Because it isn't always the referee's fault. The J. League is full of decent players who ruin games by falling over, faking injury and generally trying their hardest to con the ref and the supporters of a proper spectacle. For my money Kawasaki's Juninho is the absolute worst diver. He's been doing it for years and is an embarrassment to what is meant to be a physical, man's game. Closely followed by jubilo's Gilsinho. I wince everytime I see him get the ball. Not because of what dangerous things he might do with it, but because you know it's just a matter of time until he goes down in a crumpled heap when the defender gets within a foot of him. The sheer number of divers and time wasters is the absolute worst thing about this great league we watch and it's the one and only thing that has me wondering if I'll still be watching in five years.
Yeah well it has become part of the strategy of football teams sadly. Especially the time wasting. What was it last time. Kashima used 10 minutes for their few free kicks legends...
People say this but the men's game is shameful with cheating everywhere. I watch women's matches sometimes and they never cheat. They don't roll around, don't try to get opponents booked by feigning injury... people say "he went down like a woman" but the women play a lot tougher and with more respect than like so many of the cheats in the men's game.
This doesn’t surprise me. The phrase 'a mans' game' doesn't have any real meaning because the game it played by everyone, but when you look at the game at certain levels or at the top levels in the past, you just don't see the diving and cheating you do so often in Europe and Japan. It's so frustrating and huge turn off for spectators.
The worst one at Avispa is our central defender Daiki Niwa. He is just doing the sensible thing, but in almost every game he will be running back to goal with the ball and either wait for a push in the back and go down straight away, or stop and turn on the ball and let the onrushing striker bundle him over. It isn't really a dive, but he does it with such frequency that it doesn't feel much different to a striker waiting for a kick in the box. It also really relies on the referee, and in games like the first against Jubilo this season Maeda ran straight through him and the consequence is always a 1-on-1 with the keeper.
Considering that Omiya hasn't gotten a pk in 51 league games, I'd have to say that we are definetely the worst at diving! Although Lee Chun Soo gets alot of credit for trying. Gilsinho wasn't diving in the Omiya game but he was trying to break ankles with late tackles. Dirty player. Richardes is very effective at "earning" fouls. And your very own Takahara is a master at it.
Tend to agree. He knows what he's doing, that's for sure. He does it in a pretty skilfull way though which makes it even harder for the ref to spot than the usual falling over. I also noticed Brosque go down easily a couple of times recently. I guess he sees so many other players doing and just thinks Why not?
no fall = no foul even when there's one so I can't blame players who let themselves go when there's a contact, I'd rather have a lot of respect for those who don't.
I dare to disagree! Pimpao had a pretty blatant dive today btw against Reysol. Haven't really noticed any diving before from his side, so hope its not something he will continue to do. But Reysol's Hyodo is worse for sure.