The Footie Thread

[PaulMdj]

At least you know that when the ball goes dead then the game is over - everyone is aware and informed, not this +x minutes which means nothing at all - no one has a clue how long is left.
Also the crowd (as well as the players) know when the clock is stopped. Simple technology that’s been around for years which informs the spectators, warns the players and helps the game.
Unbelievable that football is so behind the times.

How does this help the time wasting on the pitch with possession football? ie, knocking it around the back to see a game out?
The 4th Official can already add on the minimum amount for all other types of time wasting.

They add a minimum of 5 minutes on, people miss the word minimum, if its 5 minutes and substitutions take place or time is wasted the Ref can add it on.

Rugby doesn’t flow the same way to give the opportunities for time wasting.

 

[Neilds]

How does this help the time wasting on the pitch with possession football? ie, knocking it around the back to see a game out?
The 4th Official can already add on the minimum amount for all other types of time wasting.

They add a minimum of 5 minutes on, people miss the word minimum, if its 5 minutes and substitutions take place or time is wasted the Ref can add it on.

Rugby doesn’t flow the same way to give the opportunities for time wasting.

You have hit the nail on the head with your continued use of the word ‘can’ - this doesn’t mean they actually do it. It is meant to be a set amount (30 seconds?) per goal or substitution but the time taken for each of these is usually more and then only a couple of minutes is added on for 3-3 game with 8 substitutions

 

[Pin-seeker]

At least the weathers picking up

 

[PaulMdj]

You have hit the nail on the head with your continued use of the word ‘can’ - this doesn’t mean they actually do it. It is meant to be a set amount (30 seconds?) per goal or substitution but the time taken for each of these is usually more and then only a couple of minutes is added on for 3-3 game with 8 substitutions

So it’s back to the Officials and those in control, if they are not doing their job then don’t blame the Teams.

 

[Swango1980]

We understand WHY time wasting happens. And if teams can get away with ANYTHING that gives them an advantage they will do it. And in all honesty, should do it. You don't often get any prizes for trying to be whiter than white, when other teams are finding loopholes to give them an edge.

But all that said, it doesn't mean anyone has to just accept it, and anyone is most welcome to highlight how they may hate some of the things that go on. It does help highlight areas in the game that need fixed, and will often be looked at eventually. Maybe not always for the better (VAR), but sometimes it is for the better (goal line technology, back pass rule)

I can't imagine anybody likes time wasting. They may accept it if it is their team, although they'd still prefer their team could still get the desired result without needing to time waste. And, to me, it is such a simple thing to end. It is so much easier than the implementation of VAR. It is easier than goal line technology. It is simply an automated clock visible to all. You set some strict guidlelines. Clock stopped for up to a minute for a goal celebration. Clock stopped for 30 secs for sub. Ref has additional control to stop the clock when time is wasted elsewhere. Nobody needs to second guess how long is to be added on, what has and what has not been taken into account. It would surely end the time wasting debate overnight?

 

[Norrin Radd]

Last night the Brighton arsenal game the ball was in play for 53 minutes and 58 seconds, arsenal were guilty of thirty of those lost minutes.
The game needs looking at big time .

 

[Neilds]

Last night the Brighton arsenal game the ball was in play for 53 minutes and 58 seconds, arsenal were guilty of thirty of those lost minutes.
The game needs looking at big time .

Is that a true fact or a social media fact? Seems to be a lot to me

 

[Swango1980]

Joel Veltman angrily tried to drag an "injured" Saka back up to his feet at the end of the game.

I'm surprised we haven't had a few days of people saying Veltman should have been given a red card for such a disgraceful act. Good news though, it appears Saka was able to make a remarkable and speedy recovery

 

[PaulMdj]

Is that a true fact or a social media fact? Seems to be a lot to me

Fact and only 2% lower than the PL Avg this season, but it was still in play longer than 2 other games, Leeds v S’Land and N’Castle v Utd.

 

[PaulMdj]

3 charts published by Sky from Opta.
All self-explanatory.

 

[Neilds]

3 charts published by Sky from Opta.
All self-explanatory.

View attachment 61163View attachment 61164View attachment 61165

None of those stats show that the ball was out of play for 30 minutes when Arsenal had a set piece.

 

[PaulMdj]

None of those stats show that the ball was out of play for 30 minutes when Arsenal had a set piece.

I never said they did.

 

[Neilds]

I never said they did.

Apologies - thought you were trying to prove the fact from the previous post.

 

[4LEX]

Man Utd have the worst set of full backs I can ever remember, especially from an attacking perspective. In many ways it kills us, and it is games like that we get found out. Been poor for about 4 games. Zero width, no support for Cunha and Mbeumo, no crosses, no good.

Mainoo has talent, but he also has many games he becomes invisible. He has no authority or physicality, and I hope it is just inexperience. But he is also shockingly slow, he often seems to struggle to keep up with play.

Bringing Ugarte and Dalot on was just weird, when Amad was about the only exciting attacking player on bench. I shed a tear every time I see Dalot's face. When an opponent gets a red card, I worry about Utd. It's like the players down tools and assume the win is guaranteed.

