Soccer Dropped Ball

• Outline
  • Gameplay
  • Laws of the Game
  • Players
  • Referee
  • Assistant referee
  • Equipment
  • Game duration
  • Misconduct (Foul)
  • Positions
  • Player styles
  • Formations
  • Tactics and skills
  • Advanced skills
• Team Positions
  • Goalkeeper
  • Centre-back
  • Sweeper
  • Full-back
  • Wing-back
  • Centre midfield
  • Defensive midfield
  • Attacking midfield
  • Wide midfield
  • Centre forward
  • Second striker
  • Winger

A dropped-ball (or drop-ball) is a method of restarting play in a game of association football. It is designed to offer no advantage to either side, generally being awarded when play has been stopped due to reasons other than normal gameplay or misconduct. The rules concerning the dropped-ball are part of Law 8 of the Laws of the Game.

Award

A drop-ball is not awarded to either team; rather it is used to restart play when the referee has stopped play for any reason not listed for another form of restart. Examples include when play has been stopped due to serious injury to a player, interference by an external party, or a ball becoming defective.

Procedure

The ball is dropped by the referee at the point where the ball was when play was stopped, unless this is within a goal area in which case it is dropped on the goal area line parallel to the goal line. The ball becomes in play as soon as it touches the ground. Players must not touch the ball until it has touched the ground. If the ball leaves the field of play before it has been touched by a player, the drop-ball is retaken.

Infringements

There is no mention in the Laws of the Game as to how many players, if any, may take part in a drop-ball or where they may be positioned. However, it is normal that a drop-ball is contested by two players (one from each team), like at a face-off in bandy or ice hockey.

If a player touches the ball before it touches the ground, the drop-ball is retaken. If a player persistently touches the ball before it touches the ground, and the referee believes that the player is deliberately doing so, this may be considered misconduct and the referee may caution the player with a yellow card.

In 2012 the Laws of the Game were amended FIFA Circular No 1302 such that if a dropped ball is kicked directly into the opponents' goal, a goal kick is awarded, or if a dropped ball is kicked directly into the team's own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.

Use in the modern game

This method of restarting play is rarely used in modern adult football as many players sportingly elect to kick the ball out of play when an event requiring the stoppage of play – most often an injury – occurs. After the situation has been resolved, the opposing team typically, but not always, concedes possession to the other team after returning the ball into play, as a gesture of good sportsmanship.

• Outline
  

  SPORTS WORLD

  Soccer | Football

  The goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play and only in their penalty area. Outfield players mostly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, but may also use their head or torso to do so instead. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. The Laws of the Game are the codified rules that help define association football. They are the only rules of association football subscribed to by the sport's governing body FIFA.

  Gameplay: Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw.

  Players: Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper.

  Referee: Is the person responsible for enforcing the Laws of the Game during the course of a match.

  Assistant referee: The assistant referee's duties generally consist of judging when the ball has left the field of play.

  Equipment: The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards.

  Game duration: A standard adult football match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play.

  Misconduct (Foul): Fouls and misconduct in football/soccer are acts committed by players which are deemed by the referee to be unfair and are subsequently penalized.

  Positions: A team is made up of one goalkeeper and ten outfield players who fill various defensive, midfield, and attacking positions depending on the formation deployed.

  Player styles: Most players will play in a limited range of positions throughout their career, as each position requires a particular set of skills and physical attributes.

  Formations: The formation describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. Different formations can be used depending on whether a team wishes to play more attacking or defensive football.

  Tactics and skills: Well-organized and well-prepared teams are often seen beating teams with supposedly more skillful players, even over time.

  Advanced skills: There are various individual skills and team tactics needed to play effective football.

• Team Positions

  SPORTS WORLD

  Team Positions

  In the sport, each of the 11 players on a team is assigned to a particular position on the field of play. A team is made up of one goalkeeper and ten outfield players who fill various defensive, midfield, and attacking positions depending on the formation deployed. These positions describe both the player's main role and their area of operation on the pitch.

  Goalkeeper: Goalkeeper, often shortened to keeper or goalie, is one of the major positions of association football.

  Centre-back: The job of the centre-back is to stop opposing players, particularly the strikers, from scoring, and to bring the ball out from their penalty area.

  Sweeper: The sweeper is a defensive position in football, so called because their job is to 'sweep up' any attacking moves which pass other defenders.

  Full-back: The full-backs take up the holding wide positions and traditionally stayed in defense at all times, until a set-piece.

  Wing-back: The wing-back (or attacking full-back) are defenders with heavier emphasis on attack.

  Centre midfield: Central midfielders provide a link between defense and attack, fulfilling a number of duties and operating primarily in the middle third of the pitch.

  Defensive midfield: A defensive midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in front of the defenders to provide more defensive protection, thus "holding back" when the rest of the midfield supports the attack.

  Attacking midfield: An attacking midfielder is a midfield player who is positioned in an advanced midfield position, usually between central midfield and the team's forwards, and who has a primarily offensive role.

  Wide midfield: Is a midfielder who is stationed to the left or right of central midfield.

  Centre forward: A centre forward (main striker) has the key task of scoring goals and for this reason acts as the focal point of the majority of attacking play by a team.

  Second striker: They are required to be more "nippy", quick, mobile, and skillful, helping to create goals and scoring opportunities for centre forwards.

  Winger: Is an attacking player who is stationed in a wide position near the touchlines.

RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Association football" and "Dropped-ball", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.