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Straight reds

I think modern defenders have forgotten how to tackle and this is down to full backs being more attack minded than defenders if you watch prem players they retreat to 18 yrd line before fronting up attackers . The officials have a lot to answer for these days as you can get a booking for hitting someone with your lace today . Can you imagine Norman Hunter / Tommy Smith / ETC playing now they would not make 20 mins . the Demichalis last night was a very poor challenge and rightly a red in my opinion . The Arsenal keeper tonight was harsh a goalkeeper has to make an effort to stop a goal but the way he challenged him was poor if he went with his hands it would have been dangerous play from Robben as his foot was high normally punished by continental referees . It seems to me you cant be a nano second late in the tackle without being booked now

Not really surprised about Demichalis getting sent off - unfair though it may or may not have been. The little I have seen of him he seems a little bit of a lumbering carthorse - skilful maybe but easily caught out by pace and hence always liable to give something away through mistiming or trying to recover.

Maybe two Yellows in a game or a straight Red that is not for violent play, should result in an 'Amber' card where the player gets sent to a 'sin bin' for say 20minutes - but still subject to the match(es) ban normally applied. Manager would have to decide whether to rearrange team - using subs etc - knowing the player will be returning to the field - so a significant team management and tactics issue as well as being a player short. Violent play straight Red off for the rest of game.
 
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I don't quite understand the booking for removing your shirt, but they know the score, don't do it.
A rare Sepp Blatter initiative/attitude that I agree with. Wastes time and inflammatory. Of course, less so now that the automatic Yellow Card rule is in place. Players should be fined a Month's (or more) wages for it as well imo!
 
It deserves a red card. What happens if the team that were denied a goal scoring opportunity miss the penalty? Then the opposite team have gained an advantage by not conceding a goal & still have 11 men on the field.
 
The other problem is that the same rules apply right through football and I see refs regularly who can't keep up with play making decision that are truly awful

My (adult) son, some time back, played in goal in a cup final (his first) as it happens, against my own club that I help run. Our centre forward went through, my son came out foot first, got a touch on the ball and then the player. The ref, miles behind play, awards a penalty, sends my son off, which neither team wanted to happen because the ref was about 60 years old and not up with play, didn't see that 2 players had got round the back and covered the goal keeper anyway, but decides, because he gave the penalty that under the new rule he has to send off the player and ruins a then 20 years olds first big game. No one from either team wanted that but thats what happens every weekend now!

Refs in the Premiership are pretty dire from the games I've seen this year but refs, in local football, whilst trying their best, are almost totally unable to fairly operate this rule! I played centre back or centre forward for all my playing days, was no saint on the field and ended my days with one booking over a 20 year period, nowadays players get booked week after week, it costs them a fortune and it's all because of pressure to book players for set offences where years ago refs had discretion.

Don't get me on the subject of local refs and the offside rule!!
 
I think the point being made is - should the rule be changed whereby it isn't necessarily a straight red for denying a goalscoring opportunity?

I do think it spoils a game when a red and a penalty is given, especially when it is a genuine attempt for the ball, but is a slightly mis-timed tackle.

The red should only maybe happen if it is an old "professional" foul. No chance of getting the ball and just hacks a player down - i think that should be the criteria for a red card.

I think 90+% of fans that I know, dont like to see a red and a penalty given. The call is for a rule, or interpretation change.

However, with the rules as they are, there is little defence tonight.

There is an answer to the goalkeeper problem as has been quoted if a goal scoring op is stopped by the goalkeeper ==/yellow card and penalty, The solution is to make the keeper stand outside the box with the other players . If you miss a pen with no keeper in goal you should not be playing the game. My reasoning is if the keeper missed you as you went through there would not be anyone in the way to stop you scoring. This would be for the keeper only who lets be honest has to make some sort of challenge on a player who is through. It would keep 11 v 11 and you get your goal because there is no chance of the keeper saving the pen.
 
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