The Football.....

[No Ta Doctor]

Much debate as to whether it should have been allowed or not. I guess if it was one of our players who did it, it would be genius but as it is the goal should not have stood and the miscreant never allowed near a football pitch again!

I think the rules were made fairly clear and precise when Nigel Clough Gary Crosby err... "used his head" (headed the ball off the goalies palm as the keeper was about to drop it to boot it)

 

[laurentian]

I think the rules were made fairly clear and precise when Nigel Clough Gary Crosby err... "used his head" (headed the ball off the goalies palm as the keeper was about to drop it to boot it)

It seems the main debate is whether the scorer should have stayed off the pitch for so long "hiding" behind the goal before coming back on

 

[AndyRM]

Was there a lot of wrestling last night, as per all Arsenal games last season?

Not aware of the rule changes this year then?

 

[matticus]

It seems the main debate is whether the scorer should have stayed off the pitch for so long "hiding" behind the goal before coming back on

IMO "ethically" it's a dodgy trick, BUT not sure there's any rule/law against doing that?

 

[Alex321]

I think the rules were made fairly clear and precise when Nigel Clough Gary Crosby err... "used his head" (headed the ball off the goalies palm as the keeper was about to drop it to boot it)

That is a very different case. You aren't allowed to interfere with eth goalkeeper releasing teh ball from hand and kicking it. But once the ball is on the ground, rolling, it is normal football.

The question here is whether what he did could fall under "unsportsmanlike conduct". Some people think he needed to ask permission from the ref before re-entering the field, but that is not the case when he has left the field as part of normal play, and the rules don't say you can't delay before re-entering.

Whether delaying to gain an advantage is unsportsmanlike conduct is down to the opinion of the ref, and in this case, he obviously didn't think it was.

 

[laurentian]

That is a very different case. You aren't allowed to interfere with eth goalkeeper releasing teh ball from hand and kicking it. But once the ball is on the ground, rolling, it is normal football.

The question here is whether what he did could fall under "unsportsmanlike conduct". Some people think he needed to ask permission from the ref before re-entering the field, but that is not the case when he has left the field as part of normal play, and the rules don't say you can't delay before re-entering.

Whether delaying to gain an advantage is unsportsmanlike conduct is down to the opinion of the ref, and in this case, he obviously didn't think it was.

I think it falls under "leaving the field of play to gain an advantage". The reason he was behind the goal in the first place is that he had over ran a pass which the goalie had collected. Which is fine. The issue arises as he remained off the pitch lurking behind the goalie waiting for him to play the ball before running on behind him thus gaining advantage from being off the field of play.

(I'm no football referee and certainly no authority on the laws of the game but have gleaned this from social media "experts")

 

[matticus]

I think it falls under "leaving the field of play to gain an advantage". The reason he was behind the goal in the first place is that he had over ran a pass which the goalie had collected. Which is fine. The issue arises as he remained off the pitch lurking behind the goalie waiting for him to play the ball before running on behind him thus gaining advantage from being off the field of play.

(I'm no football referee and certainly no authority on the laws of the game but have gleaned this from social media "experts")

... but players frequently run past the goal-line to avoid being offside - thus "gaining an advantage".

I was under the impression - especially from watching the recent World Cup, surely the pinnacle of football skill, sportsmanship and refereeing - that players are no longer bound in any way by sportsmanlike conduct.