The Ref Stop

Deliberate play - offside bonanza

santa sangria

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I ran the line for a bottom of the table clash between two side born offside. Great ref, comms, lots of wait and see, well into double figures for offside offences, including disallowing the equalizer 😟

We are in the middle of the season already and maybe these deliberate play observations are useful:

- long ball, poor back header by a defender, eventually collected by the attacker who started the long ball in an offside position and came back to collect. I made the rainbow. Easy one really but not expected by the ref or players - I think because it’s such a long time from the original pass. This has been every other match recently. Deffo good to talk in the pre-match. Comms great here.

- long, high GK kick from the hand, comes hard at the “mixed ability” centreback, his volleyed shank balloons out to the winger, who started in an offside position. I thought about and flagged it and communicated “waiting… offside… not a deliberate play” on comms.

My ref was switched on. He blew for it but said hmm we should discuss later. I think I got this one wrong. I haven’t seen a specific video example. On balance, fast and high ball, but lots to time to play a very expected ball. Also no one expected or appealed, I alone knew the player was offside at the kick. There was no need to flag. Perhaps I was already too flag happy with all the other offsides!
 
The Ref Stop
from the way you describe it i'm going play on for the 2nd

I don't quite get the first, you mean you've given the offside? 'poor back header' suggests a deliberate, but poor, play
Yes, gave the first one. Faster, lower trajectory, more reactive attempt to block with the head, kinda brushes the top of the head. I think easy fit for non-deliberate.
 
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The following criteria should be used, as appropriate, as indicators that a player was in control of the ball and, as a result, ‘deliberately played’ the ball:

  • The ball travelled from distance and the player had a clear view of it
  • The ball was not moving quickly
  • The direction of the ball was not unexpected
  • The player had time to coordinate their body movement, i.e. it was not a case of instinctive stretching or jumping, or a movement that achieved limited contact/control
  • A ball moving on the ground is easier to play than a ball in the air”
My bold. I think the clear difference between the scenarios. #1 play is instinctive, stretching, #2 is coordinated, proper contact just poor, mistimed - and why I should not have flagged #2.
 
Not sure if it matters too much though, it can't really be that instinctive if the ball has travelled that distance. Obviously tricky without being there, but the way you have worded the first one makes it just sound like a bad header and it should have been onside. I'm really thinking the same for the second as well, struggling to see how a player miskicking a long goal kick could be deemed as anything other than an intentional play.
 
Well I hope the first one was correct. It was a carbon copy of one flagged by my opposite AR at the weekend. He was slumming it in the fourth tier and his real job is to observe the top flight ARs!
 
Well I hope the first one was correct. It was a carbon copy of one flagged by my opposite AR at the weekend. He was slumming it in the fourth tier and his real job is to observe the top flight ARs!
I can't remember seeing any where a defender playing a ball that has been played as far as a goal kick has been classed as an instinctive or accidental play. That said, I'm talking pro football here where the skill levels are higher and perhaps that is taken into account.
 
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