Question Number: 29218

Law 11 - Offside 3/2/2015

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29212

The question of 'deliberate touch' by a defender in resetting offsides is a continuing debate. The video provided (by FIFA) doesn't really clear things up.

http://garcia-aranda.com/offsideifab/eng004video007.html

Yes, the attacker was in an offside position¦ but the defender had pretty generous time and space to make a decision and make a better play on the ball. In my mind he DID make a deliberate touch¦ just not a good one. A critical thought might be that he didn't stop the ball and make a (bad) play " and he didn't add power to the ball¦ it was a deflection of a ball that was passed toward the offside player.

Regarding the deliberate part of it: if the defender had been on the ground and used his hand to deflect the ball, I trust that all of us would call it deliberate handling¦ so why not 'deliberate use of foot?'

Interesting side-question: if the defender HAD used his hand, surely there would be no yellow or red card for preventing a ball going to a player in an offside position? PK, of course.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
Sometimes I think FIFA / IFAB through in some questionable scenarios so as to ensure that these decisions are not clear cut and to show that the decision can be in the opinion of the referee.
In the video you will note that there was zero debate about the offside call. Blues fully expected offside and the player calmly ran back to get on with defending the IDFK restart.
As regards if the player used a hand then I personally think that the referee has to consider the outcome. Now as the shot was saved then the only decision is to award a penalty kick. The defender cannot be sent off as no goal scoring opportunity was denied.
Now it gets interesting if a goal was scored by the Blue player. There will be a huge clamour about the offside non call. It will be extremely difficult to explain that the handling reset a clear offside and the referee will have as much difficulty in selling the penalty kick.
What is the best decision is always going to be difficult in such situations. I personally think that calling the handling is perhaps the best decision in that there is one decision to be made and sold. Was it deliberate handling or not

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Barry ,
An attempt to play the ball may not be a ..deliberate action.. if there is insufficient space, time or awareness. Rather a deliberate reaction no different than a deliberate handing evaluation? Did the ball hit the player or the player hit the ball?

Lets take these examples where each deliberate kick could DEFINATELY reset offside for the opposition but not necessarily award an indfk for a deliberate kick to the keeper

Defender A kicks a square ball to Defender B across and just inside PA .
Opponent #1 sees an easy intercept and moves in!
Defending Keeper sees danger rushes out handles that ball inside the PA.
That is an INDFK offence, it should be called EVERY time!

Defender A kicks a square ball to Defender B across and just inside PA .
There is no opponent nearby
Defending Keeper chooses to rush out handles that ball inside the PA.
That is an INDFK offence, it could be called but it could be also be considered trifling, a warning given to be careful !

Defender A tries to kick a square ball to Defender B across and just inside PA but miskicks it directly towards his keeper.
Opponent #1 sees an easy intercept and moves in!
Defending Keeper sees danger rushes out handles that ball inside the PA.
That is an INDFK offence, it should be called EVERY time!
(Why is it not trifling? Because an opponent was denied his right to challenge!)

Defender A tries to kick a square ball to Defender B across and just inside PA but miskicks it directly towards his keeper.
There is no opponent nearby
Defending Keeper handles that ball inside the PA.
That is an INDFK offence but it is trifling it should NOT be called any time!

Defender A challenges Opponent #1 for the ball and makes a great slide tackle using his foot to kick the ball free across the face of goal where the keeper dives on it using his hands inside the PA. No INDFK restriction for the use of hands inside the PA because the action was to strip the opponent from the ball where the ball went is ...trifling... this was the mistake of the opponent for showing too much of the ball.

A mistake is when there is time and space to react and as a player you are aware of the ball headed in your direction. I.E. you run over to clear a rolling ball and it skates off your foot to go wherever, it is on you, it was a deliberate action undertaken with ..You.. being in control and the loss of possession is your deliberate action. It resets offside for the opposition. It is a deliberate kick to your keeper which MIGHT be trifling!

Each referee will have an opinion based on his or her current understanding and knowledge of the LOTG. So in an evaluation of an ACTION to determine if it was deliberate there is some degree of ...intent... being looked at to help sort things out. Whether or not it forms the basis of the decision it will affect the decision because ...doubtful... means that the referee can not say for sure exactly what happened.

This video was most challenging to determine that play SHOULD have been ruled offside but WAS NOT correctly evaluated

https://vimeo.com/110117758 A clear deflection but not so clear!

There will always be discrepancies in how one referee might see a CLOSE decision what should not be unclear is the consistency that individual referee applies to EVERY decision he makes based on their view of the LOTG at that moment in their career . It is not that you MIGHT later change your mind . We had to work hard at convincing many that a deliberate handling that was not a save could in fact reset offside and a goal could be scored. see YOU call it #37 .

In the FIFA video if it was a deliberate handling there could still be a caution show a yellow card for USB just not a red card for DOGSO as the ball was not destined for goal or that player who got to the rebound. I agree though this idea of why the FIFA is a deflection and looking at others that are not classified as deflections is indeed a difficult realization to grasp clearly!


MLS video review 6 in a row can you tell?
http://www.proreferees.com/news-offside-videos.php

MLS 2 deflections Play of the Week 33: Offside calls in NE vs. TOR and CLB vs. PHI
note the 1st video the attempted header many might consider the ball only deflected but was interpreted as deliberately played
the 2nd video compare it to the FIFA one below
http://www.proreferees.com/news-play-of-the-week---2014---wk33.php

FIFA deflection
http://garcia-aranda.com/offsideifab/eng004video007.html

Cheers