I would say that offsides creates good defense.
If it is good defense, it will be played with or without offsides. If it is not good defense, then offsides will make a difference. So, what you are saying is that players use offsides to bail them out on defense. That is what I am saying too, and that is why I oppose it. I would prefer the last line of defenders working together to stop a goal, as opposed to working together to use a petty and inappropriate rule. There is a goalie back there who can use his hands - isn't that enough of a defensive advantage relative to the other 10 players on the team? Even if offsides should be used in professional soccer, it should never be used in youth soccer due to the bad habits it encourages.
And offside does not encourage slow defenders.
Offsides does cover for slower, less agile defenders. Or, perhaps more accurately, it covers for defenders who decide to play slow simply because an offsides will bail them out. Thus, there is an advantage in choosing defenders that are big and physical, who can head balls. Their weakness in agility is partially covered by offsides. I also think the basketball analogy is off. Soccer/futbol is much more like football. DB's in football are small and fast to be able to cover the WRs. Can you imagine football outlawing the long bomb simply because there wasn't a defender between the WR and the goal line?
If you don't have offsides, it actually discourages controlled passing.
Perhaps you should tell that to football teams. Since there isn't a rule prohibiting the long ball, it discourages controlled passing. Threading a ball between defenders to an open man is exciting in either soccer or football, and is certainly controlled passing. Indeed, the skill displayed is much higher in soccer due to the use of the foot instead of the hand, and the spin of the ball. Controlled passing would be much more valuable and creative without the offside penalty.
Without offsides there would be some cherry picking, but you would mostly see defenders just hanging back against the goal...leaving huge gaps between offense and defense. You would rarely see the defense playing so far up the field. There wouldn't be nearly as many breakaways, just a bunch of crowding around the goal.
There is quite a bit of crowding around on the goal on free kicks and corner kicks, yet they somehow manage to score more often on those plays than others. I think with the elimination of the offsides you would see much more man defense, and much less zone. You would also see people flashing in front of the goal, trying to attack through the seams in the defense. It would be much more interesting near the goal than it is now.
I also would favor eliminating a man on each team. At any moment of the game there are 2-3 players on each team standing around, not including the goalie. Take away a player, and allow free substitution at half time.
One more thing. Get a real clock, with real stoppages, so everyone can see. This whole thing of "don't let the players see the time" is totally stupid, and impossible to enforce.
Go Cougs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
