New Blue line in MLS

[Dr. Wankler]

Originally posted by kevbrunton

This was experimented with, but I don't think they're doing it any more. They had the problem that at certain points on the field, it's actually a detriment to move 10 yards closer for the free kick and it wasn't optional. If the team encroached, the kick got moved forward.


Personally, I like the spray foam that the Brazil league uses. It seems to work very well for them.

Actually, in the Man City/Blackburn match yesterday, Blackburn had an innocuous free kick moved dangerously close, though that might have been dissent rather than failure to move back 10 yards.

Still, I agree with you that it works in Brazil. It helps to move along the game in a league where the game has an awful lot of stops and starts anyway, due to the massive number of fouls.

[kevbrunton]

Originally posted by Dr. Wankler
Actually, in the Man City/Blackburn match yesterday, Blackburn had an innocuous free kick moved dangerously close, though that might have been dissent rather than failure to move back 10 yards.

OK, I hadn't seen it in a while and I've seen quite a few games, so I assumed it was no longer being done. However, I also haven't seen the referee have to do much positioning in the games I've seen, so perhaps if it's still being done, it's working.

[SoccerEsq]

Players and referees can tell distances on things like free kicks without markings.

That 10 yard mark just past the endline for corner kick defenders--unnecessary! (and the one yard arc for the kicker--don't tell me they can't judge a single yard.)

The 10 yard D at the top of the penalty area for kicks taken in those areas--just tell the players what the distance is and card 'em if they don't obey.

10 yard center circle--depending on who's kicking off only 10 yards on the opponent's side matters anyway. We don't need a circle mucking up the field for the whole game.

And the keeper can tell 6 yards for goal kicks without needing a special box. Heck, the penalty area isn't that much harder. And the penalty spot? Why not just have the ref place the ball 12 yards out and cards the shooter if he moves it?

I think that leaves just the midfield line (and I'm open to alternatives to get rid of it) with no funny boxes, circles or arcs messing up our pretty field.

;)

[MPJ334]

oh god, please do'nt take away my corner arc, goal area, penalty area, and center circle. they might not make things "pretty" but they sure are a lot easier than eyeballing it or marching it off (8 to 5s, says the marching band dork)

[lanman]

Originally posted by kevbrunton

This was experimented with, but I don't think they're doing it any more. They had the problem that at certain points on the field, it's actually a detriment to move 10 yards closer for the free kick and it wasn't optional. If the team encroached, the kick got moved forward.


Personally, I like the spray foam that the Brazil league uses. It seems to work very well for them.

The ten yard rule is still in force in England, however it is rarely put into practice as teams have learned from their mistakes and rarely persist in dissenting decisions around the box. I'm not sure that it was intended as a punishment for encroachment though, more for continued dissent.

The fact that it is an automatic 10 yards, whether beneficial or not, is the main problem with it. As I said in my earlier post, the law should be changed so the attacking team can move the ball anywhere they choose up to 10 yards from the original ball placing.

[cj herrera]

I've seent the foam / talc thing in action and it is a great idea:

Quick, simple, efficient. It takes the ref maybe one second to reach down and make a mark and then the game goes on.

Any grousing about / encroaching by players within other parts of the 10 yard circle would happen regardless. But this solution solves the problem in 95% of the cases, i.e. placement of the ball, placement of the wall, the wall moving, players standing in front of the kicker, etc.

Although I do like the pepper spray idea as well.

[lanman]

How long does the foam/spray remain?

Obviously you don't want numerous lines kicking about.

I don't see a problem with it though. The time the referee normally spends bringing the wall back has got to be greater than a quick spray on the ground, and then there is no grey area in any of this.

[Andyrey]

Lanman, I still like my idea of 15 yards better. Referee sets up the wall, they start to creep, he moves the wall back another 5 yards.

[Preston McMurry]

Originally posted by FootyMundo
Yeah, real stupid. They do it in Brazil and it will likely be adopted in various European leagues soon as well. It is a terrific idea. The game doesn't need the constant moving wall to hold down scoring even further.

What do you do when the field becomes a psychedlic swirl of blue lines?

[Alberto]

Originally posted by Preston McMurry


What do you do when the field becomes a psychedlic swirl of blue lines?

The paint fades in several minutes.

[neilgrossman]

Originally posted by lanman

The fact that it is an automatic 10 yards, whether beneficial or not, is the main problem with it. As I said in my earlier post, the law should be changed so the attacking team can move the ball anywhere they choose up to 10 yards from the original ball placing.

I don't think that would be too safe. You can't have kids moving up their free kick to nail an opponent.

[Jeff L]

I refereed at the "USA CUP" in Blaine, MN this summer, and although I did not work with him, but I know him, a couple of other colleagues said that one of the Brazilian referees actually did this during a game! (Everybody laughed of course).
The "better" referees, after pacing out the ten yards, then don't turn their back on the players to take up position, but keep watching the "wall" until ready to give the signal for play to resume.
As a side issue, i'll throw in a "history lesson". Anyone want to take a guess at how the 10 yard rule came about. Unless anyone gets it beforehand, i'll post the answer on Sunday night, after my morning game.

[Alberto]

Originally posted by Jeff Lancaster
I refereed at the "USA CUP" in Blaine, MN this summer, and although I did not work with him, but I know him, a couple of other colleagues said that one of the Brazilian referees actually did this during a game! (Everybody laughed of course).
The "better" referees, after pacing out the ten yards, then don't turn their back on the players to take up position, but keep watching the "wall" until ready to give the signal for play to resume.
As a side issue, i'll throw in a "history lesson". Anyone want to take a guess at how the 10 yard rule came about. Unless anyone gets it beforehand, i'll post the answer on Sunday night, after my morning game.

Jeff did you have your meeting/discussion with Phillip Sharpe? Curious as to what he said.

[prk166]

If the rules were just properly enforced, this wouldn't be an issue. If players started getting yellows, including a 2nd yellow, they'd start motoring back pretty quickly. The tools are there to fix the problem.

[Andyrey]

Originally posted by Jeff Lancaster
The "better" referees, after pacing out the ten yards, then don't turn their back on the players to take up position, but keep watching the "wall" until ready to give the signal for play to resume.
Actually, the 'better' referees do not even turn their back on the ball while going to the 10 yard location, to be the first 'brick' in the wall. The practice back-steping 10 yards and know how many back-steps it takes them to get there. This way they can make sure that that attacking team does not move the ball to a better position. It also allows them to accurately determine the 10 yards without giving the impression of 'pacing' them.

[Jeff L]

Not yet. The meeting with Phil Sharp is scheduled for March. (From memory). I will put any questions that you want!!!!!!!

[lanman]

Did anyone see the Feyernord-Juventus game?

The referee ordered a free kick to be re-taken twice for encroachment, booking a player each time. When it was finally taken there were still two or three Juve players about 2 or 3 yards closer to the ball than they should have been. Seems players do need a marker telling them where they have to stand.

[monop_poly]

Originally posted by lanman
Did anyone see the Feyernord-Juventus game?

The referee ordered a free kick to be re-taken twice for encroachment, booking a player each time. When it was finally taken there were still two or three Juve players about 2 or 3 yards closer to the ball than they should have been. Seems players do need a marker telling them where they have to stand.

You forgot to mention that von Hooidonk (sp?) scored on the third try. That should be enough to take the cutsey out of Juventus for the rest of the CL play.