Date:         Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:06:46 -0500
Reply-To:     Discussion of Topics for Soccer Referees
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Sender:       Discussion of Topics for Soccer Referees
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From:         Larry Stone <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: Boxing in the keeper
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2011, Morten Mikkelsen wrote:

> The visiting team (black shirts) set up the same way on every corner with
> three players in a stagger formation in front of the keeper (the one closets
> to the goal line backing up to be right in front of the keeper with the next
> team mate a little in front of him and further away from the line and the
> next player even further forward and away from the line) and two team mates
> side-by-side behind the keeper, about a quarter of the way in from the back
> post a few feet off the goal line. When the ball was coming into the box,
> the three players in front would collapse back towards the keeper and
> effectively box the keeper in a very small space by the five team mates in
> black.
...
> How do I balance the keeper's right to be able to go after the ball with the
> attacker's right to occupy a space and compete for the ball?

The aqttacker doesn't have the right to occupy any space he feels like. He 
only (in this context) has the right to occupy the ground on which he 
currently stands. When he moves, you need to determine if he has done so 
fairly. Did he move in the GK's path to the ball? Was the ball in playing 
distance? If the answers are yes and no respectively, then it sounds like 
impeding to me.

-- Larry Stone
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