[Albion] Multi-ball rule changes

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Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,295
Back in Sussex
I was oblivious to the changes on this.

I thought Brentford just had a particular setup on Wednesday night until I saw the same operation in place at the Amex on Saturday.

It seems players have to either use the ball that went out of play or pick one up from a cone. Ball boys and girls do not look to be allowed to help players out by getting them a ball quickly (or slowly if it's the opposition) so don't get on their back if they seem to be not helping!

It makes it consistent for all games at all grounds. which can't be a bad thing.
 






Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,476
Brighton
That seems fair and takes pressure/spotlight off the ball boys/girls, which is a good thing.

Although wasn't the whole Emma Hayes/that Danish bloke fracas based on the fact you can CHOOSE one of two options? i.e. multi-ball or single ball?
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,295
Back in Sussex
That seems fair and takes pressure/spotlight off the ball boys/girls, which is a good thing.

Although wasn't the whole Emma Hayes/that Danish bloke fracas based on the fact you can CHOOSE one of two options? i.e. multi-ball or single ball?
At a guess, WSL may have different rules to the Premier League currently.
 


Commander

Arrogant Prat
NSC Patron
Apr 28, 2004
13,561
London
I was oblivious to the changes on this.

I thought Brentford just had a particular setup on Wednesday night until I saw the same operation in place at the Amex on Saturday.

It seems players have to either use the ball that went out of play or pick one up from a cone. Ball boys and girls do not look to be allowed to help players out by getting them a ball quickly (or slowly if it's the opposition) so don't get on their back if they seem to be not helping!

It makes it consistent for all games at all grounds. which can't be a bad thing.
I don't like it. I like the fact that home teams could force an advantage for themselves by utilising the ball boys. I wouldn't want to level the playing field for home / away teams too much, it's a great part of football.
 




beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,019


MTSeagulls

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2019
935
this makes me a little sad, i love the shithousery from ball boys. a bit of humour and home advantage leaves the game.
Fulham took it too far when leading against us last season by getting them to throw a second ball onto the pitch everytime we got a throw/corner/freekick, this was inbetween all the fake head injuies. The ref should have withdrawn the multi ball system then which I believe happened at Withdean once to us.
 


Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo

I believe in Joe Hendry
Oct 4, 2003
12,084
We did have Joel Veltman, who was warming up, acting as a ball boy Saturday throwing the ball back to one of our players for a throw in a couple of times.
 




hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,763
Chandlers Ford
I was oblivious to the changes on this.

I thought Brentford just had a particular setup on Wednesday night until I saw the same operation in place at the Amex on Saturday.

It seems players have to either use the ball that went out of play or pick one up from a cone. Ball boys and girls do not look to be allowed to help players out by getting them a ball quickly (or slowly if it's the opposition) so don't get on their back if they seem to be not helping!

It makes it consistent for all games at all grounds. which can't be a bad thing.
I think it is doomed to failure - and will prove to be counter-productive.

Villa* will just adapt their methods.

Previously when Villa* are a goal up, the ball boys are slow to 'find' a ball, or to lob it to the opposition keeper / throw-in taker.

Now, that opposition player will find that no ball has *yet* been replaced on the nearest cone when they quickly need one. When it is a goal kick TO Villa* their keeper will deliberately walk across his goal to a cone further away, than the nearest available one.

And he'll walk to it VERY slowly, rather than having a ball thrown to him.

And then he'll walk back VERY slowly (to the other side of his 6 yard box to take the kick).

(*other cynical anti-football sides are available)
 


Aug 11, 2003
2,734
The Open Market
I think it is doomed to failure - and will prove to be counter-productive.

Villa* will just adapt their methods.

Previously when Villa* are a goal up, the ball boys are slow to 'find' a ball, or to lob it to the opposition keeper / throw-in taker.

Now, that opposition player will find that no ball has *yet* been replaced on the nearest cone when they quickly need one. When it is a goal kick TO Villa* their keeper will deliberately walk across his goal to a cone further away, than the nearest available one.

And he'll walk to it VERY slowly, rather than having a ball thrown to him.

And then he'll walk back VERY slowly (to the other side of his 6 yard box to take the kick).

(*other cynical anti-football sides are available)
He may try to, but the rules don't allow that. That said, if Villa had John Brooks in charge of their match, they'd be allowed to retrieve a ball from behind the opposite goal.
  • When the ball goes out of play and is not quickly retrievable, players must go to the nearest cone to collect a replacement ball themselves to restart play
 


Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
9,106
Brighton
Although wasn't the whole Emma Hayes/that Danish bloke fracas based on the fact you can CHOOSE one of two options? i.e. multi-ball or single ball?
The problem at the ladies match was that Chelsea agreed NOT to use the multi ball system, thus only one ball was in use for the whole game. But when they were losing and had a throw in near the dug-out, they wanted to quickly grab the nearest ball, something not permitted. Hence the other manager got annoyed.
 




jonny.rainbow

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2005
6,846
The next ball timewasting tactic will be asking the ref to check the ball because it is too flat.

Leno and Martinez are probably working on ways to remove a little bit of air from the ball as the lay on top of it as we speak.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,476
Brighton
The problem at the ladies match was that Chelsea agreed NOT to use the multi ball system, thus only one ball was in use for the whole game. But when they were losing and had a throw in near the dug-out, they wanted to quickly grab the nearest ball, something not permitted. Hence the other manager got annoyed.
What happens if that ball gets booted really high into the stands, or out the stadium entirely?
 


Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
14,270
Cumbria
One of our games was recently held up by the ref for a short while. The commentator said that it was because the balls had not been replaced on the cones and were lying by the hoardings. He delayed the restart until they were.

You could say it disrupted our game as we were just about to take a corner, but as we never do anything from corners anyway, I guess it didn't matter!

Do they have a cone by the corner flags - that would always be close then.
 






Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,295
Back in Sussex
There didn't seem to be much in the way of ballboying at all at the North Stand end at the Arsenal game. Most of the time the players - ours as well as theirs - had to go and retrieve the ball themselves. What gives?
Exactly as stated above: ball boys and ball girls are no longer permitted to give the ball back to players.

That's the rule change we're discussing here!
 


Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo

I believe in Joe Hendry
Oct 4, 2003
12,084
What happens if that ball gets booted really high into the stands, or out the stadium entirely?
The 4th official will have a supply of spare balls, in case of a ball getting lost or deflating, as they did before any multi ball systems came about. They’ll still have spares even under the multi ball systems so the number of balls around the pitch remains constant for the match.
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,348
Exactly as stated above: ball boys and ball girls are no longer permitted to give the ball back to players.

That's the rule change we're discussing here!
Doh! I'm a moron :facepalm: :dunce:

*edit* taking the positives, I might not have read the finer points of the thread - or indeed any points of the thread - but at least it proves I was paying attention on Saturday :blush:
 








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