|
Would it be easier for the referee team (obviously, especially for the assistant referee) to call an offside violation, if being in an offside position were defined as being ahead of the ball and being closer to the goal-line than all opponents (defenders), exclusive of the goalkeeper? In other words, take the goalkeeper completely out of the equation, and only require the attacker to be even with or farther from the goal-line than any (one) defender to not be offside. This would make the offside call easier and more accurate when there are a lot of players bunched in the penalty area or near to the goal, for example, on a corner kick, and the goalkeeper rushes out several yards from the goal-line, possibly putting one or more attacking players offside who one second ago were not offside. With all the player movement and congestion so close to the goal, and the ball sometimes being played in quick succession by two or more players, and the keeper hidden in the middle, this can be difficult for the assistant to call accurately from the touchline 30 to 40 yards away. If an attacking player only has to have one defender closer to goal, the rule is simplified, fairer and easier to call. Simply let the goalkeeper move anywhere he/she pleases during the course of play and ignore the keeper for the purposes of calling an offside.
|