The Offside Rule

What if the offside rule were to be removed? How would the modern game cope with it, specifically teams that regularly employ a high line?

I don't know what the game was like before the offside rule was introduced so information on that topic is welcome.

I feel that most teams would cope with this by going ultra defensive to prevent goals. Teams like Barca may resort to Spain tactics where you bore teams to death.

Discuss.

The offside trap or the offside rule?

Sorry Yes, the offisde rule. I've been low on sleep lately.

Hoofball to the striker, all day long, baby.

Makes me wonder how they used to play without the offside rule back in the day??

Games would no longer be tight low scoring draws or wins but alot of goals being scored...
Longballs would be applied regularly...

Stoke City would dominate the world

I think sweepers could possibly be re-introduced. Another idea I had was a possible reshaping of the back four.

GK


RB--------------------------LB
---------CB-----CB



With the fullbacks positioned further back than the CB's it becomes very difficult for forwards to abuse the wings, which would be the problem if there were only three CB's and a sweeper. The fullbacks can also act as semi-sweepers for each CB, cleaning up long balls sent over them. Of course that would mean the fullbacks can't push forward as much.

A striker or two would just stand near the penalty area, waiting for a long ball. Defenders would need to stay with them and the whole game would be just much more boring.

It would be the death of football. No more construction, no more midfield play, just longballs.

And there are no such things as "before the offside rule". Offside rule has always existed and for a good reason. There can't be football without a offside rule.

Art Morte wrote:A striker or two would just stand near the penalty area, waiting for a long ball. Defenders would need to stay with them and the whole game would be just much more boring.

Thats what I was thinking. It'd just be cherry picking, kinda like playing basketball against a really tall dude who just stands right outside of the rim waiting for an easy basket.

The offside rule has existed since the late 1800's, albeit it wasn't an official rule. This was during a time when different universities had different sets of rules. As far as Association Football goes, there has never been a time "before the offside rule".

Football without the offside rule would be terrible. Teams would have to compensate by not allowing any space behind their defenders, so defences would become very deep. Even then, unless you're playing on the goal-line, it's impossible to prevent someone from just walking in behind the defence and being found with a long ball.

You'd probably see the end of pressing and most games would either be one team against 11 men behind the ball or both teams lumping past the midfield altogether.

Dorito would be the league's top scorer

There might be a new forward position called false poacher, a forward who stands who stands in the box all game.

In short teams will have no other option but to man mark, and deploy a sweeper.

The game would be ruined.