Arsene Wenger's New Offside Proposal Could Be Used For Euro 2020

Arsene Wenger wants to change the shape of football and he's hoping to do it before this summer's Euros starts on June 12th.

There's been a lot of complaints this season about the offside rule now that VAR has been introduced to the Premier League, with goals being ruled out because someone's armpit is offside.

FIFA chief of global development Arsene Wenger has a plan to change the rule which would mean if any part of the attacking players body that he can score with is onside then the player would be considered onside, essentially the opposite from the current rule.

As per The Times, FIFA will bring the new rule to the International FA Board, who decide the rules, at a meeting on February 29th and it could be passed into law by June 1st.

Olivier Giroud's goal against Manchester United would have stood with the new rule. Image: PA Images

Speaking about offsides and VAR the Frenchman said, "The most difficult [issue] that people have [with VAR] is the offside rule. You have had offsides by a fraction of a centimetre, literally by a nose. It is the time to do this quickly.

"There is room to change the rule and not say that a part of a player's nose is offside, so you are offside because you can score with that. Instead, you will be not 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.

"That will sort it out and you will no longer have decisions about millimetres and a fraction of the attacker being in front of the defensive line."

However the new rule is already receiving criticism that it goes too far the other way and will give attackers a much bigger advantage.

If the rule was brought in with no trial period needed just 12 days before the Euros it could completely change the tournament, being played throughout Europe, and leave teams with little time to prepare how to defend differently.

The Premier League want to change how VAR works with offside by increasing the thickness of the line that is used in the system to prove whether a player is in an offside position or not.

That would allow for more leeway whilst keeping the rule the same, and that proposal will also go to the IFAB meeting in Belfast.

The last time IFAB changed the offside rule dramatically was in 1990 when it was changed to allow attackers to be level with the last defender, when previously they had to be behind.

How would you like to see the rule changed?

Topics: Football News, FIFA, World Football, Euro 2020, Arsene Wenger, Premier League, Euros, VAR

Ryan Sidle

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