re: Handball practically in the goal

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Nobody's saying it wasn't a good play or that Suarez wasn't smart for doing it. People are debating the rule, not the action.

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There are too many variables to make a rule to counter-act this.

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Of course its part of the game but I don't know why that's a good defense for it whether you agree with the rule or no

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i think it's one of those "where do you draw the line?" problems. where the line is positioned just happened to frick ghana in the arse tonight.

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i think it's one of those "where do you draw the line?" problems. where the line is positioned just happened to frick ghana in the arse tonight.

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my point exactly.

to everyone that keeps mentioning the goal tending in basketball. They give them the automatic points because otherwise every single shot would be blocked at the rim and there would be 300 free throws a game. The whole game would be free throws.

The one situation in soccer where it would be beneficial (and only slightly) to intentionally handball a game winning goal came up today. It's almost even more improbable that the PK that resulted from it was missed.

I think the rules are fine the way they are.

IDK, I don't think it'd be that hard. It'd come down to three questions.

1) First, does the ball strike the player in the arm/hand?

If no, obviously, play continues. If yes, move on to questions 2 and 3:

2) Is any part of the player's foot/body on the goalline?

3) If the ball didn't strike his arm, would it have definitely gone into the goal (or would the ball have gone wide, maybe hit his body, or perhaps have been saved by the keeper)?

If the answer to both questions 2 and 3 is yes, it's a goal. If the answer to either question 2 or 3 is no, then it's a PK. I don't think it's that difficult, in all honesty, and if there's any doubt, then the ref can just award a PK. But in cases like today, when it's really obvious, then just give a goal.

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Nah. The WR might drop the ball. It happens all the time.

Never seen a ball heading to the middle of the net suddenly fly over the goal on its own though.

All this WC has done is confirmed how godawful this sport is.

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You act as though this shite is plaguing the sport. I think all US soccer fans welcome fans who aren't familiar with the sport - hell, my familiarity is limited as well - but it's absurd to see relatively new followers come in and suggest that soccer has all of these egregious flaws (case in point, the many people who argue that there should be no offsides).

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You act as though this shite is plaguing the sport. I think all US soccer fans welcome fans who aren't familiar with the sport - hell, my familiarity is limited as well - but it's absurd to see relatively new followers come in and suggest that soccer has all of these egregious flaws (case in point, the many people who argue that there should be no offsides).

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Soccer lovers always assume that those who don't like the sport haven't watched much of it.

FALSE.

I actually like SOME things about soccer. The players have to be in stupendous shape. They are very gifted at a skill that it abnormal to most people. My point there being few people can't throw a ball with some ability but most regular folks look like they're herding bees when they try to "handle" a ball with their feet.

But the game's rules are fricked and the powers are so attached to tradition that they refuse to respond to the issues that are oddly enough, brought about by the increasing talent of the players.

If American football, for example, never adjusted to this, the game would be a train wreck. Can you imagine "3 yards and a cloud of dust" with today's defensive lines and team speed?

I would list all of the rules issues but it would fall on deaf ears. But, that is my problem.

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I know you're not really comparing the two but this has nothing to do with the morons who say there should be no offsides rule

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I don't necessarily think there should be NO offsides rule but for frick's sake, it should be adjusted some.

I think the offsides rule is fine its just not always called properly, but to be fair its not easy to always get it right. Dempsey's goal however was one that should not have been missed.

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I think the offsides rule is fine its just not always called properly

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The damned rule creates a situation where I can be ONsides and NOT EVEN MOVE and if the defenders move, now I'm offsides.

That's retarded.

The basic problem with Soccer is this. The players have all gotten bigger and faster over time(just like in every sport).

Alas, this has created a situation where the rules are absolutely goal stifling.

Personally, I believe the absurd flopping is a direct symptom of this problem. Even the players know scoring is borderline impossible so they try every act in the book to get a chance at a set piece.

Now, set pieces are interesting but they are WAY TOO HIGH a percentage of the goal scoring in soccer.

Seriously. After set pieces, flat out accidental goals, illegal goals, and PK goals, there is an awfully low percentage of goals scored in pure action.