VAR: Arsene Wenger suggests offside law could 'change a little bit'

Last updated on 19 February 2020.From the section Football859

Fifa's chief of global football development Arsene Wenger says there might be room to the change the offside law "a little bit" in response to video assistant referee controversy.

VAR has contentiously ruled out a number of goals for marginal offences.

"[I'm speaking about] the offside by a margin of a fraction of a centimetres," said the former Arsenal manager.

"Maybe there is room to change the offside rule a little bit so we don't say a part of his nose was offside."

Wenger's role at the world governing body includes sitting on the technical panel of the International Football Association Board (Ifab), which sets football's laws.

World governing body Fifa told BBC Sport it had no update on the law. Ifab will hold its annual general meeting in Belfast on 29 February.

Later on Wednesday, Wenger clarified that despite referring to potential improvements he was "well aware that any changes are subject to a standard approval process".

"My objective, as well as Fifa's, is to continuously think about ways to improve our game and we shouldn't be afraid to debate them in public," he added.

At present, a player is offside if any part of their body with which they can score is ahead of the second-last opponent - typically, this is the last opposing outfield player, because of the goalkeeper's positioning.

Wenger suggested amending the law so that "you will not be offside if any part of the body that can score a goal is in line with the last defender, even if other parts of the attacker's body are in front".

Wenger, speaking at the Laureus Awards, also said there were "not enough VAR specialists and that will improve very quickly".

He added "former referees have to be involved" and "experienced players" could also be used.

Wolves boss Nuno backs Wenger's proposal

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo has given his support to Wenger's VAR proposal.

Nuno was speaking before his side's Europa League last-32 first leg against Espanyol, with VAR technology set to be used in the competition for the first time on Thursday.

"Everybody that is outside the decision-making of the law can give opinions and clearly the opinions are to improve, to make things better for everybody," said the Portuguese.

"So, if Arsene Wenger said that, I support it."

.view-comments-button-wrapped-component {display: block !important;} .view-comments-button-wrapper {display: none !important;}

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

859 comments

Comment posted by Rob, at 10:52 19 Feb 2020
Make it so drawing lines to measure offside is not allowed in VAR decisions. It can only be offside if the video ref can see it by just by looking at the replay.

If its not clear by just looking, then its not offside.
Comment posted by jam89es, at 10:49 19 Feb 2020
In rugby, the benefit of the doubt is given to the on-pitch officials. Set a 30 second timer for viewing offside decisions and if it is not clear, stick with the on field decision
Comment posted by BSAP, at 10:50 19 Feb 2020
The problem with any rule change is that there will always be a cut off point. So if you change it to it has to be the foot or the head, there will still be times when there are millimetres in it.

VAR should just stick to the Clear and Obvious rule and restrict the amount of time that things can be looked at. If it isn't resolved within that time then it shouldn't be.
Comment posted by WhackamoleExpert, at 10:59 19 Feb 2020
It doesn't need to be checked forensically. If it does, it's not 'clear and obvious'.

VAR checks should take no longer than 30 seconds. If the check takes longer than that, then the on-pitch decision should stand and the attacker given the benefit of the doubt.

VAR itself isn't broken, it's the individuals running the show at Stockley Park that are breaking the implementation of it.
Comment posted by Gib, at 10:56 19 Feb 2020
For me VAR should accommodate and work with the rules, not the other way around.

