Jurgen Klopp has discussed Arsene Wenger’s proposed change to the offside law, with the Liverpool boss unsure whether the proposal will benefit the game in practice.
Former Arsenal manager Wenger, currently working as FIFA’s head of global development, has proposed a change to the law that would see players deemed onside should any part of their body be level or behind the last defender.
The introduction of VAR has seen the offside rule become a controversial topic with long delays being caused as the technology identifies fractional offside margins. Wenger’s ruling would bring great benefits to the attacker, though Klopp – like many – believes the change would simply shift the argument rather than eradicate the problems seen so far this season.
“I heard about what Arsene said, the daylight rule. I have not thought enough about it,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool‘s trip to West Ham on Monday night.
“We could make it easier. When it is your toe, your foot, whatever it is, it is offside. [Anything] apart from that is not offside. No armpits or shoulders anymore. It would help I think.
“I hope they involve a few sports people. I am happy that Arsene Wenger is around there and can maybe give them advice. It is all good in theory, when you have to prove it in practice it doesn’t work exactly that.
“At the moment the offside rule is fine. It takes long because it is so close. We complicate it with the lines.
“In the end, if it is offside, it is offside. I have no problem with that. We just have to help the people a bit more. There will be close decisions in the future as well, there were close decisions in the past they just did not take so long to find out. Linesman puts flag up and it’s done.”
See also – IFAB chief insists Wenger’s offside proposal is ‘not up for approval’ ahead of Euro 2020