Don Roper, England

Why are attacking teams generally prevented from taking quick free kicks in goal scoring positions? It seems seems very unfair that the offending team can stand over the ball to prevent the attackers from taking advantage of their free kick whilst the referee helps them organise their defence by walking back the defensive wall?

The management of free kicks in attacking areas is an increasingly important aspect of game management. As referees, we potentially have a number of things to deal with when free kicks are awarded in these areas. For example, disciplinary action may need to be taken, the ball must be positioned correctly, and any possible confrontation between players must be dealt with. Additionally, with many teams having players who are free kick specialists, they are frequently asking the referee to ensure that the opposition players respect the required distance, and therefore they do not want to take the kick quickly.

Don Roper, England

Stuart, Why has the drop ball been abandoned as a method to re-start the game following the referees decision to stop the game for non infringement reasons? For example, last night in the Reading/Sheff Wed game, one of the managers threw a spare ball onto the field of play. The referee stopped the game, spoke to the offending manager, but then re-started the game by dropping the ball at the feet of that manager's goalkeeper. (the ball was in their possession when the incident happened) Surely the correct method would have been a drop ball where the ball in play was at the time of the Manager's intervention? Or are drop balls too difficult to manage and/or too unknown to the players?

The dropped ball is still being used widely as a method of restarting the game. The Laws of Association Football provide clear guidance for where and when a dropped ball should be used to restart the game after a stoppage. However, the contested dropped ball is something that has become less prevalent in recent times. This is not something that we as referees can influence, as there is no stipulation in the Laws for the restart to be contested by opposing players. Providing the game is restarted in accordance with the Laws, it should be viewed as an acceptable outcome. The management of these situations may be challenging, but we must ensure that the Laws of Association Football are adhered to, and communicate with the players to this extent.

matthew jarvis, England

Did you enjoy your first premiership game as your best in your careffer so far

Refereeing my first Premier League game (Blackburn Rovers v Hull City), was a fantastic moment for me, and is a memory that will remain with me for a very long time. Although I enjoy every game that I referee, certain matches do hold a lot of significance for me. This is certainly one of these matches.

Michael Lowe, England

Had any problems adjusting to the Premier League yet?

There are a number of differences between the Premier League and the Football League, which require referees to adapt in order to manage the games as effectively as possible. In the games I have refereed so far, I have been pleased with the way in which I have responded to the specific demands of the game. As the season progresses, I am confident that I will continue to learn from the games that I referee in the Premier League, and be able to meet the individual needs of each game that I am appointed to.