• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Rationale for the off sides rule in soccer

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
Law 11.3: No offence

There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
• a goal kick
• a throw-in
• a corner kick
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Law 11.3: No offence

There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
• a goal kick
• a throw-in
• a corner kick
Stand corrected then.

Wasn't sure if a corner was explicitly ruled out the way goal kicks were.

Incidentally I've seen an SPL linesman flag Peter Lovenkrands offside when he received the ball from a throw in.

Clown.
 

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Well I just must've just imagined the Arsenal back four stepping up in unison with their arms raised when a ball was played over the top then. Seemed pretty vivid tho.
:laugh:

^ How can you be offisde from a corner anyway? The ball would have to be kicked backwards to you wouldn't it?
 

cpr

International Coach
In my experience, other than the timing issue, the two things people find most confusing about the offside rule are that it's the second-last defender, not the last, and that you also can't be offside if you're behind the ball. Essentially meaning that if the goalkeeper moves out, one defender being ahead of the offending player doesn't prevent it being offside, and that any pass going backwards won't lead to an offside call.
Aye does catch some out. Its the second to last man, the keeper 9/10 times being the last man, unless his name is Higuita (ah, Italia 90 memories)
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
What's the downside in having a rule that says:

It's offsides if an opposition player crosses the penalty box unless:

A) The ball is already inside the box (either held by your team or the opposition)
B) You are crossing it while in possession of the ball

That way it's up to the defense to stay in possesion, you can't just hang out right at the goal line. If the penalty box is too close, maybe draw another line 2/3 of the way between the midfield and the penalty box. Would be massively easier to enforce.
 
Last edited:

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
I refuse to engage in any discussion with you until you start calling it offsides FFS

There are plenty of downsides to your suggestion, alas see my previous sentence.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
Surely the tactical depth and subtlety of the game would be the biggest issue. Sounds awful honestly, like netball or something.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Yeah, would take out so many lovely balls from the midfield, intelligent runs from a striker, what about free-kicks 40 yards out? Can't put a man in the box to try and nod it in.

Stick to silly American sports SS :ph34r:
 

nightprowler10

Global Moderator
The problem is that SS is used to offsides in ice hockey, which is a bit of a joke sport even by American standards (unless Chicago is playing/winning :ph34r:).
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
I refuse to engage in any discussion with you until you start calling it offsides FFS

There are plenty of downsides to your suggestion, alas see my previous sentence.
Yeah, would take out so many lovely balls from the midfield, intelligent runs from a striker, what about free-kicks 40 yards out? Can't put a man in the box to try and nod it in.

Stick to silly American sports SS :ph34r:
Jeez, it was just a suggestion.

Next you'll get all uptight at my suggestion to use oval balls and give the players ability to carry them in their hands and be tackled.
 

Jungle Jumbo

International Vice-Captain
Aye does catch some out. Its the second to last man, the keeper 9/10 times being the last man, unless his name is Higuita (ah, Italia 90 memories)
Absolute chaos if you're refereeing and the keeper decides to charge out and become the second-last defender. All perceptions become completely bulldozed in an instant.
 

Top_Cat

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Field hockey abolished its very similar offside rule years ago and after a short period of some gimme goals with guy camped in the D, teams adjusted and a new era of tactics to combat it came about. Hasn't resulted in a huge jump in scoring rates to my knowledge and the game does flow very nicely these days. Albeit, a soccer pitch is a bit bigger than a hockey pitch I think so the 'extra space' created in hockey might be a massive problem if it was the case in soccer.

Just one of those things, really. No specific problem with the offside rule and certainly soccer has no problems with broadening its appeal but a lot of the arguments against it are a bit Henny Penny tbh.
 

Uppercut

Request Your Custom Title Now!
You can't be offside from a goal kick, I'm fairly sure in theory you can be offside from a corner although in practice it's exceptionally unlikely to ever happen.
Someone in the camera team during the England match today didn't get the memo- got lines drawn on the pitch and all to tell us Klose was offside for Germany's first.
 

PhoenixFire

International Coach
Field hockey abolished its very similar offside rule years ago and after a short period of some gimme goals with guy camped in the D, teams adjusted and a new era of tactics to combat it came about. Hasn't resulted in a huge jump in scoring rates to my knowledge and the game does flow very nicely these days. Albeit, a soccer pitch is a bit bigger than a hockey pitch I think so the 'extra space' created in hockey might be a massive problem if it was the case in soccer.

Just one of those things, really. No specific problem with the offside rule and certainly soccer has no problems with broadening its appeal but a lot of the arguments against it are a bit Henny Penny tbh.
Should be able to do self-pass free-kicks as well in football, has worked really well in field hockey.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Someone in the camera team during the England match today didn't get the memo- got lines drawn on the pitch and all to tell us Klose was offside for Germany's first.
Got to admit to having to shout at a few mates about that one
 

Top