Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Week in Review

If you haven't done so already please read the MLS Week in Review for Week 35. It's really important to keep up with the information US Soccer puts out there for two reasons. One, its going to make your games go more smoothly. Two, when you go to out of state tournaments or even get assessed here you'll be expected to be aware of the policies US Soccer has put forth.

This WIR was a good one since it touched on some subjects we talk about quite often:
  • Offside Position... but is it punishable? The merit of waiting to see what's going to happen pays off in the clip. This lesson is not just applicable to MLS matches! This is something we can and should be practicing on a weekly basis. Remember the only time you want a quick(er) flag is when there is a good chance there will be contact between an attacker and the goalkeeper.
  • Hey Ref! Handball! Well, I guess I should handling. But you never hear someone shout the correct terms. In the clip we see how players can be very coy in their handling. Funny that the same topic that will spur a 25-minute near shouting match at the yearly clinic is also a point of discussion at the professional level. Some things never change, I suppose.
  • 100% Misconduct. In the early days MLS was criticized for being overly aggressive. Referees probably would've been nervous to give a caution within the first five minutes of the game. Oh, how things have changed! So take note of the fact that the time on the clock has no bearing on whether or not you punish misconduct. Deal with it; because you don't want to see more of that later in the game, right?

One of the things I enjoy about the Week in Review is the addition of videos. Experience comes from seeing something over and over again, so that we can instantly recognize something and deal with it. Although not quite the same as being there, watching these videos is definitely a good thing.

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