Premier League changes: new offside and crackdown on diving
How will players and managers adapt to new the rules and a technical area code of conduct?
With the start of new football season just a day away, strikers are digesting changes to the offside rule, approved this week, which could lead to more goals being disallowed.
The tweak, which affects players in an offside position who do not touch the ball, is one of several new regulations ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.
What changes can fans look forward to this season?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Offside rule:
The new guidelines say that a player in an offside position will be penalised if he "makes an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball".
That, according to the Daily Mail, means that "if a player has a shot at goal and a team-mate in an offside position makes a play for the ball - even if they don't touch it - the goal will now be disallowed".
The biggest impact could be on free kicks and crosses into the box that evade everyone and squeeze into the goal.
"Officials believe the new rule will simplify the situation and dissuade players from lingering around in an offside position knowing they would not be considered to be actively involved in play," says the Mail.
Feigning injury:
The long awaited crackdown on divers could finally be getting underway, with retrospective action now available for players who get an opponent sent off by feigning injury.
The new rule is the FA's "first foray into stamping out simulation from the English game", says the Daily Telegraph. But it applies only in specific circumstances.
"For a player to be banned for feigning injury, a red card shown to his opponent for violent conduct would first have to be rescinded," says the paper. "If footage used to overturn the decision also demonstrates the apparent victim had deliberately sought to deceive the match officials, he or she will face a three-match ban."
Code of conduct:
Guidelines for managers and coaches in the technical area have also been introduced for the new campaign. The FA is "cracking down on the stream of verbal abuse from managers and coaches in technical areas by introducing a formal code of conduct", explains the Daily Mail.
Kicking water bottles, sarcastic clapping and the waving imaginary cards will all be outlawed. Culprits will get a warning and will be sent to stands if they don't stop.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore told BBC Sport: "A bit of the soap opera is good... It is not going to stop some of the fun and games but hopefully it should stop some of the unedifying moments."
Surrounding referees:
From this season only two players will be allowed to approach the referee on the field, one fewer than before.
New balls please:
Nike's new Premier League ball is the red and white Ordem 3, which will set you back £95. The BBC reckons it looks like Spiderman, while the manufacturer says it has "pinnacle proprietary aerodynamic technology, Nike Aerow Trac grooves... [and] fuse-welded synthetic leather".
"Translation: it's red and white and you can kick it," says The Guardian.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 22, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - frozen assets, blazing fires, and more
By The Week US Published
-
How much of a blow is ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question Action by Hague court damages Israel's narrative that Gaza conflict is a war between 'good and evil'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
UK gynaecological care crisis: why thousands of women are left in pain
The Explainer Waiting times have tripled over the past decade thanks to lack of prioritisation or funding for women's health
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The England kit: a furore over the flag
Why everyone's talking about Nike's redesign of the St George's Cross on the collar of the English national team's shirt has caused controversy
By The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
The super-shoes behind the race to break the two-hour marathon
The Explainer A race between major sports manufacturers has seen marathon times get increasingly faster
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published