Man Utd vs Spurs

[loz]

Ronaldo dives for a penalty 1-0.

Blatant dive

[Joel]

Totally agree, utterly disgraceful decision. Malbranque put his foot in but made NO contact from the replay I saw.

[loz]

Having said that Utd were denied a pretty nailed on penalty earlier in the match. Maybe Clattenberg suspected he made a mistake with the first decision and was looking to make amends.

[Joel]

Are you talking about the Larsson claim? Nothing for me there either. I was farting about in the kitchen so if there was a different incident I missed it.

[loz]

Yes the Larsson claim - clear penalty. No contact with the ball at all and did make contact with Larsson.

Having said all that I just saw 1st half highlights and saw an incident I missed in the game. Clear penalty for SPurs when Neville manhandled Chimbonda. 3 big decisions and Clattenberg got them all wrong.

[The Moos]

The incident with Larsson could well have been a penalty but the Ronaldo incident was a clear dive.

Can't we pay someone to break hs legs?

"Dive on that you f***ing c*nt!"

Anyway Spurs should've had a penalty too when Neville pulled down Chimbonda(?).

Clattenberg has been awful so far. Is he really the best man to referee a big game like this?

[BlueBeard]

Haven't seen any of the game yet, but what's this I'm hearing? Ronaldo diving?????? Surely not?????

He's by far the biggest cheat I've ever seen on a pitch in over 40 years of watching football - and that includes Deco

If he ever gets seriously injured in a game, I will piss myself laughing, and write a letter of congratulations to the person responsible - I hate that c*nt so much!

Even if it's shown as a blatant dive on MOTD2 tonight, I can guarantee it'll just about be mentioned, whereas if it were Robben or Drogs diving it'd be national headlines for at least three days - f*ckin' media

[Joel]

Bigger cheat than the diving midget Deco eh? Tall claim!!

I felt Larsson was already going over when the contact occurred and his girlish flop on the floor to embellish it didn't make it more plausible.

Not that it all matters now....Vidic header and it's 2-0.

*sigh*

[Joel]

Really going off the rails now, Scholes with a Kezman special from 2 inches for 3-0. game over.

[loz]

If he ever gets seriously injured in a game, I will piss myself laughing, and write a letter of congratulations to the person responsible

3-0 now - goal from the man who should have had 4 yellow cards by now (but has none)

I am pretty sure it will happen one day. A day will come when Utd are a couple of goals ahead with 5 minutes to go and one of the goals has come from a dive and a frustrated defender will cut him in two.

You can argue the rights and wrongs of that but it is human nature. Drogba has taken a few kicks in his time because of his antics and I predict ROnaldo will get halfed one of these days.

[loz]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 330111.stm

Maybe Tomasz Kuszczak in nets for a few weeks - could be significant.

[The Moos]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...utd/6330111.stm

Maybe Tomasz Kuszczak in nets for a few weeks - could be significant.

Or they can continue using O'Shea. Eurosport.com actually made him keeper of the week in their "Team of the week".

So O'Shea's five minutes in goal was apparently better than Cech's 90 minutes. I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

[Nibs]

Haven't seen any of the game yet, but what's this I'm hearing? Ronaldo diving?????? Surely not?????

He's by far the biggest cheat I've ever seen on a pitch in over 40 years of watching football - and that includes Deco

If he ever gets seriously injured in a game, I will piss myself laughing, and write a letter of congratulations to the person responsible - I hate that c*nt so much!

Even if it's shown as a blatant dive on MOTD2 tonight, I can guarantee it'll just about be mentioned, whereas if it were Robben or Drogs diving it'd be national headlines for at least three days - f*ckin' media

The fact that he plays for Man Utd, means I don't like him, but you have to take your hat off to the lad and say he is one hell of a footballer.

Sure he went down easily for the penalty, but I have seen Robben, Drogs, Joe and even Lamps do exactly the same. Malbranc made a poor excuse of a challenge at a guy running at speed in the box and even Jol admitted he thought it was a penalty when you see the incident at full speed from one angle.

What I admire about Ronaldo is that the more stick he gets from opposing fans the better he plays. He never goes hiding (unlike one or two players in our squad I could name).

IF Man Utd do end up winning it this season (hopefully not ) the they owe a heck of a lot to Ronaldo and there is little doubt he will also get player of the season.

[ethicalstrategy]

It was a blatent dive. no blame on the ref - he really wouldn't have been able to see.

But the media should be laying in to him big time for CHEATING. Instead, Garth Crooks has him in his team of the week, Sky claim it was "inconclusive" and generally the whole thing has been glossed over.

