I'm not a huge fan of "before any of us were born, the law used to be X and so we're keeping it that way" as a reason.
Sure, that's valid for understanding how it's evolved to this point, but that doesn't mean this point is sensible in and of itself. It's perfectly reasonable to look at the fact that we've found ourself in a position where blocking is fine as long as it isn't offside (at which point it becomes a "disallow goals" level of impact on a game) and query if that's really a sensible outcome?
And your last assertion is pure guesswork - he could easily have made that same block from an onside position (or at least a borderline position rather than 2 yards offside), it's at least as likely that he just switched off to the possibility of offside position at the key moment of the FK.
No I appreciate what you're saying in the top half, but why stand in an offside position intentionally and then moan about being given offside?
In my opinion, what makes the most sense for football reasons is that if a player is offside as a result of not having made it back onside after a previous attack and an attack has nothing to do with him, then the goal should be allowed. But this isn't a case of that, this is a case of a player deliberately taking up an offside position at a restart. Whether his intention was to be back onside by the time the ball was played or not, he felt like standing in that position was advantageous at the time he was stood there. For that reason alone for me, if he doesn't make it back onside then it is correct for the game that it's an offside offence.
(I assume I'm correct that we're not discussing law here, just our opinion of what is right for the game?)
Not strictly true as I understand.
@Peter Grove will be along shortly to put us right on the history of offside but pretty sure from past comments on here that there has always been an element of having to be involved in active play for offside to be committed.
You're probably correct, but I'm sure I remember the whole active play thing becoming more of a thing and Neil Warnock ranting about it.