Finally a soccer game that sounds interesting

[Imran Siddiqui]

But if there is only one Barbados player it is going to be pretty easy to score, and if there is more than one, all the others are offside as soon as the first Barbados player touches it, unless they are behind him (closer to their own goal).

Not necessarily. They don't have to be closer to their own goal because they aren't involved in the play. You can be right next to the goalie if you want, but if no pass comes to you at all, then you ain't offside. You aren't involved in the play.

[FrustratedPoet]

all the others are offside as soon as the first Barbados player touches it, unless they are behind him

Fergus: I'm not sure I understand what you're saying.
Let's imagine that there are 5 Barbados players right around the Grenada goal, trying to stop the Grenadans from scoring an own-goal. No Grenada players are closer to the goal-line than the 5 Barbados players. A Grenada player shoots the ball towards his own goal. A Barbados player (it makes no difference which one) blocks it, gets it under control and bashes the ball up to the half-way line to clear it.
There is no offside in that instance. As long as the Barbados player who blocks the ball does not kick it to one of his team-mates in the direction of the Grenada goal then it is a perfectly legal play. Whether his team-mates are in front of him or behind him makes no difference.

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Winston
Bruce Grobelaar tried this visionary approach years ago.

Didn't work.

Yeah, fancy only winning 2 European Cups and a hat full of League titles, a p!ss poor career by anyones standards!

[Laertes]

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet

all the others are offside as soon as the first Barbados player touches it, unless they are behind him

Fergus: I'm not sure I understand what you're saying.
Let's imagine that there are 5 Barbados players right around the Grenada goal, trying to stop the Grenadans from scoring an own-goal. No Grenada players are closer to the goal-line than the 5 Barbados players. A Grenada player shoots the ball towards his own goal. A Barbados player (it makes no difference which one) blocks it, gets it under control and bashes the ball up to the half-way line to clear it.
There is no offside in that instance. As long as the Barbados player who blocks the ball does not kick it to one of his team-mates in the direction of the Grenada goal then it is a perfectly legal play. Whether his team-mates are in front of him or behind him makes no difference.

Maybe I dont, but as I understand the rule, you are offside when you are interfering with play, regarless of whether you have the ball or not. A Barbados player on the Grenada goal-line helping to block a shot must be interfering with play.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
However, the interpretation of exactly when a player is "active" or "inactive" for the purposes of this rule is more than a little murky. The bizarre situation of this particular game doesn't help make it any clearer.

I'm of the view "If you're not interfering with play then what are you doing on the pitch?".

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by Fergus Horkan
A Barbados player on the Grenada goal-line helping to block a shot must be interfering with play.

Not if it's a Grenada player who's taken the shot. But anyway .... I think this conversation is going round in cricles. It's all pretty damn confusing whichever way you look at it.

[alva]

Is there any video material to be found from this game?
-
FP; never go down that slippery road of trying to explain the off-side rule, especially the finer points. It's just one of those things you need to be grown up with

[Imran Siddiqui]

A Barbados player on the Grenada goal-line helping to block a shot must be interfering with play.

Not really. You have to be actively involved with the play. The ball has to be sent towards you or you have to go after a loose ball that was kicked (poorly) by your own guy. A Barbados player on the Grenada goal-line who hasn't touched the ball isn't active.

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
A Barbados player on the Grenada goal-line who hasn't touched the ball isn't active.

The important consideration is if his presence in an offside position has directly advantaged his team - he needn't necessarily have touched the ball in order for this to be the case. Being a distraction to the opposition goalie or defenders is usually enough to have you declared offside. However, if you're lying injured near the corner flag only the most cold-hearted officials would call you offside. Like I said, it's all very much open to the interpretation of each individual case.



How about we start discussing the LBW rule in cricket?

[Laertes]

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet



How about we start discussing the LBW rule in cricket?

Good idea, I know even less about that.