Premier League scraps plans to reduce size of goals to 0.4 metres

The Premier League has rejected a plan to reduce the size of goals to 0.4 by 0.2 metres in an attempt to reduce high scoring games.

"Football is getting too easy [...] the integrity of the game, especially from the perspective of defending, which has declined over recent years, is in jeopardy", one spokesman said in defence of the proposals, which were scrapped after a meeting of the 20 clubs.

The plans have however been trialed in Albania's Premier division the 'Superliga'. The league was notorious for its high scoring matches and low defensive quality which saw many matches end in score lines like 5-5.

The AFA had allegedly decided to scrap goals altogether, meaning games instead would be decided on corners. This suggestion was instead replaced with a 'review into goal sizes.'

Reaction to the change has been mixed. Club Skenderbeu chairman Harold Skirsch, whose club has earned the joint most amount of clean sheets in the league so far this season, praised the AFA (Albanian Football Association) for its 'vision' in implementing the changes.

Skirsch claims 'I've always had a problem with the original size of the goal. Goals have to be 7m x 2m. Says who? Who judges what size goal is correct? Why 7m x 2m and nothing else? It was ridiculous. That's why it should be 40cm by 20cm.'

However, not everyone's happy. After their club were thrashed in a humiliating 1-0 defeat last weekend, FC Flumertari Manager has called for the goals to be put back to their original size. "It's ridiculous" the head coach said "the goals are only just bigger than the balls and most of the goalkeepers just lie down in front of the goal so it's impossible to score."

FC Treedsha's 1st team goalkeeper Alexander Uda this week responded to the accusations that goalie's are simply 'planking' in order to prevent the other team scoring, arguing "to say we just 'lie down' is a complete misunderstanding. We go through countless training drills everyday in which we practice positioning, study body placement, and rehearse lying still."

Only one goal has been conceded this season through the so called 'planking' tactic, which happened when FC Starsi goalie Peter Woogenz fell asleep during the game. The keeper was carried away by opposition players before the Starsi striker slotted the ball into the top corner.

Since the goal, there have been countless attempts to drag 'planking' goalkeepers away from the net, leading to some arguing that goalkeepers 'need more protection' from referees.

The AFA says it plans to hold further reviews in regards to the new goal sizes and is in consultation with all 10 clubs. A decision on whether to keep the changes will be made at the end of the season, as well as a review into the square shaped balls which were also introduced this year.