A&H

Penalty Positioning in OA games.

RonnieM

RonnieM

New Member
Level 7 Referee
I watched a video last night of a local game where the referee (was just the one official and CARs to call throw-ins only) was positioned about 8 yards away and in horizontal line from the penalty spot during a penalty kick, there were no CAR's to advise of encroachment. Well before the player took the penalty an opposition defender was about 2 yards inside the PA. The ref's gaze never left the penalty spot the whole time. The keeper saved the penalty and he ran to get a better position of possible rebounds/clearances. So where is the ideal place to be during a penalty where you can see the most? When the time comes for me, I am going the consider putting myself just at about 2 yards away from the goal line, and 2 yards inside the penalty area out of view of the kicker but still able to see both goalkeeper and any encroaching players... Would that be a good place?
 
A&H International
Wherever you position yourself make sure you can clearly observe both areas of encroachment. So blow whistle focus on other players just before player takes kick focus on the keeper. It is not ideal however the best in he circumstances
 
Yes if you don't have AR.

The most key decision is ball over line. The most common offence (now) is goalkeeper encroachment. With no AR, being near goal line you cover both those.

Taker offending is not very common and you can see that pretty much from anywhere. Player encroachment is now only important if there is impact which makes it uncommon, making it the one to compromise the most.
 
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RonnieM said:
I watched a video last night of a local game where the referee (was just the one official and CARs to call throw-ins only) was positioned about 8 yards away and in horizontal line from the penalty spot during a penalty kick, there were no CAR's to advise of encroachment. Well before the player took the penalty an opposition defender was about 2 yards inside the PA. The ref's gaze never left the penalty spot the whole time. The keeper saved the penalty and he ran to get a better position of possible rebounds/clearances. So where is the ideal place to be during a penalty where you can see the most? When the time comes for me, I am going the consider putting myself just at about 2 yards away from the goal line, and 2 yards inside the penalty area out of view of the kicker but still able to see both goalkeeper and any encroaching players... Would that be a good place?
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I think you are a little too far away from the goal, being 2 yards within the penalty area. While 2 yards off the line is reasonable, I would expect you to be mid-way between the goal are and penalty area lines (say 10 yards from the nearest post) for better viewing. The encroachment, when on your own, is not realistic to stop it by 1 foot, but ball in/out and movement by the keeper is more likely and important.
 
Gentle reminder for colleagues to review (the excellent IMO) Law changes for this season regarding encroachment. Had it come up on three separate occasions in pre-season already.
 
FirsFox40 said:
Gentle reminder for colleagues to review (the excellent IMO) Law changes for this season regarding encroachment. Had it come up on three separate occasions in pre-season already.
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Busy preseason for you then ... 🤣
 
FirsFox40 said:
Gentle reminder for colleagues to review (the excellent IMO) Law changes for this season regarding encroachment. Had it come up on three separate occasions in pre-season already.
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And also the ball much be touching/overhanging the centre of the penalty mark!
 
one said:
Yes if you don't have AR.

The most key decision is ball over line. The most common offence (now) is goalkeeper encroachment. With no AR, being near goal line you cover both those.

Taker offending is not very common and you can see that pretty much from anywhere. Player encroachment is now only important if there is impact which makes it uncommon, making it the one to compromise the most.
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This.
With no NARs the biggest risk to the match is a goal/no goal decision - either off the post/bar or via a save. If you do a hundred penalty shoot outs with no NARs it will only happen once or twice.

If you are on the goal line - or up to 2 yards away - when you make that one mm goal decision you will be the hero - you will have saved a mass con - and both teams, coaches and fans will think you are Nostradamus.

The other 99 times, they will look at you funny - because footballers just do not know what we know. They will wonder why you are so close to the goal line - but you will know!
 
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socal lurker said:
That heavens IFAB solved that serious problem!!
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I actually don't mind this change. It solves the problem of how big the penalty mark can be or what if there is no penalty mark. It would have saved me a few arguments with players had it been there in laws to start with.

To give you an idea, I once had a penalty and a cross as the penalty mark with each line being about 0.5m long.
 
one said:
I actually don't mind this change. It solves the problem of how big the penalty mark can be or what if there is no penalty mark. It would have saved me a few arguments with players had it been there in laws to start with.

To give you an idea, I once had a penalty and a cross as the penalty mark with each line being about 0.5m long.
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There used to be a maximum size in LOTG for the penalty mark, but hidden away in Law 1. Many people asked what 9 inches was in the Laws for . . . 🤔😁
 
I hadn’t realized they had taken the size out. In the US, high school soccer uses a line instread of a mark. I don’t recall how long. Players in non HS games are often perplexed when we are on a HS field and I tell them it has to be in the middle of the line.
 
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