Should offside be scrapped? Poll added

[BrianW]

I voted 'no' but what I mean is it should go back to what it was.

 

[give it to gordon]

If the off side rule went back to the old way of anyone in an off side position is off. I think VAR would be even worst, you could see some cracking goals from corners ruled out because the corner taker is off side !

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I think there's nothing wrong with the offside rule. It's just utter bollocks interpretations of it that are the problem. As was the case with handball. The Tifo podcast made a good point with regards to the Rashford non-offside. The question you need to ask is "Did Man Utd gain an advantage from having Rashford in an offside position?" The answer was clearly yes, so that should count as interfering and the goal shouldn't count. I've seen nothing in the rules as they are currently written that should allow Rashford's goal.

One thing you could do in order to clarify things for hard-of-thinking referees though is to make it the player's responsibility if they're in an offside position to make it clear that they're not interfering with play (which incidentally players do when they're actually cleverly leaving it for someone else). Like in the way that defenders have to make an effort to avoid handballs.

 

[bluenova]

If the off side rule went back to the old way of anyone in an off side position is off. I think VAR would be even worst, you could see some cracking goals from corners ruled out because the corner taker is off side !

Absolutely - and, while I think Rashford was offside - the rules they used to justify the decision usually make those decisions clearer, less "subjective", and result in less goals being ruled out because some randomer is almost always in an offside position in a crowded box.

 

[journolud]

Just scrap it for the Rags and Dippers then we’ll all know where we stand

 

[SkyBlueFlux]

I think there's nothing wrong with the offside rule. It's just utter bollocks interpretations of it that are the problem. As was the case with handball. The Tifo podcast made a good point with regards to the Rashford non-offside. The question you need to ask is "Did Man Utd gain an advantage from having Rashford in an offside position?" The answer was clearly yes, so that should count as interfering and the goal shouldn't count. I've seen nothing in the rules as they are currently written that should allow Rashford's goal.

One thing you could do in order to clarify things for hard-of-thinking referees though is to make it the player's responsibility if they're in an offside position to make it clear that they're not interfering with play (which incidentally players do when they're actually cleverly leaving it for someone else). Like in the way that defenders have to make an effort to avoid handballs.

I agree with this and have suggested it to my friends. If you want to be considered not interfering then stand absolutely still and put your hands above your head. Otherwise you’re interfering regardless of what it is you’re actually doing. If you have to move out of the way of the ball, tough luck - you are offside. If you eliminate any doubt in who is and isn’t interfering then all that’s left is how you measure the line which is difficult but solvable, particularly with good technology and a sensible assumed margin of error. If it’s sufficiently close then stick with the on-field decision (like umpires call in cricket), that’d avoid the amount of false goal celebrations.

Scrapping the offside rule altogether is bonkers and would make the game immeasurably worse.

 

[FantasyIreland]

No,it should just be offside....like it used to be before the busy fuckers got involved.

 

[BlueTG]

Instead of being offside because your toenail is offside, what if you are onside provided part of your body you can score with is onside. Still would need a decision as to whether a player was onside but there would be much less disappointment with disallowed goals.

This.

Or just determine that if an attackers foot is behind the defensive line, it’s onside. Stop all the fucking about with “he was leaning an inch further forward with his shoulder” crap or “his standing leg was offside” crap. Also puts the advantage with the attacker for once.

 

[MadchesterCity]

Another goals disallowed, subjective/ Ridiculous again, how does that offside decision improve football?

 

[Gazza]

If the off side rule went back to the old way of anyone in an off side position is off. I think VAR would be even worst, you could see some cracking goals from corners ruled out because the corner taker is off side !

Maybe make it for just players in the penalty area?