[Football] Change how matches are timed

portlock seagull said:

Stop it. We lost. That’s all there is to it. All this BS tinkering, meddling and striving for perfection has ruined the game as it is. And if your objective is fairness, don’t be so bloody naive. The “level playing field” is so weighted with gold towards the big clubs, we’re practically attacking a 90 degree slope. That’s the real injustice. Not refs and rules, as life sucking as VAR is.

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Deadly Danson said:

A lot of people have been saying this for a long time though. The absolutely easiest part of a refs job is timekeeping but they are gloriously inconsistent and useless at it. For every idiot like today's ref who allows play to continue well beyond time there are others who fail to stop their watch for timewasting, injuries, subs etc especially during injury time. Give it to someone else and make it more clear for all to see.

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raymondo said:

Remove timing from the referee, from their desire to let play continue until ball ends up on half way line. 35 mins (or whatever) active play each half - stop the clock when ball is dead. Time wasting disappears, doubts about bias disappear, 2-2 result in this case.

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Johnny RoastBeef said:

I've often thought about this.

In the Europa League cup final there were 4 goals in the first half but the ref added no additional time.

But would there be unintended consequences?

Would it result in an unwanted degree of playing out time by the winning team, knocking the ball around at the back as the clock ticks down?

Or perhaps there would be positives, like an attacking team subbing the keeper for a centre forward when a corner or free kick is awarded with fewer than 10 seconds remaining on the clock?

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raymondo said:

I don't mind the playing out of time by a winning team...the ball is live and the opponent can try to get it. Much better than time wasting from delayed/slowed free kicks, goal kicks etc

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Johnny RoastBeef said:

True.

What it lead to every team employing an eight foot tall giant in their squad, just to bring on for that free kick or corner in the last 10 seconds?

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Shropshire Seagull said:

Yeah but, league or union?
League, the hooter sounds on the second time is up - game over.
Union, play continues until ball next goes dead.

I like the idea of a big digital clock on the stand [one at each end so everyone can see] and a ref carrying a clicker that starts and stops this big clock ticking down from 45 mins [or the 4th official can do this]
Any injury or time when ball is out of play, ref stops the big clock and then starts it immediately play resumes.
No more time wasting as the ref has stopped the clock. Slow goal kicks, throw-ins or feigning injury no longer an issue.
Best of all, we always get our 45mins money's worth.

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AlbionInUs said:

So are we changing the rules only for the Prem? Everywhere it is 90 minutes, but here it isin’t?

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AlbionInUs said:

Good idea in theory, but it’s harder than you think. As a ref, there is so much to focus on. It is hard to start and stop the watch so often. And what if you forget?

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