A&H

Deflected offside

Ben W

New Member
Level 6 Referee
When a pass by an attacking player to a player in an offside position is deflected by a defender but doesn't change the direction is it offside?. Seems to be different opinions on this.
 
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When a pass by an attacking player to a player in an offside position is deflected by a defender but doesn't change the direction is it offside?. Seems to be different opinions on this.
Was it a deliberate play of the ball by the defender, or "just" a deflection that happened to come off the defender?
An attacker in the first case is specifically not "considered to have gained an advantage" and not penalised for an offside offence. An attacker in the second case has gained an advantage, and is penalised when they become involved in play.
 
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It isn't so much a question of whether it changed direction, according to the law it's whether the defender has deliberately played the ball (except for a deliberate save) or not, that matters. That's still often a debatable point but it's a debate based in law whereas a debate over the direction of travel of the ball is not.
 
Was it a deliberate play of the ball by the defender, or "just" a deflection that happened to come off the defender?
An attacker in the first case is specifically not "considered to have gained an advantage" and not penalised for an offside offence. An attacker in the second case has gained an advantage, and is penalised when they become involved in play.
In general I agree with you. But wrong terminology. "Gaining an advantage has its own specific meaning in offside.
 
Was it a deliberate play of the ball by the defender, or "just" a deflection that happened to come off the defender?
An attacker in the first case is specifically not "considered to have gained an advantage" and not penalised for an offside offence. An attacker in the second case has gained an advantage, and is penalised when they become involved in play.
That's my view on it. If the defender is in control and makes an attempt to play the ball the attacking player is not offside.
It's more the attempted header by the defender and cant get up high enough and it just flicks on from his head that's also been disputed
 
In general I agree with you. But wrong terminology. "Gaining an advantage has its own specific meaning in offside.
Well yes, but the specific meaning of 'gaining an advantage' is:
... playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has:
  • rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar, match official or an opponent
And since we are talking about a ball deflecting off an opponent, it is applicable here.
 
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That's my view on it. If the defender is in control and makes an attempt to play the ball the attacking player is not offside.
It's more the attempted header by the defender and cant get up high enough and it just flicks on from his head that's also been disputed
I'm not sure what there is to dispute. The defender has deliberately played the ball with their head, whether it worked the way they wanted or not, so there is no offside offence.
In general I agree with you. But wrong terminology. "Gaining an advantage has its own specific meaning in offside.
I know - the phrase in quotation marks is directly from the LOTG. Hence the statement that the attacker in such a case is not to be penalised for offside.
 
This has just happened in the Bristol City v Middlesbrough match. The ball played forward by a M’boro player to a team mate in an offside position. A defender tries to cut the ball out and touches it but doesn’t change the direction. This resets the offside, and the forward runs on to score.
You just know at the end of the match it will be the main talking point because players / pundits don’t understand this.
 
When a pass by an attacking player to a player in an offside position is deflected by a defender but doesn't change the direction is it offside?. Seems to be different opinions on this.
Don't think about direction, it isn't in law. You just need to determine whether it was a deflection or a deliberate play.
 
And in terms of deliberate play you can think of ball-to-foot or foot-to-ball - because a player deliberately sticking a leg out to block the ball would be considered a deflection, even if deliberate.
 
And in terms of deliberate play you can think of ball-to-foot or foot-to-ball - because a player deliberately sticking a leg out to block the ball would be considered a deflection, even if deliberate.
That’s interesting but where’s the basis in law or in guidance from IFAB that a ”block” (that is not a save) is a ”deflection”?
 
That’s interesting but where’s the basis in law or in guidance from IFAB that a ”block” (that is not a save) is a ”deflection”?
There is none, but I've never seen a block be considered deliberate for the purpose of offside.

Edit: I suppose because a block is a deliberate play that gets you in a position to deflect the ball.
 
As far as I can tell, all of the He guidance has been that a reflexive/instinctive effort to block a ball is still to be considered A deflection, but a considered play, such as taking a step toward the ball’s path before the stab, is to be considered a deliberate play. I don’t know that it is possible to have a truly bright line test on this. (And it does seem the line has moved around over time. At least in the US it used to be taught that a defender had to “possess and control” the ball to remove the OS restrictions. That is clearly not the standard today. I believe that adding a save as not resetting went along with widening what was considered a deliberate play by the defender.)
 
As far as I can tell, all of the He guidance has been that a reflexive/instinctive effort to block a ball is still to be considered A deflection, but a considered play, such as taking a step toward the ball’s path before the stab, is to be considered a deliberate play. I don’t know that it is possible to have a truly bright line test on this. (And it does seem the line has moved around over time. At least in the US it used to be taught that a defender had to “possess and control” the ball to remove the OS restrictions. That is clearly not the standard today. I believe that adding a save as not resetting went along with widening what was considered a deliberate play by the defender.)
This is what I was getting at, but you explained it more clearly. An action can still be deliberate and be classed as a deflection in the right circumstances.
 
You just need to determine whether it was a deflection or a deliberate play.
Its that simple.
Not really that simple :)

The simplest way I have been taught and tell others is, if it is an action by a defender it is deliberate play, if it is reaction by the defender, it is a deflection (that could have debate of its own). No matter how you put it there will always be debates and disagreements about is just like what constitutes deliberate in a handball.
 
Not really that simple :)

The simplest way I have been taught and tell others is, if it is an action by a defender it is deliberate play, if it is reaction by the defender, it is a deflection (that could have debate of its own). No matter how you put it there will always be debates and disagreements about is just like what constitutes deliberate in a handball.

And its unfortunate that "deliberate" means something different in the two contexts.
 
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