Question Number: 31063

Law 11 - Offside 11/28/2016

RE: Adult

garry hallett of cleethorpes, n e lincs United Kingdom asks...

Lingard was given off side after scoring against w ham this weekend yet the shot from another player was parried onto post by keeper before going across goal to lingard, Does this not put lingard in an on side position to score.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Garry,
No it does not.
Linguard was in an offside position WHEN his team mate shot.
Although after the last teammate touch of the ball the opposing keeper made a deliberate save, creating a rebound off the post, neither of these two actions RESET offside for Linguard given they are 2 of the 3 criterion of gaining an advantage culpability. The other is a deflection. If after receiving the ball off a deliberate save rebound or deflection an offside positionally restricted player was to be involved upon physically receiving the ball from any of these circumstances or combination thereof, an INDFK against his team with the restart based on the location of his involvement. The keeper making a deliberate play and then the subsequent redirection of the ball off the post is just a continuation of existing play as nothing changes for the attacking side. There is NO reset of offside restrictions for the attacking team even though as a physical touch of the ball it could create their own defending OPP being restricted from play. Black hole theory of offside where players from both teams are technically off their side in the same time frame. I know weird huh!
lol br> Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Garry
A save does not reset an offside so it is treated the same as if the ball was played by a player directly to his team mate who is in an offside position. The technical term is gaining an advantage by being in that position which is playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has:
# rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar
# been deliberately saved by an opponent.
Now in this case Lindgard was in an offside position so the save on to the post did not reset the offside. In fact it met both criteria for gaining an advantage by both a save and a rebound off the post from the shot by Mkhitaryan. A 100% correct decision by the officials.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Garry,

Whether you class the touch from the keeper as a deliberate save or a deflection off an opponent (I suppose it could be seen as either), in neither case does it reset offside.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 31072