Falling Short Of 10 For A Regular Session

The aim is to have exactly 10 players for each of our regular sessions. and to date, we’ve managed okay since we settled on 5 v 5 in September 2008.

If we are just one player short, The Cage can provide us with a player if we’re playing there, and we can often pick up an extra player at Sports Planet @ East Coast.  (It’s a pity Murray won’t play football with “birds”, otherwise, he could always bring May (not the May who wanted to play with us) along when we’re one short).

The real dilemma is if we are two players short. It seems a shame to cancel the session even though we have 8 players. I am prepared to go on with 4 v 4, especially at The Cage.

As I’ve said before:

I suggest we modify the rules as follows:

• If 8, play 4 v 4.
• Play to the lines (both goal-lines and side-lines).
• No goalkeeper.
• Can only score from within the D.

• If 5 v 4, same as above, except the side with one player short can score from anywhere. Alternatively, you could try to play 4 v 4 with one rolling substitute, although to be fair, the substitute should be available to both sides, in which case, the colours/sides then become meaningless.

The other situation that arises from time to time is a player is injured during a session. Again, like I’ve said before:

One way to deal with an injury is to switch to 4 v 4, with the spare player being used as a rolling sub. spare bibs would come in useful for that too, but it will make line ups harder to record.

Of course, there is always the option to play 5 v 4 with modified rules, but playing with odd numbers is best avoided.

Ultimately, it is for the injured player to decide whether he can continue, but if there is any risk of aggravating the injury, DON’T!

If we are down to 5 v 4, the risk is that the team with the extra man runs away with the game. A better way to deal with that may be to have one player (perhaps the lowest ranked on the team with the extra man) swap sides if that team takes a big lead. As an incentive for the player to swap sides, the final result will be recorded for all the players except the player who swaps sides, who will have a draw or win recorded in any event.

Any views on a game going on or continuing with 4 v 4 or 5 v 4, for any of the reasons discussed above?

It should work at The Cage, as the pitches and the Ds are smaller than at East Coast or The Premier Pitch.