Fran Kirby hopes opponents will not try to deliberately win penalties for handball

Fran Kirby believes it is possible the new handball law could prompt some players to aim the ball at an opponents arm in a bid to win a penalty.However, the Chelsea forward hopes that will not be the intention and they are more focused on finding a team-mate.England were awarded a spot-kick in Sundays 2-1 Womens World Cup win over Scotland in Nice following a VAR review after Kirbys cross struck Nicola Docherty on the arm.Nikita Parris converts from the spot afterNicola Docherty was penalised (Richard Sellers/PA)The handball law was adjusted in changes that came into force on June 1, with the International FA Board saying players would be penalised in situations, even if accidental, when the ball touches a hand/arm that has made their body unnaturally bigger.Asked if she felt there was now a danger players could look to fire the ball at an opponents arm, forward Kirby said: Possibly, possibly. Id like to think it wouldnt happen.But I dont feel in that moment you are thinking Im going to cross it and hit her hand.For me running down that line, Im crossing it thinking Lucy Bronze is in the box, I want to get the ball on her head. My cross was intended to get on the head of one of my players so we could score. It wasnt a case of if I hit this it might hit her hand.Id like to think players wouldnt do that.Kirby says she was convinced as soon as the ball hit Docherty that the penalty converted by Nikita Parris to put England 1-0 up in the 14th minute would be given.We had a meeting before the game and the referees were very clear that if your arms are not basically near your body, or in a natural position, then its going to be given as a penalty, Kirby said.England celebrate after Parris goal (Richard Sellers/PA)We had a VAR meeting with FIFA. They came in and explained everything to every team, and basically just explained how the rules were going to go.I knew as soon as the ball went into the box and hit her that it was going to be given as a penalty because of the conversation we had had previously.VAR is being used at a Womens World Cup for the first time, having made its debut in the mens tournament last summer in Russia.Kirby was asked if the use of the system had affected her enjoyment on the pitch, and the 25-year-old said: Its not something weve really been worried about.A great start for our @Lionesses at the @FIFAWWC Check out highlights from the win against Scotland: https://t.co/7mqgDcZUcH pic.twitter.com/Yg5hwv3P62 England (@England) June 10, 2019We understand that this is the way that the game is going and we just need to focus on ourselves, and on being in the right frame of mind if that decision comes.Straight away, when I saw the ref was going to VAR, I went straight up to Nikita and said its going to be a penalty, make sure youre ready.I could go to her and get her ready, knowing she has to step up and take this penalty. I think a few of the girls didnt really know what was going on, but I could go over and say, look, be ready, so she could then focus on getting composed.We just come together and talk about whats going wrong in the game, whats going right, what we continue to do.Fran Kirby (right) is coming to terms with VAR (John Walton/PA)I think we use it more as kind of a tactical break, just to see how were all doing. So maybe its a positive in that kind of way.But its eliminating mistakes and thats what you want. So many people before would moan at an assistant if they got an offside wrong or whatever.Its just the way the game is going, and we are all understanding of it.Englands second game in Group D sees them face Argentina in Le Havre on Friday.(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
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