Two scenarios: 1. Defender plays a back pass; attacking player in an offsides position at the time the pass is made intercepts the pass. Is the attacking player offsides? I always thought he was NOT offsides, but I saw a game recently where the referee whistled the attacking player for offsides in just such a situation. 2. Attacking player #1 plays a ball forward. It takes a deflection off a defender and bounces to attacking player #2, who is in an offsides position. Is the attacking player player offsides? Does it matter that attacking player #2 was in an offsides position before the initial pass was played, as opposed to a scenario where he was in an onsides position when the initial pass was played and only moved to an offsides position after the deflection?
On offside there are a couple of important points. Was the attacker offside when the ball was played by a teammate? Did he take advantage of being offside? In scenario 1, the ball was played by an opponent, so no offside should be called. However, if previously, an attacking player had played the ball while his teammate was offside, and the defender intercepted the ball before trying to pass back to the keeper, then the offside attacker has taken advantage of being offside. In scenario 2, the important point is where attacker #2 is when played by his teammate. If #2 is offside when played by attacker #1, then offside should be called. If #2 is onside when played by attacker #1, then no call.
I'm not sure I agree with IASocFan's assessment of the 1st scenario. I do agree a straight back pass which is intercepted should not be called for offside. I also agree that if the attacker were in the offside position and involved in the play when his teammate played the intercepted ball, that's offside as well. But those are the basics. If the ball is played, intercepted and the defender has controlled the ball before playing it back toward his keeper (only to have it intercepted), I'd call that a whole new play which would not merit the offside call. I just did an upgrade clinic about 3 weeks ago, taught by Nate Clement, an MLS and international linesman, and he reviewed a similar situation by explaining that each new pass should be a different "snapshot" where you review the positions of each player when the ball is played. If you look at it that way, the defender's controlling the ball puts us back at ground zero in assessing offside, the slate is wiped clean and his intercepted back pass is not from the attacker's teammate, meaning no offside has occurred.
gildarkevin, you are correct. One key concept that has not been discussed is when the play ends. The play ends one of the following 3 things happen: 1.- The ball is out of play 2.- Another attacker touches the ball 3.- A defender gains possession or control of the ball Case 1 is obvious. In case 2, we have a new play starting, and the AR must determine who is in an offside possession at this time. In case 3, the defenders now have taken control of the ball, and therefore have become the attackers for the purpose of offside.
Yes it matters. The deflection by the defender does not end the play. The defender never gained possession or control. If the player was in an offside position when the ball was last touched by his team mate (the start of the play), and he/she is involved in the play, the flag should go up. If the player was onside position at the start of the play, then the flag should never go up for offside in that play (for that player, of course).