The offside rule in soccer...why don't they just abolish it?

[nublikescake]

As an occasional observer of soccer, I find the offside rule to be a nuisance and something that takes away a lot of the excitement from the game. Granted, there's the potential of "camping", i.e. when a striker waits around in the opposing side's half until his teammate launches the ball to him when there's only the goalie between him and the net. However, the downside to having a man deep in the other half is that you are one man short when the opposing team charges into your half to attack.

At the least, they should do trials without this rule and see what effect it has on the game and if games turn into goalfests without the rule.

Maybe I'm just out of my mind but it's just that so many scoring opportunities are lost when offside is called and right when it's about to get exciting.

At the very least, they should use technology like RF tags to monitor the locations of the players and the ball and use it to make offside calls, instead of leaving it up to the referees who can make mistakes.

 

[her209]

They should make it a penalty to intentionally kick it out of bounds as well. It ruins the flow of the game.

 

[slayer202]

stupid sports like soccer need stupid rules like offsides to make the game playable. its stupid

 

[Unmoosical]

For that matter why have icing or offsides in hockey? And why not be able to leave receivers in the endzone in football?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

The problem isn't the rule. The problem is enforcing the rule. This is one of the rules that need technology to fully implement.

 

[Crusty]

They should make it a penalty to intentionally kick it out of bounds as well. It ruins the flow of the game.

LOL, they already do! Your team loses the ball!

 

[FallenHero]

No. It would completely change the way the game is played.

 

[her209]

LOL, they already do! Your team loses the ball!

No, something like a penalty kick or the player is put into a penalty box for a few minutes or something.

 

[FallenHero]

No, something like a penalty kick or the player is put into a penalty box for a few minutes or something.

Why? It's a valid tactic to slow down the game and get numbers back. Don't like it? Don't watch.

 

[zinfamous]

no one has started a thread about this specific issue, at all.


and certainly not in the previous 2 weeks.


don't even bother searching; you certainly wouldn't find it here.

 

[joebloggs10]

No. It would completely change the way the game is played.

Exactly, it might make the game watchable.

 

[dug777]

Can I suggest they just abolish soccer?

 

[FallenHero]

Exactly, it might make the game watchable.

Soccer has done fine without whatever changes these geniuses suggest because they watch a couple of matches every 4 years.

 

[nublikescake]

Soccer has done fine without whatever changes these geniuses suggest because they watch a couple of matches every 4 years.

:awe: True. But have they ever trialled this and seen the game suffer significantly as a result?

 

[kt]

Can I suggest they just abolish soccer?

Let's wipe things we don't understand off this world. That's the typical American mentality.

 

[FallenHero]

:awe: True. But have they ever trialled this and seen the game suffer significantly as a result?

In the 70s they tried it with the US Pro league with FIFA's approval (forgot the name for it.) They changed the offside rule to a 2 line instead, similar to Hockey's Icing rule. Scoring skyrocketed because of the cherry-picking that was involved. FIFA came in and said "change it back or you can't compete in international tournaments." Hence it was changed in the US to conform to international standards.

 

[rcpratt]

The offside rule is critical to the game. Eliminate it and the sport will become of game of cherry-picking and screening the keeper.

This game has remained the most popular sport in the world for centuries for a reason. Americans that know too little about the sport to understand the beauty of it have two options - stop watching, or learn more about the sport.

 

[her209]

Why? It's a valid tactic to slow down the game and get numbers back. Don't like it? Don't watch.

Precisely. It slows down the game. I thought soccer was supposed to be non-stop action.

 

[KMFJD]

I agree abolish offsides, in soccer and football, i can't wait to see ndamakong suh splatter brett farve before he gets the football....

 

[Molondo]

While we are at it, lets allow rugby players to throw their ball forward!

 

[dug777]

Let's wipe things we don't understand off this world. That's the typical American mentality.

I'm an Aussie, but I guess the principle is the same

 

[FallenHero]

Precisely. It slows down the game. I thought soccer was supposed to be non-stop action.

Let's allow aluminum bats and roids in baseball since HR's attract crowds.

How about no offsides, pass interference, or roughing calls in football since that is about hitting people and tackling your opponent.

Who needs icing in Hockey, or offsides there, or a fighting penalty since that is supposed to be what the game is about.

Changing the offsides rules changes the way the game is played. One from building an attack, picking apart an opponent and keeping possession until a scoring opportunity to one of dumping the ball into a tightly packed goal area every time you get the ball.

Similarly, changing the way kicking the ball out of bounds changes defensive tactics. There would be no defense. It would be kick the ball as deep as possible and charge at it, forcing the D to kick the ball out and take a penalty. Why would anyone play D then?

No offense, but idiots complaining about soccer rules every 4 years annoys the shit out of people like me, who watch it year round and played it for a significant portion of their life. If you don't like it, no one is forcing you to watch the game.

 

[Lifted]

This is actually pretty funny coming from an American.

"Soccer has too many rules."

LOL

 

[Muse]

Precisely. It slows down the game. I thought soccer was supposed to be non-stop action.

Have you tried playing it? Running non stop (often at full speed) for 45 minutes at a time might have you wishing you had a 5 second break now and then.

 

[ScottSwing]

The offside rule in soccer...why don't they just abolish it?

Abolish the rule or abolish soccer? I'm all for the latter.