Tottenham Hotspur Message Board

NBR, I don't think Bale is a diver per se. I honestly think that 9/10 he is either try...

NBR,
I don't think Bale is a diver per se. I honestly think that 9/10 he is either trying to get out of the way or is fouled. The Villa challenge was a bit more dubious, but you do see the keeper lining up to have a pop and then changes his mind.
I also heard the commentator have a go during the Scotland game. That to me was a penalty - the defender clipped Bale enough at knee height to push Bale's back leg onto the front, causing him to trip.

I don't see though that you can stop players diving, if you let the other infringements take place. I don't follow the logic of stopping a forward trying to win a penalty, but allow a defender to hold someone trying to stop a goal, or the last defender purposely stop an attacker to stop the advantage.

no, sorry I cant agree...he hasnt 'blatantly cheated' for a reasonable proportion....

no, sorry I cant agree...he hasnt 'blatantly cheated' for a reasonable proportion...he's kicked and fouled time after time, game after game...reckon I might go down easier than most with the lack of protection he's had...and he's smart enough to take the foul, or avoid it...not the career threatening injury...he did not appeal for anything after falling under challenge versus Villa...you can't blame the guy for expecting to get kicked...

A couple of links you folks might find interesting: Someone else's take on Bale'...

A couple of links you folks might find interesting:

Someone else's take on Bale's diving, and a broad spread of comments underneath it: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/tottenham/id/100?cc=5739#

And some stats on players who "won" most fouls (I loathe that phrase, if someone else is caught cheating you don't "win") in the league last season: http://www.eplindex.com/17259/fouled-players-league-opta-stats-comparison.html. Suprisingly (for me) Lennon's not in the top 20.

Someone commenting on the first article refers to Bale as "statistically one of the most fouled players in the league"; the stats say he's 20th in the fouls per mins played, and let's be honest, he's blatantly cheated for a reasonable proportion of them. I don't mind him going to ground on occasion to 'protect' himself as long as he's honest about doing that; I object to the tantrums he has to the ref afterwards.

But back to your original question, I think the reason I don't mind e.g. shirt pulling so much is firstly because it's a variable thing (you can pull someone's shirt a little bit, but either you dive or you don't), and because most of those sorts of offences generally seem to be inkeeping with the spirit of the game in principle, but getting carried away. Professional fouls (what an oxymoron!) and diving are more cynical and intentional cheating.

yes...but it's an enforced respect...rarely will a ref get any praise, far from it...b...

yes...but it's an enforced respect...rarely will a ref get any praise, far from it...but you're right H, there is very much a feeling of 'letting your teammates down' if you transgress...as I personally know only too well, it's often simply giving too much lip...this comes from so many unpunished offences leading to a sense of grievance, leading to an unconrollable rage at life being so unfair and the wish to f****n batter someone...usually just before you get sent off...anyway, moving on...

Nice to see ye--to see ye-- In RU the ref is a figure of respect, Jimmy, you know that fu...

Nice to see ye--to see ye--
In RU the ref is a figure of respect, Jimmy, you know that full well. Any bullshyte and the captain is summoned to face the consequences and get it sorted. Plus the fact, tell the ref or a linesman to fuskc off what would happen..
H---a television, a camera, a tea-set, a lawn mower, a picnic hamper-----