As soon as we talk about changing the rules because of VAR then personally I consider VAR to have failed.
Comment posted by VimalGEsqIII, at 10:54 19 Feb 2020
It's great that someone as sensible as Arsene is allowed to be influential. It's time to save the game I love from this nonsense.
Comment posted by Skippy70, at 11:09 19 Feb 2020
VAR great idea but it is killing the game for me, when a goal is disallowed because a players big toe is offside when 99.9% of his body is onside is just plain silly, its not even as if the technology can be 100% guaranteed to be accurate
Comment posted by D1679447275393, at 11:58 19 Feb 2020
I've got a great idea. Why don't they have an official who runs the length of the pitch, and he makes a decision whether a player is offside or not? Maybe they could even give him a flag so he can get the referee's attention quickly. Sure, sometimes he gets it wrong, when that happens the crowd can sing a song telling him what to do with his flagpole.
Comment posted by Sawston Spur, at 11:01 19 Feb 2020
Before VAR we were told there had to be clear daylight. Graeme Souness got it right, if any part of the attacking player is onside, then he's onside.
Comment posted by Johnny_Lee, at 10:47 19 Feb 2020
Some of the offside decisions we've seen lately have been ridiculous. It's like the difference being offside or not depends on whether the lad has trimmed his toenails this morning.

Bring back the clear daylight rule and give the benefit of the doubt back to the attacker.
Comment posted by VPH81, at 11:19 19 Feb 2020
The current offside law, as 'checked' by VAR, doesn't work for the following reason:-
At one end of the equation, VAR is calculating, to the millimetre, whether a forward is ahead of a defender - however, at the other end of the equation, there is no means of telling the exact millisecond the pass was made (when the passer's foot makes contact with the ball).
So at the moment, VAR doesn't work.
Comment posted by Rob, at 11:03 19 Feb 2020
Why must we measure things to millimetres that were never intended to be measured in such a way by the laws of the game ?

It would be much better to stop measuring and just look at it with the naked eye.... is it clear its offside? Yes or No...
Comment posted by pj101, at 11:25 19 Feb 2020
Am I the only one who was behind VAR on the basis it would eliminate real howlers (Henry handball, S'Hampton disallowed goal EFL cup final - I'm a Utd fan!)?

Clear and obvious. If it takes 5 minutes, 10 replays, pitchside monitors, graphs and lines it's not clear and obvious. Crack on unless a video ref hits a big red howler button.

But then, how would Mike Dean have the stage to himself!
Comment posted by overture, at 11:03 19 Feb 2020
If the whole of the ball doesn't cross the gaol line and therefore isn't a goal.Shouldn't it follow that if the whole of the body isn't clearly forward of the last defender then he isn't offside
Comment posted by Colin, at 11:25 19 Feb 2020
Surely it would be simpler to just say if the decision cannot be made without zooming in to a pixalated view then go with the officials onfield. In other words "if it is not clear and obvious" ;)
Comment posted by DMT, at 12:33 19 Feb 2020
I wanted VAR just twice, in June 86, World Cup quarter final against Argentina, when Maradona blatantly punched the ball over Peter Shilton, and yet incredibly the goal stood ? The second time, World Cup 2010, England v Germany, Lampard shoots, the ball comes back down from the crossbar and lands about 3 feet over the goal line. Goal denied. Marginal offsides ? Accept the officials decision
Comment posted by Tony Brown, at 12:00 19 Feb 2020
Why not use the chest as the defining cut-off mark, like they use in athletics to 'cut the tape'? So, if a toe, or an elbow, or a nose, is in front of the defender it won't matter. The line should be drawn from their chest.
Comment posted by Brian, at 10:53 19 Feb 2020
Its simple, daylight between the striker and the last defender, might me more goals and more entertaining football, lets bring the fun back
Comment posted by DannyOB1990, at 10:52 19 Feb 2020
The problem will always be where do you draw the line, and any marginal decision with VAR will be criticised as it's "against the spirit of the law" to check if someone is 1mm or a toe offside. Any rule change also needs to consider linesmen without VAR assistance, and the offside rule is hard enough as it is.
Comment posted by New Treaty, at 10:57 19 Feb 2020
Wenger's proposal just moves the issue from the leading body part to the trailing body part. So you'll still have the same issues about margins. The solution is simple: in the event a potential offside is not clearly and objectively determinable, the benefit of doubt goes to the attacking player.