[Archived] Have We Just Seen The New Maradona?

[Seggie]

Football has gone soft, I started watching late 80s and everytime a major tournament comes about Refs are told to send people off for specific tackles or book people for petty minor incidents. I have no issue with Red Cards being shown for blatent cheating and assaults but I do have an issue with players being red carded for two tame tackles which could be handled by a quick word. No one wants teams of 10men. Refereeing needs to be more consistant lets look at the weekened Nigel Quasie is sent off for kicking Boateng (To be fair I still can't see the intent) whereas Lehman pushes Reid over and stays on. You go back to the Reina incident a few weeks ago, Im sorry but what Reina did was perhaps foolish but what Robben did was 10 times worse.

everyone can spot a cheat but when a cheat is spotted nothing is done about it.

[Shaddy]

Does anyone think that there should be a "sin-bin" (not using that term, as it would make a connection with Rugby League and put people off) in Football? Couple with video review, it could be used to determine whether a send off should be effected or not.

[brfcjon]

i havent read all the pages but it seems some on here think that "the messi incident" wasnt a foul. Is that right because for me it was clearly a foul and from the referees that have commented on danish tv it was even the red card Hauge dished out...

That said.... Cheats are ruining the game, but calling players who are kicked cheats is ruining the game equaly as its more or less condoning the bullies taking out the flair... and for me the flair and skill is what makes footy fun to watch and participate in

to think we were the bully boys huh=)

up the rovers

[Seggie]

I vaguely saw the Messi incident as I was off out to play football and saw the incident once, I couldn't see at the time why it would be a Red Card (I was in the Car by the time it was dished out) and havn't seen the replays.

I agree with Shaddy on the Sinbin idea, even if its like 10mins out the game for a player with 2 yellows, if they return and get booked again then they walk.

[speeeeeeedie]

Some bright spark should make a video showing plenty of incidents of diving/play-acting and incidents of genuine fouls/injuries and then report the findings to the FA and referees giving them a concise report on what to look for with fouls/cheating. Experienced ref's should be able to to this already but it may be a nice thing to do. The papers would like it.

For example: in my experiences playing and watching someone who is fouled does not have ther knees buckle, kick their legs back, and go up in the air before hitting the ground. They tend to fall or try to play on as they are concentrating on the ball not the acting. Also when a player is genuinely injured they do not roll around like they are putting out a fire on their back. Not much movement is key here. Really injured players stay still as movement may cause further injury.

I hate all the cheating that goes on but it is just a part of today's game; the only thing that matters is winning.

I played for a team once and the boss was very anti-diving. We won a cup semi final 2-1 thanks to a blatent penalty. The boss was ecstatic, then he watched a video of the game. The camera angle caught our winger's swan dive perfectly; the defender was 3 yards away, but the ref couldn't see. Was the boss p!ssed off? Not a chance, cup final here we come.

Quashie's sending off was funny. He deserved to go as there was intent in the kick. Frustration maybe but he still planted Boateng in the back. Boateng's Oscar performance reaction should have got a booking also.

[joey_big_nose]

Bans should just be applied for diving retrospectively if it can be proved on video there was no contact.

The big argument against this is 'what if the referee awarded a penalty/freekick and it was scored from?' The answer to that is tough, but the ref will be marked down if he was considered in error.

A standard three mach ban for absolutely provable (this is very important and would only apply to the most blatent of dives) 'simulation' would make perpetraitors think twice.

It can only be a matter of time until this rule (give or take the exact nature of the suspension) is introduced. Why not just do it now?

[blue/white]

Are you all rambling on about Lio's escapades or Adebayor's swan dive on Saturday? Because the latter was clearly a dive and the former was taking protective measures in response to a ridiculous, out of control challenge. It's disgusting that Del Horno is getting a relatively 'free ride'... just moments before he had planted a two stud welt on Messi's knee and even had he not seen red, it was a matter of time before he'd do it again, as he was never close to properly tackling the kid.

As for the 'New' Maradona... I personally hope it isn't the case as the original never stops embarrassing his countrymen. I just hope Messi is Messi and stays healthy--

[thenodrog]

Anyway, Barca are another level beyond Chelski so expect the Mancs Liverpool and us to be looking upwards at an even more mega-starred Chelski next season. Could be a good thing if it encourages the rest of the Prem to raise their game.

386860[/snapback]

I can't see that happening and if you do the how? Chelsea's ascent to that of megamegarichclub status appears to have had the opposite effect on their two nearest rivals.

[RovertheHill]

One thing that irritates me is how people can never find middle ground on issues. Suddenly every fall is a dive, and an attempt on cheating.

Come on! Many on the messageboard play football often enough. You should know that it is not difficult to be bundled over. And how many have then suffered the indignity of being accused of diving? I know I have, and I don't dive.

I am not meaning to excuse the divers. And if anything, divers can still be blamed for this counter-culture, because they've made defenders too highly strung on the issue.

It is just possible that attackers with genuine intent are falling under the strength of the tackles, in my opinion, *most of the time*. From being in a partisan crowd watching a match, the amount of jeering accusations of play acting don't reflect that.

386417[/snapback]

Again, the point being made is that the cheating and diving that DOES go on simply makes it harder for refs to judge the above correctly. If you retrospectively review games for cheating and diving, with the threat of points being docked, it would soon be eradicated from the game because managers would make damn sure it didn't happen.

And if you think it's hard to tell then watch Soccer AM platoon every week...

[philipl]

I can't see that happening and if you do the how?  Chelsea's ascent to that of  megamegarichclub status appears to have had the opposite effect on their two nearest rivals.

387412[/snapback]

I think Liverpool are nicely raising their game to become a serious threat to the mega-star clubs like Chelsea and Barca. Arsenal in a year or so's time are going to be stunning if their youngsters achieve even only 50% of their promise. Only the Mancs seem to be stuffed and will struggle to keep pace with Chelsea.

Having three of the best teams/squads in the world in the Prem will force the rest of the league to up its game level. Look at how 18th placed Boro have handled the UEFA so far this season- the relative strength in depth of the English top division seems to be returning.