[Football] Law changes that have actually improved the game

[Seasidesage]

Like it or not we are stuck with VAR. I'd like to see a time limit on VAR if you cannot make a decision in 10 secs its not a clear and obvious error. Another idea would be to pinch from Cricket that you get say 2 challenges if you think a decision is incorrect. A goal having to be checked each and everytime is ruining the experience. Lastly clear space between the last man and the attacker to be considered offside. Yes I hear the argument about arms etc but we want to favour the attacker don't we?

Best rule change? 3 points for a win made a big difference.

 

[Easy 10]

With the first one, I'm not sure we would want the team to get a REAL advantage, as fouls are so common and part of the game. I can see why play needs to be stopped and only a slight advantage rewarded in the form of a freekick.

In regards to kick ins rather than throw ins, that would be bonkers! Teams would end up treating every kick-in like they currently do with freekicks/corners, except every time the ball goes out of play!

Why not ? If the advantage is taken away from the team committing the foul, then perhaps we'd see less of those multiple little niggling taps and deliberate dragback fouls to prevent a break. The fouled team should certainly be in receipt of a REAL advantage, otherwise whats the point ? I think it would lead to a seachange. If the fouled player can get up, plant the ball and carry on running with it then that gives the defending team a hell of a lot more to think about - and no time to gob off at the ref to argue the toss either. Win/Win as far as I'm concerned.

I don't see the issue with kick-ins either, they can be taken just as quickly according to the situation. Its down to the ref to keep the game moving if players start taking the piss wasting too much time with it.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

I think the 6 second rule for goal keepers was a blinder. Game has never looked back.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Well we're two seasons in to using VAR and I despise it as much as I did from that very first West Ham game. I 100% agree it can be improved but I can't see how they can ever improve my biggest bug bear with it is that it takes away the spontaneity of scoring a goal. I'd much rather the officials made the odd mistake and be able to go bonkers than where we at currently.

It was just the same to me before VAR. Lino's flag goes up as everone is losing their shit and it takes 10-20 seconds before we realise. Remember Shearer wrecking an England goal in 98 with a foul that none of us noticed while we we going BSM (in the pub)? I haven't celebrated a goal for years until I can see it isn't going to be flagged. VAR has changed nothing for me, just extended the time spent waiting. I agree that can be changed but won't repeat myself for the fourth time wrt how.

I think you are reflecting on an age of instantaneous gratification and no goals overruled through a pair of zircon-encrusted rose-tinted spectacles

So how did you manage to cope when you'd celebrated a goal and not seen the lino flag?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Incidentaly how come nobody stood on anyone's foot in the last 2 England games? In the EPL it happens at least 5 times a game. That's something that needs to be dealt with because it is cleary and obviously deliberate and it almost never triggers a card. And it's bloody dangerous.

As for this thread, laws change and rubrics change. Unfortunately we have referees who undermine the laws by dicking about with the rubric in order to preserve their Special Position.

 

[Easy 10]

It was just the same to me before VAR. Lino's flag goes up as everone is losing their shit and it takes 10-20 seconds before we realise. Remember Shearer wrecking an England goal in 98 with a foul that none of us noticed while we we going BSM (in the pub)? I haven't celebrated a goal for years until I can see it isn't going to be flagged. VAR has changed nothing for me, just extended the time spent waiting. I agree that can be changed but won't repeat myself for the fourth time wrt how.

I think you are reflecting on an age of instantaneous gratification and no goals overruled through a pair of zircon-encrusted rose-tinted spectacles

So how did you manage to cope when you'd celebrated a goal and not seen the lino flag?

Disagree completely.

If there was a chance of offside, my natural reaction was always a glance at the lino before going apeshit. Even without a possible offside I'd be aware of potential intervention, but if that flag stayed down, then it was party time.

Not any more. I can't tell you how many goals BHA have scored under VAR where my celebration has been COMPLETELY diluted by the "hang on..." aspect of it. They've divided it into 2 celebrations now - the first being a cautious one when the ball hits the net, the second one just being one of relief when the game restarts. And neither of them are as good as when you KNOW you've scored.

VAR has literally diluted the very best moment of football - seeing your team score. Because you know there's some cockspangle pouring over multiple replays from all angles to try and find a way to disallow it. Its ruinous.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Disagree completely.

If there was a chance of offside, my natural reaction was always a glance at the lino before going apeshit. Even without a possible offside I'd be aware of potential intervention, but if that flag stayed down, then it was party time.

Not any more. I can't tell you how many goals BHA have scored under VAR where my celebration has been COMPLETELY diluted by the "hang on..." aspect of it. They've divided it into 2 celebrations now - the first being a cautious one when the ball hits the net, the second one just being one of relief when the game restarts. And neither of them are as good as when you KNOW you've scored.

