A&H

Offside - ARM

Alex71

Alex71

RefChat Addict
Level 5 Referee
Law 11 is very clear that an ATTACKING player's arm cannot be offside

Today at half-time in the Manchester United v Newcastle game I'm sure I heard Howard Webb (in the TV truck) refer to the DEFENDING player's arm as something that cannot play an attacking player onside

Have I ..:
  • heard it wrong
  • heard HW say something wrong
  • learnt something new today !?!?
Thanks !
 
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If I remember correctly, Howard said we ignore the defender's arm, therefore the offside decision was correct
 
Fantastic @Kieran W - great memory - that's exactly what he said - we ignore the defender's arm … was he correct though !?!?
 
It was a close one. What I would say is that the computer graphic line was on the tip of rooneys boot but his upper body was leaning further towards the goal. Was he actually offside? tight call. As he is a utd player - yes he certainly was offside. Should have been sent off for it. :)
 
@SM - not really fussed whether it was on or off side in this one (although agree he was offside) … can a player be offside if they are level with an defender's (outstretched) arm ..?
 
Ahh. I would say arms don't count. It is not defined in the lotg as to what defender parts are eligible for consideration, but I would assume (dangerous!) that it is the same criteria as that of the attacker. A body part which can play the ball legally.

Hmmm that makes me think - what if the keeper is the second last defender? He can play the ball (in penalty area) with his arms - would you then consider them when judging an offside position?

:D
 
Not seen the incident, but the laws of the game refer to offside being any part of the body that can legally be used to score a goal.

So with only an outstretched arm beyond the last line of defence shouldn't result in an offside flag.
 
@Mooseybaby - switch it around - if the outstretched arm was the defender's - and the attacker was level with the defender's arm … offside ??
 
My take was as you can't play the ball with your arm it doesn't make a difference for either attacker or defender?
 
RegalRef said:
My take was as you can't play the ball with your arm it doesn't make a difference for either attacker or defender?
Click to expand...

This. While it's rare for this to be a consideration, it CAN happen. The arm isn't a part of the body you can legally, intentionally play the ball with, so it makes no sense to count it for the attacker. And if we're not counting it for the attacker, it makes no sense to count it for the defender (otherwise if a defender it pointing something to his keeper, that could give an attacker an extra yard of space!). Shoulder counts, arm doesn't.

In the normal typical scenario where players are running you can't tell with the arms anyway, so don't even worry about it.
 
To my simple mind, if we are talking about arms this infers that other (and relevant) body parts must be at least "in line" so therefore not offside.
 
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