[Football] This rule about the linesman not putting his flag up for offside until the passage of play has finished

[Commander]

I get the premise behind it, but it doesn’t work, and just ruins the flow of the game, and winds the fans up who get on the linesman's back for not flagging. It happened numerous times yesterday, when the Linesman was just following the rules but a large proportion of the fans don't understand the rule.

It's another example of bringing in a rule to try to improve the game that makes sense in theory, but when you put it into practice it doesn't work. Sometimes you need to put these things into practice to realise they aren't a good idea.

But why can’t the flag have a button on it that the Lino presses to say ‘I know it’s offside but I won’t flag for it yet as I’m allowing the phase of play to play out”. Then if the attacking team score from it, he puts his flag up and disallows the goal. If they don't, then we play on. The flag could light up or something so the fans know what’s going on. The game can then continue without an unnecessary stoppage, and the linesman doesn't get continuous abuse every time there is an offside.

Problem solved.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

The game can then continue without an unnecessary stoppage, and the linesman doesn't get continuous abuse every time there is an offside.

Better still put your flag up straight away if play is going back anyway, we are actually losing time when they allow play to continue.
It is wasting actual game time is it not needlessly ?

 

[brighton_tom]

To be clear, by the rules, if the linesman thinks its offside but lets the play continue so keeps his flag down.. is that being done just in case he's got it wrong? and so would have incorrectly stopped the game? or is there something more to it? If so and that's the reason behind what we saw yesterday I totally get it on those tight calls. We've all seen ''offsides'' that on a second look actually aren't. But why go through this process when its so obvious that offside is the correct call. A few of the ones that were making fans and the players so angry yesterday were for when the Forest player was more than a few yards offside, and the flag still stayed down meaning unnecessary play goes on.

 

[Han Solo]

Before they changed this, a lot of people were complaining about goals and opportunities getting lost out due to incorrect offside calls. This is why they changed it. Now people want the old system back, and that will last for five minutes until one of the linesmen gets one offside call wrong one time and we'll be back to "boo, the linesmen should allow the game to go on to see if its offside or not".

The whole "increased injury risk" a few use as an argument is also completely flawed on a logical level.

 

[Clive Walker]

i think its fairly obvious why they are doing it.

 

[Napper]

the ones yesterday were so obvious that really was no point keeping flag down

 

[Albion my Albion]

It is wasting actual game time is it not needlessly ?

Isn't injury/added time specifically added to make up for game time? Couldn't the referee add extra time?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I wasn't even aware there was such a rule

Seems somewhat cruel and unnecessary to let play just continue in the full knowledge that offside has already been called

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Isn't injury/added time specifically added to make up for game time? Couldn't the referee add extra time?

They could, but I don't think they do

 

[Molango's visa]

I saw a perfectly good goal chalked off in the women's match between arsenal and City when a lino flagged for an offside that wasn't. But of course with no VAR this sort of tomfoolery is considered perfectly OK.

 

[MattBackHome]

I get the premise behind it, but it doesn’t work, and just ruins the flow of the game, and winds the fans up who get on the linesman's back for not flagging. It happened numerous times yesterday, when the Linesman was just following the rules but a large proportion of the fans don't understand the rule.

It's another example of bringing in a rule to try to improve the game that makes sense in theory, but when you put it into practice it doesn't work. Sometimes you need to put these things into practice to realise they aren't a good idea.

But why can’t the flag have a button on it that the Lino presses to say ‘I know it’s offside but I won’t flag for it yet as I’m allowing the phase of play to play out”. Then if the attacking team score from it, he puts his flag up and disallows the goal. If they don't, then we play on. The flag could light up or something so the fans know what’s going on. The game can then continue without an unnecessary stoppage, and the linesman doesn't get continuous abuse every time there is an offside.

Problem solved.

Just to be clear; you're suggesting LIGHT UP FLAGS

 

[Commander]

Just to be clear; you're suggesting LIGHT UP FLAGS

Correct.

What’s not to like?

 

[Commander]

Before they changed this, a lot of people were complaining about goals and opportunities getting lost out due to incorrect offside calls. This is why they changed it. Now people want the old system back, and that will last for five minutes until one of the linesmen gets one offside call wrong one time and we'll be back to "boo, the linesmen should allow the game to go on to see if its offside or not".

The whole "increased injury risk" a few use as an argument is also completely flawed on a logical level.

I get why they changed it. And I’m not suggesting get the old system back. I’m suggesting that in practice the system doesn’t work as well as it does in theory, so tweak it and make it work properly in practice.

 

[MattBackHome]

Correct.

What’s not to like?

Nah, I'm all in.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Correct.

What’s not to like?

the idea in the first place, why not stick the flag up straight away, what's not to like.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

The rule should be abolished

I get the point of it. But linos are oh so predictably playing it so ridiculously safe that it's creating these wierd phantom passages of play. Kind of like Schrodingers football. There is some football, but also there isn't. Everyone knows its going to be pulled back, but we're still playing football.

It's farcical. Linos should just be empowered to call it like they see it. Sure you'll get the odd cock up.

I ran the line yesterday morning, I allowed a goal which I reckon VAR, had it existed probably would have disallowed. But if it's a toenail, even if it's a knee, who cares? It's still not goalhanging, which is what offside was meant to stop

 

[Molango's visa]

Before they changed this, a lot of people were complaining about goals and opportunities getting lost out due to incorrect offside calls. This is why they changed it. Now people want the old system back, and that will last for five minutes until one of the linesmen gets one offside call wrong one time and we'll be back to "boo, the linesmen should allow the game to go on to see if its offside or not".

The whole "increased injury risk" a few use as an argument is also completely flawed on a logical level.

Precisely. And of course there is the mythical injuries all the players are getting when gleefully assaulted by an opponent who doesn't know the lino will flag if their opponent scores.

 

[Official Old Man]

Similar to 'light up flags' but not so comical, the lino could continue play but hold the flag in such a way he knows it could be offside but is allowing play to continue.
I've seen a lino hold the flag in two hands or point the flag into the field of play, maybe indicating he is aware of an offside situation. This would allow players to know they wont score a legal goal.
Then, though, you get the time wasters. Winning 0:1 and you run through offside. Lino indicates you will be offside but ref allows play to continue. You slow down and hoof the ball into row z. No whistle so a legal time wasting move.

 

[Han Solo]

As an off note the entire discussion is pointless as the AI offsides are coming to PL in October (?).

 

[Albion my Albion]

Just to be clear; you're suggesting LIGHT UP FLAGS

The NFL already has yellow flags for signaling penalties observed during a play by the referees. And red flags thrown by the team bench, usually by the head coach, for challenging the referee call on the field.