The Ref Stop

Advantage

Tom_R

Tom_R

Member
Level 5 Referee
I played advantage a few games ago and the player took a shot within the 6 seconds, once the goalkeeper saved the shot a teammate of the fouled player then asked for the free kick because it hadn't been 6 seconds. Was I right to play on or should I have brought the play back to the free kick when the shot was saved?
 
The Ref Stop
Where is "six seconds" in Law? (Says "a few"). Player got a shot on target, which was the advantage. They don't get two bites of the cherry.
 
I thought so, I'm also sure I saw 6 seconds somewhere maybe I'm thinking of gk with the ball in their hands. Thanks for the help
 
6 is a magic number. Had a keeper (at step 3 i add too) that he can take the free kick up to 6 yards from the offence!!

But back to OP. No such thing with six seconds for advantage. It's a few seconds and that's only if the advantage doesn't accrue, which obviously it did as they had a shot at goal.
 
Tom_R said:
I thought so, I'm also sure I saw 6 seconds somewhere maybe I'm thinking of gk with the ball in their hands. Thanks for the help
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That's the only reference to six seconds in Law. Which six seconds in a 'keeper's hands is actually about 20 :D
 
Tom_R said:
I played advantage a few games ago and the player took a shot within the 6 seconds, once the goalkeeper saved the shot a teammate of the fouled player then asked for the free kick because it hadn't been 6 seconds. Was I right to play on or should I have brought the play back to the free kick when the shot was saved?
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Shot away... for me advantage all day long. I would consider the level of the game. Is it Div 12 of Sunday league? or a competitive Premier Division or County league? You could argue you can give more time for the lower ability as the players need longer.

Consider the situation for a penalty.... For me its always harder to justify an advantage when there is a penalty shout. The team could have a clear shot on goal then still want the penalty... But then you've technically given them two goes at it if you then give the pen after the missed shot.
 
Another thing I tend to consider with advantage and getting a shot away is the nature of the shot itself. If for example the player has been shoved and is off balance then the shot will most likely be affected by this so I'll tend to pull it back for the foul. If the ball falls to a teammate though who takes a shot unaffected then that is the advantage for me so I'd go with play on.
EDIT - just to add that the point I'm making above is that whilst in both cases the player got a shot away, the final refereeing decision isn't the same. So whilst I know where some of the posts above are coming from when they say that getting a shot = advantage over, it might not always be this clear cut.
 
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Anubis said:
Advantage is when to play on is more beneficial to the offended team than awarding the fk

this will of course vary, from game to game, team to team.
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And this is a great point. Advantage is not, principally, about letting the game flow; it is about not punishing a team because something unfair was done to them. Allowing the game to flow is a positive by-product of playing an advantage, but it is not a sufficient reason to play advantage in and of itself. We can increase or decrease "flow" by adjusting tolerance levels instead. I hear far too many officials say "I like to let the game flow so I'll be playing lots of advantage" in their pregame chats. Always rankles me a bit.
 
RyantheRef said:
And this is a great point. Advantage is not, principally, about letting the game flow; it is about not punishing a team because something unfair was done to them.
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RyantheRef said:
Allowing the game to flow is a positive by-product of playing an advantage, but it is not a sufficient reason to play advantage in and of itself. We can increase or decrease "flow" by adjusting tolerance levels instead. I hear far too many officials say "I like to let the game flow so I'll be playing lots of advantage" in their pregame chats. Always rankles me a bit.
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Correct, its too easy confused with, play on.

As Rusty always points to, its absolutely true far too many times new fresh referees think they are impressing by, playing on, ' he still has the ball' etc

There will actually be very few times in a game playing in is more beneficial than the freekick. Guy getting fouled 25 yards out but getting his shot in, is nothing even close to a regimental set up, with a stopped ball, and opponents min 10 yards away,

And its vital to remember the advantage is relative to the team, its them who has been fouled, its not for us to try be clever and give them something they might benefit from, its a case of, they do benefit from
 
Anubis said:
Correct, its too easy confused with, play on.

