Major new rule change could grant Jamie Carragher wish after Arsenal set trend

The International Football Association Board’s Football and Technical Advisory Panels (IFAB’s FAP-TAP) met virtually on Tuesday to discuss potential law changes, as they do every October

Football experts have been discussing the introduction of a countdown for goal kicks and throw-ins to enhance the flow of play and reduce time wasted on interruptions. This season, referees have already started timing how long keepers can hold onto the ball.

The International Football Association Board’s Football and Technical Advisory Panels (IFAB’s FAP-TAP) convened virtually on Tuesday to discuss potential rule changes, as they do every October. Among the football experts on these advisory panels are Arsene Wenger, Luis Figo and Pierluigi Collina.

Jamie Carragher will likely welcome the debate over introducing a countdown for throw-ins. The pundit recently voiced his thoughts about set-pieces and long throws on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football – something Arsenal have been commended for after scoring a large number of goals from set-plays in the last two seasons.

Gary Neville, referring to Carragher’s comments on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, said: “Carra said the other night on Monday Night Football… I thought it was really interesting, because, to be fair, I disagree with the point, but he’s not here – I wish he was here… he said he hates long throws and somebody else said it yesterday. They hate long throws. I’m like, I love long throws.”

However, Carragher clarified his position on Tuesday morning. “For the 100th time, I didn’t say I hate set pieces or long throws! What I don’t like is every team taking long throws and the time it’s taking out of the game.”

“I totally get teams doing it who struggle and lack the quality of getting the ball in the box. I also like seeing how teams cope with them.

“But teams that have great technical players and have spent hundreds of millions on them should be getting the ball in play as quick as they can to get these players on the ball. I’m no football snob, but this is taking the game backwards!”

Carragher, however, spoke highly of what Arsenal are doing. “They are pretty special,” he said on Super Sunday Extra Time.

“Where the Premier League is right now, this season, it feels like we’re going to be talking about set-pieces a lot, every weekend, a lot on Monday Night Football. There is no team better in the league, sort of primed to go on and win the Premier League, if that’s where the league is going.

“I mentioned my own team in terms of Liverpool; they don’t seem to be able to cope. This team has been built to cope in situations like this, in terms of the back four, the height of the team, and the power that they get.

“For a long time, I’ve said Mikel Arteta is trying to win the Premier League like a Jose Mourinho team or a George Graham Arsenal team. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

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