[Archived] Bring Back Obstruction!

[hollowsr]

I know this may seem a bit daft but hear me out!

I am basically sick of defenders shepherding the ball out of play, whether it be Rovers defenders or oppositions. Take today for example, Di Santo gets booked for a "foul" which he won the ball from, why? because the defender is trying to let the ball go. Also I think it was Faye was trying this trick and ended up flying over the advertising hoardings and seemed to take a knock from this.

It is a poor way to play the game and I personally think it should be stopped, FA and FIFA always say they want it to be an attacking game but let this happen numerous times a game!

Just wondering what other peoples opinion on this is?

[Tom]

I agree about obstruction in general I think if you're not tryign to play the ball and stop someone else getting to it it's obstruction but Di Santo got booked because he kicked the ball away not for the foul.

Also Roberts clearly pushed Faye and could have easily been booked.

[hollowsr]

Fair enough about Di Santo I didn't realise this at the time and thought it was Roberts who was booked for back chat. Also though Roberts wouldn't have pushed him if he wasn't trying it though!

[Tom]

Yep it shouldn't be allowed, Grella came a cropper doing it today, tried to shephard it out for a throw but the guy kept it in and set up an attack.

[Gav]

I am basically sick of defenders shepherding the ball out of play

Can't remember it being any different in those circumstances?

The Di Santo foul was a terrible decision and the linesman was no more than 2ft away

[Stuart]

I agree about obstruction in general I think if you're not tryign to play the ball and stop someone else getting to it it's obstruction but Di Santo got booked because he kicked the ball away not for the foul.

Also Roberts clearly pushed Faye and could have easily been booked.

Lucky you're here to put is right on these matters TCO!

Agree about the 'nudge' by Roberts too.

hollowsr, football is becoming less and less a contact sport and apart from making no attempt to play the ball to try to get the ball to reach the touchline, I wish players would stop being such ponces generally:

Sheparding the ball out

Diving to the ground

Shirt pulling

Claiming for decisions they know they aren't entitled to

Deliberate handball

Time-wasting when being subbed - unless it's Tugay

Goalkeepers lying on the ground for an extended period after a save

Goalkeepers moving the ball from one side of the 6-yard box to the other

I wish players were a bit more honest, going in hard but fair to win the ball without worrying about the ref chucking around yellow cards every 5 minutes.

[Tom]

The thing with Di Santo today I quite like that he showed some passion even if it did turn into a show of petulance, rather that than he not care at all.

[roversmum]

What really winds me up is the players who put their hands up indicating a player from the opposing team is offside. Get on with the play, lads, most of it is just trying it on but sometimes a linesman or referee buys it - which, of course, is what it is actually about. Our lot regularly used to get caught standing with their hands in the air whilst the opposition player in question waltzed past them and deposited the ball neatly in the net. I noticed Stoke were at it today.

[Steve Moss]

. . . I wish players would stop being such ponces generally:

Sheparding the ball out

Diving to the ground

Shirt pulling

Claiming for decisions they know they aren't entitled to

Deliberate handball

Time-wasting when being subbed - unless it's Tugay

Goalkeepers lying on the ground for an extended period after a save

Goalkeepers moving the ball from one side of the 6-yard box to the other

I think the above all come under the header of unsportsmanlike conduct and should be penalized.

Frankly what gets me the most is the players who rush the ref to protest after a penalty is given. Has that ever resulted in a ref changing his mind? If the ref would just flash a yellow or two for dissent during the first few minutes of the game, it would speed up the balance of the match dramatically. Espcially if directed at the 'stars' who seem to think they are immune.

[Exiled_Rover]

Great thread, football is becoming unwatchable. I'm waiting for the ref to come along that makes the players treat him with the respect his position deserves. You don't see players back chatting in rugby for example. The FA needs to push this and make their officials book players who question their decision. It'd soon put a stop to it.

[Tom]

What really winds me up is the players who put their hands up indicating a player from the opposing team is offside. Get on with the play, lads, most of it is just trying it on but sometimes a linesman or referee buys it - which, of course, is what it is actually about. Our lot regularly used to get caught standing with their hands in the air whilst the opposition player in question waltzed past them and deposited the ball neatly in the net. I noticed Stoke were at it today.

The best example of that was when Barthez did it to try and fool Di Canio, he then just poked it past him.

Roberts annoys me at times, instead of getting on with the game he often stops throws his hands in the air and laughs at the ref when he doesn't get a free kick.

[roverzealous]

I completely agree, I find it very frustrating when defenders simply block a player from getting to the ball without making any attempt to play the ball themselves.

[Al]

Another annoyance to me is a player handing off a tackler with a stiff arm. The arms in football are purely for balance.

This is not Rugby.

[tcj_jones]

I absolutely hate it when the clock is running down and players take the ball to the corner flag and use their bodies to stop anybody getting close. Surely that is just obstruction and a free kick? I swear if a player did that anywhere else on the pitch, it would be.

[USABlue]

Another annoyance to me is a player handing off a tackler with a stiff arm. The arms in football are purely for balance.

This is not Rugby.

Spot on Al, I was just mentioning this the other day, holding and pushing is all too often let go. The hands are not supposed to be on another player at all, and as often is the case certain teams get away with it and others don't. It was just recently that I saw a perfectly legal shoulder charge called up however, it must have looked a bit rough or something but it was good. I too hate the obstruction that is going on all the time.