Time wasting - subject of the day?

I'm not a big fan of the corner flag business either (Dirty Leeds started that back in the 60s) but it's better than seeing a player faff about forever taking throw ins and free kicks etc. At least the ball is in play and gives the opposition a chance to win the ball and get up the other end.

 

Our current crop of players have a lot to learn from our past master of gamesmanship/$hithousery - Allan Clarke.

Schooled in the dark arts at Dirty Leeds, he was unmatched and brought an edge to us I’d never seen before or since. Best example was the 2-0 win at the Massives (Riley, Lester) in November 79 when he riled them beyond belief. Couldn’t happen to a nicer set of fans. All 93,000 of them on the ground that day.

Honourable mention also to Macca in the League Cup win over Man City. Winning 1-0 (Big Trev). Last minute free kick to the Reds just inside the opposition half. Waves everyone up into their box in readiness for one last attempt on goal. Runs up to the ball, turns and kicks it right back to keeper Bobby Horn. Absolutely brilliant.

 

Spud Murphy was an artist at time wasting because every time he got the ball he turned around and passed back to the keeper. From anywhere, including in the opposition half if he felt like it. He famously took a penalty once and hit the bar with such force that it went back to our keeper!

 

I read his biography when I was in Turkey a couple of weeks ago. Great read. I used to work with his daughter, Louise in the early 80's at Yorkshire Bank. Saw him play from 74 under Iley.

 

I saw him from the very start. A solid, dependable right back who also turned out at centre half now and then. Good that he’s still around the club.

 

Would you change your opinion if the opposition score, with us having made no attempt to put the game to bed.
Even put more pressure on ourselves due to the opposition (especially when they are at home) having the ascendancy and us backs to the wall.

 

Possibly so but I’d feel even more annoyed had we pushed bodies forward for another goal and then got hit on the counter with half our team upfield.

We got the 3 points Wednesday so it’s all good.

 

It only takes a matter of seconds to score a goal. Ushering the ball to the corner flag is a highly risky tactic for us because we never seem to be able to hang on to it. Once lost a couple of passes can see the ball well upfield and we’re in danger of conceding a late goal.

I would rather see us keep possession another way. Accurate passing in triangles. Oh hang on though - we’re not Man City are we?

 

To be fair, a game of football has never had a full 90 minutes of play in its duration. I think the referees were instructed to deal with it at the World Cup, and as a result we were seeing double digit time added on at the end of each half in the early games. Not what the players and coaches wanted to see and certainly not all the fans. Solution of an individual time keeper on a clock would probably push us nearer to the NFL, where the last two minutes of a game can be played out over 20-30 minutes in extreme cases. People wanting to see timewasting cut down would just be more frustrated as players disrupt the rhythm of the game, and just see it added to the clock. I wouldn't want to be leaving Oakwell consistently around 5.20-5.30pm every Saturday afternoon.

 

Collins has started in the 16th minute today and is already riling up the Portsmouth fans.

 

Pompey commentators moaning about Collins in the 16th minute
Love it