Time Wasting

[allatsea]

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.

Time wasting is no different to what the Refs allow to go on at Corners/Freekicks. It is liking watching a Rugby match which is out of control. Plus the refs are still allowing opposition players to obstruct the Goalkeeper. As you can guess I blame poor reffing for time wasting and what is going on in penalty areas.

 

[eppingyid]

Great thread
So frustrating watching our games lately when this happens and the refs are a shocking with it. None of them have the bottle to book a keeper early from what I’ve seen.
How only 7mins got added yesterday was a disgrace

 

[Dundalk_Spur]

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

Yeah but they have to go through the playbook and call the play. Going full American football.

 

[Lifelong]

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.

This is becoming a poison in our game but it won’t stop until refs get serious about it. At least yesterday he booked their keeper, albeit way too late. It really needs one of them sent off which I can’t see happening. The main issue we have is we are the root cause of it, giving teams the lead and then watch them do everything possible to waste time. Oh to be in a position where we could do the same, trouble is I don’t think our players have the intelligence to do it.

 

[Shanks]

Every team does it, right down to sunday league level.
Every goalkeeper will do it as well, ball goes out for goal kick, will always go the opposite side of the box to retake - extra few seconds (is one area).

Down to the ref to just add the time, but the breaks in play are effective in stopping any momentum going, Arsenal are the masters at it once they go ahead.

 

[LSUY]

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

Is it the refs don't have the bottle or the refs know they won't get any backing from the authorities in regard to the abuse they'll receive from fans, players and managers?

 

[marion52]

It was so bad yesterday and then only 7 minutes added.
Newcastle and Wolves did the same. The Pl should clamp down on it. They have tried with the minute off if you have the trainer but it is definitely getting worse

 

[neilp]

The 6 second rule for keepers holding on to the ball should be adhered to, but refs don’t enforce it. The same could be said for goal kicks with only a small rule change.

 

[neilp]

The other time wasting that bugs me for not being punished is when you have a freekick and players stand in front of the ball instead of retreating 10 yards, to allow the defence to set up.

 

[Marty]

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.

Love this idea. If play isn't restarted within 10 seconds, immediate turnover. In the PL with balls all around the touchline there's no excuse to not do that.

The feigning of head injuries is a far more difficult thing to stop, because the backlash which will come when a serious head injury isn't immediately dealt with will be huge and well deserved. That just puts refs in an impossible position.

 

[Croftwoodspurs]

Love this idea. If play isn't restarted within 10 seconds, immediate turnover. In the PL with balls all around the touchline there's no excuse to not do that.

The feigning of head injuries is a far more difficult thing to stop, because the backlash which will come when a serious head injury isn't immediately dealt with will be huge and well deserved. That just puts refs in an impossible position.

This can be quite easily dealt with, any person with a head injury has to be assessed.. Saying they are taken off the pitch and then assessed and can't come back into play at minimum amount of time say 1 minute and then it has to be the next break in play... Soon find that it will stop players faking a head injury, as the team could be without a player for at least 5 mins... Once a team concedes by being a player down it will be soon make them change the habit. This could include keepers so have to at least put a out field player in... IF a general head injury they would have to make a sub straight away.

Same could apply for players pretending to be injured, currently it 30 secs but saying it next break in play.. See how many players then feign injury.

 

[TheChosenOne]

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.

Unless they are losing then it's helter skelter stuff with fake dives looking for FK's near the goal.

 

[Dannyspur]

The 6 second rule for keepers holding on to the ball should be adhered to, but refs don’t enforce it. The same could be said for goal kicks with only a small rule change.

This is the single most easy way to stop it. It’s in the rules already. Start giving indirect free kicks in the penalty area. It’s not like it’s difficult to police. Also book players who don’t retreat 10 yards at corners and free kicks.

 

[Gbspurs]

I'm strongly of the opinion football needs to move to a 60 minute game with a stopped clock. Removing time wasting from football will make it's some much better.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

This can be quite easily dealt with, any person with a head injury has to be assessed.. Saying they are taken off the pitch and then assessed and can't come back into play at minimum amount of time say 1 minute and then it has to be the next break in play... Soon find that it will stop players faking a head injury, as the team could be without a player for at least 5 mins... Once a team concedes by being a player down it will be soon make them change the habit. This could include keepers so have to at least put a out field player in... IF a general head injury they would have to make a sub straight away.

Same could apply for players pretending to be injured, currently it 30 secs but saying it next break in play.. See how many players then feign injury.

Make it 5 mins with a supposed head injury. If it is for real then he should stay off for some time. Soon stop it. It is all the time now, Leicester were ridiculous and the Villa West Ham game wasn’t great either.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

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.

I look forward to that lot going down and consigning Vardy to history.
He may have a prem lge title but he’s got to live with that dipstick Rebekah for a long time. And pay her court costs.

 

[newbie]

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?

Newcastle were big on it against us as well, teams love disrupting our flow

 

[EssexSH27]

I was at a 7th tier game between 5th and 11th other day and the 11th keeper was taking almost a minute for every goal kick.

it’s the culture now. Ruthless efficiency to win at all costs

 

[chas vs dave]

Thought i would bump this.

IFAB have implemented a new rule as of next season. Keepers have 8 seconds to release the ball. Otherwise a corner is given to the opposition.

 

[cwy21]

The other significant change is that refs will visually count down with their hand from 5 to 0. That's the part that will make it harder for the refs not to enforce this.