Offsides - what the crap is going on?

[Squall]

Chelsea v Barnsely - Chelsea play the ball in to Terry who's inside the six yard box and the flag goes up but Barnsley had a defender in the goal.

Arsenal v Liverpool - Arsenal guy stops his own teams shot from going into the net but he is whistled for offsides yet a Liverpool player in the goal.

Is there some rule i don't know about stating that if a defender is on the goal line or inside the actual goal that offsides can still happen.

I know there's plenty we can ***** about when it comes to refereeing, but damn, they're supposed to be on line with the last defender

 

[DeadHeadHorn]

Well, technically the rule is two defenders between the player and the goal. Usually one of those players is the goalie, so it's perceived as only one defender, but that's not the actual rule.

I still don't understand that Arsenal call though. There was a defender on the line and Carragher was beyond the touch line. Now maybe the rule exempts players who are not on the field of play, but that was just strange.

I heard Tommy Smyth say "Oh, he's CLEARLY offside!" but I chalked it up to him being an absolute ******* moron. I watched the replay at least 5 times and still can't figure it out.

 

[kicksumass]

i've played soccer all my life and I didn't know offside rule said 2 defenders between player and goal. Learn something new everyday!

 

[pantone159]

In reply to:

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[Squall]

deadhead - so seriously, if one defender is ON the goal line, the goalie is out of the 6 yard box but an offensive player recieves the ball in the box it's still an offsides??

I mean, seriously, that's what it sounds like in the laws of the game from the FIFA website, but that just seems stupid.

I never envisioned the Goalie counting as a defender on the pitch.

this is just wild, those calls may have actually been correct.

 

[DeadHeadHorn]

Yeah, that's correct. If the goalie is out of the box and only one defender is on the line, a ball played through to an attacker between the goalie and last defender will be blown for offside.

Almost never happens, but that's the rule.

I still disagree with the call but I haven't had a chance to re-watch it. I know there were two defenders beyond Bendtner, but again, Carragher was off the field of play, and that's the only loophole I can think of that would've ruled Bendtner offside.

The ball didn't go in, so it doesn't matter, but that would have been a big talking point if Bendtner hadn't stopped it on the line.

Oh, and in the San Jose-LA Gals game last night SJ was blown incorrectly for offside on a set piece that they scored on. They showed the replay and he was clearly on, yet the ESPN commentators (JP Delacamera and John Harkes) had little to say about it. Harkes is a total dumbass.