I suspect the best solution would be to build the game around the assumption of set defensive lines while still allowing for opportunities for attacking play.
Exactly.
Ball skills and adventurous play should be the determining factor, not how quickly you play the ball. No kid anywhere ever said: "oh wow, look at how fast he played the ball - lets go practice fast play the balls dad". And certainly not who gobbles up free metres the best.
Another reason to go back to 5 metres is there is something inherently wrong with gifting territory in the game and that is what 10 metres does. You are virtually guaranteed at least 7 metres with a well timed hit up (and is there any other sort of hit up now that they don't call forward passes from DH). So, why take any risks passing it around? Take the free metres and apply pressure. ( "wow, lets go practice applying pressure dad!!")
The ten metres produced attractive football throughout the nineties before full time coaches worked out the value of slowing the play the ball down. Or worse the value of getting a fast play the ball by getting to the ground quickly.
5 metres reduces free metres up and down the field and 11 men opens up space laterally so the teams that throw lots of good gutsy passes are going to prevail.
