From: scogpw@thor.cf.ac.uk (Gordon Walker)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Re: New FIFA Goalkeeper Rule
Date: 26 Aug 92 14:46:22 GMT
Organization: University of Wales College at Cardiff
X-Mailer: Cardiff Computing Maths PP Mail Open News Gateway

Some more thoughts and observations on the new rule after watching a
couple of live matches:
(apologies if this is rather long!)

In a match where both teams were willing to play an open passing game
(Shef Wed vs Forest) the rule meant that the action was non-stop and
contributed to a highly entertaining game full of action. Note both
teams were more concerned with playing themselves rather than closing
down the opposition or playing a tight off-side game.

In another match (Shef Wed vs Chelsea) the opposition played a much more
destructive game and the new rule didn't help at all. With the marking
much closer there were more long first-time kicks out by the keepers
after a back-pass, and this meant a lot of off-sides occuring (with
their forwards slow to get back after a previous attack). There were
also a lot more throw-ins due to the Chelsea's defensive tactics.

Other observations: 
- the main way the keeper gets any touch of the ball except for making a
save etc is from throw-ins by his defenders straight to him or from headers
back to him. I presume the refs are only looking to penalise anything
other than a kick back if its come about by trickery. Are refs allowing
the ball back from a thigh/knee if it's not a "trick" pass?
The throw-in may become less of an option as forwards begin to suss
this out.

- the rule seems to favour the long ball game (played to a degree by
Chelsea) - are you watching Graham Talyor!? The ball over the top from
deep for a forward to chase with a defender creates confusion with the
defense. The defender can't pass it back safely, so if the keeper wants 
it he has to commit himself. If the defender gets to the ball first some
way out he does have time to kick it to the keeper who can then boot it
upfiled or out or whatever. But if the defender just gets to the ball
quite near the keeper, what does he do? Kicking to the keeper then is
high risk because the forward might look for a rebound off the keeper.
Does the defender try and shield it for the keeper without touching it?
Or does he try and boot it into touch if he can (not always possible in
certain circumstances if the situation is tight I think).
Also, if the keeper has decided to come for a high ball and it obviously
won't reach him before it gets to the penalty box, he has to be able to
head or chest the ball - which adds a lot to making the situation more
farcical.

- the effect on defenses (especially Shef Weds!) is to make them
extremely nervous is tight situations. Apart from the "ball over the
top" situation described above, when a forward dribbles the ball towrads
a defender it can get just as bad. Previously a defender might try and
get a foot in to try and nick it off the forward and get it back to the
keeper. Now he can't do that  - any tackle has to be pretty firm or not a
all I reckon. 

 - the rule can make a match *more* stop-and-start with more throw-ins
and off-sides in certain matches. This is aswell as the added time from
when an indirect-kick is actually given with all the pushing and shoving
etc as described with the Southampton vs Man Utd game.

Suggested improvements: 
(discussed before - but seem even more essential now.......)
either
 - allow back-passes once the opposition has touched the ball since the
keeper last did so;
or
 - allow back-passes in the penalty area (remembering that it's already
an offence to pass back to the keeper in the area if he's passed it to
you);
or
 - allow back-passes in the penalty area but only if its arrived there 
from the opposition.

thats my latest 2p worth anyway! - any comments (if you've made it to
the end of this!)?

gordon
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer