Should the offside rule be eliminated?
397547
Eliminating offside in the last 30 yards is not a bad idea. I also think it would be a good idea to eliminate offside if the ball is already past the 2nd to last defender. IOW, if it's 2 attackers against the GK, there's no offside. It doesn't come up very often, but really, if you break down the defense that badly, you shouldn't lose a goal because a player is a half-stride in front of the ball. Plus, the point of the rule is to make teams play the whole field; once you've got two attackers past the last non-GK defender, you've done that.\n\nBut before doing something so radical (and if y'all have seen me rant about this, you know what's coming  ), let's eliminate the egregious number of false positives on offside.\n\nOffside is just a call that in many leagues, is horribly, horribly called.\n\nDo that, support CRs who crack down on cynical fouling, and start calling all the shirtpulls, and the game will be better, and boring bunkering will be less successful, and therefore less prevalent.
1053396
I think the officiating in the world cup has made the world cup almost unbearable.\n\nThere are an insane amount of cards being handed out, which completely slows down the game. Its bad enough that a lot of the refs play favourites. \n\nThese refs are ruining the game of soccer (both physically and prestige wise). Get them out of there!
1044772
it's for offside.\nno it is not a new rule.
855317
I haven't got a problem with it as long as they are fair and good at their job.  We had a linesMAN at Swindon v Carlisle on Saturday who gave someone offside from a throw-in (to which the referee, also a bloke, gave the offside decision).  He was a complete waster and I would say the same about a female running the line if they gave the same ridiculous, and wrong, decision.
1072701
The most frustating part of sport competition are the judges. I think that somthing has to be done. Like adding referees in charge of different zones on the field. In football soccer, videos won't be of much help. If they determine after a review that a player wasn't offside, the adventage is lost.
1096963
I totally agree with you. There were not even one offside but two in the goal attack. I'm terrified by this refereeing. They ruled out the match.
1162149
The biggest problem with the Offside Rule is that it is judged by a human - the linesman. He/she may not be able to judge both when the ball is played forward and what position the players are in at the same time. Do they watch the ball then quickly scan the line? Or do the watch the line and listen for the ball to be kicked?\nI've always thought that two linesmen in each half would help with deciding whether there is an offside infringement or not.\nIf both linesmen raise their flag then there should be no doubt. If one raises his/her flag then the ref should make the decision based on what he/she sees. If one linesman is closer to the play than the other then his decision should be used.\nTwo linesmen in each half  would also help making decision about penalties, fouls etc as one of them would be closer to the play and would have a better view. Also during corners etc the linesman on the opposite side could take up a position behind the goal line and be better placed, along with the ref to see any infringements etc that might take place in the box.\n\nOf course this will never happen as it means doubling the number of employees that have to be paid.\n\nAs for whether the offside rule should be scrapped. NO. Would lead to chaos.
1136061
In theory the crackdown on obstruction was a good thing.  Yes, I do miss the battles in front of the net... I guess it goes both ways.  I'd rather leave all the hooking and holding out of the game--but I still think that sometimes the refs went a little overboard and sometimes they were true to form and "put away the whistle" during the game... in my opinion it all depends on how they're calling the game and which team ends up with more power plays (if it's the team you're rooting for then of course the refs are doing their job--but again that goes both ways too).
86413
the offsides rule is when you are past the oposing teams last defender and you are an active participant in the play.
179067
Good idea! And i have something to add there:\n\nWhat about giving 3 points for an away victory, but just 2 points to a home victory?\n\nTogether with your rule, this would be a break-trough in soccer...\n\nCheers
1009178
Video replay definitely needs to be a part of 2010, not for every little incident but merely for 'did the ball cross the line'. The stakes are so huge in football nowdays that it is vital to make the right decisions, refs are only human, i dont think the standard has dropped its just that the pressures on them have become too great. It would literally take seconds to decide whether the ball had crossed the line and how often is the decision going to have to be made, not very often. Technology is there, let it be used.
