ball has led to one in their ranks losing out. As far as I am concerned, the rule should be changed. If the keeper has the ball three inches from his foot as he walks towards the edge of the box, then it is perfectly okay for an opponent to try and kick it away. How on earth is the keeper in any less control of such a ball than a ball that he has thrown to the ground, hoping that it will obey the laws of physics and bounce back up?
Feeling hard done by is something that could so easily have been avoided. In my day, the keeper would religiously, after gathering the ball, clutch it to his chest and look left and right. Only when opponents had moved away would he decide it was appropriate to loosen his grip.
Those who quote the rules say that "the ball is considered under the goalkeeper's control when he bounces it" now have categorical proof that this is a fallacy, because clearly it was NOT under the control of keeper David Marshall!
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