VAR has literally diluted the very best moment of football, seeing your team score. Because you know there's some cockspangle pouring over replayed to try and find a way to disallow it. Its ruinous.

Fair enough. I happen to be extremely 'thorough' and 'particular', so its easy for me to wait. I'll have to accept that others differ.

 

[drew]

First - apologies your post, above, now includes a note saying I've edited it. I haven't; I simply pressed the wrong button when I attempted to quote your post so I could reply to it

Anyway, thank you. I know indirect free kicks aren't penalties; and I think indirect free kicks should be awarded as an alternative except in the clearest case of a goal-scoring opportunity being denied.

The penalty we got at home vs. Liverpool when Henderson (I think) kicked Welbeck's foot. Did that really warrant a pen? A free kick maybe, but never a penalty. Massively disproportionate sanction for a clumsily swung boot. That sort of thing. Don't get me wrong - I was delighted we got the penalty but will be less happy when we are the receiving end of similarly rough justice. The number of penalties - especially soft ones - is ruining football.

I see what you're saying regarding soft penalties but I don't agree. I also don't agree that soft penalties are ruining football. The biggest thing that is ruining football, in my opinion, is the poor quality of our current crop of referees whether they be on the pitch or at Stockley Park.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I see what you're saying regarding soft penalties but I don't agree. I also don't agree that soft penalties are ruining football. The biggest thing that is ruining football, in my opinion, is the poor quality of our current crop of referees whether they be on the pitch or at Stockley Park.

Well that's fair enough but the thread is about rule changes rather than refs. But nobody will ever be able to convince me that fouls like the one on Welbeck should be punished by a penalty kick. If something like that had gone against us in the last minute to deny us a win, I'd go POSTAL (as [MENTION=70]Easy 10[/MENTION] would most likely say).

Rules like that are ruining football; goals are such a precious commodity in a football match that chucking penalties around like confetti totally undermines the game.

 

[Easy 10]

Well that's fair enough but the thread is about rule changes rather than refs. But nobody will ever be able to convince me that fouls like the one on Welbeck should be punished by a penalty kick. If something like that had gone against us in the last minute to deny us a win, I'd go POSTAL (as [MENTION=70]Easy 10[/MENTION] would most likely say).

Rules like that are ruining football; goals are such a precious commodity in a football match that chucking penalties around like confetti totally undermines the game.

You're right. That Welbeck one was VAR gone mad - and probably a back-dated refund on the pen we had outrageously taken away when Pogba clearly took Connolly out from behind. I still think the Stockley Park goon had Man U in their acca that day.

And yes, I would most likely say that. Its one of my standard stock responses.

 

[Perkino]

3 points for a win was the best change to the game IMO.

Ironically no side has drawn more games than us over the last 4 seasons since we have been in the premier league. If it were just 2 points for a win we would be higher in the table

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Banning alcohol in the seats was a law change which has improved the game imho. No more endless getting up and down for people needing to empty their bladder every five minutes and/or get more pints in.

 

[Bodian]

It was just the same to me before VAR. Lino's flag goes up as everone is losing their shit and it takes 10-20 seconds before we realise. Remember Shearer wrecking an England goal in 98 with a foul that none of us noticed while we we going BSM (in the pub)? I haven't celebrated a goal for years until I can see it isn't going to be flagged. VAR has changed nothing for me, just extended the time spent waiting. I agree that can be changed but won't repeat myself for the fourth time wrt how.

I think you are reflecting on an age of instantaneous gratification and no goals overruled through a pair of zircon-encrusted rose-tinted spectacles

So how did you manage to cope when you'd celebrated a goal and not seen the lino flag?

That's an interesting example - because I think that's the only time I can remember 'wrongly' celebrating a goal before VAR. Now, I do find it harder to really celebrate (especially if it's only our first goal, I have to wait till our second now...)

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

That's an interesting example - because I think that's the only time I can remember 'wrongly' celebrating a goal before VAR. Now, I do find it harder to really celebrate (especially if it's only our first goal, I have to wait till our second now...)

You celebrate our goals? I don't even celebrate a 3-0 win. I don't even celebrate a 6 point cushion. Celebrate early, regret at leisure

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I’d be the first to admit I wasn’t keen on the bottle top rule when first introduced but over time I have warmed to it. I can easily say the amount of fizzy incidents in my life have reduced as a result. Had you asked me 5 years ago I would have thought you were mad!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Milano]

Feigning injury is becoming a real problem IMO.
It’s easy to stop - however long the game is stopped for said player to get off the pitch is the time the same player has to wait before he can come back on again. A sub can replace the player immediately in cases where he was genuinely injured.
Case in point that fecker Kouate for Palace at the Amex, 2nd half in the period where we were literally all over them he goes down like he’ll need an ambulance and stayed down for about 3-4 minutes, all just to break up our rhythm, there was feck all wrong with him, once play does resume the ref waived him straight back on and he finished the match. That scenario is just wrong.

