Topic: Diving, cheating, timewasting & theatrics in football

[iamnant]

I actually blame the media. If some lad went down holding their face and rolled around and the media called him a cheat and called them out on how pathetic they look then it would stop overnight.

I 100% agree that the media needs to call them out more, but Rivaldo was ridiculed for clutching his face when he was hit in the knee in the 2002 World Cup and it didn't stop anything unfortunately.

Grealish has made a career out of running into players and diving, and he's lauded as being one of England's brightest stars. Makes you sick.

[Red-Soldier]

It's pretty much made the game unwatchable for me.

[Romford_Red]

Until you get awarded freekicks/penalties for staying on your feet and being a sportsman about things, this will happen.

[Nitramdorf]

It's endemic in kids football.  Unlike the professionals they're generally less adept at it so it's just a comedy of kids leaping to the ground with often nobody even that close to them.

Wow, thats shocking and utterly depressing, I had no idea but have wondered if it was so.

I have quite a few reasons for not watching football anymore. Diving being probably the main one. I just couldnt play against someone who did it.

I dont really see much difference in someone who dives when not touched to someone who dives when brushed on the sock. Equally despicable.

I also wonder why more players dont have a go at the cheats. If I was forced to shake hands before a game with someone like Kane, Id be telling him any of that backing in trying to paralize me and Id knock him out. Or see a player writhing in agony on the ground and just stand there and laugh and point.

[Aldo1988]

It's endemic in kids football.  Unlike the professionals they're generally less adept at it so it's just a comedy of kids leaping to the ground with often nobody even that close to them.

Maybe this is where we should start, send them off for play-acting (or get their manager to sub them off).  Need to get it into kids heads that it should not be accepted, and they should be punished for such actions.

[jonnypb]

It's endemic in kids football.  Unlike the professionals they're generally less adept at it so it's just a comedy of kids leaping to the ground with often nobody even that close to them.

Certainly isn’t an issue in the girls league that I coached. In the 6 years of grassroots football I think I can count on one hand how many girls dived. It’s maybe more common is boys football though?

[andyrol]

It's getting worse. the media just accept it now, unless its against a favourite-man.city, mancs,spurs.  Real Madrid did it constantly last night, the fall over roll around/screaming at every contact and EVERY ref falls for it, commentators like McManaman just ignore it and say" yep, its a foul cos theres contact". but players who try to stay on their feet- and we had a few last night when they really should have gone down, get nothing- even after the game when refs surely watch other games and see both kinds of players( the try to stay up and the fall overs) but still go back to giving everything to te divers.

[Charlie Adams fried egg]

^ That’s a really bad example.
Not for me Fletch, Noooo, nothing in that Fletch. Not sure he’s ever seen a foul.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

A huge thing that needs to change is referees need to start giving fouls where the player doesn't go to ground. Every player knows that to win a free-kick you need to exaggerate contact because of this.

Elliott could have had a penalty last night but stayed on his feet. If he'd have gone down it would have been stonewall. But why should it be different?

Robertson also got clearly pulled back at one point but there was no chance of a clear free-kick being given because he tried to carry on playing.

[redgriffin73]

Players pretending to have a head injury to get the game stopped are up there with the worst of them, that definitely needs cracking down on.

[tubby]

Players pretending to have a head injury to get the game stopped are up there with the worst of them, that definitely needs cracking down on.

Everyone does it now, though.  Both Elliott and Robertson have done it for us recently.  It's the same as the diving, once people see you can gain an advantage from it, they all start doing it.

I think if there's clearly no contact with the head and someone goes down holding theirs, then it should be a one match ban, but there's never been that level of retrospective punishment and I can't see it happening now.

[mikeb58]

haha, sorry 'broken record' time but I've come on here countless times about these shithouse antics. I refuse to watch footy again until they throw the book at these c*nts involved.

A lengthy ban for blatant cheating would solve the problem overnight, so it's not difficult, but most officials let it happen and some pundits even think it's funny, clever and acceptable.

No way will follow a game were cheating is par for the course, in other sports cheats are named and shamed and punished accordingly, why the fuck does football not go down that route?

Last week, I saw the pictures of Fernandez holding his face after he was apparently touched in the chest. Why wasn't he accountable for those actions?

I would love the post match interviewer to show him the clip concerned and ask him 'how is the face now' shame the fucker live on TV, that goes for any player doing stuff like that, ours included. 

