Players cheat. They spend a ridiculous amount of energy and time working on tricking the ref. Then the ref gets castigated for not being able to figure out what really happened.
Look at Chelsea - Atkinson gave a goal. He's an honest guy, he didn't want to get it wrong. The ball was nowhere near going over the line. The last few controversial issues with this have been goals that SHOULD have stood that didn't. Any of those refs could have gambled and been deemed 'quality' for getting it right. Why would Atkinson gamble? look at Mata. That's why he gambled. A guy who knew for a fact that it didn't go in celebrated like it did, as did his teammates. And Atkinson figured it was worth going with their reaction. Their lies.
Ashley Young said something about it being up to the ref to get it right. Really? 22 players do everything they can to lie to the man, and it's his fault for getting it wrong?
Thing is, where's the line? So hard trying to decide who has gone down when they were fouled (when possibly they could have stayed up) compared to who deliberately caught the leg of the defender.
Plus why only diving? Pretending you weren't offside is cheating for a goal, so is sticking in a cross you knew went out, or pushing the defender in the back before winning a header. Fine if the ref calls them right, but should those offences be punished retrospectively?
Difficult for the FA in my opinion - good idea to ban divers retrospectively, but when it's not a red in the game, isn't it making it worse to not get caught during the actual game? And if you make it a red in the actual game, that is a giant call any time a player goes down - could make the situation worse.
Ban appealing and conversation with the ref, come up with a solution for decision-making using a team of referees and technology. Won't be 100% but it's the best we can hope for. It's pretty much what happens in the NBA.
I picture a world where each ref has a partner, like cops. They do everything together. And when it comes to game time, one sits in a room with a Sky+ box and a radio headset. The other guy is running around the pitch getting constant updates.
Ban appealing and conversation with the ref, come up with a solution for decision-making using a team of referees and technology. Won't be 100% but it's the best we can hope for. It's pretty much what happens in the NBA.
I picture a world where each ref has a partner, like cops. They do everything together. And when it comes to game time, one sits in a room with a Sky+ box and a radio headset. The other guy is running around the pitch getting constant updates.
Might solve the problem in the premier league, but what good is a sky box in the Ryman Premier!
Seriously though, banning appealing is a good idea. Indirect freekick against you and a booking if you do it repeatedly.
My mate ran an under 16 team in Gravesend for over 15 years. He was getting a bit fed up over the last few seasons about the way players conduct themselves, fighting, arguing, the idiotic parents etc. Anyway they were in pre season at the beginning of this season and he had just finished the training session. 4 or 5 of the lads stayed behind to 'practice' their diving, they played one on one in the penalty area and the other players commented on whether the dive was 'convincing' enough or not. My mate jacked it in a week later. Young and any diver should get a straight red and a 5 match ban for being a cheat! Or shot!
No-one remembers all the pens Clive Mendonca won by running at the goalie and tripping over then? ;-) He did always make sure there was contact, but he knew exactly what he was doing.
And I have no doubts that Jerome Thomas was taught to dive at Arsenal - he was way better at it than our own youngsters...
No-one remembers all the pens Clive Mendonca won by running at the goalie and tripping over then? ;-) He did always make sure there was contact, but he knew exactly what he was doing.
And I have no doubts that Jerome Thomas was taught to dive at Arsenal - he was way better at it than our own youngsters...
Doesn't make it right though, its getting silly now as is the holding at corners!
It is true that a retrospective punishment may not always be able to applied due to the presence of some doubt but if it was harsh enough, it would give the cheat something tio think about. I'd go 6 game ban and a high fine personally. If Football did that, you wouldn't see this type of play anymore.
It is true that a retrospective punishment may not always be able to applied due to the presence of some doubt but if it was harsh enough, it would give the cheat something tio think about. I'd go 6 game ban and a high fine personally. If Football did that, you wouldn't see this type of play anymore.
So equivalent to the ban and fine Ben Thatcher got for his assault on Mendes? I think people are overreacting a tad to this diving
The way some people are prepared to accept this cheating and even defend it makes me very depressed for the future of what is still "the beautiful game".
There's a few things about the "modern" game I don't like and diving is one of them. The problem is that it's endemic in the game now - saw some clips earlier on Sky Sports News of Beckham, Gerrard and other England stars at it. It needs firm action. All forms of cheating need to be targeted.
Having said that, I preferred it when football at the professional level was more of a "man's game", rather than what it's become - almost a non-contact sport. So, I guess I'm saying I don't personally object to a bit of pushing and shoving.
Sorry to bring bad news, but a bird did not shit in his mouth. Something dropped behind him and he concocted a mouthful of spit at the same moment. Source: people on reddit did a frame by frame analysis.
Sorry to bring bad news, but a bird did not shit in his mouth. Something dropped behind him and he concocted a mouthful of spit at the same moment. Source: people on reddit did a frame by frame analysis.
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Plus why only diving? Pretending you weren't offside is cheating for a goal, so is sticking in a cross you knew went out, or pushing the defender in the back before winning a header. Fine if the ref calls them right, but should those offences be punished retrospectively?
Difficult for the FA in my opinion - good idea to ban divers retrospectively, but when it's not a red in the game, isn't it making it worse to not get caught during the actual game? And if you make it a red in the actual game, that is a giant call any time a player goes down - could make the situation worse.
I picture a world where each ref has a partner, like cops. They do everything together. And when it comes to game time, one sits in a room with a Sky+ box and a radio headset. The other guy is running around the pitch getting constant updates.
Seriously though, banning appealing is a good idea. Indirect freekick against you and a booking if you do it repeatedly.
I can't say it changed the game though. Villa at Man U? A total banker home win.
No such thing as a banker.
He was getting a bit fed up over the last few seasons about the way players conduct themselves, fighting, arguing, the idiotic parents etc. Anyway they were in pre season at the beginning of this season and he had just finished the training session. 4 or 5 of the lads stayed behind to 'practice' their diving, they played one on one in the penalty area and the other players commented on whether the dive was 'convincing' enough or not.
My mate jacked it in a week later.
Young and any diver should get a straight red and a 5 match ban for being a cheat! Or shot!
And I have no doubts that Jerome Thomas was taught to dive at Arsenal - he was way better at it than our own youngsters...
I'd be on about the other games "goal" still.
Having said that, I preferred it when football at the professional level was more of a "man's game", rather than what it's become - almost a non-contact sport. So, I guess I'm saying I don't personally object to a bit of pushing and shoving.
Everything is highlighted today becasue every match is recorded on film/video etc.
Good luck for some... Not him though...