New offside rule

[Leisure]

Read this a few times and still it's unclear. Is it just me that's having difficulty understanding it?

Offside
The IFAB and FIFA have also clarified the guidelines for determining a “deliberate play” by a defender in regards to offsides.

A “deliberate play” is when a player has control of the ball and with the possibility of:
- passing the ball to a team-mate; or
- gaining possession of the ball; or
- clearing the ball (e.g., by kicking or heading it)

If a player is considered to be in control of the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance, this would be a ‘deliberate play’ and the attacker in an offside position should not be penalised for offside.

An inaccurate or unsuccessful action does not change that the defender “deliberately played” the ball.

[claret wizard]

Gets rid of the situation where a defender is hit by the ball, it skips off their body to an attacker that was offside from the previous pass, and previously this would be a new phase of play and would have made that offside player active. Now that offside player would reamin inactive as the defender hasn't made a deliberate play.

[Devils_Advocate]

I think its the other way round in its more if a ball deflects off an attacking player either from a defender or a different attacker and would have been onside but for the deflection then this change would mean the deflection wont be considered as a deliberate play so it will still be onside.

If an attacking player makes a tackle that runs to another attacking player in an offside position then that will still be offside as an attempt to gain possession is classed as a deliberate play

[Spindles]

I presume this means tackling and blocking are not counted. We will have to see how the interpretation works out in the first few games to see if this is an improvement. My main issue is with passes directly to players who are obviously offside but then they do a stepover or some such and another player then collects the ball.

[martin_p]

I think its the other way round in its more if a ball deflects off an attacking player either from a defender or a different attacker and would have been onside but for the deflection then this change would mean the deflection wont be considered as a deliberate play so it will still be onside.

If an attacking player makes a tackle that runs to another attacking player in an offside position then that will still be offside as an attempt to gain possession is classed as a deliberate play

The rules clarify deliberate play for a defender, not an attacker.

[martin_p]

I think the clarification is around the attempt to gain possession really. So if a pass comes to you and you make an attempt to control it but miscontrol it and the ball goes to an attacker in an offside position it’ll count as deliberately playing the ball rather than a deflection and the attacker will be onside.

[Devils_Advocate]

The rules clarify deliberate play for a defender, not an attacker.

Yep, completely missed that key bit of information. So basically a deflection off a defender wont make a previously offside player onside but any attempt to clear, control or play the ball will

[Vegas Claret]

it's very clear BUT it's also open to conjecture and will lead to even more inconsistency. If you are offside you are offside, these clowns are ruining the game season after season week after week

[ecc]

Have to justify their wages.

[Carwin261]

Completely different to what it used to be ,originally if a guy was in an offside position the moment the ball was played he was offside end of.don’t think that could me any simpler,if it hits an opposition player ,or he tries to play it the offside offence has already been committed.

[Carwin261]

Yep, completely missed that key bit of information. So basically a deflection off a defender wont make a previously offside player onside but any attempt to clear, control or play the ball will

So if the centre half does an air shot the forward then becomes onside again,how to make a mess of a simple rule.

[martin_p]

So if the centre half does an air shot the forward then becomes onside again,how to make a mess of a simple rule.

No, you have to play the ball.

[Carwin261]

No, you have to play the ball.

Is an air shot not the same as an attempt? a bit similar to when I someone is in the goalies eye line ,but doesn’t actual touch the ball,and is deemed office,or interfering with play.

[martin_p]

Is an air shot not the same as an attempt? a bit similar to when I someone is in the goalies eye line ,but doesn’t actual touch the ball,and is deemed office,or interfering with play.

I think this is the key passage’ If a player is considered to be in control of the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance, this would be a ‘deliberate play’

Don’t think an air shot will be considered ‘in control’.

[Devils_Advocate]

it's very clear BUT it's also open to conjecture and will lead to even more inconsistency. If you are offside you are offside, these clowns are ruining the game season after season week after week

100% disagree. The offside rule variants of the last 10 years is a massive improvement on the old days of anyone anywhere on the pitch ahead of the last defender is offside.

Taking away the ease at which defenders could just step up and win offside and removing where player on the other side of the pitch and/or not involved were deemed offside has made for a much more fluid and attacking game and I honestly believe if we went back to that then people would soon realise how sh*t it was and want to revert back again.

At the end of the day football is and always be a very subjective game and its a shame that pundits and fans cant seem to manage this fact a little better.

[Leisure]

But would it not be considered a clearance (even if it wasn't cleared)?

[welsbyswife]

More rules made up for the television. Refs couldn't get it right when the laws were simple so god only knows how they expect them to judge this in a split second on the pitch. Sadly getting to a position where things rely more and more on VAR.