Time Wasting

[mano-obe]

First off, this isn't because we lost today. It's not just us on the receiving end of it either. This has become a big problem in our game.

Teams are taking a lead then delaying every bit of the play. Goalies in particular are taking an age to take a goal kick. Most refs will only book them when it reaches 80+ minutes when the damage is already done.

Players taking an age to take a throw in. Or walking away from the ball so another player far away can take it.

Players clutching their head so the medics are called onto the pitch.

The premier league stats are pretty damning. Some clubs are only keeping the ball in play for 34 minutes from the 90.

I feel sorry for fans who pay to watch football and see this unfold before their very eyes. I wouldn't want to pay 60 quid + to see this

Any solutions or its just part and parcel of the game?

 

[rebrab]

First off, this isn't because we lost today. It's not just us on the receiving end of it either. This has become a big problem in our game.

Teams are taking a lead and delaying every bit of the play. Goalies in particular are taking an age to take a goal kick. Most refs will only book them when it reaches 80+ minutes when the damage is done.

Players taking an age to take a throw in. Or walking away from the ball so another player far away can take it.

Players clutching their head so the medics are called onto the pitch.

The premier league stats are pretty damning. Some clubs are only keeping the ball in play for 34 minutes from the 90.

I feel sorry for fans who pay to watch football but watching this unfold before their very eyes. I wouldn't want to pay 60 quid + to see this

Any solutions or it’s just part and parcel of the game?

The simplest answer is just to book players earlier. If that keeper was booked on 60 mins today he wouldn’t have been able to time waste the rest of the game. I’d also treat time wasting cards the same even if they were already booked - one goalkeeper sent off for two time wasting events and it wouldn’t happen again.

Falling over, faking injuries etc is harder. Retrospective action is one thing (I would do this for diving personally) and adding the time back on at the end of games.

 

[chas vs dave]

The simplest answer is just to book players earlier. If that keeper was booked on 60 mins today he wouldn’t have been able to time waste the rest of the game. I’d also treat time wasting cards the same even if they were already booked - one goalkeeper sent off for two time wasting events and it wouldn’t happen again.

Falling over, faking injuries etc is harder. Retrospective action is one thing (I would do this for diving personally) and adding the time back on at the end of games.

I dont think it solves the problem. The refs dont have the bottle to send a keeper off for it, imo

 

[razor1981]

The obvious way to eliminate time-wasting is to make it impossible to do. Have the clock stop every time the ball is dead and only restart when the ball is back in play.

There would need to be some testing to find the optimum half-length to keep it in line with tradition.

I know a lot of people hate the idea, but it would immediately rid the game of the time-wasting nonsense that's ruining the sport as a spectacle.

 

[muppetman]

It's clearly planned now that if protecting a lead -
Player 1 feigns an injury, physio takes an age to get over (or just doesn't bother) - player 1 gets up and is fine - 3 minutes wasted, flow of the game disrupted.
3 minutes later Player 2 does it - 3 minutes wasted.
4 minutes later Player 3 does it - 4 minutes wasted.
3 minutes later keeper sits down for a bit - 3 minutes wasted
and on and on and on.

Ref adds on 6 minutes - further timewasting happens during this time and the 6 mins are not played and there is no flow to the game which benefits the team protecting the lead.

I don't know how you stop this other than having players needing to go off for a set period of time for an injury - if they tell the ref they are hurt he can't tell them they are telling porkies. God knows how crappy it looks on TV - not much of a spectacle to sell to the world I'd think?!?!?

As for the goal keeper time wasting, it's my understanding that the ref has always been able to yellow card them for this but rarely do so before 80 minutes and never issue a second - so it's another thing that the refs could put a stop to with a bit of consistency and desire to do so - but they don't and I think it's cowardice from them not wanting to be seen to influence the game too much, plus the abuse on SM.

 

[Dazzazzad]

I dont think it solves the problem. The refs dont have the bottle to send a keeper off for it, imo

Something that could help a little is goalkeepers getting suspended for 2 yellows in a season instead of what outfield players get (5 right?)

But the easiest solution: a game clock that simply stops every time the game stops.

 

[BorjeSpurs]

First off, this isn't because we lost today. It's not just us on the receiving end of it either. This has become a big problem in our game.

Teams are taking a lead and delaying every bit of the play. Goalies in particular are taking an age to take a goal kick. Most refs will only book them when it reaches 80+ minutes when the damage is done.

Players taking an age to take a throw in. Or walking away from the ball so another player far away can take it.

Players clutching their head so the medics are called onto the pitch.