 

[Braggfan]

I agree with a lot of what you say - the back pass rule, the subs, booking for diving and so on.

Where I disagree is on VAR. For me, what it has done is highlight some of the crap laws. If you're going to implement VAR, then simplify the offside rule. The only thing that should count are feet position. That way, it doesn't matter if the striker is pointing where he wants it played, just look at where his feet are when the ball is played - he's then either offside or he's not.

Similarly, clarify the handball rule and quickly. As you say, it is a complete mess.

VAR is not being used well at the moment, but it can be improved. I remember Gary Lineker insisting the back pass rule was going to be a complete disaster, and for the first 2 or 3 months it wasn't great seeing keepers who had never had to control the ball with their feet either panicking and hoofing it into touch or getting caught with the first touch of a blind rapist and giving comedy goals away. But over time, they've had to adapt and have done so and there isn't a sane person alive who wants to go back to the days before the rule existed.

I agree that they should simplify offside and the handball rules. There should be no interpretation element to those rules. But I think the no interpretation should be extended to VAR as well. It should be used solely where a decision is immediately standout wrong. Bookings and red cards shouldn’t be overturned or swapped over because the VAR ref has a different opinion on it.

This year VAR decisions where Man Utd scored after the full time whistle, and March gave away a penalty outside the box, were a disgrace. The fact that VAR can be used as a tool to dig refs out of a hole like we saw at WBA, shows that it’s more than a few rule tweaks away from being ok. VAR needs to be looked at in terms of how it is applied.

I think less is more personally. They can review every goal, and if they can’t see anything in the first 10 seconds then the original decision stands because its not clear and obvious.

 

[Arthur]

What's gone wrong with the sin binning?

Nothing has gone wrong with it, I just don't like it. In my opinion it's been poorly implemented, officials don't seem to know or how to enforce the rules and in a time when player safety seems to making all the headlines it can't be any good for the players.

It was just the same to me before VAR. Lino's flag goes up as everone is losing their shit and it takes 10-20 seconds before we realise. Remember Shearer wrecking an England goal in 98 with a foul that none of us noticed while we we going BSM (in the pub)? I haven't celebrated a goal for years until I can see it isn't going to be flagged. VAR has changed nothing for me, just extended the time spent waiting. I agree that can be changed but won't repeat myself for the fourth time wrt how.

I think you are reflecting on an age of instantaneous gratification and no goals overruled through a pair of zircon-encrusted rose-tinted spectacles

So how did you manage to cope when you'd celebrated a goal and not seen the lino flag?

Totally different, the linesman would have his flag up right away (don't even get me started on that new offside law around raising the flag!) and 99/100 you'd know it wouldn't be overruled so wasn't a goal.

I now long for the day where a linesman disallows a goal and not by a machine.

 

[drew]

Feigning injury is becoming a real problem IMO.
It’s easy to stop - however long the game is stopped for said player to get off the pitch is the time the same player has to wait before he can come back on again. A sub can replace the player immediately in cases where he was genuinely injured.
Case in point that fecker Kouate for Palace at the Amex, 2nd half in the period where we were literally all over them he goes down like he’ll need an ambulance and stayed down for about 3-4 minutes, all just to break up our rhythm, there was feck all wrong with him, once play does resume the ref waived him straight back on and he finished the match. That scenario is just wrong.

Feigning injury is getting ridiculous, especially when a player is down but his team play on but when they lose the ball they moan if the opposition don't put it out of play! Refs need to stop for head injuries, that's fine, but everything else they should wait till a break in play. Exceptions will be when players can see that it's a serious injury, such as Hayden, then the team in possession can kick it out or better still, the ref stops play. However, where play is stopped because a player has gone down on the pitch, it should be mandatory that they leave the field of play irrespective of whether they have treatment or not. The amount of times a player goes down, stays down, play is stop and then they get up! Also, is a player holds their head as if it's a head injury but replays subsequently show he was hit elsewhere, eg Rivaldo against Turkey, then there should be a retrospective ban. For what it's worth, there should be a ban where players go down without being touched irrespective of whether the ref gave a free kick or not.

 

[drew]

Nothing has gone wrong with it, I just don't like it. In my opinion it's been poorly implemented, officials don't seem to know or how to enforce the rules and in a time when player safety seems to making all the headlines it can't be any good for the players.

In what way does the sin bin affect players safety?

I've only seen it implemented once and it was for a player that was getting a bit wound up to go off and cool down without the exclusion being permanent. Think it's a great step forward.