Premier league using only one match ball. What's the point of that?

[Theafonis]

Pep was telling a ball to get the ball out quicker to the players when it goes out yesterday to avoid disruption of his tactics




Mourinho has abused ball boys before because they were too lax in getting the ball out.



Wasting time at Anfield, although I don't mind this



In away ground, the home fans tend to hold the ball when it goes out slowing down the game.

Why doesn't the league use multiple balls like they do in other leagues?

What's the sense in using one match ball

 

[rcoobc]

What's the sense in using one match ball

They don't... do they?

 

[Theafonis]

They don't... do they?

Yes during the match.

Although they have multiple balls on the bench if needed and used during warmup

 

[Theafonis]

Similar analysis discussing how the ball going out of play runs down the clock.

http://www.soccermetrics.net/team-performance/effective-time-in-football

Instead of introducing new measures with match time or game clock, they should just use multiple balls on the side with the ball boys readily putting it back in play

 

[MrPooni]

Anyone else remember that game at Goodison where Duncan Ferguson scored a late-ish goal against us and Moyes instructed the balls boys to collect all the spare balls so there was only one available? It was around the time where the multi-ball system was only just being adopted. Sky even showed footage of the incident immediately after the game.

 

[BigDunc9]

Anyone else remember that game at Goodison where Duncan Ferguson scored a late-ish goal against us and Moyes instructed the balls boys to collect all the spare balls so there was only one available? It was around the time where the multi-ball system was only just being adopted. Sky even showed footage of the incident immediately after the game.

That ended up being a bit of a myth i think. There was a incident with one of the ball boys and to many balls ended up on the pitch and i think the ref decided to change it to one ball. Trust me that match is ingrained into my skull. One of my all time favourites.

 

[Hullyback]

Seen the price of the Premier league balls? Could pay Ozils demanded wages per week for a few of them

 

[11101]

They don't... do they?

I think they try to although they can change if it goes into the crowd.

It's probably to do with consistency, FIFA rules don't insist on them all being identical pressures etc. The referee will also need to check every single one.

 

[antohan]

Why doesn't the league use multiple balls like they do in other leagues?

What's the sense in using one match ball

Refs watch associated to a specific Hawkeye chip?

 

[Harry190]

Thought it was ridiculous that Guardiola had that chat with the ball boy.

The macarena and now this, bit of a spastic.

 

[Escobar]

They really should use more balls. Silly

 

[strongwalker]

In the undying words of the great Footbal-Philosopher Olli Kahn: "balls! we need balls!"



IIRC, there used to be a rule that the playing ball had to be approved by the Ref pre-game and was the only one to be used (fun in multifunction arenas like our Munich Olympiastadion, it could take minutes until the game could be continued). Big improvement when that was ditched. didn't know the PL still had that?!

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

You always notice a different tempo when it's a Champions League game at OT, and every ball boy has a ball. He throws the new one at the player about to take a throw in, and collects the other ball. Surely that's how it should be. I don't know if La Liga has a one-ball rule, but in the Champions League, Barcelona's ball boys always look like a well drilled unit. Lightning quick transitions when the ball goes out for a throw.

It's daft that the Premier League still sticks to the one match ball rule. Often the ball goes in to the crowd, and the fans will throw it around for a bit. After a delay they then call for a new ball, and immediately there are two balls on the pitch. It's a right farse.

 

[lonelyred]

It's an atavism from the old days (and rules) when balls were not of the same quality as today and could defer too much one to another. Theoretically, the referee should check dimensions, pressure, etc. and approve the match ball (as it was officially called) before the kick off. If the match ball had to be changed during the match, for whatever reason, he would have to check and approve the new one as well, before the play could be continued.

Edit: Just noticed @strongwalker had already made the same point. Guess the FA/PL are not totally disinclined to atavisms.

 

[Dan]

I remember Soccer AM had footage of someone going around the pitch and collecting up all the spare balls, was definitely being used a tactic. Might have been at Upton Park.