Referees to take tougher line on grappling, holding at Premier League set-pieces
LONDON, Aug 20 — Premier League clubs have been warned to expect a tougher stance from officials on grappling and...
Premier League clubs have been advised to anticipate stricter enforcement from officials regarding grappling and holding at set-pieces in the upcoming season. Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer for English football, expressed concern over the abundance of unpunished instances last season where defenders dragged attackers to the ground during corners and free-kicks.
Arsenal's championship win in part stemmed from their expertise in set-pieces, leading rival managers and fans to criticize the team's habit of wrestling opponents before the ball was delivered. Webb aims for referees and video assistant referees (VAR) to be more vigilant about this issue, starting with Arsenal's opening game against Coventry at the Emirates Stadium.
He foresees a decrease in warnings before fouls, but an increase in penalized situations throughout the season. The ability for VAR to check for attacking fouls at set-pieces and order them to be retaken, if a goal, penalty, or disciplinary action results, will be a new feature in the upcoming season. However, Webb does not desire the game's flow to be disrupted by frequent stoppages for fouls at set-pieces.
He maintains a high threshold for penalization, but anticipates more offences being penalized by the end of the season. Webb also expressed concern over the aftermath of FIFA's decision to overturn US forward Folarin Balogun's red card during the World Cup, citing growing belief in refereeing conspiracies among supporters following the Balogun controversy.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