Trained medics running on the pitch to attend to some cheat holding his head feigning injury, they could be using their skills for people more deserving and worthwhile than these overpaid precious pansies.

I would love one of these medics to say to the Ref...'He's ok, just pretending'

Football is a farce now a laughing stock of a sport, glad I'm well out of it.

[Paisley79]

The commentators & pundits have a lot to answer for with this. They use eupemisms all the time rather than call it what it is - cheating. Presumably they are terrified of lawsuits. It's like in the media/politics, you can say someone "wasn't entirely truthful", "frugal with the truth", even "telling an untruth" but if you actually use the word "liar" then you're in trouble.

Surely that's why during games we get things like "there was some contact" [so what? It's a contact sport!], "he's been clever there" [No! He cheated!] etc etc. During the Man Utd game when Fernandes went down clutching his face after Konate brushed his tit, at least Le Saux called it out as "embarrasing" which is correct, and more language like that would be welcome but they still always stop short of using the 'C' word!

We can all see it.

[Charlie Adams fried egg]

The commentators & pundits have a lot to answer for with this. They use eupemisms all the time rather than call it what it is - cheating. Presumably they are terrified of lawsuits. It's like in the media/politics, you can say someone "wasn't entirely truthful", "frugal with the truth", even "telling an untruth" but if you actually use the word "liar" then you're in trouble.

Surely that's why during games we get things like "there was some contact" [so what? It's a contact sport!], "he's been clever there" [No! He cheated!] etc etc. During the Man Utd game when Fernandes went down clutching his face after Konate brushed his tit, at least Le Saux called it out as "embarrasing" which is correct, and more language like that would be welcome but they still always stop short of using the 'C' word!

We can all see it.

Not when it's one of our players they're not. Or then again, maybe they know we'd do fuck all.

[Romford_Red]

The commentators & pundits have a lot to answer for with this. They use eupemisms all the time rather than call it what it is - cheating. Presumably they are terrified of lawsuits. It's like in the media/politics, you can say someone "wasn't entirely truthful", "frugal with the truth", even "telling an untruth" but if you actually use the word "liar" then you're in trouble.

Surely that's why during games we get things like "there was some contact" [so what? It's a contact sport!], "he's been clever there" [No! He cheated!] etc etc. During the Man Utd game when Fernandes went down clutching his face after Konate brushed his tit, at least Le Saux called it out as "embarrasing" which is correct, and more language like that would be welcome but they still always stop short of using the 'C' word!

We can all see it.

I wouldn't mind mate, but you can't say 'cunt' on air.

[redgriffin73]

I wouldn't mind mate, but you can't say 'cunt' on air.

[Boston always unofficial]

Review the game after and start handing out fines,money goes to charidee? 20% of their weekly wage for faking head injuries,10% for waving a pretend card,20% for taking a dive,etc etc.

[Paisley79]

I wouldn't mind mate, but you can't say 'cunt' on air.

 

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Been bonkers this United game already

Fernandes has actually been lying on the ground injured after heading a ball away

[oldman]

Been bonkers this United game already

Fernandes has actually been lying on the ground injured after heading a ball away

richarlison did the same in the derby last year

[Andy @ Allerton!]

richarlison did the same in the derby last year

Yeah missus mentioned that. Forgot about that one.

I wonder how they can look at their kids with them knowing their dad is a cheating, diving, crying, whining blert of a shithouse.

[mikeb58]

Yeah missus mentioned that. Forgot about that one.

I wonder how they can look at their kids with them knowing their dad is a cheating, diving, crying, whining blert of a shithouse.

Easy...no shame.

The thing is, while footy had a mass global audience who willingly pay to watch the cheats in action, unpunished week after week, from one game to the next, nothing will change.

I say 'willingly' pay because, it's come to the stage now, where you go to the game or watch one on the telly knowing full well what to expect when it come to these fuckers blatantly cheating and getting away with it.

It's simply the norm now, sad but true.

[Red-Soldier]

Easy...no shame.

The thing is, while footy had a mass global audience who willingly pay to watch the cheats in action, unpunished week after week, from one game to the next, nothing will change.

I say 'willingly' pay because, it's come to the stage now, where you go to the game or watch one on the telly knowing full well what to expect when it come to these fuckers blatantly cheating and getting away with it.

It's simply the norm now, sad but true.

Exactly.  How many on here pay for a season ticket, TV subs, match day tickets etc......

[mikeb58]

Exactly.  How many on here pay for a season ticket, TV subs, match day tickets etc......

