Trying to change the doom and gloom around today I wonder if anyone else noted the Newcastle player going down around 80 to 85 minutes? Although he was down Newcastle played on until their move broke down. My point being that if the player had been down and we recovered the ball immediately, we would have been expected to put the ball out of play, thus wasting time and perhaps momentum we would almost certainly not have got back. I'm not singling Newcastle for particular criticism here, it could have been any team. I personally agree with sportsmanship, but then you have to rely on the injured player actually being injured, in other words not engaging in bad sportsmanship by exaggerating or creating the injury. I think it has come to the stage that you don't put the ball out unless the ref tells you to. And then the ref has to do so where it disadvantages (or advantages) both teams equally.
It's been part of tthe game for years, a classic tactic to break up momentum, just like making subs to waste time, keeping the ball in the corner. Dirty annoying tactics, but they have their place for everyone.
Yeah, I've noticed it happening more and more too. Not sure if it's the same incident but there was another time when a Newcastle player lost the ball and was crouched over on his knees in "pain" but had a quick look up to see who had the ball and when he saw Newcastle were attacking he just got to his feet again and carried on. It's annoying and I'd like to see it stop but unless the referees and players only stop for head injuries, like they're supposed to, then it's always going to happen. Another thing that annoys me more is when the opposition attacks whilst they have a player down yet as soon as we get the ball out we're supposed to kick it out so their player gets treatment. The ref's supposed to be in charge of stopping play so we should just play on until he blows the whistle.
I know this isn't aimed at Newcastle but all teams do it and for me it's just being clever. Using our game against you as an example, you were battering us second half, especially the last 15 minutes so for one of our players to go down to break up play and give the rest of the lads a breather makes sense. It's very annoying when it's going against you but all teams do this. It's a slightly naughtier version of taking the ball in to the corner. I don't think you can book a player that goes down but doesn't need treatment though. I mean some players can be winded etc and that doesn't need treatment, they just need a minute or two to get their breath back.
The european way is to put it out but i think the prem does say you should play on and its up to the ref. The playing on til you lose possession and then waving your arms around in a panic to get the opposition to put it out pisses me right off. As does stealing yards on throw-ins. I actually saw a ref tell someone to go back this weekend, can't remember the game, i was shocked. Sometimes they steal like 15 yards. Ridiculous
The way I see it... if the player is down injured but his own team have the ball and play on and attack then that means if you win the ball back you have no prerogative to put it out yourself. Attack at will. If the injured player's team cared about his injury, they'd put it out themselves. Dortmund did this last week. Attacked at pace when Reus was down, then as soon as we won the ball back their players start moaning and fans start whistling that we don't put the ball out immediately.
If we are beating city next match I would expect us to be making late subs and having tactical injuries .... from about 60 minutes to go The ref should simply add time on and the ball should not be kicked out ... the ref should stop play not the team
11 Spurs players all falling foul to tactical injuries at the same time? It's so farcical, it might work! In all seriousness, yellow cards are already issued for time wasting and unsportsman like behaviour. No new rules are needed, just the old ones enforced.
The trainer should be allowed on whilst the game continues unless the ref says differently like in Rugby.
If a player goes down injured then an opposition fan should be allowed drag him of by his bollocks...that'll make sure only the injured stay down !
All a bit presumptuous Colinlee, Your assuming the player isn't really injured........... and that he actually has bollocks.
This. Head injuries and obvious, extreme trauma should be the exceptions. Also bring in the rugby rules for player interaction with officials and sort out the spray can thingy for marking out 10 yards at free-kicks. All easy to introduce at all levels but not used because...? Nope. No idea.
Even in the situation of head injuries the trainer would get to the injured player quicker as he would not have to await the refs permission to come on so it would be a win-win situation. The ref could then assess the situation and decide whether or not the game should be stopped whilst the player is receiving treatment. The rugby rules for player interaction would be interesting, there would be a lot of moving the free kick forward 10 yards at Old Toilet. What would happen if 8 players were harranging the ref? Would the kick be moved forward 80 m? The spray can is a no brainer (although it needs a rule to say the kick can be taken as soon as the spray is completed)
Rugby is always the example when these sorts of shenanigans are discussed. It always involves the obvious solution of giving control of the game back to the ref.
