Arsene Wenger proposes a change to the offside rule that would mean attackers are onside if any part of their body is in line with the last outfield defender.
I’m an American so take this for what it’s worth but I played and refereed soccer. I broke my arm once and could only be a line judge (or assistant referee) for a bit. It’s a challenge keeping up with the second to last defender and then sprinting and watching for other activity (like whether a ball crossed the line and was actually a goal).
Which is maybe fine at the professional level but I still kind of hate VAR. I wish the law was about where the feet are. You can stay with the second to last defender and watch who runs first and still make it down to ensure a goal crosses the line. We have technology at top levels now but most levels don’t.
Not to say assistant referees shouldn’t call fouls. You can be focused on the second to last defender and still notice if someone gets an elbow to the eye or if shenanigans go on. But the center ref is almost always able to make those decisions reasonably well.
Also, I’m a Tottenham fan so it’s possible I’m just disagreeing with Arsene Wenger. Center of mass is fine too. Something like that but a line judge can’t pay attention to every body part. Just make it feet.
I’m an American so take this for what it’s worth but I played and refereed soccer. I broke my arm once and could only be a line judge (or assistant referee) for a bit. It’s a challenge keeping up with the second to last defender and then sprinting and watching for other activity (like whether a ball crossed the line and was actually a goal).
Which is maybe fine at the professional level but I still kind of hate VAR. I wish the law was about where the feet are. You can stay with the second to last defender and watch who runs first and still make it down to ensure a goal crosses the line. We have technology at top levels now but most levels don’t.
Not to say assistant referees shouldn’t call fouls. You can be focused on the second to last defender and still notice if someone gets an elbow to the eye or if shenanigans go on. But the center ref is almost always able to make those decisions reasonably well.
Also, I’m a Tottenham fan so it’s possible I’m just disagreeing with Arsene Wenger. Center of mass is fine too. Something like that but a line judge can’t pay attention to every body part. Just make it feet.
Center of mass unfairly punishes players with flat butts