contact fair or foul

[grizzlierbear]

I find slide tackles that carry through the player after first ball contact or if the trailer leg cuts the feet out of the attacker far easier to judge as dangerous than the angled intercept e.g. (attacker running to the corner with defender moving across)
I have considerable difficulty with player contact between attacker and defenders on fast paced, intersecting, angled runs.
Imagine a hard charging defender attempting to toe away or step in (where contact with the ball is made first) but with devastating effect to the attacker as he falls over the outstretched leg or is knocked to the ground, often quite dramatically by the momentum of the cross angle run. Does contact with the ball first nullify the collision afterwards?
Should tripping or charging fouls apply in these cases regardless of making contact with the ball first? Incidental contact in a contact sport?

I also believe it is nearly impossible for a fair shoulder to shoulder between players of a dramatic height differential. With taller players leaning or pushing down on smaller stature players. In the reverse, the smaller player must jump up at the taller player. Is this a view others share?

If an attacker carries the ball forward and a front facing defender side steps into his path resulting in a same front shoulder to shoulder collision (parties are face to face) monetarily halting the progress of the onrushing attacker what's your call?

[Greyhound]

The ATR says that any otherwise legal tackle that is performed in a careless, reckless or wit excessive force can be penalised.
This is extremely subjective. I tend to call a more clean/less contact game then is popular up here in N. Michigan. I got most my knocks in DC where there was more of a ethnic influence that accentuated skill over strength. Players have to learn to gauge what a reff will allow.
Regarding players of dramatically different heights, I just try to remember that everyone should be given a fair chance to play the ball. Running over the little guuy or gal isnt fair though.
I think what you are describing in the last scenerio is an impeding call with contact. If I felt it was a legal tackle off of the ball I would award an IFK. If it was not legal I would award DFK. IF it was a deliberate foul to stop attacking play it might be a yellow. If it denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity it could be a red.
If I understand you correctly.

[whistleblowerusa]

I would like to add my 2 cents. Greyhound is correct, not only because the advise book says so but because the Laws also describe what is fair or not. Anything that is considered reckless, careless, or using excessive force must be penalized. Making contact with the ball first is one of those many soccer myths of the game. If a defender takes an attacker down while tackling the ball away and has no way to avoid making contact with the attacker and is placing himself as well as the attacker in jeapordy, then he/she must be sanctioned.
The referee must be sole judge of players of different sixes trying to play the ball fairly. He/she must be careful not to take away a players advantage in play simply because of size. If play is fair then obviously no foul.
If a player steps infront of another player as described in your last situation, it isn't impeding the progress of an opponent, although it may appear that way. You can only impede a player by placing yourself between him/her and the ball. Since in the situation you describe, the player steps infront of the attacker to knock him off the ball, it should be considered as charging or pushing and the restart should be a direct free kick. Even if there was impeding the progress, once there is contact made by the defender, then it is no longer impeding and not an indirect free kick, it is holding or pushing or charging and must be a direct free kick.