The "Advantage" Rule Discussion

[joggerjayne]

Just opening up a discussion here, and trying to get this clear in my head.

I saw a bit of Match Of The Day last night, cos it came on after Louis Theroux.

There were a few times when the referee played "advantage".

How does the advantage rule work in football?

[chelle7272]

instead of stopping play, the referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed

[Mattk]

Play is allowed to continue if the team that were fouled would gain an advantage i.e. as they would have done if the foul was not committed. If it is deemed that there is no advantage to be gained then play is stopped and a free-kick awarded.

[snags]

The same as in Rugby then... apart from the free kick obviously...

[joggerjayne]

So it's if there is an "advantage" in letting play carry on ?

What if the referee plays "advantage", but then the attacker loses the ball, and the other team counter attack, and score ?

[redman41]

It is the Referee's way of keeping the Game flowing rather than to stop play and award a Freekick in favour of the Player being fouled as long as he or one of his Team mates are in full control of the Ball at the time.
He may caution the offender at the first opportunity after the offence.
If it was a serious Foul then there would have been a Freekick and Yellow/Red Card !

[Mattk]

"What if the referee plays "advantage", but then the attacker loses the ball, and the other team counter attack, and score ?"

If within a very short space of time after giving the advantage the play breaks down I have seen the ref then award the free-kick for the initial foul. Not sure whether this is a firm rule or referee discretion.

[joggerjayne]

Aah, so the Ref can track back a bit if the "advantage" backfires.

[redman41]

The Ref however will take a dim view of Players swinging from the Crossbar after using Monkey Butt Powder beforehand ! :-))

[bibblebub]

yes the ref can give it a few seconds to see how the play develops but unlike rugby they don't indicate when that period is finished

[joggerjayne]

But if a player DID hang on the crossbar, and thus saved a goal, or if an attcking player hung on the bar and scored a goal ... is that allowed?

[rowanwitch]

unlike Rugby however advantage doesn't go on for ages... this is a good thing.....

[joggerjayne]

Rugby referees seem more communicative.

[redman41]

22 Players swinging off the Crossbar would be quite a sight JJ !
Brighton Zoo springs to mind !!! Mwahahaha!

[bibblebub]

Rugby refs are miked up during the top-level games; when the BBC show the 6 Nations games one of the audio options is to hear what is picked up by that rather than having to listen to the dull commentators.

[joggerjayne]

We don't have a zoo.

We have an aquarium, though.

[redman41]

Advantage Aquarium then JJ !! :-)

[rowanwitch]

nearest Zoo is Drusillas isn't it?

[joggerjayne]

Yes, rowan ... which is a bit of a kiddy park sort of thing

[rowanwitch]

Still who needs a zoo with some of the people who live in brighton... I swear there were some who miss being human by a few genes

[jd_here]

Or if you're a Man U or Liverpool player you usually have 12 on your side, which gives you somewhat of an advantage before you even kick off!