The Death of the Contested Drop Ball

Discussion in 'Referee' started by GlennAA11, Apr 27, 2014.

  1. GlennAA11

    GlennAA11 Member+

    Jun 12, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    I was at the DC v Dallas match tonight. There was a play late in the first half where DC United had possession deep in the Dallas end out on the wing. Two Dallas players had collided shortly before and there appeared to be a head injury so the referee stopped the match appropriately. But it got me to thinking on the restart that the contested drop ball seems to have been eliminated from the game, at least at the pro level. And I am not sure why. Dallas took the uncontested drop ball and booted the ball all the way to DC's goalkeeper. So DC got possession back but instead of being 30 yards from the goal they were, it was 100 yards from the goal.

    I know this sportsmanship tradition thing has come up and evolved over the last many years. But if I was the team in possession so close to the goal, I'm not sure how happy I would be to not have the chance to win the ball where I was when play was stopped instead of getting the ball played all the way to my 'keeper.

    It seems we are on an irreversible course though.
     
  2. sjquakes08

    sjquakes08 Member+

    Jun 16, 2007
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll tell you exactly why they're being phased out: because they suck. You have two players kicking directly at each other, 2 steps apart, which is just begging for a kick to the shin on the follow through. You have a referee who is in great position to get a ball booted right into his face. And you have about a 75% chance that somebody is going to kick the ball before it hits the ground, and you have to either ignore the rules or do the whole show again.
     
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  3. themaa

    themaa Member

    Oct 14, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good riddance. Contested drop balls are the absolute worst. Just send it to one of the keepers and have them punt it to the center of the field.
     
  4. Bradley Smith

    Bradley Smith Member

    Jul 29, 2013
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    And often a referee who is in poor position for the resulting play coming out of the drop ball.
     
  5. MassachusettsRef

    MassachusettsRef Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 30, 2001
    Washington, DC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Serious question: when were they alive at the professional level?

    I think the last one I remember was in the infamous Netherlands v Portugal WC 06 match (yes, I know there must have been some since then, but that's truly the last I can recall in a high-profile match). And even that one was out of character and due entirely to the nature of that match.

    So, when were contested DBs still in vogue, so to speak, at the professional level? My knowledge starts around WC90, and I think we have to go back to a date before then.
     
  6. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    I say we mount a ball cannon at half field that oscillates incredibly fast.
    All "drop balls" are returned to play via that cannon.:p
     
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  7. Errol V

    Errol V Member+

    Mar 30, 2011
    No. We can keep the dropped ball. Put a ramp off to the side at midfield. You drop the ball into an opening at the top, and it rolls out and drops onto the field right at the half line. The teams take turns doing the drops, but no spin on the ball is allowed. This could also replace the kickoff.
     
  8. GlennAA11

    GlennAA11 Member+

    Jun 12, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    OK, but surely there must be a better way than the current situation. When one team has clear possession why not just give them an IFK?
     
  9. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    Whoa, you mean this is one place where the NFHS rules have it right?
     
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  10. That Cherokee

    That Cherokee Member

    Mar 11, 2014
    Stillwater, Oklahoma
    In practice the drop ball is almost an IFK now, minus the double touch.
     
  11. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    ...except when it's not.
     
  12. Thezzaruz

    Thezzaruz Member+

    Jun 20, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Sweden
    Not saying you're wrong but the uncontested DB also suck. The idea that it is "sporting" to return possession 50+ yards further back than where it was is ridiculous tbh, if you want it done fair then let the team that actually had possession take the uncontested DB.


    That's one possible solution. One other that I've heard (and championed) is that play re-starts with the ball in the hands of the GK of the team that had possession. It doesn't fix all issues with the current DBs but it is easy enough to organize and prepare and stops all the "he's doing it wrong" bust-ups that people gets so worked up about.
     
  13. GKbenji

    GKbenji Member+

    Jan 24, 2003
    Fort Collins CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, they don't. The NFHS approach can lead to other unintended and unwanted consequences. I posted about it here.
     
  14. Barciur

    Barciur Member+

    Apr 25, 2010
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Poland
    I always see a few of the contested drop balls in the Premier League per season so I'm not sure it's totally dead. There aren't many, but IIRC I remember seeing one this season at an Arsenal game, so sometimes they do happen.
     
  15. socal lurker

    socal lurker Member+

    May 30, 2009
    Because the Ifk in the attacking third can create a scoring opportunity that didn't exist when play essay stopped.
     
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  16. NHRef

    NHRef Member+

    Apr 7, 2004
    Southern NH
    I understand the "sporting" aspect, but "more fair" seems to be an uncontested dropped ball, but the team who had possession is the one taking it, if you want to enforce it being not an attacking chance like an IFK, put a defender a few steps away to "encourage" a non-attack restart.
     
    Thezzaruz repped this.
  17. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    Rollerball restarts.
     
  18. MetroFever

    MetroFever Member+

    Jun 3, 2001
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia

     
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  19. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006

    The restart is a drop ball...right?
     
  20. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    I'm tired of refs telling me I can only have one kid challenge for a drop ball.
     
  21. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006

    I got a yellow once for refusing to back off a drop ball. Only card I ever got. ( in fairness, they had just been implemented)

    Had it overturned.
     
  22. jarbitro

    jarbitro Member+

    Mar 13, 2003
    N'Djamena, Tchad
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Its not even in the attacking third. Pretty much in the attacking 2/3, they throw numbers forward, launch a free kick as far into the opposing field as they can. Force the defense to hold the line, or trap, and then run people through. Its probably one of my least favorite parts of the NCAA game. I can deal with it in HS, because they aren't skilled enough to capitalize, but they way that plays out in NCAA is just manifestly unfair.
     
  23. GlennAA11

    GlennAA11 Member+

    Jun 12, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    So maybe when you stop play you say "freeze" and no one is allowed to move until you restart play. :)
     
  24. La Rikardo

    La Rikardo Moderator

    May 9, 2011
    nj
    I think most of us can agree that NFHS rules go too far in this regard since a potential set piece is an unfair reward for an injured player. But the NCAA rule where it's only an IFK if goalkeeper has possession is certainly a start. I was once told by a very experienced referee to avoid dropped balls in the attacking third at all costs. This rule at least gives the referee the flexibility to stop play once an attack ends with keeper possession rather than risk a contested dropped ball in the penalty area.
     
  25. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006
    #25 Cliveworshipper, Apr 29, 2014
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2014

    The NCAA rule actually calls for a drop ball even with the keeper in possession in his own goal area if the stoppage was due to injury caused by a foul by him or his team.

    It is only an IFK if there was no foul or the foul was committed by the attacking team.

    Where is the flexibility?


    The rule on stoppage for injury says:

    I once saw a FIFA white badge apply this rule by just whistling a restart ( no drop ball. The ref never took the ball from the keeper) and the keeper walked to the top of the penalty area and punted.
    A foul that caused the stoppage for injury was committed by the keeper's team ( advantage signaled)

    Oddest restart I ever saw.
     

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