Chelsea v Porto Offside

[BobbyD]

Hi All,

Watching Chelsea vs Porto a couple of weeks ago, a particular offside decision has stuck in my mind and I wanted to see if my understanding is correct. A cross-field pass was aimed at Reece James who was stood in an offside position on the RH side of the pitch. A Porto defender stepped out to deliberately clear the pass with a header, he got it horribly wrong and the ball clearly skimmed off his head to the feet of Reece James who was still stood in an offside position. James did not make a challenge on the defender. The offside was then given.

My understanding is that the offside should not have been given. Reece James was not yet active when the Porto defender attempted to head the ball and the as the Porto defender's attempt was deliberate James is no longer offside.

Have I missed something or did the AR get it wrong?

 

[santa sangria]

Sounds like you are right

 

[JamesL]

This is one of the many problems with the offside law.
What you describe sounds like no offside offence

However, I think this is one of those that everyone expects to be given as offside. I guess everyone accepted it. Had it been given I wonder if we'd of gotten another clarification

 

[Mr Dean]

This is one of the many problems with the offside law.
What you describe sounds like no offside offence

However, I think this is one of those that everyone expects to be given as offside. I guess everyone accepted it. Had it been given I wonder if we'd of gotten another clarification

Was about to write something very similar to this. When does a deliberate play become a deflection? I think a reasonable person would expect a "skim" to not be considered a deliberate play of the ball.

 

[Mr Dean]

Personally, I think unsuccessful interceptions shouldn't be considered deliberate plays because the attacker has gained an advantage from being in an offside position. But this will require a U-turn in law when IFAB are clearly going in the opposite direction.

 

[santa sangria]

This is one of the many problems with the offside law.
What you describe sounds like no offside offence

However, I think this is one of those that everyone expects to be given as offside. I guess everyone accepted it. Had it been given I wonder if we'd of gotten another clarification

Lovren Kane - what, 3 seasons ago, 2?, already showed... a deliberate play, even if it is a miss kick, resets offside.
I don't think there's any clarification needed here.

 

[BobbyD]

This is one of the many problems with the offside law.
What you describe sounds like no offside offence

However, I think this is one of those that everyone expects to be given as offside. I guess everyone accepted it. Had it been given I wonder if we'd of gotten another clarification

The offside was fully accepted and it got no mention from the commentary.

Just imagining the reaction in a game when I tell a team the goal that the opposition player scored when 10 yards offside counts because their number four got the slightest deliberate touch on a ball over the top.

'You should have just left it, then it would have been offside!'

 

[santa sangria]

The offside was fully accepted and it got no mention from the commentary.

Just imagining the reaction in a game when I tell a team the goal that the opposition player scored when 10 yards offside counts because their number four got the slightest deliberate touch on a ball over the top.

'You should have just left it, then it would have been offside!'

That is the reality though.
At grassroots it happens and creates problems because invariably players "know different laws."
Is it a deliberate play? if so, even if a miss kick, it counts.

 

[Jorik0907]

The offside was fully accepted and it got no mention from the commentary.

Just imagining the reaction in a game when I tell a team the goal that the opposition player scored when 10 yards offside counts because their number four got the slightest deliberate touch on a ball over the top.

'You should have just left it, then it would have been offside!'

I've had soooo many problems with this. Worst was when it happened twice in one game, with the CB playing the ball ending up with a three card trick after going in the book for dissent after both goals.
After the game, when I showed him Lovren, he seemed to accept it. Just 'last week's ref' would have given the offside

 

[socal lurker]

After the game, when I showed him Lovren, he seemed to accept it. Just 'last week's ref' would have given the offside

I think the real problem is he’s probably right about last week’s ref.

too many refs seem to rely on old interpretation. As an AR I’ve literally had instructions from experienced refs that were directly at odds with current instruction/interpretations because they don’t agree with them. It’s hardly shocking that players/coaches can’t stay current when refs aren’t applying the current laws.