I know that the international soccer federation is waiting for my feedback before finalizing the rules for the World Cup, so here is something:
What I frequently see when I watch soccer is that one team will be playing a smart possession game. They will get the ball in their own end and, with a series of passes, move the ball up the field while maintaining possession. These passes are often very clever and artistic - dink, dink, dink. The game is played in 3 dimensions as some of the passes go around but other times over defenders.
At these times, I can see why they call it the beautiful game.
It becomes a chess game of patience and tactics. Sometimes there is a strategic retreat as lanes of progress are closed off and other avenues are sought. Speed is of no importance; possession is always key in the relentless advance.
But then what I find happens is that the play will move in on the penalty area, the defense tightens, advancing players will have less space, the ball eventually will come loose and
BOOT
a defender will just kick the ball the hell down to the other end. There's no particular strategy, just
BOOT
I slump in my chair. It begins again.
Basically it's the reason they have icing in hockey. I feel soccer needs to have some kind of rule about this. In short, defenders who do this should be taken out back and shot.
And that would make soccer more interesting.
What I frequently see when I watch soccer is that one team will be playing a smart possession game. They will get the ball in their own end and, with a series of passes, move the ball up the field while maintaining possession. These passes are often very clever and artistic - dink, dink, dink. The game is played in 3 dimensions as some of the passes go around but other times over defenders.
At these times, I can see why they call it the beautiful game.
It becomes a chess game of patience and tactics. Sometimes there is a strategic retreat as lanes of progress are closed off and other avenues are sought. Speed is of no importance; possession is always key in the relentless advance.
But then what I find happens is that the play will move in on the penalty area, the defense tightens, advancing players will have less space, the ball eventually will come loose and
BOOT
a defender will just kick the ball the hell down to the other end. There's no particular strategy, just
BOOT
I slump in my chair. It begins again.
Basically it's the reason they have icing in hockey. I feel soccer needs to have some kind of rule about this. In short, defenders who do this should be taken out back and shot.
And that would make soccer more interesting.