Chances are, you found this post because you want to know what the offside rule is in football.

I’ve seen quite a few people posting on social media during the World Cup asking for an easy to understand explanation, so I figured I’d write a blog post explaining it in a way even non football fans could understand (and the football mums stood on the sidelines, not really sure what’s happening)….

I am a big football fan, and also a woman. Being able to confidently explain the offside rule has shut a lot of men up over the years, so I wanted to share the knowledge. I also want to get all the football mums up to speed on the rules…

SO – HERE GOES…..

According to the FA (Football Association), the Offside rule (also known as law 11) is viewable here, but its very confusing to work out.

The best explanation I have ever seen was this:

“A player is caught offside if he’s closer to the opponent’s goal than both the ball and the second-last opponent (including the goalkeeper) when his team-mate plays the ball to him.”

In other words, a player can’t receive the ball from a team mate unless there are at least two players either level with him or between him and the goal – unless his team mate plays the ball backwards to him.

I thought the image shown here explained it pretty well:

A few things to remember….

A player being in an offside position is not penalised unless he is involved in active play.

A player can only be called offside when:

1). In the opposition’s half.

2). Interfering with play (that is, he’s part of the attacking move).

3). Interfering with an opponent (that is, he’s preventing the opponent from defending against the attacking move).

4). Gaining any advantage by being in that position.

Voila!

I hope this blog post helped you to understand the offside rule a little better.

Let me know if you managed to amaze the football fan(s) in your life with the information I have shared!

Are there any other sports rules you’d like to see explained in these easy to follow style steps?

I don’t have a clue about snooker though, so you’re on your own there!

Today, I’m sharing my review of Flawed by Cecelia Ahern. If you follow me on social media, you may already know I am a huge fan of books. I have always got a book on the go, and frequently read several in a week. I have been a massive fan of Cecelia Ahern for well over a dozen years, and have read all of her books to date.

Synopsis:

Flawed is Cecelia Ahern’s first book aimed at Young Adults, so I was a little apprehensive when I started reading it as I had no idea what to expect.

The story focuses on Celestine North, who appears to have it all. Her boyfriend is the son of the local Judge, she’s clever, has her life planned out and above all else, seems happy.

By chapter 4, you know her life and the lives of those around her are not as perfect as they seem, and Celestine’s life quickly spirals out of control.

My Thoughts

Without giving too much away, I want to say this book was impossible to put down. As a result, I finished it in less than 24 hours, and then read the follow up book in under 24 hours, too.

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I literally cried, laughed, felt sick and felt my heart race on several occasions. It is gripping, overwhelming and so thought provoking. It is Cecelia Ahern at her best!

Get It For Free

This book is available on Kindle, hardback and paperback. Additionally, you can listen to it for free via Audible. Why not sign up to your 30 day free trial now?

Tips:

If I could give perspective readers two tips, they would be:

• Don’t start reading unless you have time to finish it quickly, because you’ll find it hard to pull yourself away.
• Make sure you have the follow up book, Perfect on standby, because you’ll want to read it the second you put Flawed down.

I have never given Dystopian novels a chance before, but will definitely be looking out for more after this.

Verdict:

I’d give the book 5/5 and therefore, I definitely recommend it to anyone age 16 and over.

You can order it from Amazon, or pick it up in most good book shops.

Why not check if your local library has a copy for you to borrow? Reading doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby! 

Finally, if you enjoyed my Flawed by Cecelia Ahern review, you can find more of my book reviews here.