I hate what footy has become, there is no way on Earth I would part with a penny to fund the farce that it currently is. It might be an age thing too, I have far more worthwhile things to spend my money on (my Granddaughters mainly!)

I am more than happy to bin it off completelly now, especially with the oil money and all the other shite that goes with it. I'm just glad that I was a die hard standing Kopite during the days when it was a sport I could relate to...win lose or draw.

I did just follow our games on the match commentary on here but I even do that less and less now.

[12C]

Anyone think Newcastle signed Trippier to bring the Atletico book of cheating with him.

Saw him get a free kick last night where he and a breaking forward clashed in a 50 50 challenge.
He went down like he was shot and lay like his leg had been ripped off, despite not getting the ball. The lad who did get the ball was pinged by Tierney and carded.
He was as bad last week.

[fowlermagic]

Just in case anyone thinks we are immune to it I see a lot of our lads over the years just as bad as anyone else out there. Too many to mention to be honest but we still have a few honest lads who try and stay on their feet when others go down. Im sure I saw Jurgen hopping mad when Elliott stayed on his feet which is a testimony to the issues in the game. A manager we love, livid when a player didn't swan dive. The cheating bug is rampant in the game.

[Agent99]

You know what I'd love and it might sound ridiculous but when the coin toss is happening it would be great if the ref was mic'd up and he let the whole stadium, the players and people watching at home that he won't accept any disrespect or shit talking, diving or theatrics, he won't give fouls for minimal contact and something about VAR Might work, might not.

[mikeb58]

Just in case anyone thinks we are immune to it I see a lot of our lads over the years just as bad as anyone else out there. Too many to mention to be honest but we still have a few honest lads who try and stay on their feet when others go down. Im sure I saw Jurgen hopping mad when Elliott stayed on his feet which is a testimony to the issues in the game. A manager we love, livid when a player didn't swan dive. The cheating bug is rampant in the game.

I haven't watched a full game of ours in years, I'll check out 'Inside Anfield' now and again on YouTube, that's about it. If we have players who blatantly cheat, then I won't be a hypocrite and not call them out too.

What fan left in me is an honest one, so I've no problem with my stance over this.

Maybe it's a case of 'if you can't beat them, join them' attitude creeping in from teams who watch other serial cheats go unpunished countless times.

That's understandable to a point, but it's still doesn't make it right.

[SamLad]

Just in case anyone thinks we are immune to it I see a lot of our lads over the years just as bad as anyone else out there. Too many to mention to be honest but we still have a few honest lads who try and stay on their feet when others go down. Im sure I saw Jurgen hopping mad when Elliott stayed on his feet which is a testimony to the issues in the game. A manager we love, livid when a player didn't swan dive. The cheating bug is rampant in the game.

or maybe Klopp was livid coz Elliott got fouled and the REF did nothing about it.

[tubby]

or maybe Klopp was livid coz Elliott got fouled and the REF did nothing about it.

Nah he was still shouting at Elliott when he got back into our team shape.

[fowlermagic]

Rampant again today. Cheating all over the shop, delaying the game by faking injuries. Time to take players off for HIA, so if you want to fake one then you will miss the next ten minutes.

[DelTrotter]

As bad as I have ever seen it. Just sickening.

[Samie]

Arteta the dickhead making sure his players are "injured" so he can give a team talk. 

[Coolie High]

They’ve been so bad at it I almost want City to win the league now.

[Robinred]

They’ve been so bad at it I almost want City to win the league now.

No almost about it for me. Arteta is worse than his mentor for the sheer levels of shithousery, so I really hope, that as awful as we were for 30 minutes, we can turn this around.

[Fromola]

They’ve been so bad at it I almost want City to win the league now.

Utter disgrace they are. Ruining the game as a contest (them and all the rest of them).

[Elzar]

Head injuries should require concussion checks. It’s a safe thing to do anyway, but it will stop the absolute nonsense of faking it to waste time.

[klopptopia]

5 minutes of a game gone because a central defender heads a ball away that wasn’t even hit very hard. Horrific

[mikeb58]

This thread disappeared for 2 weeks....said it countless times, watch modern day footy at your peril. The game
has been fucked for ages cos of unpunished blatant cheating scumbags.

It's the norm now, nothing new or unexpected to see today. All totally predictable, why fans waste their time to watch cheats is beyond me. The game is a laughable farce now.

[Samie]

Arteta is a fuckin' dickhead. Time wasting evrey 10 minutes or so.