Official

Guys -- let me know if the refs call the men's games this way also! Will be interesting to see. I spoke yesterday with the center referee who called the game on Friday, and he tried to explain it to my simple mind -- it s a complicated call. But, apparently, if ANY "offsides" players -- who are in a position to control possession -- are not moving away from goal, then its supposed to be called offsides. At least that's what I think he said. It does make it a lot more difficult for the oinesmen and CR, as they now have to watch which direction every player is running -- not just where they are on a line across the field. Overall. I don't like it. Found this on another forum: Surely this isn't a new rule change, it's just the wrong interpretation of the rules. Fifa rules regarding offsides and the way it works in the EPL are as follows (My interpretation): A player isn't offside unless he is active in the play. For instance if a player is offside and not interfering in play he is not active and therefore not offside, which can allow the ball to go to a player making a run from a onside position. The moment the player in an offside position makes a movement to the ball or becomes involved in play (during the first phase) he is called offside. From the quote below, they seem to think that if a player is moving away from the goal they are attacking but in an offside position and the ball gets played to them, they are not offside as they are moving away from the goal. What ever direction you are going in, if you are in an offside position, and gain an advantage by being in that position and become active in play you are and should be offside. I don't know what rules these guys are playing by.