Premier League are already trialing new mid-game rule that will punish goalkeepers

The Premier League have started cracking down on time-wasting tactics employed by goalkeepers with a fresh rule being trialled. Under existing laws, if a goalkeeper “controls the ball with the hand/arm for more than six seconds before releasing it” within their penalty area, they should theoretically concede an indirect free-kick.

This rule, however, is rarely enforced, and with notable incidents – such as David Raya’s supposed time-wasting during Arsenals 2-2 draw against Manchester City – stirring controversy, calls for tighter enforcement have grown.

Eager to stamp out these ‘dark arts’, PGMOL chief Howard Webb has disclosed that an experimental change has been introduced in the developmental Premier League 2.

“In Premier League 2, they’re trialling something around the goalkeeper holding the ball for more than six seconds,” Webb stated, appearing on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.

“If they hold it for eight, and don’t release it, it goes to a corner to the other team. After three seconds, the referee counts down, and if the goalkeeper is daft enough to hold onto it, it’ll be a corner. That avoids the ridiculous situation where you have an indirect free kick in the six-yard box, and players are chasing out.”

This focus on goalkeeping conduct emerges in the wake of criticism levelled at Arsenal’s Raya, whose tactics against Manchester City ignited widespread debate regarding timewasting within the sport, reports the Mirror.

The Spaniard reportedly took an average of 45.3 seconds to complete each of the 12 goal kicks he was given, for example, as his team, reduced to ten men in the first half following Leandro Trossard’s contentious dismissal, tried to fend off the relentless champions.

This meant that, according to Opta Analyst, Raya squandered over nine minutes of the match solely through goal kicks, a statistic that topped the league at that time, as well as other means.

Aside from Raya, another significant culprit is Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, who ranks just behind the 29-year-old in terms of time wasted in a single game. This also occurred in a match where the offending team were reduced to 10 men: the Magpies’ 1-0 victory against Southampton in August.

Although referees often hand out yellow cards to those they believe may be manipulating the rules, awarding the opposition a corner, as Webb’s proposed trial aims to implement, may discourage those looking to waste time in the future.