What Handbagsattenpaces is
Handbagsattenpaces is a new blog focused on football (soccer) that aims to initiate some discussions in 2 broad categories in the world of football:
1) The games, players, managers, and tactics with a focus on big int'l competions (like the World Cup and the Euros), The Champions League, and the English Premiership.
2) Critiques of the referees, the existing rules (and interpretation of them), and possible changes to the rules to hopefully improve the world's greatest game. Included topics will be the Offisdes Rule, Card Issuance, Penalty Kick awards, and many others (replays, microchips, etc).
Football is a low scoring game - the large majority of matches are decided by one goal or end in a draw. With the Offsides Rule, Card Issuance, and PK awards, we are dealing with 3 issues that have an enormous impact on which team wins a given match. This World Cup has highlighted problems in all 3 areas (and others to be sure), and I think these problems have threatened to overshadow what has otherwise been a great tournament.
I feel like the last truly meaningful step forward by soccer's governing bodies has been the elimination of the backpass to the goalie (and that was a long time ago). FIFA's most recent attempts to improve the game have been disastrous:
- Tinkering with the offsides rule (like passive offsides) has only increased confusion (like Frank Ribery's opening goal against Spain) and not successfully adressed the real problem of too many miscalled offsides (Brazil's 2nd goal against Ghana) . By my estimation, at least 20% of offsides calls are incorrect, and they are often stopping what would be golden scoring opprotunities, often a breakaway for an attacker (which has a high probability of resulting in a goal). Teams that are inventive and creative should be rewarded with good scoring opportunites, but too often they are stymied by a bored linesman who saw an attacker's head bob in front of a defender long after a through ball has been delivered.
- For the World Cup FIFA has encouraged liberal issuance of yellow and red cards by the refs, resulting in far too many arbitrary dismissals and suspensions. I am all for trying to clean up the game, but this has created some truly awful spectacles like the USA/Italy and Holland/Portugal matches.
- The Penalty Kick award for an infraction in the box often results in a goal for a team that has hardly deserved it. By the letter of the law, Spain deserved a PK against France - it was definitely a foul in the box. But it was not disrupting a great scoring chance (the Spanish player was headed away from goal) and awarding a PK is tantamount to awarding a goal.
I think there is room for massive improvement in all 3 of these rules and the result would be far fewer injustices in the final scorelines of matches.
Before I sound too dour and rules-oriented, let me re-iterate that I hope and expect most posts will be more about great players, great teams and great matches. From suddenly rejuventated France playing with unity and passion against a wilting Spain, to Germany playing some of the most attractive attacking football and winning over their country, to Ghana and The Ivory Coast looking right at home against football superpowers and bringing pride to their country and continent, to whether Chelsea officially creates a dynasty with a 3rd successive Prem title, to feel-good promotion stories like Wigan Athletic and West Ham, I look forward to discussing it all.
The Idiot
1) The games, players, managers, and tactics with a focus on big int'l competions (like the World Cup and the Euros), The Champions League, and the English Premiership.
2) Critiques of the referees, the existing rules (and interpretation of them), and possible changes to the rules to hopefully improve the world's greatest game. Included topics will be the Offisdes Rule, Card Issuance, Penalty Kick awards, and many others (replays, microchips, etc).
Football is a low scoring game - the large majority of matches are decided by one goal or end in a draw. With the Offsides Rule, Card Issuance, and PK awards, we are dealing with 3 issues that have an enormous impact on which team wins a given match. This World Cup has highlighted problems in all 3 areas (and others to be sure), and I think these problems have threatened to overshadow what has otherwise been a great tournament.
I feel like the last truly meaningful step forward by soccer's governing bodies has been the elimination of the backpass to the goalie (and that was a long time ago). FIFA's most recent attempts to improve the game have been disastrous:
- Tinkering with the offsides rule (like passive offsides) has only increased confusion (like Frank Ribery's opening goal against Spain) and not successfully adressed the real problem of too many miscalled offsides (Brazil's 2nd goal against Ghana) . By my estimation, at least 20% of offsides calls are incorrect, and they are often stopping what would be golden scoring opprotunities, often a breakaway for an attacker (which has a high probability of resulting in a goal). Teams that are inventive and creative should be rewarded with good scoring opportunites, but too often they are stymied by a bored linesman who saw an attacker's head bob in front of a defender long after a through ball has been delivered.
- For the World Cup FIFA has encouraged liberal issuance of yellow and red cards by the refs, resulting in far too many arbitrary dismissals and suspensions. I am all for trying to clean up the game, but this has created some truly awful spectacles like the USA/Italy and Holland/Portugal matches.
- The Penalty Kick award for an infraction in the box often results in a goal for a team that has hardly deserved it. By the letter of the law, Spain deserved a PK against France - it was definitely a foul in the box. But it was not disrupting a great scoring chance (the Spanish player was headed away from goal) and awarding a PK is tantamount to awarding a goal.
I think there is room for massive improvement in all 3 of these rules and the result would be far fewer injustices in the final scorelines of matches.
Before I sound too dour and rules-oriented, let me re-iterate that I hope and expect most posts will be more about great players, great teams and great matches. From suddenly rejuventated France playing with unity and passion against a wilting Spain, to Germany playing some of the most attractive attacking football and winning over their country, to Ghana and The Ivory Coast looking right at home against football superpowers and bringing pride to their country and continent, to whether Chelsea officially creates a dynasty with a 3rd successive Prem title, to feel-good promotion stories like Wigan Athletic and West Ham, I look forward to discussing it all.
The Idiot
posted by the idiot at 1:27 PM
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