Ok, this is shamelessly lifted from one of the papers, but since I know there are some on here who fancy themselves as experts when it comes to football, here is the question; A winger rounds the keeper and centres the ball for a colleague to nod it into the empty net. But before the colleague can reach it a defender steams into the back of him, knocking him out. In the process, the defender accidently heads the ball into his own net. What now. Obviously, anyone googling to find the answer will roast in hell come the revolution. So, who's first?
I'd give a goal and a red card. No reason to stop play for the foul (as bad as it may have been) because the fouled side were at an advantage for play continuing. Red card for violent and dangerous play.
I'd award a goal and a red. If it's a professional foul then the player gets no card since the ball ended up in the net anyway. If the challenge is serious foul play (which it is) then I'd give a goal and a red.
If not offside you can reach two conclusions: 1 - Goal stands and red card for use of 'excessive force'. Deemed to be a red card offence for either just the foul, or for violent conduct, however it occurred. 2 - By the letter of the law, loss of conciousness/head injury requires the game to be stopped immediately. No circumstances under which it should continue.
I concluded the ball will be in the net before you even realise the player is unconscious as a ref. Same for the players.
kerching! 1 point to Mr Nice, although the comatose player might have preferred that to be the first thing the ref did! Ok, Round 2 A defender and a striker, both on yellow cards, chase a pass into the area.the defender lunges recklessly at the striker and misses-but the striker, seeing that the keeper will reach the ball the first first, dives theatrically and screams for a red card. What action do you take and how is the play restarted?
Same, and you wouldn't retroactively go "oh he was knocked out so play stopped and there's no goal" because that'd be stupid. Common sense has to play a part.
A reckless lunge is a yellow card offence, regardless of how much contact is made. Defender has to go, nothing for the striker as play was stopped before that. Penalty kick awarded.
I'm gonna go with second yellow for the striker and free kick given. Nothing for the defender. I don't know if that's the case, but it doesn't seem right to me that the defender could be carded without making any contact.
Never said it shouldn't. It is interesting though. I go to these refereeing workshops and meetings and they tell you to use your common sense and decide for yourself, yet when you do you seem to get dragged over the coals for not following the book in some scenarios. Especially with high level refs.
The laws state that you DO NOT HAVE TO MAKE CONTACT FOR A FOUL/CARD TO BE GIVEN AGAINST YOU. A 2 footed tackle with both feet in the air is straight red regardless if contact is made or not so it's the same for a reckless lunge (yellow card).
Book (and therefore send off) the defender for reckless play regardless of whether he hit or missed (I don't think a lot of refs would, but it's the law as far as I'm aware) and also book (and send off) the forward for simulation. Restarted I'd assume it'd go to the first offence of the reckless tackle so penalty but as I said, I've seen missed slide tackles go unpunished so I think in a match it'd probably be second yellow for forward, free kick for defending team. But by the law I'd think two yellow/reds and a penalty.
