Feigning a head injury while defending; a new tactic.

[DearneValleyRover]

Like I said last week, I know we were not good enough to beat you on the day, so not looking for excuses. The fact remains that your lot went down on half a dozen occasions clutching heads as if a sniper from the kop had taken aim, pathetic.

We were not good enough to get even a point at Barrow yesterday, not looking for excuses, Barrow fully deserved their win based on their second half performance. No cheating or shithousery from the Bluebirds, they beat us fairly

Barrow were at home and not playing with 10 men in front of 18,000 of your fans. Like I said before it’s not how I want to see us play but it got us a point and gave a squad some very much needed confidence after last season’s debacle.

 

[AdamStag]

Yes, it's difficult; but a compulsory 5 minute 'head check' for anyone going down with a game stopping head injury would be good for everybody and stop any play acting.

That’s what i said, however sadly you might then have those who play on under the instruction of the manager who need it, it’s a tough one.

 

[Son of Cod]

Refs need to have discretion to play on for a few seconds - when theNorthampton player went down we had the ball in space in their half. Refs will often play on in rugby until there is a stoppage. Drop ball should be back to the team in possession no matter where the ball is.

We had it in a dangerous position on the edge of their box. Having to give them the ball back because their player pretended to have a head injury when they're well on the ropes and we're all over them was scandalous. Northampton were terrible for this kind of behaviour as soon as they scored. I thought the NL was bad for that but they were as bad as anyone I saw last season. Imagine spending all that money and having to resort to that, embarrassing really. I'm with Adam Stag, if you go down with a head injury you should be off for 5 minutes. That'll put an end to it. If a player cramps up then tough shit too, in my opinion. Play should continue around them.

 

[Luke Imp]

It's been going on for a while, I think the first season of the ref having to stop play immediately for any head injury was 2017 because I can remember Luton doing it to us a few times in a 0-0 at SB.

I've not seen it happen for ages now but early on when the rule was introduced, the ref would blow his whistle, the player would jump up rubbing his head (as if to say "you've blown the whistle too quickly, ref") and they weren't made to leave the pitch. And then to really piss everyone off, the ref rarely gave drop ball near the penalty box.

 

[shoddycollins]

for me another way to stop it would be if you go go down injured when you’re off the pitch you’re off for say 5 mins, that would soon stop it.

Wasn't that supposed to be the rule anyway. I'm sure there was something about having to be properly checked for concussion, which would both reduce serious head injuries and discourage feigning injury.

 

[northstandexile]

The new rule that came in this season gives defenders a chance to stop play by falling over holding their head. The game restarts with the ball given to their goalkeeper. Northampton used it to their advantage yesterday; anyone else notice the tactic being used against them, or in fact by their own team?

You weren’t here last season, but it happened a lot last season and the main perpetrators were Salford, Forest Green and Stevenage from what I can recall. Can’t see it being reduced this season unless the guy goes down has to leave the field for at least five minutes before he can come back on to the field of play.

 

[MadJohn]

Fans have been blaming "gamesmanship" and "shithousery" for their team's failure to win for as long as I can remember. Can't see it changing any time soon.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

I really hate all this 'game management' stuff. Rewatched a classic from 20 years ago during the first lockdown and it was really just so noticeable how much better the game flowed - everyone just got up and got on with it. Giving each other the ball back for throw ins, not trying to steal a yard everywhere, not trying to see the game out by staying down constantly nearer the end etc. Just play each other at football and the best team can win.

I echo above too that I also hate it when we do all of that stuff as well, as we're obviously no different to the other 23 teams in this division that do it. Makes it a much worse spectacle and I'd say it's one of the factors behind my seriously waning interest over recent years.

That's why it was good to watch the majority of the Womens Euro's, very little of the sh*thousery shenanigans or the rolling all over the floor when fouled.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

The new rule that came in this season gives defenders a chance to stop play by falling over holding their head. The game restarts with the ball given to their goalkeeper. Northampton used it to their advantage yesterday; anyone else notice the tactic being used against them, or in fact by their own team?

Yes, acknowledged that we did it against you after we scored and when you suddenly became a different team going forward, it annoys and frustrates me as well.
Colchester were the same against us in the opening day, depending on whether they were behind or level, again frustrating but this is isn't unique to any of us and however much we dislike it, our own teams will use it.

Interesting stat from last seasons Premier League is that the ball on average was only in play for 55 minutes each game over the whole season.
Aside from timing like Rugby for every stoppage, I don't know how the officials can do anything because the majority of it is all within the Laws and/or guidance.