Dive or penalty? [R]

[Toolkit]

So, grandstand weekend, the second of the two big ties is Arsenal -United and Henry goes down in the box. This decision and all big decisions in this game are vitally important, it is a game that could change the look of the Premiership. So, whilst the referee has to consider this, he also has to make what he feels is the right decision, so he waves play on.

[Uniteder]

Answered your own question and put an [R] on that thread!

[doug1500]

Wow, theres no discussion. He went down on minimal (if that) contact. I think the ref saw this and it wasn't the size of the match that caused him not to call it.

[korean_soccer123]

as great of a player henry is.....he dived on that occasion, no question

[sdotsom]

as great of a player henry is.....he dived on that occasion, no question

Not like it's something new for him. Watch the World Cup game vs. Spain.

Anyways, the ref made the right decision.

[gazza]

Good no call. Penalties have been called for less and Henry looked like he might have made a bit more of it than it was.

[doug1500]

Heard someone say it in the match thread, and I agree. The ref needs to start carding the divers, and if its CRon getting carded, so be it. That was a blatant dive in the box, deserves punishment.

[Republic of Mancunia]

Penalty. :eek:

Please don't hurt me.:p

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Dive.

[Professor B]

Why do you guys look at it as an either/or? As if it has to either be a penalty or it has to be a dive? It can be neither. And in this case, that's what it was. It probably shouldn't have been a penalty. But given the definite contact between Neville and Henry (very clear from a couple of the camera angles), it wasn't a dive.

I am constantly annoyed by TV commentators who present this as an either/or situation. If the ref doesn't blow a penalty, they go on and on about 'why didn't the ref card him' and such. It is possible for there to be contact between players, that sends one player to the ground, and yet it isn't a foul. It's almost as if the commentators are trying to stir up controversy. Imagine that.

Even as an Arsenal fan (full disclosure for me) I didn't think it should have been a penalty, especially with Henry heading outside the box at the very top corner of the box. Even with the contact, I didn't think it would have been just to award a penalty in that instance; I don't think such a big game would have been served by it; and I was not surprised when the ref did not call it.

Just my two cents.

[prymetyme]

dive dive dive dive dive.

[doug1500]

Why do you guys look at it as an either/or? As if it has to either be a penalty or it has to be a dive? It can be neither. And in this case, that's what it was. It probably shouldn't have been a penalty. But given the definite contact between Neville and Henry (very clear from a couple of the camera angles), it wasn't a dive.

I am constantly annoyed by TV commentators who present this as an either/or situation. If the ref doesn't blow a penalty, they go on and on about 'why didn't the ref card him' and such. It is possible for there to be contact between players, that sends one player to the ground, and yet it isn't a foul. It's almost as if the commentators are trying to stir up controversy. Imagine that.

Even as an Arsenal fan (full disclosure for me) I didn't think it should have been a penalty, especially with Henry heading outside the box at the very top corner of the box. Even with the contact, I didn't think it would have been just to award a penalty in that instance; I don't think such a big game would have been served by it; and I was not surprised when the ref did not call it.

Just my two cents.

Yep there was MINIMAL contact and Henry dives like his legs have been taken out from beneath. There is no way, even at the speed they were running at, that he falls that dramatically given the absolute minimal contact from Neville.

[davisplaid]

Yep there was MINIMAL contact and Henry dives like his legs have been taken out from beneath. There is no way, even at the speed they were running at, that he falls that dramatically given the absolute minimal contact from Neville.

neither...there was contact....so its not a dive....not enough for a penalty though imo

[The Guv'nor]

put an [R] on that thread!

What does this signify?

[ibby]

Whats the point if it was a dive or a penalty, Arsenal won and that call didn't effect the game

[doug1500]

neither...there was contact....so its not a dive....not enough for a penalty though imo

I don't think what you're saying is valid, there was very little contact which would not have caused him to fall. Yet he falls intentionally, which is pretty much a dive. I don't know for sure, but that's what it looked to me.

[Mac_Howard]

There was some contact but Henry made a meal of it - he'd lost control of the ball and any striker would do the same - but that may well have lost him the decision.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Whats the point if it was a dive or a penalty, Arsenal won and that call didn't effect the game

It wasn't one of our fans that created this thread and there is an identical one on your board.

[Drae]

Total dive, and the Ref called it well

[Professor B]

I don't think what you're saying is valid, there was very little contact which would not have caused him to fall. Yet he falls intentionally, which is pretty much a dive. I don't know for sure, but that's what it looked to me.

First of all, I'm not sure the contact could be called "minimal." It altered the direction/movement of Henry's leg.

Second, when you you say:

very little contact which would not have caused him to fall

How in the world can you know that? Or more importantly how in the world can a ref know that (and thereby call it a dive and adminster a yellow)? The answer is you can't know that and neither can any ref. That's why this ref was right to make no call. He might suspect, you might suspect, but neither of you know. It's very difficult to judge how much (or how little) it takes to throw someone off when they are running at or near full speed.

If you want to see a dive, that is certainly a dive, go back and check Eboue's dive in the CL final against Barcelona. Absolutely no contact, not even close and flops like a fish out of water.