SUNDERLAND are off to a flier in the Championship with six points and as many goals from two matches.They won on the road in Cardiff before trouncing Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 yesterday.Sunderland tried a training-ground corner routineCredit: Sky SportsBut the linesman was having none of itCredit: Sky SportsAnd their form is all the more impressive given their players do not seem to know the offside rule.Patrick Roberts and Jack Clarke tried a short corner routine in the eighth minute at the Stadium of Light.Roberts played a one-two with Clarke and was promptly flagged offside after receiving the ball back.Clarke looked back with a bemused expression at the linesman, who was correct.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLRoberts’ corner was fine but he was still in front of the ball – and behind the last man – when Clarke played it back to him.But Wednesday stars Max Lowe and Jamal Lowe were clearly more clued up – immediately appealing and applauding the decision.Fans were quick to poke fun at the Black Cats on social media, although some seemed to struggle with the rule themselves.One wrote: “State of the knowledge in the replies. How do so many people not get a basic rule?”Most read in EFLFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSA second added: “Amateur football. Don’t even see that sort of stuff in Sunday league.”A third posted: “stupid being caught offside like that, the look on his face tells you he doesn’t know the offside rule either.” Fans say ‘you love to see it after that terrible song’ as Haaland shrugs off Cucurella to score ‘most obvious’ goal everA fourth asked: “Have the rules changed ? Both of the passes were played backwards so that can’t be offside right?”While another exclaimed: “Shocked by the amount of fans who think because the ball went backwards, it can’t be offside!”Much of the confusion seemed to surround the fact that the ball was played backwards.But the direction of the pass does not matter – just the position of the players relative to their opponents.Fortunately for Sunderland, their mistake did not make much of a difference to the score.They were 3-0 up after 24 minutes and cruised to an easy win to highlight their promotion credentials.The offside rule1. Offside positionIt is not an offence to be in an offside position.A player is in an offside position if:any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents’ half (excluding the halfway line) andany part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponentThe hands and arms of all players, including the goalkeepers, are not considered. For the purposes of determining offside, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit.A player is not in an offside position if level with the:second-last opponent orlast two opponents2. Offside offenceA player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate orinterfering with an opponent by:
preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision orchallenging an opponent for the ball orclearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent ormaking an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball*The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used orgaining an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has:
rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponentbeen deliberately saved by any opponentA player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately played* the ball, including by deliberate handball, is not considered to have gained an advantage, unless it was a deliberate save by any opponent. *‘Deliberate play’ (excluding deliberate handball) is when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of:passing the ball to a team-mate;gaining possession of the ball; orclearing the ball (e.g. by kicking or heading it)If the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance by the player in control of the ball is inaccurate or unsuccessful, this does not negate the fact that the player ‘deliberately played’ the ball.The following criteria should be used, as appropriate, as indicators that a player was in control of the ball and, as a result, can be considered to have ‘deliberately played’ the ball:The ball travelled from distance and the player had a clear view of itThe ball was not moving quicklyThe direction of the ball was not unexpectedThe player had time to coordinate their body movement, i.e. it was not a case of instinctive stretching or jumping, or a movement that achieved limitedcontact/controlA ball moving on the ground is easier to play than a ball in the airA ‘save’ is when a player stops, or attempts to stop, a ball which is going into or very close to the goal with any part of the body except the hands/arms (unless the goalkeeper within the penalty area).In situations where:a player moving from, or standing in, an offside position is in the way of an opponent and interferes with the movement of the opponent towards the ball this is an offside offence if it impacts on the ability of the opponent to play or challenge for the ball; if the player moves into the way of an opponent and impedes the opponent’s progress (e.g blocks the opponent) the offence should be penalised under Law 12a player in an offside position is moving towards the ball with the intention of playing the ball and is fouled before playing or attempting to play the ball, or challenging an opponent for the ball, the foul is penalised as it has occurred before the offside offencean offence is committed against a player in an offside position who is already playing or attempting to play the ball, or challenging an opponent for the ball, the offside offence is penalised as it has occurred before the foul challenge3. No offenceThere is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:a goal kicka throw-ina corner kick4. Offences and sanctionsIf an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick where the offence occurred, including if it is in the player’s own half of the field of play.A defending player who leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission shall be considered to be on the goal line or touchline for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play or until the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area. If the player left the field of play deliberately, the player must be cautioned when the ball is next out of play.An attacking player may step or stay off the field of play not to be involved in active play. If the player re-enters from the goal line and becomes involved in play before the next stoppage in play, or the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area, the player shall be considered to be positioned on the goal line for the purposes of offside. A player who deliberately leaves the field of play and re-enters without the referee’s permission and is not penalised for offside and gains an advantage, must be cautioned.If an attacking player remains stationary between the goalposts and inside the goal as the ball enters the goal, a goal must be awarded unless the player commits an offside offence or Law 12 offence in which case play is restarted with an indirect or direct free kick. More
