Football 2010-2011

[Benj]

Yeah, but no one does it quite like Man Utd. They're the most talented cheats in the league and it isn't a coincidence.

How can you expect people to respect a team like that and wins everything? It demeans football.

[eFestivals]

Yes of course. So if I look back over this thread, I wont find that 90% of your posts are about Utd as opposed to you bestowing your love about all your love in the game you love?

Its nothign to be ashamed off, the hate only makes the love stronger

I - probably like most people here - happen to see more games by the 'top' teams than I do other games, and I simply comment on what I see.

And it's a very relevant point that within those games by the 'top' teams I see far more bad play which leads me to make a comment on from Utd than I do from the other teams.

But when I do make comments about other players doing similar, people like you tend to completely ignore them - which gets to show that it's actually the likes of YOU that creates the impression of me being a Utd hater rather than anything I actually post.

And because I stand behind my comments, and they often pan out across many pages by your refusal to accept them as any valid view, that you fantasise as you do.

[Kowalski]

What cracks me up is Liverpool have two of the biggest divers going (Gerrard and Torres) and there are videos online to prove this yet they get really upset over Berbatov going down easily.

Very soft penalty but it's madness to give an opponent the opportunity to do that.

[Benj]

ue is whether or not a foul was committed and there wasn't. This compensating for cheating malarky is as anti-progressive and traditionalist as you can be.

[worm]

Spain, who no one seems to moan about as they pass it about as well as they fall over.

[ampersand]

Very soft penalty but it's madness to give an opponent the opportunity to do that.

[Benj]

Some people clearly can't think beyond the end of their nose.

Regardless of Agger putting his foot in, berba shouldn't have dived.

[worm]

The more interesting discussion would be about how it can be removed from the game

[Jaybles]

hows it madness for a defender to try and tackle the forward?

[Benj]

We don't do professional cheating that much because we don't have a mastermind manager who can set up such discipline. We foul the honest way, by Cattermole going in over-zealously and such like. It isn't cultivated and perfected as an art like with Man Utd teams.

[ampersand]

Its madness to stick a leg out and give your opponent the chance to go down when you have the defensive advantage position wise (Berbatov was going nowhere)

Its madness because premier league players are told to go down in this situation and 50% of the time a penalty is given.

Its sad but true and it needs strong action to reduce how often it happens.

But until something is done about it all teams will continue to try it to gain an advantage in the game, so it is naive of the defender to open himself up to it

[Jaybles]

people are giving that as a reason to excuse berbatov though. as neil says, the defender was playing to the rules. whether it was a silly decision from him or not, he's not done anything wrong. yes there was contact, but it's a contact sport. the focus should be soley on berbatov.

[Benj]

I agree.

The answer is incorporating the vast advances in technology that other sports have adopted. But purists and traditionalists (which include the media) would rather have cheating.

[eFestivals]

What cracks me up is Liverpool have two of the biggest divers going (Gerrard and Torres) and there are videos online to prove this yet they get really upset over Berbatov going down easily.

Very soft penalty but it's madness to give an opponent the opportunity to do that.

What's the difference between diving by Gerrard and Torres, and the diving by Utd players?

Few people post to say that the diving by Gerrard and Torres is OK because 'there was a minute touch'!

Yet Utd fans believe their club is picked on. ... no, it's your responses that get picked on Utd fans!! There's no shame to your cheating!!!

[Benj]

What's the difference between diving by Gerrard and Torres, and the diving by Utd players?

Few people post to say that the diving by Gerrard and Torres is OK because 'there was a minute touch'!

[worm]

I dunno, Arsenal have some fairly great cheaters themselves, the likes of Arshavin are miles worse than the likes of Fletcher, Van Persie worst than Rooney, etc etc.

[beLIEveR]

Now hold on a minute. I love watching Arsenal as much as anyone, but once they're inside the 18 yard box they're the biggest cheats of the lot.

[Benj]

Those are individuals though. Man Utd sides are set up with an ingrained cheating mentality in the same sense that Arsenal sides are set up with an ingrained passing mentality. Arsenal have some individuals who are good at cheating just as Man Utd have some individuals who are good at passing. It's a culture of cheating that Ferguson's instilled.

[worm]

It is a tough one? when it comes down to it, however much people bang on about loving football etc etc, we watch football to be entertained, not to see who is the best, the drama, mistakes and cheating are part of that, would we ultimately be more happy seeing a fairer but perhaps less exciting game?

[Benj]

This purist argument makes me think of the usual anti-enlightenment arguments that fear progress. I'm sure they said this kind of thing when the Roman Empire was reconsidering having Gladiators fight to the death. 'It's fairer, but less exciting' seems so apt.

I'm all for progress and think that the game will merely change as all things should do.

[worm]

Well, I can't remember the likes of Scholes and Giggs etc being horrific divers, despite having been there forever, whilst I don't think Rooney has got any worse since he left Everton, Whilst Fabregas, goes over at the slightest of touches, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree over that one

[The Nal]

Stopping the opposition via fouling, very definitely not.

Edited January 10, 2011 by The Nal

[worm]

Now hold on a minute. I love watching Arsenal as much as anyone, but once they're inside the 18 yard box they're the biggest cheats of the lot.

[Benj]

It's not just diving. It's trying to gain an advantage by exploiting the application of the law.

[worm]

No ex Utd players really? I wonder why Fergie, the fans and the club are anti media?