THERE used to be a time when being offside meant precisely that — offside.

Remember those days?

Now, confusion reigns supreme.

Even before a ball was kicked this season I felt that the new interpretation of the laws would cause yet more arguments.

Christian Benteke’s winner in Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Bournemouth on Monday night should not have stood. Case closed.

According to the new reading of the laws, a player in an offside position attempting to play the ball has to be flagged offside. They no longer have to make contact with the ball.

Still with me?

Philippe Coutinho was guilty on both counts at Anfield, his movement in an offside position towards the ball clearly a distraction to Bournemouth keeper Artur Boruc before Benteke pounced.

Not surprisingly, arguments raged afterwards.

Prior to the season, referees’ chief Mike Riley claimed the changes were good for the game. Sorry, but that’s bonkers.

All they have done is further muddy the waters for an assistant in the split second they have to make a judgment.

It’s easy to blame the officials but it is possible they simply don’t understand the new laws and were operating under last season’s interpretation. Or a mixture of both.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe admitted afterwards that clubs were only informed of the alteration just days before the campaign began. If that’s true, it beggars belief.

Rather than looking for new ways to “improve” the game, the issue needs to be clear. The sooner the law reverts to anyone in an offside position being penalised regardless of their proximity to goal or affect on play the better.

But, as we all know, that won’t happen. Which is why arguments like the one at Anfield will be rep - licated throughout the season. The chaos is here to stay.