They are all a bunch of hypocrytical f**king w**kers. It makes me sick.

and I wouldn't let him anywhere near player of the season however good he is.

and Nibs, no different to what Frank does?.....bollocks! (but I have seen Drogba and Robben do it! )

[sergeyMS]

Maybe next season, if Ron stays in England media will give more attention to his cheating.

And this season we know nobody, including media, want to see us the champions. F**king reality.

Manure`s players get penalties for dives. Chelsea`s players get yellows and reds for scoring goals!! Nonsense......

[BlueBeard]

The fact that he plays for Man Utd, means I don't like him, but you have to take your hat off to the lad and say he is one hell of a footballer

I can't argue with that - shame he sullies his own reputation by his behaviour.

Sure he went down easily for the penalty, but I have seen Robben, Drogs, Joe and even Lamps do exactly the same

I'm taking it that you didn't see any Portugal games in the World Cup, and haven't seen Ronaldo at work at Manure all that often either. I can't believe that a non-Manure fan could ever condone his behaviour

I know Robben & Drogba, hell, even Joey too, go down all too easily. But Ronaldo does it so often that I wonder if he dives when he's out walking. I've never seen one player blatantly dive so regularly, and what's worse, get away with it to such a large extent.

What I admire about Ronaldo is that the more stick he gets from opposing fans the better he plays. He never goes hiding (unlike one or two players in our squad I could name)

Why do you suppose he gets that amount of stick from opposing fans? Please tell me that you don't buy into his story that they boo him because of his ability

IF Man Utd do end up winning it this season (hopefully not ) the they owe a heck of a lot to Ronaldo and there is little doubt he will also get player of the season.

I agree that if Manure win the title this season, they'll owe a lot to Ronaldo. But they'll also owe a hell of a lot to soft referees who bottle out of taking action when he blatantly cheats. Probably the same refs who don't take action when getting a torrent of abuse from Rooney or Ferdinand.

[Nibs]

All good and fair points Bluebeard.

It's a shame that a guy with so much talent and skill has to cheat the way he does but that seems pretty much the norm these days with a lot of the so called flair players.

As for the stick he gets from fans - some of that will be because of his diving (just like the stick Drogba & Robben were getting last season) but most of that is still a follow on from the Rooney incident in the WC. But far from having a negative effect on him like it would a lot of players - the B*****d thrives on it. When you go back to that WC match and the stick he got after he was sent off, he upped it a gear and took one of the coolest penalties you're ever likely to see.

As I say, as much as I hate him for playing for Man Utd, I do enjoy watching him play (although not against us).

What would be nice is for a Chopper Harris or Doug Rougvie type full back to teach him a lesson - alas there are not many of those (if any?) around these days. One of the funniest things was when Graham Stuart was playing for Charlton a few seasons back and Ronaldo ran at him, did about 6 step overs and poor old Stuart didn't know which way to turn next. So he just swung his leg and kicked him up in the air

[Guest]

The fact that he plays for Man Utd, means I don't like him, but you have to take your hat off to the lad and say he is one hell of a footballer.

Sure he went down easily for the penalty, but I have seen Robben, Drogs, Joe and even Lamps do exactly the same. Malbranc made a poor excuse of a challenge at a guy running at speed in the box and even Jol admitted he thought it was a penalty when you see the incident at full speed from one angle.

What I admire about Ronaldo is that the more stick he gets from opposing fans the better he plays. He never goes hiding (unlike one or two players in our squad I could name).

IF Man Utd do end up winning it this season (hopefully not ) the they owe a heck of a lot to Ronaldo and there is little doubt he will also get player of the season.

Fair Play

[Guest]

Maybe next season, if Ron stays in England media will give more attention to his cheating.

Hello wakey, wakey, After the World Cup he was ripped apart by the Media,fueling the the hatred chants he's had to face at most grounds ever since.

[Guest]

I know Robben & Drogba, hell, even Joey too, go down all too easily. But Ronaldo does it so often that I wonder if he dives when he's out walking. I've never seen one player blatantly dive so regularly, and what's worse, get away with it to such a large extent.

All guilty as each other without a doubt

[loz]

Hello wakey, wakey, After the World Cup he was ripped apart by the Media,fueling the the hatred chants he's had to face at most grounds ever since.

That is very true and what a shame that he seems to revel in the role of the bad guy so much that he has done absolutely nothing to change his behaviour.

I criticised Drogba almost as much as the media for his antics over the past two seasons and am delighted to see that he finally appears to have got the message that English football has little or no time for diving (and I hope it is something he keeps out of his game).

Ronaldo has done nothing to cut it out of his game and as far as I am concerned any professional who votes for him as player of the season should be ashamed of themselves. Purely based in performance he is clearly a front runner but cheating on such a regular basis is more than enough to count him out as far as I am concerned. Fans make their feelings on diving very clear and it is time other players did.

