A&H

Offside law question

Trip

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Level 5 Referee
Attacking player kicks the ball to a teammate who is clearly in an offside position. A defender attempts to intercept the pass, gets a foot to it, but fails to control it and the ball travels onward, albeit more slowly and in a slightly different direction, to the offside attacker. He scores.

Goal or IDF for offside?
 
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The way you've described it, I would lean towards a goal, but it depends on the situation. The key question is "did the defender deliberately play the ball?" If the defender had time to attempt a controlled touch on the ball, then this is a deliberate play and therefore not offside. If the defender stuck out their foot in more of a reactionary manner to block a pass (so not really a controlled action), this would be more of a deflection and the player is still offside.
 
I'd heard about the Lovren incident but not seen it so I didn't know it was exactly the same thing.

I wasn't really in any doubt that it was not offside (it was a deliberate attempt to play the ball by the defender) but a lot of players disputed it including one who actually used the term 'incorrect application of law' which is unusual.
 
The way I read the law is very pro-attackers, I know. But here’s my interpretation: as you describe it, it doesn’t look like a ball deflected off the defender nor as a save as defined in the laws. So, play on, the goal should stand.
 
My own question, any player behind the keeper are they offside, so keeper comes running out of his box, gives the ball away there is still a box full of his own defenders but is the attacker offside if the ball is played to him because he’s behind the keeper?
 
Cheers for that I dunno why I’ve always thought the keeper is an exception to the rule.
 
It rarely happens (that the GK is not the last defender) and that makes it a challenge for thr AR and confusing for others.

As an AR the way to "prepare" is to think about the second last defender when e.g. The GK has the ball to kick from the hand when defenders are still behind him. Get used to it in less pressure situations.

If a key match incident with the GK in front of defenders happens once every 20-30 games, what is really mind bending is when you combine that with something else unusual, like an offside decision about a pass that's played backwards. That happens about once every 500 games!

@Men in Black I think this is something pretty cool about learning to be an AR... For years these crazy incidents happen for the "first time" and only once and you have to be on the ball as it will decide game.;)
 
Yep and the worst thing about it is you could get everything spot on all game as an AR, you make one bad call and your battered for it.

If a Lino gets through 90 mins with no controversy has a great game he doesn’t get a bloody trophy & bottle of champagne like the players, infact he doesn’t even get a well done from the media after the game.

Thankless task
 
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Polar opposite. Ronaldo, really did very little the other night. Then scores the winning goal with seconds to go and is a hero.
Everything in perspective...

Your not out there to get praise for fullfilling your duties correctly..that should be a given.
 
If it was ever a popularity contest I think I would have come in the Also Rans, I had one major thought, ref fair!! I couldn't give a sh1t who won or the emotion of scoring / conceding a goal. I did what had to be done and, yes, I upset many along the way. The correct thing in law isn't always the best thing for that game!! Miley is spot on (for a change :angel:)
 
The law is very clear on the defender who deliberately plays a ball but messes it up and it squirts through to an attacker in an offside position. It’s not offside as it’s not deliberately played to the offside player by his teammate. BUT not wanting to further complicated the most complicated of the laws I think IFAB should look at this. We have all seen it so many time where a defender ‘needs’ to try to get the ball before it reaches an attacker in an offside position - ok if he’s brave and absolutely sure the player is off he can let it go but that’s a lot of risk to ask a defender to take. I’m highlighting an issue without a good solution - just sympathy for the defenders when this happens.
 
Yep and the worst thing about it is you could get everything spot on all game as an AR, you make one bad call and your battered for it.

If a Lino gets through 90 mins with no controversy has a great game he doesn’t get a bloody trophy & bottle of champagne like the players, infact he doesn’t even get a well done from the media after the game.

Thankless task

People don’t deserve awards just for doing their job properly.

And you shouldn’t referee expecting people to thank you.

I did a county cup final last season, and the officials for the game before ours had people in the crowd (it was a youth match) complaining when they went up to collect their medals.

Because the crowd “weren’t there to see them” and the game wasn’t about them etc
 
The law is very clear on the defender who deliberately plays a ball but messes it up and it squirts through to an attacker in an offside position. It’s not offside as it’s not deliberately played to the offside player by his teammate. BUT not wanting to further complicated the most complicated of the laws I think IFAB should look at this. We have all seen it so many time where a defender ‘needs’ to try to get the ball before it reaches an attacker in an offside position - ok if he’s brave and absolutely sure the player is off he can let it go but that’s a lot of risk to ask a defender to take. I’m highlighting an issue without a good solution - just sympathy for the defenders when this happens.
I think they should add "block" to the offside law in addition to deflection and save. Then defenders would be able to do what comes naturally i.e. attempt to stop through-balls a la Lovren... or by jumping to head to stop a high ball (in my experience, this is the one that happens at grassroots) - or by trying to block a cross - and they would not be penalised for it if they don't have any control over the flight of the ball after they have played it. "Block" would also stop the problem of having this open definition of a save that requires interpretation in rare cases: "into or very close to the goal".
 
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