The Offside Rule

[Granty24]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12047_5998444,00.html

Interesting :D

Thoughts?

[dan_ict]

Although its a pain in the erse, its their for a reason. Without the offside rule foot ball would consist of strikers ballwatching and not looking for space

[+DoofersDad]

I'm all for innovations that will produce more attacking football and give advantage to attacking football but I don't think this is the answer. The through ball bisecting the defence and beating the offside trap is one of the joys of the game and I think that doing away with offside would radically change the way in which defences were organised.

What I would like to see done to promote attacking football is to outlaw the practice of defenders shepherding the ball out of play. I would have thought they way this is done was technically obstruction but defenders get away with it. Also it is common practice for defenders to obstruct and hold attackers in the box and they constantly get away with it. If the attackers do something much more minor in the box and score as a result, the "goal" is almost always chalked off.

In the English league cup final, near the end, Dunn nearly got on the end of a cross with a despairing lunge and whilst the commentary focussed on his effort I was wondering why Heskey had not made an effort to get it. On the replay it showed Neville, I think, not watching the ball at all but just watching Heskey. When the ball came over and Heskey went to jump, Neville took hold of his arms and physically held him down. This was on the 6 yard line right in front of goal and neither the linesman or the referee saw it? The referee also failed to send off Vidic early in the game when he gave away a penalty and was clearly last man.

We don't need radical ideas to improve football as a spectacle, we just need referees to apply the laws of the game as they currently stand.

[Harry Chibber]

The best suggestion I've heard:

Instead of extra time... MULTI BALL :)

but seriously football is the best game in the world and doesn't need changed (just tweaks here and there)

[caleykid1994]

Damn, maybe we will need to get Barrowman back then... oh the thought! :)

[Bridge_Ender]

Interesting certainly...

While the offside rule is obviously a major part of football and has been for a very long time, abolishing it would certainly make games much more open with more space to exploit.

However, I think it would be a disaster. The only way I could see it developing would be to descend into a type of Gaelic Football/Aussie Rules style game with players marking each other all over the pitch, the quick ball to the forwards becoming the standard tactic. There would be no more clever midfield passes through congested defences, flying wingers spinning full backs, strikers springing high defensive lines or the mini teams (defenders, midfielder, attackers) working together as part of the greater team effort.

Leave it as it is, the offside rule is an important part of football and helps make the game what it is.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Another of Blatter's contentious ideas! But not altogether without merit. If it did come in defences would soon get used to man marking the obvious 'poachers'. For me though, doing away with offside might just be going too far. However, I'd extend the 18 yard line right across the pitch, and make this the 'offside' line rather than the half way line.

Edited March 9, 2010 by Caley Mad In Berks

[MissICT]

I know it's a confusing rule (even more so for a blond like myself) however I think it serves a good purpose and I don't think the rule should be scrapped.

[CaleyD]

I know it's a confusing rule (even more so for a blond like myself) however I think it serves a good purpose and I don't think the rule should be scrapped.

It has nothing to do with the colour of your hair.....the code for understanding the offside rule is written on the Y Chromosome.

This is why you will often hear fans question the sex of the linesman when he makes a mess of it.

[RiG]

Pipo Inzaghi likes this.

[Ronaldo]

I would scrap it altogther

No more pretty passing purist football and lots more goals

[Council Juice]

Another of Blatter's contentious ideas! But not altogether without merit. If it did come in defences would soon get used to man marking the obvious 'poachers'. For me though, doing away with offside might just be going too far. However, I'd extend the 18 yard line right across the pitch, and make this the 'offside' line rather than the half way line.

This was actually trialed in Scottish football in the 70s Im sure. I remember watching one of those football reruns shows and this being explain. It obviously didnt work.

Maybe we should have a system like the sudden death in ice hockey whereby if the teams cant be seperated a man is taken off each side to make it maore interesting. So if at half time the score is 0-0 a coach chosen man from each side is removed and it goes to 10 a side.

Im sorry I think there are alot of goals in football. But if a team sits back and defends its still damn hard to score.

Edited March 10, 2010 by iamthecaptain1

[BornCaley]

Are we not likely to have a situation where a striker will just stand at the opposition box, probably with a opposition defender next to him, waiting for a long ball.

[PullMyFinger]

Are we not likely to have a situation where a striker will just stand at the opposition box, probably with a opposition defender next to him, waiting for a long ball.

Brewster last season?