Head injuries in penalty area

[RustyRef]

I'm starting to think that PGMOL have told referees to always restart with the ball dropped to the defensive team when play is stopped due to a defending player being down with a head injury in their own penalty area. There was obviously the high profile Forest vs Liverpool incident, but it seems to keep happening.

Yesterday in the Sheff Wed vs Stoke game a Stoke player went down with a head injury, the ball bounced well out of the penalty area to Barry Bannan out by the touchline. He took a couple of touches, moving forwards towards the goal line and only then did the whistle go to stop play. The restart was a dropped ball to the keeper which is totally incorrect in law. No issue with play being stopped, and the defender was clearly hurt and indeed had to go off, but the only possible restart allowed by law was a dropped ball to Wednesday.

Then today in the Arsenal vs Villa game the same thing happened. Villa very clearly were in possession of the ball when the referee stopped play, yet David Coote restarted play with a dropped ball to Arsenal. Even more bizarre this one, as the head injury was in the penalty area yet he dropped the ball to Arsenal defenders outside of the penalty area.

It is happening too often to be a mistake by the referee, strikes me there must have been some guidance on it.

 

[santa sangria]

If all were cleared out of the box by defenders, are they interpreting play as stopped before the attackers touch the ball (even if that’s a second or two before the whistle)?

 

[JamesL]

If all were cleared out of the box by defenders, are they interpreting play as stopped before the attackers touch the ball (even if that’s a second or two before the whistle)?

Not sure but when it happened in the Liverpool V Forest game IFAB confirmed it is when the whistle is blown to stop play that is the consideration as what you say hear was my thinking too

 

[JamesL]

I'm starting to think that PGMOL have told referees to always restart with the ball dropped to the defensive team when play is stopped due to a defending player being down with a head injury in their own penalty area. There was obviously the high profile Forest vs Liverpool incident, but it seems to keep happening.

Yesterday in the Sheff Wed vs Stoke game a Stoke player went down with a head injury, the ball bounced well out of the penalty area to Barry Bannan out by the touchline. He took a couple of touches, moving forwards towards the goal line and only then did the whistle go to stop play. The restart was a dropped ball to the keeper which is totally incorrect in law. No issue with play being stopped, and the defender was clearly hurt and indeed had to go off, but the only possible restart allowed by law was a dropped ball to Wednesday.

Then today in the Arsenal vs Villa game the same thing happened. Villa very clearly were in possession of the ball when the referee stopped play, yet David Coote restarted play with a dropped ball to Arsenal. Even more bizarre this one, as the head injury was in the penalty area yet he dropped the ball to Arsenal defenders outside of the penalty area.

It is happening too often to be a mistake by the referee, strikes me there must have been some guidance on it.

Referee appears to be blowing the whistle here, with the ball still in the PA, certainly isn't being touched before it's blown, so last touch in PA, is a dropped ball to Stoke GK.

 

[GraemeS]

Not sure but when it happened in the Liverpool V Forest game IFAB confirmed it is when the whistle is blown to stop play that is the consideration as what you say hear was my thinking too

But, as discussed in that thread, that's kind of nonsense when you actually stop and think about it. The law on stopping play doesn't mention a whistle and if it did, it would need to have additional clauses to account for a referee losing his whistle or becoming injured/incapacitated in a way that means he is unable to blow a whistle.

Much simpler and more consistent IMO to state that the referee can decide that the play stops at any point, and the whistle is something that then can be used to communicate that decision to players at a point potentially later in time. It just simply solves all these issues - obviously the ref decided play needed to stop when the ball was still in the PA, it just took a second or two to get the whistle out. And so the drop ball to the GK is "correct" regardless of any carefully monitored audio.

 

[JamesL]

But, as discussed in that thread, that's kind of nonsense when you actually stop and think about it. The law on stopping play doesn't mention a whistle and if it did, it would need to have additional clauses to account for a referee losing his whistle or becoming injured/incapacitated in a way that means he is unable to blow a whistle.

Much simpler and more consistent IMO to state that the referee can decide that the play stops at any point, and the whistle is something that then can be used to communicate that decision to players at a point potentially later in time. It just simply solves all these issues - obviously the ref decided play needed to stop when the ball was still in the PA, it just took a second or two to get the whistle out. And so the drop ball to the GK is "correct" regardless of any carefully monitored audio.

Yes, was meaning to dig it all back up again just pointing out that is what IFAB said.
Counter points are valid and agreed with, especially an incapacitated ref, as the ARs won't/may not have a whistle to stop play in the event of a foul if the game is continuing under them.
A bizarre rule too, if the ref is incapacitated, don't rush to help him, let the game continue and we'll have a look at the next stoppage

 

[Kes]

Then today in the Arsenal vs Villa game the same thing happened. Villa very clearly were in possession of the ball when the referee stopped play, yet David Coote restarted play with a dropped ball to Arsenal. Even more bizarre this one, as the head injury was in the penalty area yet he dropped the ball to Arsenal defenders outside of the penalty area.

Must admit I saw that game too but unlike yourself, had formed the opinion that whilst Villa were "in possession" as you say, the referee deliberately blew before either of the 2 Villa players had touched it thereby ensuring that the restart was back down the other way(?)

Could be wrong of course. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

[RustyRef]

View attachment 7255
Referee appears to be blowing the whistle here, with the ball still in the PA, certainly isn't being touched before it's blown, so last touch in PA, is a dropped ball to Stoke GK.

I was sat in the North Stand pretty much level where Bannan is in that image. Unless the couple of pre-match pints consumed were considerably stronger than I thought they were he definitely didn't blow the whistle at that point. Guess it is possible he blew and no one heard it but that certainly didn't appear to be the case, and for all it was a big crowd it wasn't especially noisy..