Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

They you would have the ambiguity of if it were a dive or not. It would be just as unfair, and people would be protesting just as much, if a player was ruled to have dived when his supports think he didn't. Even via video replays, such as Anelka and Eduardo's 'dives'. I think Eduardo felt contact and decided to go to ground. I felt Anelka's was an actual foul as Given got his ankle.

You said cheating is cheating but it's true that it depends on the player. The Anelka foul was almost the same as the one Rooney got against Arsenal. Both were not going to reach the ball and were looking for the foul. It's still a penalty.

The difference is that when it was England's Golden Boy the press and fan base said "Well, He was going down before contact was made but contact was made. It's a clear penalty". When it's Anelka against the Irish (and it makes the faux-outrage less clear) then he's dirty cheat. A label not given to Michael Owen against Argentina.

When Paul Scholes set's up a goal with his hand it's forgotten, when Henry set's up a goal with his hand then "his reputation is forever tarnished and he will forever be known as 'the cheat'".

At least France feel guilty about the handball and the way they went though. They don't seem to have a national fantasy that they are above cheating and are paragons of Fair Play.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

surely exaggerating contact to fall over is cheating too. What really annoys me these days is when you watch a replay and you have an ex-pro who knows full well the contact they are showing isn't enouhg to make anyone fall over says this must be a foul as there was contact.

If we brought in some sports scientists and looked at this professionally you would find out most of the contact isn't even enough to knock anyone over.

Why is football the only sport in the world where when you are playing and have the adrenalin flowing you aren't able to play through an injury ?

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Exaggerating contact and falling over is a tricky one. Where video replays cannot really help because how do you decide if enough contact was made? Also some contact may be enough to unfairly slow the attacker and in which case they may 'dive' is order to make it clear to the ref that his progress, and hence a goal scoring opportunity, was unfairly restricted by the defender.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Henry isn't the only person to handle a ball and get away with it. He's also not being persecuted for being french either. He is being persecuted because it is blatant and it stopped underdogs from qualifing for the World Cup.

FIFA and UEFA just run their organisations like a shambles.

I really can't see why the 4th official can't watch the cameras. Every major descision which would need correcting would have a natural break in play anyway so it wouldn't interfere. It wouldn't turn into rugby or cricket.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

When I played football, I had my genetals squeezed, kicked, had both my big toes broken, sliding tackled which brought me down and fractured my thumb and this happened everyttime except the broken bones part and we still remained friends after the match was over.

Our matches went on from 5pm til sometimes 10pm everyday and played 15-20 a side on the local school field.

Oh the good ol' days

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Because the Underdogs are Irish. If it were some France vs Finland I don't think it would have got the reaction it did. If it were England vs Finland and it was Rooney they it certainly wouldn't have been. Which is my point.

It was cheating, it was unfair, we do need video replays. The usual outrage and surprise at what happen and the subsequent lynching of Henry by the press is absurd though. As I mentioned before, they are similar incidents and they are not treated the same.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

this is the problem when everyone used to play you got kicked and just played on. Shin pads are now made of carbon fibre so i'm sure you can't feel much either.

Everyone knows they players aren't injured but the refs, rule makers , commentators and pundits are all in on the big con.

The other day a keeper went in to get the ball with a attacker, they came together the ball was loose the keeper got up and sprinted for the ball and got in then he was "injured" and the game had to be stopped. How on earth can anyone believe that

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

That would clear out most premiership teams then - not many nations us Brits (or maybe us English) haven't upset at some stage or other :)

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...716408,00.html

No doubt Avram Grant will replace him.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Do not know what the ref is up too in the Arsenal game. A probable penalty for Arsenal denied, a stonewall of a pen one for Liege denied, odd fouls going unpunished, some non-fouls being punished.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Let's concentrate on more important issues - Liverpool are on their way out of yet another competition :D

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

What was Fabagas booked for there?

---------- Post added at 21:31 ---------- Previous post was at 21:30 ----------

I am hoping Lyon will get a last minute goal!

(and that Debrecen get one too :D)

---------- Post added at 21:32 ---------- Previous post was at 21:31 ----------

Lyon do look good for a goal...

---------- Post added at 21:38 ---------- Previous post was at 21:32 ----------

How much will Liverpool be disliking Frey right now :D

Liverpool go out of the Champions League at the group stage! Wow. They can't say Lyon didn't try....

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

lolpool.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Did Gerrard just hint he might leave if Liverpool fail to make Europe next season?

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

:(

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...717403,00.html