I posted this in the \"KG German Interview Thread\", but figured I could probably start this as it's own thread to make things less confusing...


- I enjoy watching soccer when I get a chance (mostly the EPL.) I also play FIFA08 on Playstation 2. It's a freakin awesome game. (Favorite team is the Reds... ha!)

Anyhow, in regards to the off-side rule, I think it's totally bogus. What a stupid rule. Can you please clarify WHY it exists??? I mean, if a team wants to run their players waaaaay down the pitch, why can't they? I mean, it makes their defense suffer (from not having guys back to defend), so aren't they doing it at their own peril? Wouldn't NOT having the rule open up the sport to more excitement/scoring chances? Or, am I completely missing something here and it's actually a great and much needed rule?

Another thing... when the team with the ball is going down the pitch and passes it, couldn't the defense \"run their guys forward\" in front of the receiving player, thusly creating an offsides situation? What prevents this?

CW,

Your spot on about the defense being able to create an offsides trap. What prevents this is it is really hard for everyone (on D) to be on the same page in that split second before a pass occurs. If someone tries it and screws up and there is no offsides, the defender will look like an idiot and probably cost his team the game.

I suppose you could abolish the offsides rule, but that would only result in a bunch of cherry picking which really isn't in the spirit of the game. That's how I see it at least

PMAC wrote:

Yeah, the \"offsides trap\" really bothers me. Seems like it would be kind of easy to do. Then again, I guess I've never played \"pro\" soccer (just minor middle school stuff) so it would probably be much more difficult. Good point about how easy it would be to screw up.

Thanks for the explanation... it seems to me like a stupid rule since I think cherry picking could hurt your team more than help sometimes. That's why I don't see letting teams do it at their own risk being much of a problem. Then again, the spirit of the game is important too.

Thanks again, appreciated.