Why football failed to catch on in certain countries

[DonFerrari]

NightlyPoe said:

pastro243 said:
I always hear this "offside rule is stupid" from people from the US. Without offside the game would turn into a million meaningless goals with poachers as forwards and boring long balls to them. Seriously, it's more than the goals, watch the midfield and try to get what happens there.

Read the actual comment.  Once again, I said the rule should be dropped when it gets carried to a certain point on the field.  Call it an attacking zone or whatever.  It wouldn't change the midfield game at all really.  It would just stop the defense from getting bailed out next to the goal.

As for telling us to watch the midfield game.  It's really not that hard to follow, nor is it all that interesting.  That sentiment is almost a demonstration of why soccer is such a lousy sport to watch.

It isn't about bailing out bad defense.

It's a battle of positioning and wits... similar to power forward and center in basketball that fight for position in the paint with their force, offense and defense play for positioning and part of it is being aware of players in your back or if you are to advanced and your are being careless. It is more punishing to dumb offensive than saving weak defense. But you would know that if you watched or played.