Peter Walton, general manager of the Professional Referee Organization, has announced that referees will prioritize “four points of emphasis” in 2017.



Walton said that MLS referees have been instructed to pay closer attention to holding and pushing in the penalty area on set pieces, acts of visual dissent, deliberate delaying of restarts, and persistent infringement.

In addition, MLS has adopted several new laws this season based on the IFAB, or International Football Association Board, who decides the rules.

The major changes include no longer automatically giving red cards for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in the penalty area, kickoffs now being permitted to be played in any direction, and players who were injured by a yellow or red card foul now being able to briefly receive treatment on the field without having to come off.

So about those rule changes...



Holding and pushing in the penalty area

Walton said that MLS referees will be paying closer attention to holding and pushing in the penalty area on set pieces, and that they’ve been instructed to detect and punish offenders that are “clearly impeding the opponent” without making an effort at playing the ball.

I’m all in favor of this. The less unwanted bear hugs in the box, the better.



Acts of visual dissent

MLS officials will be cracking down on what Walton called “acts of visual dissent” in 2017. According to Walton, referees “won’t condone” players or coaches who react to calls with “arms thrown in the air” or by racing “after an official to berate them.” Dissent can be punished by a yellow card caution.

No more throwing arms in the air? Imagine Robbie Keane having to get used to that rule.



Delayed restarts

Walton said that MLS officials will have less patience this year for players who kick a ball away or stand over a free kick to make sure that it can’t be taken quickly. He said that he’ll look for officials to be aware of teams or players who deliberately try to delay an opponent on a restart, and to caution blatant offenders with a yellow card.

You know that jerk who picks up the ball after a foul, runs 20 yards with it then flings it in the air? With any luck, his day of reckoning is soon coming.



Persistent infringement

The fourth and final point of emphasis for MLS officials in 2017 is on persistent infringement. Walton wants referees to be cognizant of the “small, petty fouls that don’t rise to a yellow card nature in isolation, but break the rhythm of the game and upset opponents.” He said that all four officials will be “charged to detect areas of persistent infringement,” but wouldn’t put a number of how many fouls would merit a yellow card, instead relying on officials to manage their individual games appropriately.

Another excellent call: Giovani dos Santos was the victim of persistent infringement often last season and needs more protection.

Thoughts? I like what PRO has done here. As fun as the league is becoming to watch, there are too many games still dictated by the cheap tactics these points of emphasis are looking to crack down on.



PRO deserve credit for trying to clean up the action: If they can get the job done however, remains to be seen.