25 Apr 2022 13:15:07
No issues with deep lying defensive teams playing for opportunities on the break. But so obviously time wasting within 15 minutes. What a joke and they should be embarrassed. 2-0 was probably apt on balance, but it was the kind of game, and they were the kind of opponent you wanted to hang for our 5 on.

25 Apr 2022 16:29:55
Everton stopped having any shame years ago, OP.

25 Apr 2022 17:36:09
I don't think Everton did anything wrong, the time-wasting is egregious but it's allowed and the responsibility is on the governing powers to do something about it.

And there are options, of course. Using a non-continuous clock that stops when the ball goes out of play would disincentivize most of the time-wasting and would not appreciably change the game otherwise, provided they reduce the time per half.

Having referees actually enforce the rules is another option. Goalkeepers can only hold the ball for six seconds, and they sometimes do thirty. It would not be hard to fix this! Teams would get in line very quickly if you started penalizing it.

Same for when players kick the ball away when it's not theirs after getting called for a foul or throw-in, or when they step up to the ball after a free kick awarded to the other team? Why is any of this tolerated? It's such a normal part of the game, but it causes significant delays and reduces fun offensive moments by allowing defenses to regain their shape, which is why they do it. But it's so obvious that everyone does it, it's bad for the game, and it's not allowed! So just start hitting people with yellow cards early and often, and after we have a couple games that finish 9v9, the behavior will stop. Won't even take long.

I saw Atwell go over to make a ball that wasn't touching the corner semicircle be moved two centimeters. Maybe try enforcing stuff that matters, globally.

25 Apr 2022 18:22:33
AP. Time-wasting is cheating. Hence why it carries a booking if deemed excessive. And as for not doing anything wring. Diving, trying to get players booked, harassing officials and even giving knowing winks and jabs into their badge after gamesmanship are all what could be called wrong. Richarlson is a cheat. Plain and simple. The crowd had Peter Reid in. Now I know he's from a bygone era but would he be impressed with the tactics they enforced? I'd like to think not. Will to win is one thing, getting decisions go your way is also but cheating? That's entirely different.

25 Apr 2022 18:31:26
Sorry AP I just got the gist of your post.

25 Apr 2022 19:51:49
All good.

With all kinds of rules, there are things allowed, and then things allowed*. Diving, time-wasting, and such is right now part of the unwritten part of the game, and I firmly believe it doesn't have to be.

The reason I don't blame Everton is because in their shoes, I would do the same thing. People mock them for time-wasting from the first whistle, but this is mathematically correct-- if you're against a vastly superior side, you want to shorten the game at every opportunity.

We can't expect players not to do things that they can get away with, just like we can't expect rich people to voluntarily pass on tax loopholes. But we can change rules and step up enforcement to fix these things and be more nimble in the response.

Some of the stuff like faking injuries does go into an unethical bucket because it makes all players less safe when you do that. But something like time-wasting, eh, it is genuinely part of the game, and if really shouldn't be, and I think people should be righteously p. ed at the authorities who make and enforce the rules rather than at Pickford who, from a completely justifiable perspective, was doing the right thing. And I say this as someone who texted my mate after the match that "Everton's tactics make them a deserving relegation side. " I don't think my positions are inconsistent.

25 Apr 2022 20:57:47
Very few teams i have ever watched use time wasting from the first minute. I get that late in a game that these "tactics" are used maybe if you're hanging on to a result but not like Everton yesterday. That was ridiculous but in the end they got what they deserved.

26 Apr 2022 00:11:37
Heard a stat on from yesterdays game that out of the whole first half including stoppage the ball was only in active play for 28 minutes, now I know that some of that time was legitimate throw ins etc given Everton only had barely 15% possession that’s some shocking time wasting! I agree with lots of the posters you can’t blame Everton for there tactics as had they tried to play football I reckon a 5-0 drubbing would have been on the cards all day long and big frank admitted as much in his post match comments. My issue like many others is with the ref, booking Pickford earlier in the match for time wasting would have sped play up and what has happened to awarding indirect free kicks against keepers who don’t release the ball within the rules of the game? I actually enjoy Everton being in the league as I love the derby game but yesterday truely tested my resolve.

26 Apr 2022 01:13:19
I heard them (tv guys) say that only 28 minutes of actual football play took place in those 48 or 49 minutes of the first half. I don't know what the average is but wasting approximately 50% of the allotted time can't be just swept under the carpet, just because many are doing it. When does it become too much? Where's the limit?

26 Apr 2022 16:14:49
The ball is normally in play just under 60 minutes. So knocking the first half down to 28 minutes is a good win for time-wasting. You would absolutely want to do this as a big underdog.