In the latest round of Premier League matches, new regulations regarding player re-entry following injuries have raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. Referee Peter Bankes was in the news back in the Wear-Tyne derby between Arsenal and Newcastle. Granit Xhaka had to leave the field for longer than necessary due to the new head injury/blood rule protocol.
This season, an automatic 30-second timeout was implemented for each player who suffers a head injury. This rule doesn’t apply to blood injuries, a loophole causing confusion and annoyance for players. While these changes have been made for the health of players, they do contribute to the changing narrative around the flow of game play.
Xhaka ended up cutting his eye during the match. Bankes smartly called him off the field immediately so he could be treated. The referee’s decision was influenced by the specific circumstances of the game and the criteria for a player’s re-entry. Under these rules, a player can only return to the game under very limited circumstances. If the ball is on the same side of the pitch, the player waiting can return to the game faster. Their speedy recovery relies on how close the ball is to their position. Further complicating this is the fact that if one side enters a very deep attacking third, that can influence when a player comes back.
Xhaka certainly looked to get forward and back into the initial game. Yet, having warned the fourth official, he remained on the touchline for more than 30 seconds. Bankes put in a lot of effort to expedite the process. He truly proved his commitment to the new standards even while considering the flow of the game.
Yet, the rollout of these rules has been rocky and has left various players irked. Gary Neville, the former Manchester United defender and current broadcaster and commentator expressed his disappointment at the amendments. … I mean, I just don’t like it, I just do not like it at all. His sentiment captures a fast-growing concern among players and analysts alike that the unintended consequences of such regulations are more costly than the benefits.
Under the new provisions, a player requiring treatment will now have to wait for 30 seconds. They will similarly remain on the touchline until the nature of their injury is assessed. It can lead to players waiting weeks or even months before they play competitively again. This is even more so the case if their injury is deemed to be major and need additional assessment.
In Xhaka’s case, even if he was prepared to come back on, he still had to sit and watch as Bankes reviewed the scenario. The referee’s judgment is a big part of deciding when players are safely allowed to return to the field. This season, lawmakers have made it harder to re-enter. They want to reduce the dreaded time-wasting measures that annoy everyone and permeated the game in recent seasons.
The risk of delay is further amplified when you consider situations in which several players may be injured at once. As a result, sides can be left at a massive disadvantage should they incur injuries at decisive points of the game.
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