The premier league stats are pretty damning. Some clubs are only keeping the ball in play for 34 minutes from the 90.

I feel sorry for fans who pay to watch football but watching this unfold before their very eyes. I wouldn't want to pay 60 quid + to see this

Any solutions or its just part and parcel of the game?

The solution is to make added time scientific, because it's one of the few things in football you can objectively apply.

- How long is allowed for a throw?
- How long is allowed for corner/freekick?
- How long is allowed for celebrating a goal?
etc etc

You basically do a big formula, and make it transparent to everyone. Preferably in real time.

 

[Locotoro]

The obvious way to eliminate time-wasting is to make it impossible to do. Have the clock stop every time the ball is dead and only restart when the ball is back in play.

There would need to be some testing to find the optimum half-length to keep it in line with tradition.

I know a lot of people hate the idea, but it would immediately rid the game of the time-wasting nonsense that's ruining the sport as a spectacle.

"And the assistant referee has indicated there are 32 additional minutes to play"

 

[Locotoro]

I think rather than stop the clock we're looking at it the wrong way. We don't want longer games, we want faster and more entertaining games.

I'd rather have a system similar to basketball have with a shot clock. You have a visible timer telling goalkeepers they have 10 seconds to drop the ball from their hands, 10 seconds for a goal kick. 10 seconds for a throw in. If you don't release the ball before the timer it's an immediate turnover. It would be a bit revolutionary but it would ensure we have fast football without the constant time wasting.

 

[dannyo]

Completely agree with this. I remember the Ipswich keeper taking the absolute piss earlier this season. They know they might get booked around the 80th minute but refs will never do it earlier. Also, and Arsenal are the kings of this, how has it started to take so long for teams to take corner? They can now book a player for delaying a restart, but won’t book someone for repeatedly wasting time over a free kick

 

[MR_BEN]

But something similar to AFL would work.

Stop the clock if ball not in play, and a count down / fixed time limit to complete an action (ie throw in / corner / free kick / goal kick). Go over the time limit and the other team get the ball.

Would love to see medics be able to come on the field during play as well, but that’s probably only possible in AFL as the pitch is so big. Not sure it would work in football.

 

[Nice One Cyril]

Arteta has turned time wasting into an art form (sorry). Every free kick, corner or goal kick they get, is taking an age to restart the game.

 

[MR_BEN]

Arteta has turned time wasting into an art form (sorry). Every free kick, corner or goal kick they get, is taking an age to restart the game.

And they are only the 4th worst at this in the league….

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Figured this was another thread about Levy waiting to sign players.

 

[homer hotspur]

First off, this isn't because we lost today. It's not just us on the receiving end of it either. This has become a big problem in our game.

Teams are taking a lead and delaying every bit of the play. Goalies in particular are taking an age to take a goal kick. Most refs will only book them when it reaches 80+ minutes when the damage is done.

Players taking an age to take a throw in. Or walking away from the ball so another player far away can take it.

Players clutching their head so the medics are called onto the pitch.

The premier league stats are pretty damning. Some clubs are only keeping the ball in play for 34 minutes from the 90.

I feel sorry for fans who pay to watch football but watching this unfold before their very eyes. I wouldn't want to pay 60 quid + to see this

Any solutions or its just part and parcel of the game?

I was there today and it was absolutely obvious and infuriating. Only 7 mins added on. If they had a stopclock system, it would have been about 17.

 

[EssexSH27]

I preferred what they were doing last year. It punished teams timewasting. Clearly Sky had a word so it went away.

 

[Stamford]

Insane to pay a large amount of money and barely see a game. Needs to be a minimum amount of play per match.

 

[tototoner]

It's game management but the ref should be adding time on for it

 

[easley91]

Refs can do something about how long it takes to take set pieces and book keepers etc. But stoppages due to feigning injuries isn't easy. I remember Vicario was meant to have feigned injury and wasted time at City, then we found out he was actually injured.

I agree something needs to be done, though.

 

[Reado]

It was infuriating being there yesterday. Simple answer would be to not go behind against a shit team and allow them to do it, but that isn't always easy as we know! How the ref continues to let it happen is insane. The whole crowd knows what's going on and he just lets it happen. Their keeper needed booking by 60. Everyone and myself knew he would get booked gone 80 when it's too late. The feigning of head injuries too was ridiculous. The keeper then going down after catching the ball just ended me. It's very well adding on 7 (which imo should have been more yesterday), but it's the flow and fluidity of the game which is affected most. Not to say we would have got anything from the game, but at least with momentum you never know. Something needs doing, but I don't know what.