14178
A player is in an offside position if:\n\n    * he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent\n\nA player is not in an offside position if:\n\n    * he is in his own half of the field of play\n    * he is level with the second last opponent\n    * he is level with the last two opponents\n\nCommiting an Offside Offence\nA player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:\n\n    * interfering with play\n    * interfering with an opponent\n    * gaining an advantage by being in that position\n\nNo Offence\nThere is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:\n\n    * a goal kick\n    * a throw-in\n    * a corner kick\n\nInfringements/Sanctions\nFor any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
1168560
In outdoor soccer, an offsides foul is called when an attacking player is passed the ball and there are not at least two opponents between him or her and the goal line. In other words, on the opponent's side of the field, a pass must always be made when the intended attacker is not closer to the goalkeeper than any other opposing player.\n\nI got this from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-offsides-in-soccer.htm which explains more if you go check it out.
999241
the 2nd last opponent is the player of the other team who is not the goal keeper. It'll be declared an offside if a player surpasses the ball and the second last opponent near the D area.
905385
I can see where you are coming from and you have a good point.\n\nIt would be a great system to implement. I think it would help if the refs had to speak with an independent person and actually give a reason for some of their calls.\n\nPersonally, I'm fine with how the game is right now. I really don't want football to become like every other sport. I think some things, good or bad, have helped shape the game into the exciting, fair and unfair, chaotic, fun, energizing, and whatever else game that it is today.\n\nBut that is a great idea, nonetheless. Good thinking :)
1043432
Application\nThe application of the offside law is best considered in three steps; Offside position, Offside offence and Offside sanction.\n\n[edit]\nOffside position\n \nThe red forward on the left of the diagram is in an offside position as he is both in front of the second last defender (marked by the stippled line) and the ball.A player is in an offside position if "he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second to last opponent", unless he is in his own half of the field of play. A player level with the second last opponent is considered to be in an onside position. Note that the last two opposing players can be either the goalkeeper and another outfield player, or two outfield players. Also note that offside position is determined when the ball is touched/played by a team-mate — a player's offside position status is not then altered by them or opposing players running forwards or backwards. It is important to note that being in an offside position is not an offence in itself. Another important point to note is that any player's offside position status is reset when an opponent touches the ball and is deemed by the referee to be in control of the ball.\n\n[edit]\nOffside offence\nA player in an offside position is only committing an offside offence if, "at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team", the player is in the referee's opinion involved in active play by: interfering with play; interfering with an opponent; or gaining an advantage by being in that position.\n\nDetermining whether a player is in "active play" can be complex. A player is not committing an offside offence if the player receives the ball directly from a throw-in, goal kick or corner kick.\n\nFIFA issued new guidelines for interpreting the offside law in 2003 and these were incorporated in law 11 in July 2005. The new wording seeks to more precisely define the three cases as follows:\n\nInterfering with play means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a teammate. \nInterfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent. \nGaining an advantage by being in an offside position means playing a ball that rebounds to him off a post or crossbar or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position. \nIn practice, a player in an offside position may be penalised before playing or touching the ball if, in the opinion of the referee, no other team-mate in an onside position has the opportunity to play the ball.\n\nThe referees' interpretation of these new definitions is still proving controversial until this day, largely over what movements a player in an offside position can make without being judged to be interfering with an opponent.\n\n[edit]\nOffside sanction\nThe sanction for an offside offence is an indirect free kick to the opposing team, at the spot where the offence occurred. Most referees use their discretion and let play go on if the "offended" team already has the advantage or ball, in order not to slow down play with redundant free kicks that achieve the same purpose of giving the advantage or ball back to the "offended" team.\n\n[edit]\nOfficiating\nIn enforcing this rule, the referee depends greatly on his assistant referee, who generally keeps in line with the second last defender in his relevant end (exact positioning techniques are more complex).\n\nThe assistant referees' task with regards to off-side can be difficult, as they need to keep up with attacks and counter attacks, consider which players are in an offside position when the ball is played (often from the other end of the field), and then determine whether the offside positioned players become invo
995457
http://www.answers.com/topic/offside-law\n\nplz 10 pts