What is a foul

What is a foul? In all levels of football currently, from the Premier League to the bottom of the pyramid, referees appear to not enforce the rules of the game.

In every single match I have watched in the leagues, on TV and the Euros I am not sure whether I am watching a football match or a rugby match, chuck an oval shaped ball in there and it would be hard to tell the difference.

So when did the rules of football change to allow players to put two hands in a players back and push him to the ground.  When was it changed to be ok for, mainly defenders at set pieces defending in their penalty area, to put both arms round an opponents waist and pull him to the ground, or grab a players arm and pull him back.  

We see this in every match up and down the Leagues, but the refs just ignore it.  All they appear to like to do at most set pieces involving players in the penalty area, is to blow the whistle to stop play and run into the penalty area to warn players about pushing or grabbing each other.  The players know the rules, just let them get on with it and if there is a foul, blow the damn whistle!

I'm sorry to rant like this but it really does boil my pi$$ when you see stuff like this happening multiple times in every game you watch, so much so that I just turn the TV off and watch the highlights later.

The referee can't give a foul at a set piece when the ball isn't in play. Why warn the players before it's back in play though? A couple of weeks of letting the ball come in and giving the foul will surely nip that issue in the bud.

And it depends on where the incident occurs. In the box, generally ok, middle of the pitch likely to be a free kick
I think that refs have been told to let things go to counter the blatant cheating at virtually every level of the game.

And yet they/VAR  are so finicky about minuscule offside decisions?

Quoted from jamesgtfc

The referee can't give a foul at a set piece when the ball isn't in play. Why warn the players before it's back in play though? A couple of weeks of letting the ball come in and giving the foul will surely nip that issue in the bud.

I think you misunderstood.  I am well aware a ref cannot give a foul at a set piece when the ball isn't in play.  Basically you have said what I said.  

Chicken Guinee ?

Quoted from Ruuger

I am well aware a ref cannot give a foul at a set piece when the ball isn't in play.  

My favourite example of this is Aidan Davison v Brighton  

Quoted from Abdul19

My favourite example of this is Aidan Davison's last act in a GTFC shirt  

Oh, please tell.

Quoted from Ruuger

Oh, please tell.

Edited now as he actually played 3 games after! As I remember it, in the goal line grappling before a corner, he nutted a Brighton player (possibly Trevor Benjamin?) and got sent off!

Quoted from Ruuger

What is a foul? In all levels of football currently, from the Premier League to the bottom of the pyramid, referees appear to not enforce the rules of the game.

In every single match I have watched in the leagues, on TV and the Euros I am not sure whether I am watching a football match or a rugby match, chuck an oval shaped ball in there and it would be hard to tell the difference.

So when did the rules of football change to allow players to put two hands in a players back and push him to the ground.  When was it changed to be ok for, mainly defenders at set pieces defending in their penalty area, to put both arms round an opponents waist and pull him to the ground, or grab a players arm and pull him back.  

We see this in every match up and down the Leagues, but the refs just ignore it.  All they appear to like to do at most set pieces involving players in the penalty area, is to blow the whistle to stop play and run into the penalty area to warn players about pushing or grabbing each other.  The players know the rules, just let them get on with it and if there is a foul, blow the damn whistle!

I'm sorry to rant like this but it really does boil my pi$$ when you see stuff like this happening multiple times in every game you watch, so much so that I just turn the TV off and watch the highlights later.

Totally my view