The Times have revealed that the referees will tolerate much less obstruction during corner kicks and free-kicks during the upcoming season.
Premier League make obstruction changes
The report explains that tweaks are set to be introduced to VAR ahead of the new campaign, the most consequential of which is a higher threshold required to intervene.
In other words, the referee’s on-pitch decision will be respected unless there is a very clear error, with the move seeking to ape the ‘umpire’s call’ system in cricket.
It is also explained that the offence of blocking or obstructing will be penalised more stringently in set-pieces than it was last season.
Vicario struggled from set-pieces last season
Attackers thus would not be able to get away with trying to stop the movement of an opponent without being penalised.
This will be music to the years of Ange Postecoglou, who complained last season about the obstruction of Guglielmo Vicario.
The Spurs boss even revealed at one point that Tottenham had asked the PMGOL for clarification of the obstruction rules (Football.London).
Spurs Web Opinion
It is about time that the PMGOL came down on holding and obstruction as we have been seeing an increasing amount of set-piece shenanigans over the last couple of years, with attackers getting away with a lot of shirt-pulling and blocking.
Guglielmo Vicario will no doubt be delighted with that news.