The EFL have introduced some new rules, and it seems that they could really benefit Sunderland in the upcoming season...
MULTIBALL SYSTEM
Next season match balls will be placed on cones in designated areas outside the pitch, in an attempt hinder time wasting tactics. When it comes to time wasting we are all hypocrites. It's okay when our team is doing it, but it’s unacceptable when it’s used against us. That goes for all football fans. However, I think most people would happily see the end of time wasting, since it completely disrupts the flow of the game.
This will definitely benefit good footballing sides like Sunderland and hinder physical sides such as Millwall. It will hopefully give us more time on the ball, so we can break teams down. Teams come to the Stadium of Light and when they time-waste, it disengages the crowd makes for a flatter atmosphere.
This is backed up by what Tony Mowbray said back in February: "I've found it [to be an opposition tactic] since I've been here, to try and slow it down, disengage the crowd, take time over goal kicks and free kicks. In our dressing room, we talk about playing fast, pressing, winning tackles and getting the crowd involved. So why wouldn't they do the opposite? There's nothing in the rules that says you can't."
NO MORE TOWELS!
The EFL are also cracking down on teams using towels to dry the ball. Teams will no longer be allowed to use 'towels or other articles, including items obtained from spectators to dry footballs during matches', which was a tactic often used before taking throw-ins. This will massively impact long throws. Although some teams rely heavily on set-pieces, we would definitely be a lot better without them. Needless to say, we have a lack of physicality in our side, so one of the main ways to break us down is to load the box and whip in crosses. See Luton in the semi-final second leg...
Obviously, this rule won’t prevent corners but if we can limit the amount of ways teams can pump balls into the box it would help us. Again this rule affects direct, physical sides such as Wycombe in League One and benefits smaller, technically gifted ones. Perhaps we could see a shift in culture when it comes to how teams play in the EFL.
It will be interesting to see how much of an impact these rules have next season, will they completely change the EFL? Will we start to see physical sides fall down the table?
