A&H

Orlando vs LAFC

wazztie16

Level 4 Referee
Level 4 Referee
Just watched an LAFC player taking a corner, the ball was inches on the corner arc, player was told to move it further in by the referee so moved it about another 2 inches by rolling it towards him.

Can anyone explain to me what reason(s) players are thinking of to be putting the ball as far to the edge as possible?

I'm struggling to understand the thinking behind it.
 
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At least two valid ones.
- The flag is a nuisance. The further away from it, the easier it is to take the kick.
- At grassroots, most pitches have the corner arc with little grass. The further away from the flag, the better the grass (which helps the ball sit up and allow to lift the ball in the kick).
 
Fair points, it just seems such a faff to get the ball as far over the line as possible with it still being legal, especially in the higher leagues.
 
At least two valid ones.
- The flag is a nuisance. The further away from it, the easier it is to take the kick.
- At grassroots, most pitches have the corner arc with little grass. The further away from the flag, the better the grass (which helps the ball sit up and allow to lift the ball in the kick).

This.

It is also a historical things, in the past the machines that marked the lines were heavy and that meant that the pitch under the line was much lower than the grass. So by putting the ball right on the edge of the line it lets you get your foot under the ball, not to dissimilar to how keepers stamp on the ground before putting the ball down for a goal kick.
 
Isn't that outlawed though?

Only if they are making unofficial marks, and this scenario isn't what that law was brought in for. Rather before that law keepers would mark lines on the pitch level with their posts so that they could know where their posts were even when looking out onto the pitch.
 
Just watched an LAFC player taking a corner, the ball was inches on the corner arc, player was told to move it further in by the referee so moved it about another 2 inches by rolling it towards him.

Can anyone explain to me what reason(s) players are thinking of to be putting the ball as far to the edge as possible?

I'm struggling to understand the thinking behind it.
For outswinging corners, i.e. right footed player taking one beside the AR, so that there is less chance of the ball going out of play and swinging back in.
 
not to dissimilar to how keepers stamp on the ground before putting the ball down for a goal kick.
Isn't that outlawed though?
It depends on the level of stamping. If it is to make a mount to put the ball on top of and a ditch behind it then not allowed. If it is to flatten the grass and dirt behind the ball, while the ball is sitting on top of the best part of the grass a little higher than the flattened grass, then all good to go.
 
The player moving the ball at a corner really irritates me as there isn't a valid reason for doing so. But whats irks me more is a player spotting the ball for a free kick and then waits for the ref to move off in order to move the ball forward a couple of metres.
 
Did I tell you about the time: I flagged a Real Madrid youth team...? The highlight in a dull match for AR1, was when Future Hierro spotted the ball about 150cm outside the corner arc to take a quick one and be in on goal. I had to bring it back. Greatly confusing the rapturous fans and my talented young ref. The corner arc would have had to have been massive!

(Hat tip: Tournaments Abroad :) )
 
The player moving the ball at a corner really irritates me as there isn't a valid reason for doing so. But whats irks me more is a player spotting the ball for a free kick and then waits for the ref to move off in order to move the ball forward a couple of metres.
If they're the one who put it there, what is to be irked about fixing that placement? If they're not the one who put it there, why should it annoy you that they move it somewhere that they could actually kick it from, when that position is no less legal?

Put it this way, if I knew the referee would force an opponent to take the CK from its first legal placement in the arc, you're damn sure I'd be putting it on the baseline against the flag every time before they got there! What a joke that would make of the game...

It's really not something that should be concerning you, any more than a spinning throw-in should (go see that thread for details).
 
the real issue would be if it were being done for purpose of delaying the restart

I don't know if it is still true, but at one time the American high school soccer rules (yes, they have to have their own instead of using the LOTG...) made it a specific cautionable offense to move the ball from one side of the goal area to the other after placing it for a GK. (there was a bit of history in that rule set of not trusting referees to manage things)
 
I don't know if it is still true, but at one time the American high school soccer rules (yes, they have to have their own instead of using the LOTG...) made it a specific cautionable offense to move the ball from one side of the goal area to the other after placing it for a GK.
It isn't actually specified as a cautionable offence in the NFHS Rules document but their Rule 16 (they use virtually the same numbering sequence as the IFAB) does say that at a goal kick:
Once the ball is placed, the ball cannot be moved from one spot to another.
And according to a member of the NFHS Rules committee that I correspond with:
The player moving the ball is to be cautioned for unnecessary delay and will have to leave the game.

That last bit is another quirk of the NFHS Rules - any player receiving a caution has to leave the field but can be replaced and is allowed to return later at a subsequent substitution opportunity for their team (they allow rolling subs).
 
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