[loz]

All guilty as each other without a doubt

I fear your knowledge is out of date.

The Drogba and Robben of last season I would ahev agreed but this season has been entirely different.

Drogba still acts like a queen when he is actually fouled (and that still annoys me) but diving is something I can't recall him doing once this season (if there was one time I have forgotten it and I am prepared to be corrected, and even if he has done it once then it is still a dramatic improvement).

Robben has barely played this season so it is a little harder to assess how much he has cut it out of his game hwoever again, from when he has played, it has non existent compared to what he used to be like.

Ronaldo on the other hand......... enough said

[BlueBeard]

I totally agree with your last two posts, Loz - but then, most right thinking football fans would.

[Guest]

Hello wakey, wakey, After the World Cup he was ripped apart by the Media,fueling the the hatred chants he's had to face at most grounds ever since.

That is very true and what a shame that he seems to revel in the role of the bad guy so much that he has done absolutely nothing to change his behaviour.

I criticised Drogba almost as much as the media for his antics over the past two seasons and am delighted to see that he finally appears to have got the message that English football has little or no time for diving (and I hope it is something he keeps out of his game).

Ronaldo has done nothing to cut it out of his game and as far as I am concerned any professional who votes for him as player of the season should be ashamed of themselves. Purely based in performance he is clearly a front runner but cheating on such a regular basis is more than enough to count him out as far as I am concerned. Fans make their feelings on diving very clear and it is time other players did.

Thou i dont condone his antics Loz the lad is only 22 (today) and still has lots to learn.

Diving has been a trait with most European players for a long time sadly,and with many plying there trade in English football were seeing more and more of it.

Unfortunetly Ronaldo picked up this bad habit along with others Drogba,Robben etc in there early days.

There are times i think when Ronaldo and Robben when going full flow only need the slightest touch to send them off balance and crashing to the floor,but with the reputation they have the immediate cries of "Cheating diver" will undoubtably follow.

Such a naturally gifted player and a mesmerising joy to watch,hopefully with time the bad side will disappear.

[loz]

Thou i dont condone his antics Loz the lad is only 22 (today) and still has lots to learn.

Diving has been a trait with most European players for a long time sadly' date='and with many plying there trade in English football were seeing more and more of it.

Unfortunetly Ronaldo picked up this bad habit along with others Drogba,Robben etc in there early days.

There are times i think when Ronaldo and Robben when going full flow only need the slightest touch to send them off balance and crashing to the floor,but with the reputation they have the immediate cries of "Cheating diver" will undoubtably follow.

Such a naturally gifted player and a mesmerising joy to watch,hopefully with time the bad side will disappear.[/quote']

Thing is with all the replays today we can all see (at least retrospectively) when it is a clear dive and when there actually is contact.

However I take your point about him being young - after all it took Drogba and Robben into their third season to cut it out of their game (or at least seemed to have cut it out (and I don't for a second kid myself that we will never see one of them take a dive again at some point)

If he cuts it out of his game I am more than prepared to say 'well done' as I am to Drogba (although it seems wrong that we should congratulate players for finally stopping doing something that was wrong in the first place - there are plenty of players who never did it in the first place) however until such time as he does I stand by my opinion that fellow professionals shouldn't even consider voting for him as player of the season. Not only should they not vote for him they should have the balls to speak up and say why they haven't voted for him. I don't think for a second that not ebing voted Player of the Season is going to make a world of difference to Ronaldo (especially when he is playing for BArcelona ) however being publically criticised by his peers may have more on an impact.

I am tired of the way the FA pussy foots around when it comes to people speaking out about matters. If a player dives blatantly for a penalty (be it Ronaldo or anyone) and the opposition manager calls him a cheat to the SKY cameras then why should the manager be charged - if it is fact then allow the fact to be aired. The more people that point the finger the better as far as I am concerned. When the managers point the finger and get it wrong (i.e. Jose and Andy Johnson) then they should apologise and clear up the matter however I am prepared to accept the times maangers get it wrong for the greater benefit of naming and shaming publically.

Newbloke - let me add that this is not a rant on my part purely because of Ronaldo. I have detested diving in football for a long long time (years and years before the current crop of guilty ones) and it is something I have always wanted to see far harsher punishments handed out for. Unfortunately football (home and abroad) is run by p*ssies who periodically come out with lovely sounding new 'get tough' measures but invariably fail miserably to carry them out.

The very least I would want to see is diving for a penalty given a straight red card (just as a professional foul is at the other end of the park) and for dives for penalties not seen by the ref to be awarded a retrospective red card and 3 match ban. This would be for a first offence, the punishment should be increased every time it happened.