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So you think that the off-sides rule is a bad thing. You probably think that
strikers should be able to position themselves just about anywhere they please.
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Video Credit: ABC Sports and FIFA
As the father of not one but two goalkeepers, let me assure you that the
keepers of the world have nightmares over the prospects of FIFA changing
the laws of the game to remove off sides. They know full well that such a
change would likely produce lots of over the top longball soccer followed
by countless collisions between the strikers and keepers - particularly on
high boucing balls. Ironically, the very players who are calling out the
loudest for the removal of off-sides - the strikers - would likely find much
pain and greatly shortened careers under that reality, as it wouldn't take
too many two fisted hits to the side of the head - by goalkeepers who
have been sprinting off their mark at full speed - for strikers to start
calling for the reinstatement of the offsides rule. Click on the following
image for an example of what I'm talking about.
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Caption: Crash of the Chrome Domes - Ronaldo v. Fabian Barthez, Just click on the image!
Video Credit: ABC Sports and FIFA
By the way, I've been having a little fun with the following video which comes from one of my favorite all-time soccer matches. The game was the Arsenal v. Tottenham match of November 2004, the so called "North London Derby", which ended 5-4 in favor of the Gunners. In the Arsenal offense was midfielder Patrick Vieira and forward Henry, both starters for the French Men's National Team, and easily two of the world's best players.
My interest in this particular play is to test the definition of what it takes for a player to be influencing a play. Now for those who like to know the context of the action, know that Arsenal has the lead and that Henry had been called for offsides just a couple of minutes earlier. In light of that fact, I pondered long and hard on why Henry didn't seem to be in any hurry getting back on sides. Heck, since he had such a clear view of the action with his back to the goal, it almost appears that he wanted to be offsides.
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Video Credit: Fox Sports World
Off sides was not called on this play and I have no problem with that. It seems to be such a clear cut case of an off-sides player not influencing a play since the commentators didn't even discuss the impact of Henry's off-sidedness.
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Besides, over time I've learned that Henry places himself off sides in situations when the opposition starts to advance the ball up the middle of the field to remove the option of the pass back to the goalkeeper, such as in the video at right, when he capitalizes on a brain fart by one of the game's truly great midfielders. The important thing to keep in mind here is that there is no off-sides when the pass goes to an opposing player.
My query is on a similar situation where a player purposely puts himself in an off-sides position, and then loudly CALLS FOR THE PASS from the midfielder. In my mind, if the midfielder provides a well delivered through pass to that forward, there is no way that the forward can be said to be NOT influencing the play...even if he or she slyly raises both arms in the air after the ball travels by.
But consider how that communication is likely to be made...in French. Now it gets sticky. If Henry wanted the ball, he might yell to his fellow Frenchman:
Hé Patrick, passer la balle à moi pour que je pourrais mettre la balle dans le but !
Or something like that. Now consider if Henry instead says:
Hé Patrick, être sûr de passer la balle à quelqu'un d'autre sur l'équipe, pour je suis dans une mauvaise position et l'aide de l'arbitre élèvera sûrement son drapeau si vous me passez.
Which roughly warns of being off-sides. But then Vieira threads the ball right by him.
But if I'm right, then the English Premier League referee would need to speak French to do his job, and Swedish and Spanish and maybe even Dutch and Italian and Brazilian ;~) too.
Then there's the consideration of whether or not the referee is in a position to even hear the exchange.
Welcome to my world.
Mike Kimbro
PS - Save your e-mails which maintain that soccer referees are not influenced by what is said on the field, cause I ain't buying it.
Note: The videos are more enjoyable if the video settings are at least 800x600 or even 640x480.