Is the ball important any more?

[Supersub6]

Yes, a strange question in a game that is called footBALL. however, certain events in games during the first two weeks of this PL season have prompted my question.

Firstly, we had Phil Jagielka dismissed when he made a genuine attempt to play the ball after it had bounced away from. He actually did play the ball, however, we deemed to have been out of control and endangered an opponent which, in the current game is deemed to be an offence which results in dismissal.
Last weekend we had Isaac Hayden dismissed for an attempt to win the ball, however, his tackle was made from behind and he caught his opponent, which was deemed to be dangerous and resulted in his dismissal.
In that same game, Harry Arter chased a Newcastle player but made no attempt to play the ball, rather he just kicked out at the player and caught him just below the knee thus stopping the Newcastle break, however, he received only a caution.

It would appear that, from these instances, the ball is not important at all because players who do try to play the ball can expect to be dismissed if they mistime a tackle, whereas a calculated, cold blooded kick with the ball nowhere near will only result in a caution.

I posed a similar question on a referees' forum and was quite shocked to receive this reply which seems to bear out what I have said.

"Winning the ball is totally and utterly irrelevant. A player can win the ball but still break a player's leg, and indeed Jagielka's challenge was a good example of that as it was luck rather than any kind of judgement that the opponent wasn't seriously hurt. The law is now clear that a lunge with one or both feet is a red card if it endangers an opponent.

Arter's was more of a trip and less likely to cause injury, but I can still see why some say it should have been red."

My response to that answer was
"As you have said, the ball is now irrelevant as far as these incidents is concerned.
More confirmation, if it were needed, that physical contact when trying to win the ball should be removed from the game, however, it is in order to kick or trip an opponent when not even trying to win the ball.
Yes, they have changed TLOG but is it improving the game or moving it nearer to a non-contact sport?
I played well over a thousand games at a decent senior level, dating back to 1962, and can count the number of serious injuries players sustained in those games on one hand.
It would seem that the modern fan wants a non-contact sport because the majority seem to want every tackle penalised and get on the referee's back when it is not."

Long winded I know, however, is it just me that is worrying about the way the beautiful game is going? I do not wish to watch an eleven-a-side version of five-a-side football but that is where we are heading ---oohh ---heading ---I shouldn't have mentioned that wit hrecent rumblings in the press.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

It wouldn't bother Brian O'Neil whatsoever, he only ever played the man!

[Supersub6]

That is the problem though BT because we will not see good, hard players like him any more because they have been hounded out of the game ---leaving us with what?
Players like Stuart Pearce, Keith Newton, John Angus and many more full backs who were great with their sliding tackles would not last five minutes because these tackles are deemed to be endangering an opponent!

[Norder]

.

Wussball.

talks are undeway at the F.A - to introduce these..... .

[Supersub6]

Charlie Taylot got booked tongiht when he played the ball perfectly but his opponent went down because he was in the line of fire.
Gibson got booked for a nothing foul and then gets dismissed for a second yellow for handball --football is finished.
I really wish that someone would kick someone up in the air and make it all worthwhile!
Norder ---wussball doesn't even come into it.

[Norder]

Norder ---wussball doesn't even come into it.

it does if a Ref goes along with it.....then they arbitrate - Wussball.

[Altobelli]

Said it before and I'll say it again, the Refereeing situation needs a complete overhaul, but will it happen ? No, the game has gone to pot and nothing will stop it getting much worse, I am surprised Managers and players have not all got together and spoken out about it, I know they can get fined for "Bringing the game into disrepute" (always makes me cringe and laugh that expression), but someone with some bollox needs to speak out instead of towing the line.

[sinkov]

I agree with almost every word Sub, all except that the modern fan wants a non contact sport. I don't believe he does, he might want a free-kick every time an opponent breathes on one of his team, but that's a different thing altogether.

You highlight what I've been saying for some time now, referees are ruining the game. Just who drives these directives and differing interpretations of the laws I've no idea, but the refs blithely go along with it, and common sense refereeing is a thing of the past. For the most part the referees, if not exactly on the side of the cheats, turn a blind eye to most of it, and by doing so condone it. I could give several examples but I have to have a look at the York card for tomorrow, so no time. Maybe later in the thread.

[Supersub6]

sinkov-- the referees are working to directives from FIFA, UEFA and our own FA and, because they want to keep their jobs, they stick to what they are told to do. It would seem that the current thing is to punish any tackle that may result in a player being injured, give a handball regardless of whether it is intentional or not, particularly if the hand is not in a natural position, whatever that is!! Mine have been on the end of my arms for almost 72 years but I'll bet that if the ball hit my hand it would be a penalty.
The game really is going to the dogs.
I watched VIlla v Brentford last night and three free kicks were given when players won the ball fair and square but an opponent wnet down feigning injury and that was Jon Moss refereeing who normally lets a lot of the physical stuff go.

[sinkov]

The one that irritates me most is the player who intentionally runs in front of another player, initiates contact, then falls down. This is done quite intentionally and is deliberate cheating, but the referee will award the cheating player a free kick every time, without fail. Referees can't possibly be so naïve they aren't aware of what these players are doing, but they allow them to get away with cheating every time. Imo that makes them complicit in the cheating that's ruining the game.