As Rusty always points to, its absolutely true far too many times new fresh referees think they are impressing by, playing on, ' he still has the ball' etc

There will actually be very few times in a game playing in is more beneficial than the freekick. Guy getting fouled 25 yards out but getting his shot in, is nothing even close to a regimental set up, with a stopped ball, and opponents min 10 yards away,

And its vital to remember the advantage is relative to the team, its them who has been fouled, its not for us to try be clever and give them something they might benefit from, its a case of, they do benefit from
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Absolutely. The advantage must materialize within the few seconds. Saying that there might be an advantage which could materialize if you allow play to go on is simply not enough. To distill it down to one simple question: does the team who has been fouled have a promising attack potential? If they do, play advantage. If they don't, give a free kick.
 
Possession =/= advantage.

Swinging in a freekick from out wide for the centre back to get his head on = possibly more advantageous.

At the club I’m technical staff of, we just tell the player fouled to stop if they’d rather whip a dead ball in. Works every time. (Well, 9/10 times, some level 5s are dire)
 
RyantheRef said:
Absolutely. The advantage must materialize within the few seconds. Saying that there might be an advantage which could materialize if you allow play to go on is simply not enough. To distill it down to one simple question: does the team who has been fouled have a promising attack potential? If they do, play advantage. If they don't, give a free kick.
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I'd quibble slightly with you distillation--I think the more precise question is whether they have potential for a promising attack that is better than the FK would be. (Which is why advantage for DFK offenses in the PA should be extremely rare, but a less promising attack would justify advantage at midfield than at the top of the arc.)
 
Max2 said:
Possession =/= advantage.

Swinging in a freekick from out wide for the centre back to get his head on = possibly more advantageous.

At the club I’m technical staff of, we just tell the player fouled to stop if they’d rather whip a dead ball in. Works every time. (Well, 9/10 times, some level 5s are dire)
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Used to be a respected vastly experienced low league manager, would tell you before every game ( on the off chance you had forgot), to simply award his team the free kick, none of the advantage stuff.

Reason being, if needed, he had like 4 6"5 players and the most beneficial situation for them was the fk, which they had practised, alomg with the practised free kicks on target themselves

very awkward now for the referee to play an attacking advantage, on the basis we think its in their interests, however they have already told you whats best fot them, v them deciding how you referee the game.....
 
Max2 said:
Possession =/= advantage.

Swinging in a freekick from out wide for the centre back to get his head on = possibly more advantageous.

At the club I’m technical staff of, we just tell the player fouled to stop if they’d rather whip a dead ball in. Works every time. (Well, 9/10 times, some level 5s are dire)
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I assume here they should only stop after the referee calls or signals advantage? Otherwise it sounds like they're in danger of not playing to the whistle! (depends on how clear-cut the foul was of course)
 
Bombedcoma said:
Consider the situation for a penalty.... For me its always harder to justify an advantage when there is a penalty shout. The team could have a clear shot on goal then still want the penalty... But then you've technically given them two goes at it if you then give the pen after the missed shot.
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My maxim (and I learned this the hard way) is - never ever ever play advantage in the penalty area - unless you can see that the ball is rolling into an empty net!! 😉
 
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Kes said:
My maxim (and I learned this the hard way) is - never ever ever play advantage in the penalty - unless you can see that the ball is rolling into an empty net!! 😉
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I’ve only ever played advantage in the area once.
Attacker was fouled by the keeper after knocking the ball past him, ball game rolls towards the 6 yard line and his team mate smashes it home!

They turn around to see me giving it the big Mike Dean 😂
 
Will_A said:
I’ve only ever played advantage in the area once.
Attacker was fouled by the keeper after knocking the ball past him, ball game rolls towards the 6 yard line and his team mate smashes it home!

They turn around to see me giving it the big Mike Dean 😂
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I think I have done it twice and both times they have bloody missed.
 
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