What one rule change would you make to football?

so what about an attacker doing the same to hold the ball up in the opponents half till he gets support... or taking it to the corner and doing it to run down time... its called shielding and has been in football since before I was born.

 

You realise this thread is about changing the rules, right?

 

indeed I do Sir.... but he said change the rules to stop defenders blocking the ball till it went out for a goal kick... I do not see any difference with attackers doing what I said.... To me its the same at either end. so if he wants the rules changing to stop defenders doing that then its logical that the same is done to attackers too.. I was just suggesting to him that he might consider both events.

 

If a defending player deliberately fouls a player to stop a breakaway then regardless of where it happened it's a penalty*. Far too often players 'take one for the team' and happily accept a booking by taking a player out so everyone can get back.

*It wouldn't actually be a straight penalty but rather a 1 on 1 situation from a set place on the pitch possibly halfway between penalty area and centre circle. Keeper starts on his line, attacker starts on the new spot.

 

I think his example referred to defenders but rightly or wrongly my reading was that he was referring to blocking in general. As I posted earlier in the thread, my take on this would be to consider it obstruction if the player is making no attempt to play the ball. As you say, shielding is allowed today - there's even specific provision made for it in rule 12 - but I think the game would be more entertaining without it, in its current form at least. I'm sure not everyone agrees, of course. The game would look quite different without it.

 

agreed. Shielding is a skill IMHO... but it is infuriating at times... but I ask myself and yourself where does shielding end? and backing in begin? (think over that)... because many players in the situations we are talking about... IE the ball for a goal kick .. or in the corner to run down time, for me are really entering into the backing in zone ... A foul for backing in has often been awarded in other situations on the pitch.

 

Indeed. It's a minefield. Here's an excerpt from the rule (https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/law_12_fouls_misconduct_en_47379.pdf):

There's a hell of a lot of room for interpretation in there, particularly what constitutes being "fairly charged" and the distinction between shielding and holding off the opponent with the body (which I guess includes backing in).

 

"Fairly Charged" .. now theres another one. I am 63 next birthday... Played football for school , youth clubs and works teams , and my RAF station teams... back in those days a "SHOULDER CHARGE" was a fair thing to do... these days you can hardly do owt very physical at all. Wandering off the OP topic I know, but the game is very very different these days.

 

10 minutes from end of first haif to start of the second like it were b4 Sky feckin tv

 

Basically anything that would stop teams deliberately slowing the game down. As a fan I want to see an attacking football game with the ball on the pitch - not cynical time wasting. Specifically:
* Team that has conceded free kick / corner / throw not allowed to touch ball at all once ball is dead - stop people kicking ball away / doing loopy long throws so team can get back in shape
* Like in rugby - onus is on team who've conceded free kick to retreat ten yards. None of this standing on top of the ball to stop free kick being taken - speed the game up.
* Clock stopped when ball is dead but games reduced to 60 minutes.

 

That's how it used to be...an indirect free kick , even if it was in the area.

 

Talking abart rule changes... I musta been asleep. When did we start kicking off with one player knocking it backwards?

 

This season. Remember thinking of all the changes they could make which would clearly benefit the game (lots of them in this thread), they came up with that, which can only be described as tinkering for the sake of it

 

Referees to be armed.

 

That would give an unfair advantage to the Clubs which are in high population areas like Leeds with only one club.

 

^^^These

 

Managers can only be signed from other clubs during the transfer window.

Agents get a fixed yearly fee. No bonus for unsettling a player and moving him elsewhere.

Referee to be mike's up to the stadium. Nothing to hide? Then let's hear why you are making decisions.

Referees reports to be made public after games.

Dive during a game and it's a 10 minute sin bin at the time and 3 match ban afterwards.

Throw-ins to be taken from a stationary position in order to prevent the stealing of yards.

 

Stop booking players for celebrating with their fans. Ridiculous rule.

 

Doesn't apply to us.

 

The only recent time i think this has applied to us was when Angus jumped in the crowd last season against Wednesday.