Tribs: [video=youtube;Dp51Xr-8kbM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp51Xr-8kbM[/video] NOT offside. United defender (Smalling?) in front of Carroll and Kuyt. Nice info from The Big Ladybird Book of Football Basics, BTW.
Pause the vid at 0.42 secs. That is when Reina kicks the ball. You'd see it if the guy who took the vid filmed the whole TV screen. Kuyt and Carroll are 2-3 yards behind the United defense who are actually holding a decent line. Maybe they didn't know the rules either
As you said earlier "You can't be offside if: • You receive the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner" Ergo, Carroll cannot be offside. Kuyt is clearly not offside when Carroll knocks it down for him to run onto. Its down to phases of play...
well maybe they don't know dont the rules or maybe they weren't expecting such a big kick but two things here are definite. 1. The defence was not holding a decent line 2. There is no possibility of it being offside PS credit to you for admitting your footballing ignorance so early, most manu fans take months on here to realise this.
Actually the defence was holding a pretty good line from the goal kick, cos they were denying the forwards the chance to run onto the flick off without first having to check back onside. The problem happened when Carroll went for the flick - Smalling dropped off and Evra stepped up. If they'd both done one or the other we'd have been fine, but it was the lack of communication at that point that led to the goal. But then Smalling had only played around four games as a CB this season, and only one alongside Evans in the league prior to that game, so it was a wonder we didn't make more mistakes like that! Like I said, I think Liverpool missed a trick by only having one striker on the field for most of the game, cos with two strikers you'd really have screwed with our CBs.
Agree. A 'decent line' would be about 5 yards backwards behind Carroll and Kuyt. Maybe they thought you could play offsides from a goal kick?
As has been established, there was no need to 'check back onside'. Besides which, if they were 5 yards back, Evans would have been able to run onto the ball rather than it coming on top of him.
You appear to have missed the point where I said "run onto the flick off" (meant to say flick on). Has Smalling not dropped off, Kuyt would have had to check back to avoid being offside when Carroll flicked it on.
Fair enough then. But it still isn't a decent line. What would they have done if Reina had kicked it 10 yards further? Kuyt and Carroll would be straight in at goal. I think the best line in that situation would be to stay level with the strikers. You take less chances that way.
But smalling did drop off and evra was day dreaming, hence it was not a good line. Ps isn't it normal practice for in those situations ie ball hoofed to big centre forward for one of the CB's to drop back for the flick on?
