[Dune]

Offside rule set for more changes

http://www.soccernet.com/england/new...03offside.html

"The League Managers' Association has been informed that the assistant referees 'must see air' - the exact definition - between a forward and a defender before giving offside this season."

Not a big change but it sure gives the forwards a big advantage.

[Daksims]

Seems like a good rule. Wouldn't mind the MLS adopting that one.

[MPJ334]

hmmmm. can't think of anything to say...maybe some more experienced referees have something?

[billf]

Well this is good news since the English have been very conservative in their approach to intepreting law 11.

This isn't a change of the law by the English FA, it's just a new more liberal interpretation. It's good for the game in the sense that close calls will now have to go to the attacker. I think the USSF is pretty liberal with its interpretaion of offside now. You do see goals scored every week in MLS where a player is in a passive offside position, and there are a lot of close calls where the flag stays down. The USSF has interpreted offside liberaly for decades, so I think this may be a case of England catching up to our mentality.

However, we are not taught to look for daylight between the attacker and the defender. I'd like to see that term make its way into USSF training.

[whistleblowerusa]

Originally posted by billf
Well this is good news since the English have been very conservative in their approach to intepreting law 11.

This isn't a change of the law by the English FA, it's just a new more liberal interpretation. It's good for the game in the sense that close calls will now have to go to the attacker. I think the USSF is pretty liberal with its interpretaion of offside now. You do see goals scored every week in MLS where a player is in a passive offside position, and there are a lot of close calls where the flag stays down. The USSF has interpreted offside liberaly for decades, so I think this may be a case of England catching up to our mentality.

However, we are not taught to look for daylight between the attacker and the defender. I'd like to see that term make its way into USSF training.

If the AR is bad and can't make an accurate dicision then whether you see air, skin, hair, popcorn, or anything else that you might think will help, it will still be a bad call or a good call.
Seeing "air" was and still might be in some areas, a way that was being taught by some older instructors here in the US. The ATR and other instructional materials teach that the torso placement is hwo we should judge close calls. Looking for "air" still depends on correct positioning and focus on the game and of course some skill.
Mistakes happen and that is part of this game or any other game the people of the world play.

[Barca_Fan2003]

I get the image into my head thinking of this:
A bunch of old rabbis interpreting the Talmud.

[whistleblowerusa]

Originally posted by Barca_Fan2003
I get the image into my head thinking of this:
A bunch of old rabbis interpreting the Talmud.

Or the National Weather Service trying to predict a storm.

[Statesman]

I was thinking about offside the other day and came up with some ideas for potential ideas. I guess I could "air" them here

1) If an attacker is deposessed of the ball by a defender with the action placing him in an offside position only to have his teammate recover the ball and kick it back forward to him, offside should be ignored.

2) In the offside trap if a group of attackers break free, offside should be ignored.

3) Offside should be ignored if the play is generated in the section of the field whose boundry is set by the line of the penalty area, the touch lines, and the goal line.

We all know what the intent of the rule is, no camping of the goals trying to get a wild pass forward (like they do in basketball). I think once the attack has progressed to the level mentioned above, the rule gets more in the way. I don't mind the current rule it just seems a little too old-fashioned.

[Maczebus]

Originally posted by Statesman
I was thinking about offside the other day and came up with some ideas for potential ideas. I guess I could "air" them here

SNIPPED

I think once the attack has progressed to the level mentioned above, the rule gets more in the way. I don't mind the current rule it just seems a little too old-fashioned.

And they just keep coming...
...I'm speechless...

[jd6885]

how about attaching a computer chip to the players' boots? A computer will calculate the offside line by the last two players' position and if an opposing player passes this line, steel prongs will pop out of the ground, stopping the play...butt effectively ending the player's life... well, maybe not. Ok, how about a light turns on and the offside player's number and team name will pop up on a board so the referee can decide to call a passive offside and continue with the play or stop the play with his .44 magnum? Ok maybe not with a magnum... but hey it could work for those certain defenders that just won't give those 10 yards for on freekicks