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Bolton makes most of new Fifa rules to tie with Leicester City
London, Feb 12: Fifa stood by its new offside guidelines after controversial tactics employed by Bolton Wanderers in a Premier League game at Leicester City.
London, Feb 12: Fifa stood by its new offside guidelines after controversial tactics employed by Bolton Wanderers in a Premier League game at Leicester City.
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce took advantage of the ruling body's decision to allow referees more liberal interpretation of the laws, deploying two players standing several metres offside each time his team launched a free kick into the penalty area.
The strategy paid off when Leicester goalkeeper Ian Walker was clearly distracted, allowing the ball to slip between his legs and over the goalline to earn Bolton a 1-1 draw.
The sport's ruling body declined to comment, referring back to a statement it made in October after the new guidelines were circulated with the aim of improving the game by allowing more attacking play.
''A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball is touched or played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by interfering with play or interfering with an opponent or by gaining an advantage by being in that position,'' the statement said.
Fifa went on to clarify what it meant by ''interfering with an opponent'' as preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball.
''For example, by clearly obstructing the goalkeeper's line of vision or movements,'' the statement said.
Last October's ruling was not a law change, but a change of interpreation -- and Allardyce was very critical of the new interpretation despite using it to his advantage against Leicester.
''I think they (Fifa) have got it horribly wrong. There is obviously nothing I can do about it apart from try use it to my advantage,'' Allardyce said.
''I don't like it, I don't think it adds anything to the game whatsoever other than confusion.
''It's not the referees' fault, it's Fifa's. Hopefully, they may change it back.''
Bureau Report
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce took advantage of the ruling body's decision to allow referees more liberal interpretation of the laws, deploying two players standing several metres offside each time his team launched a free kick into the penalty area.
The strategy paid off when Leicester goalkeeper Ian Walker was clearly distracted, allowing the ball to slip between his legs and over the goalline to earn Bolton a 1-1 draw.
The sport's ruling body declined to comment, referring back to a statement it made in October after the new guidelines were circulated with the aim of improving the game by allowing more attacking play.
''A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball is touched or played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by interfering with play or interfering with an opponent or by gaining an advantage by being in that position,'' the statement said.
Fifa went on to clarify what it meant by ''interfering with an opponent'' as preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball.
''For example, by clearly obstructing the goalkeeper's line of vision or movements,'' the statement said.
Last October's ruling was not a law change, but a change of interpreation -- and Allardyce was very critical of the new interpretation despite using it to his advantage against Leicester.
''I think they (Fifa) have got it horribly wrong. There is obviously nothing I can do about it apart from try use it to my advantage,'' Allardyce said.
''I don't like it, I don't think it adds anything to the game whatsoever other than confusion.
''It's not the referees' fault, it's Fifa's. Hopefully, they may change it back.''
Bureau Report