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Players are allowed to be offsides if the ball is not played to them and they do not effect the play.
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ORLY?? So like when one of the guys is within a foot of the keeper thus preventing him from diving for the save, even though the offensive player doesn't touch the ball or the keeper is not offsides? ok. thanks for clearing that up for this american noob. Did you even watch the goal?
[/ QUOTE ]they actually changed the rules recently(I believe) so that even if a player is offsides, its not called if the ball isn't played to him or if he didn't affect the play. I actually agree with the rule. I have no idea the circumstances of the reading/livershite game though.
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It was a rule clarification that was issued in 2005.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offside_(football)