Carrick needed a loss perhaps, to see how he can respond. Pity there is no weekend game. Villa coming next

Agreed on the full backs but I think not having Mbeumo up front is a massive loss. The two games he's been dropped back to the right you've looked miles off it despite playing against 10 men both times. Sesko for me doesn't have the same all round game (at the moment) and is better off the bench. It's similar to the Van Nistelrooy v Saha debate back in 2005/2006. Ruud was the better striker but Saha added more energy and movement to the attack which was reflected in more fluid attacking. Sesko adds quality off the bench and last night when you looked at the options to come on it was pretty bleak.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Championship play-offs: EFL confirms expansion from four to six teams from 2026/27 season onwards

Sky Bet Championship play-offs will expand from four to six teams from the 2026/27 season onwards; EFL CEO Trevor Birch: We are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition

www.skysports.com

Not a fan of this

 

[Hobbit]

Championship play-offs: EFL confirms expansion from four to six teams from 2026/27 season onwards

Sky Bet Championship play-offs will expand from four to six teams from the 2026/27 season onwards; EFL CEO Trevor Birch: We are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition

www.skysports.com

Not a fan of this

Definitely with you on that one. The team that goes up via play-offs could play 50 games in 10 months, excluding cup games.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Is that a true fact or a social media fact? Seems to be a lot to me

So they say on sky arsenal wasted thirty minutes and the ball was in play for 54

 

[Swango1980]

Agreed on the full backs but I think not having Mbeumo up front is a massive loss. The two games he's been dropped back to the right you've looked miles off it despite playing against 10 men both times. Sesko for me doesn't have the same all round game (at the moment) and is better off the bench. It's similar to the Van Nistelrooy v Saha debate back in 2005/2006. Ruud was the better striker but Saha added more energy and movement to the attack which was reflected in more fluid attacking. Sesko adds quality off the bench and last night when you looked at the options to come on it was pretty bleak.

I agree generally. The way Man Utd seem to want to play, along with a complete lack of ability to cross the ball (except for Bruno), Sesko struggles to get into the game. If Carrick had dynamic full backs, and other wide players who looked to get the ball into the box, and had any sort of quality at doing so, I think Sesko would do very very well. Beckham would have been his dream wide player. Probably why he has done very well near end of games, where the likes of Bruno start to cross the ball more often, as they are pressing to score.

But we are that lethargic from the start of the game, normally, a better player up front is probably going to be a strong player, good on the ball, looking to make runs and link up with other players. Mbeumo is good at that.

Another odd pattern I noticed the other night is that Lammens would get the ball on the floor, wait for ages to be closed down, and then ping a long ball to the left wing. I don't generally mind playing long, instead of this constant play out from the back garbage (if done all the time). But he was pinging it to Cunha, and he didn't win the ball once. I couldn't for the life of me think why he wasn't trying to find Sesko, as he is decent at winning the first ball, and then try and have the likes of Cunha, Mbeumo or Bruno picking up the second ball.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

How does this help the time wasting on the pitch with possession football? ie, knocking it around the back to see a game out?
The 4th Official can already add on the minimum amount for all other types of time wasting.

They add a minimum of 5 minutes on, people miss the word minimum, if its 5 minutes and substitutions take place or time is wasted the Ref can add it on.

Rugby doesn’t flow the same way to give the opportunities for time wasting.

Haven’t read all the preceding posts re games going beyond 90 minutes, but you seem to be defending the present system, I.e. an amount of added time is indicated as a minimum, but then we await the refs whistle for the end, not knowing when that will be.
Logic and sense show that rugby leagues method of timekeeping is the best. It ticks all the boxes. And , above all, it is seen to be fair. It also adds a little bit of excitement for the spectators.
The present football method leaves everyone ( except the ref) wondering when it’s going to end and why it isn’t over yet.
Not only is that absurd, it is disrespectful to the spectators. There is no fair reason why they don’t know where the end is.
Another aspect, not mentioned as far as I can see, and which is not what we want to think about, but it is possible, and that is , it should be the case that fair play by the ref should be seen to be done. As it is , being down to one man’s decision, he is open to accusations of bias etc.
I’m not saying that that has been happening, but I am saying there should be a system where it can’t happen.
The present system is indefensible. It can and should be better.

 

[PaulMdj]

Haven’t read all the preceding posts re games going beyond 90 minutes, but you seem to be defending the present system, I.e. an amount of added time is indicated as a minimum, but then we await the refs whistle for the end, not knowing when that will be.
Logic and sense show that rugby leagues method of timekeeping is the best. It ticks all the boxes. And , above all, it is seen to be fair. It also adds a little bit of excitement for the spectators.
The present football method leaves everyone ( except the ref) wondering when it’s going to end and why it isn’t over yet.
Not only is that absurd, it is disrespectful to the spectators. There is no fair reason why they don’t know where the end is.
Another aspect, not mentioned as far as I can see, and which is not what we want to think about, but it is possible, and that is , it should be the case that fair play by the ref should be seen to be done. As it is , being down to one man’s decision, he is open to accusations of bias etc.
I’m not saying that that has been happening, but I am saying there should be a system where it can’t happen.
The present system is indefensible. It can and should be better.

Best you read the preceding posts then as I’ve said countless times there is a lot wrong with the game.

Have a look at the post were I posted the tables, these issues are nothing new, it’s being going on for years and at the moment time wasting is the latest hot topic.

Everytime we have an issue we get the old “Rugby does this or Rugby does that” line, it’s 2 totally different sports.

No one has explained how time wasting by a team with the ball in play will be sorted, how pointless a clock would be, imo, even last night a minimum of 5 minutes in the N’Castle v Utd game was added on, they played nearly 8 minutes due to stoppages in the added time, so a clock could show 5 minutes and be paused for 3.

Issues with football and now we are back to questioning Officials integrity because teams cheat.