Has the offside law changed?
When I played you could only be offside from a forward pass. The disallowed Wolves goal, last night, the corner taker was given offside, by VAR, when his teammate returned the ball to him but it went backwards. If the VAR ref got that wrong he needs canning.

I thought the same last night but the BT panel all agreed it was right after the explanation from their studio ref.

I was wondering too. But they seems to be endlessly tinkering with the rules these days.
Really can understand the Wolves fans doing their nuts at that decision.
.... I still reckon they did us though.

It isn't the case that the ball must be played forward, only the position of the players is relevant.

I think this has always been the case. Obviously it's very unusual for an offside offence if the ball is played backwards.

Remember when we use to ridicule woman about not knowing the offside law? Well..........

He's in front of the ball (albeit marginally) when the ball is played. He is moving from a offside position to onside position to collect the ball. This has been classified as offside for as long as I can remember.

Ultimately from reading the scenario he gained an advantage from being in an offside position.

Marginally is irrelevant btw

I have a question about VAR and offside. Once the screen says “offside” is that it? Or can the ref go to the pitch side monitor to look at it?

dpinsussex wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:07 am

Ultimately from reading the scenario he gained an advantage from being in an offside position.

Marginally is irrelevant btw

He didn't gain an advantage. Best to watch it.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:18 am

He didn't gain an advantage. Best to watch it.

Well Wolves went on to score from the position. However marginal, he was offisde. The rule was followed correctly.

If the ball was played backwards, wasn’t he at a disadvantage from being beyond the last defender rather than gaining an advantage?

RammyClaret61 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:15 am

I have a question about VAR and offside. Once the screen says “offside” is that it? Or can the ref go to the pitch side monitor to look at it?

Why would he need to? Offside is a black and white issue, the player is either off or on. There is no subjectivity or grey area.

Whether the player is proved to offisde by 1mm or 1m, he is still offside.

Ric_C wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:31 am

If the ball was played backwards, wasn’t he at a disadvantage from being beyond the last defender rather than gaining an advantage?

It's irrelevant whether the player gains an advantage or not - that is not the rule.

KellyClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:31 am

Why would he need to? Offside is a black and white issue, the player is either off or on. There is no subjectivity or grey area.

Whether the player is proved to offisde by 1mm or 1m, he is still offside.

Not strictly true. For example in the case where an attacker is deemed to be interfering with play for standing in the goalkeepers eyeline.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:34 am

Not strictly true. For example in the case where an attacker is deemed to be interfering with play for standing in the goalkeepers eyeline.

Yep, absolutely agree, I should have been more specific. I am talking about the situation when a ball is directly played to a player in a potential offisde position without any other interference.

I don't particularly care any more... even if it's clear and obvious.

Tall Paul wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:55 am

It isn't the case that the ball must be played forward, only the position of the players is relevant.

I think this has always been the case. Obviously it's very unusual for an offside offence if the ball is played backwards.

Blown everything I have ever thought about offside right out the water. I have always thought the ball had to be played FORWARD for the flag to go up. Ah well, every days a school day.

Interesting that fans mark referees every week on this forum, I wonder how many really know The Laws of the Game?

Ashingtonclaret46 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:51 am

Interesting that fans mark referees every week on this forum, I wonder how many really know The Laws of the Game?

There are lots of niche aspects of the Laws of the Game that even some referees/linesmen won’t know or remember.

Last nights call was extremely rare. How often does a player start in an offside position to receive a ball being played backwards? Even on short corners your usually have sufficient players on the line to keep them onside.

Ashingtonclaret46 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:51 am

Interesting that fans mark referees every week on this forum, I wonder how many really know The Laws of the Game?

You need to train as a barrister to get through them, Ash. I have just been on the FA website and the poster above is correct it does just say a touch of the ball. You are senior to me and have reffed so was I correct that it used to be a forward pass?

There will have been professional referees and linesmen watching at home who wouldn’t have batted an eyelid had that goal been allowed in a pre-VAR world.

This site beggars belief - the only fans in the world who understand the laws of football are the zimmers in The BL

Law

In order to be offside one of the conditions is:

:: any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent

In other words, as I interpret it. You cannot be offside if you are behind the ball or put simply the ball is played backwards to you.

So we oldies have it right! IMO. Except, see below

I haven't seen last night's incident but I assume the ball was played backwards to him.
However, at the corner the ball would be considered dead? As soon as the corner is taken the ball is active and is nearer to the goal line, and so I suppose this is the only occasion when you can be offside from a ball played backwards.

agreenwood wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:06 am

There will have been professional referees and linesmen watching at home who wouldn’t have batted an eyelid had that goal been allowed in a pre-VAR world.

True, however, that is not the football world in which we now live at the higher levels!
I would think that, had that goal been scored in any English game outside of the PL, it would have stood. There was not one player who appealed for offside or even thought that there may have been an infringement and Mike Dean had given the goal.

Trevor, I have to admit that, in my time as an official, I can never recall an instance where offside has been given as it was last night. My own feeling is that there must have been several occasions when a short corner was taken and the player taking it had received the ball again, exactly as last night, but it would never have occurred to me that he could have been offside. Quite frankly, I still think that this sort of thing is ruining the game.

Actually having read my exception, even that is not right.
He is behind the ball.

I have now seen the incident, it stinks.
The receiver cannot be offside from a corner.

2 Bee Holed wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:10 pm

Actually having read my exception, even that is not right.
He is behind the ball.

I have now seen the incident, it stinks.
The receiver cannot be offside from a corner.

It was the corner taker, Neto (?) who was offside when Jota passed the ball back to him. He wasn't behind the ball when it was passed.

Nothing to do with the direction of the ball....its if you are in front of the ball

So in 99.9% of occasions
If you are behind the ball the ball must have been played backwards to you.