[Archived] When Is Offside Not Offside

[Ricky]

Just watching the Manchester united and wolfsberg match andthey have just commented on an offside where the ball may have come off a wolfsberg player last, this reminded me of the villa match when this happened on two occasions to us. Both times the ball came off a villa player and the linesman flagged for offside. I commented at the time that I didn't think you could be offside in these circumstances, anyone want to clarify it for me?

[CrazyIvan]

Just watching the Manchester united and wolfsberg match andthey have just commented on an offside where the ball may have come off a wolfsberg player last, this reminded me of the villa match when this happened on two occasions to us. Both times the ball came off a villa player and the linesman flagged for offside. I commented at the time that I didn't think you could be offside in these circumstances, anyone want to clarify it for me?

I think the player must be offside from the intial pass rather than the deflection.

[Stuart]

I think the player must be offside from the intial pass rather than the deflection.

That's my understanding too. The player would have been in an offside position when the initial forward pass was made.

[Tom]

But why? Surely now when a player touches it then phase 2 starts no?

[American Rover12]

But why? Surely now when a player touches it then phase 2 starts no?

I always thought so too. I thought it was that even though you would have been flagged offside, the fact that the opposing team got a touch negates that and play is free to continue. I may be wrong though.

[test]

I always thought so too. I thought it was that even though you would have been flagged offside, the fact that the opposing team got a touch negates that and play is free to continue. I may be wrong though.

In my opinion the whole offside law is a dogs breakfast, nobody seems to grasp it so lets return to the old law, at least men could understand it!

The current interpretation is beyond me, I freely admit it. Who can honestly say that they are fully au fait with the offside law? Vote now!

The bottom line of course is that of " opinion" and not fact.

[Derby Blue]

But why? Surely now when a player touches it then phase 2 starts no?

Going back before the rule changes of different phases and being 'inactive in play' as soon as the ball was played forwards by the attacking team you were deemed offside before it had taken the deflection. This is still the case - if the ball is played forward, even if it takes a deflection, and you are still active in play, you are offside from the original pass. Should the deflection take it into the path of an onside player then you shouldn't be penalised.

The apparent rule changes every season make it pretty confusing and it appears sometimes that the officialls don't fully understand it!

[yoda]

Is this a Ron Atkinson thread in disguise

[Steve Moss]

I'm not an expert (I only referee U14 games- hardly expert credentials), but a player in an offside position is always in danger of being called offside. A pass is not required to be adjudged offside, only whether: the player was interfering with the play; or, was interfering with an opponent; or, a player obtain an advantage as a result of being in an offside position (such as getting a rebound advantage). If at the time of the kick the offending player was advantaged or the other team disadvantaged, as adjudged in the sole opinion of the referee, due to his offside position, a foul is awarded.

I saw an old video of Ken Aston who described the offside issue very well, IMO. It's called offside as a player on an offside position is off his side, an old way of saying off his team, when in an offside position. An offside player is not playing the game as he has voluntarily removed himself from play. He's a loiterer, a sneak, or a spy. If he wants to loiter, that's fine. His team is disadvantaged as a result of effectively losing one player from play as a result of the offside position, so no foul need be called. However, if the loiterer tries to become a sneak or a spy by involving himself in play, then we do what we do to all spies we detect behind enemy lines. We line them up against the wall and shoot them.

[thenodrog]

In my day you were not offside if you were 'played on' by an opponent. 'Played on' meaning if it was a bad pass to another opposing player, or a back pass to the keeper (who could pick it up and pratt about for ages) or a scuffed clearence and more contentiously deflected off an opponent. The deflected bit was the first to be done away with the term 'intentional' being deployed to the defenders actions.

Nowadays like most officials in certain situations I really have no idea what constitutes onside or offside. More to the point I cannot be bothered learning.

[Steve Moss]

Offside is only judged from when the ball is played by a member of your own team. If the opposing player is playing the ball, feel free to run him down, even if he is standing on his goal line.

[CrazyIvan]

Offside is only judged from when the ball is played by a member of your own team. If the opposing player is playing the ball, feel free to run him down, even if he is standing on his goal line.

Does that mean I can buy a tank and roll over the opposition in a couple of weeks time? Can just see Jason Roberts, 'You fouled me, I'm gonna RUN YOU DOWN like a dawg!'

[dazmaz]

the curent offside rule is stupid and overly complicated. its so bad that different officals have a different view of what is offside. currently i belive you are offside if you are in play, to me that means either the ball is played to someone who only has the keeper between them and the net or if the ball is played upfeild and you chase it down kind of thing.

[LeChuck]

But why? Surely now when a player touches it then phase 2 starts no?

That would mean phase 1 would have lasted about 0.5 seconds...

If the player is onside when the initial pass was played and offside when the deflection occurs then he should be judged onside.

If the player is offside both when the initial pass was played and when the deflection occurred he should be judged offside.

At least I think that's right.

[JAL]

To simplify this offside business, a player is offside when the assistant referee deems a player offside, wether hes right or wrong.

Dont judge an asssistant referee about an offside decision over a slow motion replay, thats extremely unfair. He only has that split second to make a judgement, until the assistant referees also have the benefit of slow motion replays only then should we question their judgement if we see the outcome differently.

[chocky]

I think the backpass from defending player has to be deliberate..If it's a deflection then the attacking player is offside..

[Stuart]

I think the offside rule has to be learned over a period of time. It started off being a simple black or white decision. Is there any player in an offside position when a ball is played forward. Over the years, new variations have been added.

I don't envy anyone trying to understand the offside rule as it is now, without knowing 'the basics'.

[den]

That would mean phase 1 would have lasted about 0.5 seconds...

If the player is onside when the initial pass was played and offside when the deflection occurs then he should be judged onside.

If the player is offside both when the initial pass was played and when the deflection occurred he should be judged offside.

At least I think that's right.

That is right LeC.

[Ozz]

I'll tell you when offside is not offside-When you play Liverpool and Robbie Fowler needs a goal.