How could football adapt to fix the issue?published at 14:12 GMT
14:12 GMT
Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
Referees do not go into Premier League games blind about each team’s tactics. Officials are sent a dossier of information by PGMO which details how each team approaches set-pieces, attacking and defensively.
It is supposed to keep referees ahead of the curve on things like grappling and blocking. But, with the Premier League’s high bar on fouls, much of the holding is allowed.
Fans get frustrated by corners being retaken, but former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann says this is because “grappling often begins before the corner is taken” – and it isn’t possible to give a foul when the ball isn’t in play.
Maybe this could all change? We might be waiting a while for anything to happen, though.
The International Football Association Board (Ifab) met in Wales on Saturday to thrash out the law changes for next season.
Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell batted away questions about grappling: “It wasn’t something that we specifically talked about. I’m not sure it’s necessarily getting worse.”
It should be remembered that we’re only discussing this because players and coaches are always trying to find that extra edge to score a goal.
It might be that a law change really is needed to stop players throwing each other around before corners, or maybe it is just a Premier League problem.