Saw this from Soccer365 mediawatch. No comments from me, I just wonder how you guys feel about it on a personel level. Why Chelsea play like Chelsea Says The Special One: "A player in Portugal, Spain or Italy, who simulates and wins a penalty is regarded as a perceptive, experienced, extremely intelligent player who understands the game." All of a sudden, it makes sense.
I guess now that Liverpool is a La Liga side,it is easy to figure it out why your matches look more like aquatics activities. . His actual words, which had nothing to do with Chelsea, just a comment on the differences in football cultures: "a player in Portugal, Spain or Italy, feigns and gets a penalty, he wins with that penalty... he's a very intelligent player, experienced, perspicacious, that understands the game. In England however, a player that manages to pull off a penalty in that way is a cheater! He's a cheater! He's a player that has problems surviving in the league. In Great Britain, football is clean! There's this honesty culture, of simply playing the game; there is no "gray football" culture. In that aspect the British are world champions, by miles."
We have two players who definitely go down too easily. They are Duff and Drogba. We have two other players who sometimes seem to fall a bit too freely, but who don't deserve to be labelled divers. They are Robben and Joe Cole. Note that not a single one of these players comes from Spain, Italy, or Portugal. Interesting, don't you think?
Diving occurs because there is little harm (rarely is someone carded) and the potential reward (getting someone carded, especially 2nd yellow) is great. I hate to see a guy barely touched go down, start writhing around, all his teammates surrounding the ref b1atching and moaning, then when ref hands out yellow/red card to the guy who committed "foul", the diver carried off by teammates, 2 minutes later the diver subs in running fine. I think diver should get the same card handed out to his victim, only fair.
There you go again letting facts getting in the way of lies. Leave it to a scouser to misquote someone. Maybe he should be renamed USScouse@TheSun.com
Actually, Cole and Eidur will, on rare occasions, actually take dives. Duff and Drogba do go down way too easily under contact, but Robben's entire reputation stems from one game against Portugal a year and a half ago. He hasn't been diving in the EPL, and actually stays on his feet surprisingly well. I do think that sometimes "flair" players in the EPL get branded divers too easily - witness Mokoena not even getting a foul for ruining the second half of Robben's season last year. And yes, that probably includes the prancing giraffe from up north, who doesn't dive as much as he whines when not getting calls.
All posts on diving, cheating, lying, hair-pulling and spitting should really be re-directed to the experts on these matters in the Barcelona forum. RE: Spitting? <o =""></o> Does spitting happen all the time or is it a seldom occurrence on the field of play? Notorious spitters of the last 20 years (so far I have): Eto'o Totti Diuof Mihajlovic <st1:city w:st="on"><st1 =""></st1></st1:city>Roy Keane Rijkaard ~ Please add to the spit list.
Yeah, much as it pains me to admit it the kid hasn't been that bad of late. Did you see that tackle he did right after he got crocked near the touchline in the match before Liverpool? You can understand the kids frustration although, personally, I thought it was rather amusing Not sure you're right about Cole and Eidur, though. Can't say I've noticed them 'out and out' dive, tbh - but maybe I've missed the important calls.
Speaking of Eto'o - *looks directly Monkee's way* https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7303334&postcount=38 - this whole thread had me rolling for a couple of reasons 1. We wouldn't want fvcking bad attitude pissant "Sammy boy" at Chelsea and neither would Jose and 2. Semi-panicky Barca fans make me giggle.
Catfish is actually a Real Madrid fan now, he used to be a Barca fan then he recently found out he's Spanish (he was adopted) and diving head first into his history. I applaud him for his efforts though I wonder if he found out he was English and parents were from West London if he'd be so quick to jump to the blue side!
Oh yeah, I knew about that whole thing. I find it high-fvcking-larious. He prolly would jump, he's got zero credibility in the loyalty department. Away from football, I'm sure he's a very nice guy and all - but... yeah. Still, funny thread.
Why zero credibility. You can't really criticise him. I don't think you were adopted (???) so I guess it's got to be tough. I mean, imagine for your entire life not knowing where you came from then suddenly learning.
Um. Yeah, eddie? I wasn't talking about the adopted bit. I was talking about club loyalty. A concept that it shames me to say that my fellow Americans know sweet FA about. (See also: the TONS of Steelers "fans" that suddenly appeared out of nowhere).
OI you. We're in a whole different place - this city is populated by mostly transients. The hometown folks (like myself) are burgundy and gold 'til we die, expansion team boy.
Carolina may be an expansion team, but I'm hardcore. I followed them for two whole weeks through sports center clips.