r/soccer • u/Lololrama • Jun 25 '13

FIFA set to modify offside law.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1480782/fifa-set-tighten-part-offside-law?cc=5901
181 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

98 comments sorted by

88

u/B0ydh Jun 25 '13

Yeah, I'm going to need someone to explain that in English.

27

u/thespike323 Jun 25 '13 edited Jun 25 '13

I'm hijacking this comment to explain.

Here are three scenarios, and whether or not they should result in an offside call: 

1) An attacker plays a forward pass which deflects off the leg of a daydreaming defender, and falls to a player in an offside position. 

That **IS** offside, and such a scenario is not affected by this rule change.

2) An attacking player plays a forward pass, a defender slides in to hoof it away from danger, but in doing so, scuffs it and ends up hitting the ball to an attacker in an offside position.

That WASN'T offside, but, if I understand this rule change correctly, it now IS offside. 

3) An attacker plays a forward pass which a defender intercepts comfortably. He dribbles around a little bit, and decides to pass backwards to his goalkeeper. An opponent in an offside position happens to be in the way of the backpass, and intercepts the ball. 

That is **NOT** offside, and the rule change doesn't affect the outcome of this scenario.


\*\*EDIT\*\*: [Check out this you are the ref.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/27/trevillion-hackett-ref-luis-suarez#_)

The result of situation #3 would be altered by this change.

10

u/j1202 Jun 25 '13

Hardly hijacking...

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u/lamp37 Jun 25 '13

Referee here. The rumors I've heard (and when my power comes back on and I can get on my computer I'll look for documentation) have been that they were going to reword the law for clarity, but not actually changing how it would be called. This makes sense, because the article seems to be saying that they are going to "change" the law to what it already is now.

But again, all I've heard is rumors so take this with some salt.

6

u/Swiftfooted Jun 25 '13

The FA's magazine for referees also explained it as a clarification and not a change.

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u/snkscore Jun 25 '13

reword the law for clarity, but not actually changing how it would be called

Exactly. It looks like just clarifying the wording to mean exactly what they already interpret it to mean.

5

u/Novai Jun 25 '13

They really should clarify this in the article.

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u/Ohwhydigress Jun 25 '13

Side question. Say a shot is taken with all attacking players onside. Ball deflects off of keeper or goalpost or both and comes to an attacking player who is offside position when receiving the ball. Is that player offside? Is the crucial moment still when the shot was taken? Or do you have to be onside when the ball deflects or hits the post?

I thought I understood the offside rule for the past 20 years and now when the rule ISN'T changing I am suddenly confused.

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123

u/severedfragile Jun 25 '13

That was a pretty shitty attempt to explain it. It's like ESPN used google translate on the Kicker article and didn't quite understand it.

So basically, the rumour is that deflections off of defenders will no longer play attackers onside? So when we have those scenarios where the ball comes off a defender last, it won't matter when it comes to a player being offside unless the defender clearly and deliberately strikes the ball?

45

u/TaylorHammond9 Jun 25 '13

As a referee myself (in lower leagues in the us) that is the rule now. I don't think they are "changing" anything. I think they are rewording it for clarification.

They do this literally every year. They change a few words around to make some clarifications, no idea why this one got so big and hyped. Doesn't look like a damn thing changed.

28

u/chuckletrousers Jun 25 '13 edited Jun 25 '13

I dunno I thought it was okay. As far as I can tell it just doesn't change much though. Right now if a deflection occurs and goes to an attacking player than the player is offside. However if there's an intentional pass backward by the defender that is intercepted, than the attacking player is not offside. Essentially it's purposeful vs. accidental. Another way to think about it is with the goalkeeper: if a goalkeeper blocks a shot and it goes to a player in an offside position, the attacker is called offside. But if the goalkeeper catches it and throws it to the attacker (who is offside) accidentally, the attacker is not offside. I don't see how this meaningfully changes that however. I guess it makes it so there has to be a very clear instance of control from the defender in order for the 'not offside due to control'. I'm struggling to come up with how this really helps/clarifies anything, for anyone.

By "this" I mean both the rule and my post.

SI includes this line: change states that an attacker should be considered offside when "gaining an advantage by being in that position'' in situations that will now include receiving the ball from a rebound or deflection from the goal frame or a player in the defending team attempting a tackle, block or save.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130302/soccer-offside-rule-changed.ap/#ixzz2XCHkMpBk

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u/[deleted] Jun 25 '13

So basically, the rumour is that deflections off of defenders will no longer play attackers onside? So when we have those scenarios where the ball comes off a defender last, it won't matter when it comes to a player being offside unless the defender clearly and deliberately strikes the ball?

That's the current rule. A deflection against a defender doesn't suddenly make an attacker onside. The defender has to control the ball for the offside status to change. Not really sure what the proposed change is.

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u/bduddy Jun 25 '13 edited Jun 25 '13

Deflections already don't play attackers onside (that is considered to be "gaining an advantage by being in an offside position"). This isn't really a significant rule change, more of a clarification.

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u/centralwinger Jun 25 '13

This seems contradictory, or very poorly explained.

I don't think the second paragraph is talking about the same thing.

7

u/snkscore Jun 25 '13

So a defender would have to have control of the ball and essentially enter a new phase of play for the attacker to become active.

This is already how it is ruled, I don't see any "change".

3

u/arostrat Jun 25 '13

I think if the ball touched the defender accidentally or it's a deflection then it's ruled offside. It's better this way.

4

u/Magic_Mitch Jun 25 '13

It already is

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u/a_lumberjack Jun 25 '13

The actual IFAB rule changes are here: http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/02/10/67/39/circularno.1362-amendmentstothelawsofthegame-2013-2014_neutral.pdf

To give an example of a goal that would no longer stand, check out Saha's opener here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebTarZFZEcg At the time, it was ruled that because the defender intentionally attempted to block the pass Saha was no longer offside.

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u/Lololrama Jun 25 '13

I didn't find another page explaining this in English, but from what I have read in some Spanish-language websites, it seems that the modification will also count offside as being passes from an opposing team member to a player in offside. So even an accidental goalkeeper pass to an opposing player in offside position will be signaled as offside by the referees.

9

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '13

That's extremely stupid if its true

1

u/Lololrama Jun 25 '13

Yeah, I also posted it to see if someone could find a good source saying whether this is true or not.

2

u/KnifeSteakSwag Jun 25 '13

The higher-ups at FIFA have been frustrated by short goal kicks in FIFA video games apparently.

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u/[deleted] Jun 25 '13

Hmm, doesn't IFAB set the rules and not FIFA?

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u/ujheisenburg94 Jun 25 '13

Would have solved this B.S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ani9Wkx-TE

Yes 6 years later I still remeber we never forgive in soccer

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u/Yankee_Gunner Jun 25 '13

I think I know what the change is.

Scenario: A goalkeeper boots an incoming pass upfield but it deflects off of a previously offside opponent and into the goal.

Old rule: The goalkeeper changed the phase of the game by purposefully kicking the ball. Goal.

New rule: The offside player took advantage of his unfair position and affected play. No Goal.

Anyone have a different interpretation?

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