Monday 17 December 2012 13:05, UK
Marouane Fellaini's assault on Ryan Shawcross highlighted the behaviour of players at set-pieces, but this is not a problem that has emerged during one game at the Britannia this weekend.
Whether it comes down to additional assistants as UEFA have implemented, unsuccessfully to some degree, or simply a crackdown on shirt-pulling and holding back players with referees giving more focus to these incidents in and around the penalty area, something needs to be done to half the ever-increasing wrestling amongst players at set-pieces. Whilst the criticism of Fellaini is justified and nothing should excuse his behaviour, the effects of the incident should not be looked at exclusively. Football as a whole should be looking at the cause of the problem, and making the appropriate corrections.
