Soccer/Football Fans: What the eff is offsides?

Okay, so, I've been delving into the dark, dark world of football manager. I'm really bad at it and it makes me angry but I'm playing it anyway, because it reminds me of a Crusader Kings 2 in a strange way. I've improved my knowledge of soccer 1000 fold (because all I knew was kick the ball into the net to win basically) but I still have no idea what the fuck offsides is. Things I think are offsides based on things I've seen get offsides aren't, and things will be offsides that I have no idea why they are.

help D:

In the most simple way possible. You can't pass the ball to a player who is higher up the pitch than a member of another team.

Offside

Not offside

@wadawoodo said:

In the most simple way possible. You can't pass the ball to a player who is higher up the pitch than a member of another team.

Offside

Not offside

It must be noted this rule is only true in the opposing teams halve

@wadawoodo: much appreciated :D

Also, when the two blue dots are behind the two red dots and pass to each other - no offside. When the red defenders are in the opposition's half and the blue dot passes the ball behind them to a teammate - no offside. When a red player is on the ground (injured) he still counts, so if his defensive teammate is infront and blue dots pass behind him but still infront of the fallen defensive player - not offside. Official determine offsides by the placement of players legs, it will make more sense when you watch real matches and there are close calls. There are no offsides when there is a touch line throw. There can be offside when a player shoots and the ball bounces off the keeper and into a player that is behind the defensive line.

I hope you start enjoying the game soon enough, it kinda starts with learning that its not always your fault.

It also needs to be noted that offsides is judged at the moment of the pass. Meaning that in the above diagrams;

1. Blue dot can receive a pass behind both red dots, so long as at the time of the pass, he was in front of the red dots.
2. Conversely, if blue dot receives a pass in front of red dots he is still offside if, at the time of the pass, he was behind the blue dots. In other words, you can't come back for the ball if you started the play offside.

Also, no offside on corner kicks. Or throw-ins. Or goal kicks. Or in your own half (confused yet?)

That's plenty for now. The real fun starts after you've mastered the offside rule to the point that you can have an argument about whether an attacker who is technically offside was part of an "active play" that should trigger the call. Every single linesman seems to call that one differently and it always manages to cause a few big controversies* in a season.

* Remember to pronounce this "con-TROV-ersy," or your British friends will laugh at you.

And yet, soccer is still infinitely easier to understand than cricket, which will remain alien to me until the end of my days.

@yesiamaduck said:

@wadawoodo said:

In the most simple way possible. You can't pass the ball to a player who is higher up the pitch than a member of another team.

Offside

Not offside

It must be noted this rule is only true in the opposing teams halve

Also any attacker that is level with or behind the ball is not in an offside position and may never be sanctioned for an offside offence.

@lawgamer: I don't think I can go that far. though I actually do live in a city with a MLS team (the TIMBERS)

They probably do better than the trail blazers do, to be honest.

Also, it is only offside, if the

@wadawoodo said:

In the most simple way possible. You can't pass the ball to a player who is higher up the pitch than a member of another team.

Offside

Not offside

But only if the member of the other team is the last defender before the goalie.

You people are nuts.

@animasta Football Manager is a terrible and dangerous thing. I just can't stop playing it though and it's just got this ability to tap into the 'reward' sections of my brain! To be honest, I didn't even know it was a available in the States.

Cricket is incredibly simple. This is the best way to explain Cricket.

Also, back on the subject of Offside, I'd clarify that technically you need two players of the opposing team ahead of you. Generally speaking, one is the goalkeeper (since he's nearly always at far side of the pitch near his goal) and one outfield player, but if a goalkeeper comes rushing out and is away from that side of the pitch, you'd need two outfield players ahead of you in order to not be offside.

Although it's already been explained, I'll add why the rule exists (which sorta helps explain the rule). Basically it's a rule to counter-act "fishing". The concept of fishing is to leave one person far into the opponents half while you are defending so that if you get possession of the ball you can just kick it across the field and that one guy would be able to easily catch it and be all alone with the keeper. It's something you will often see in little league football and when kids play around. Without the rule the game would become very disjointed since you would always have to spread people all over the field.

Like what was said above, the rule is designed to prevent a player from "camping" in front of the opposing teams goal, away from the game. Since the rule only applies when the pass is being made it allows for "through-balls" which allow someone to run past the defence as a pass is being made for him to run onto. A player only only counts as offside if they are considered to be involved in the play, which invites a grey area but doesn't slow the game with excessive calls by the ref.

@ares42: Which would make counter offensives more prevalent and the game actually fun to watch. I fuckin hate the slow pace of god damn soccer to no end >:(

Well, now that that's been explained I can't say I care for it. They don't need that rule in basketball.

You've got to check out the English Premier League. I think its the best league to watch, and one of the more popular ones. According to the EPL this league had more than 4.7 billion viewers total last season, only counting numbers from the legit and official TV channels across 212 territories around world, and not the illegal streamers and people actually in the stadiums. Its kind of a big deal.

That's because even when playing against a full defense in basketball you still have a good chance at scoring pretty quickly. Playing agasint a fully established good defense in football is way more challenging.

Wow.

But why does it take five days to play a game?

@veektarius: because a basketball court is 94' x 50' and you can get from one end to the other very quickly. A football pitch is 300' x 390'.

If you've ever played a game of football with no offside on a full size pitch you'd realise why the rule exists. It doesn't make the game more exciting, just more stupid.

@aetheldod: Depends on the team. Real Madrid under Mourinho displayed some awesome fast paced action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXfQO3TLfQ4

Well everything's already been explained here, nothing more for me to add.

We really should have an official BPL thread here, I'd love to discuss every weekend with you guys!

Oh, that's pretty basic. It's explained quite well here.