No worries, I see where your coming from. My fundamental point is that if you don't go down, you don't get anything. Defoe dived for example which was disgraceful, but Bale was fouled.
The worse example today was Lennon having his shirt dragged off his back and getting nothing. Pulled back, ran on, pulled back, ran on, pulled back, stopped completely and so did the defender, as it was so blatant. Atkinson looks on blankly.
Wasn't there a stage last season when Young got about three penalties in consecutive home matches for ManU? Yet while we were all amused by those photoshop pics of him in team photos with the mask and snorkel, the FA were not amused enough to do anything about it, and in particular instead of 'getting a reputation' like Bale has with refs, they continued to give Young penalties.
Very true. In Bale's case, however, you don't get anything if you do go down either. It's witch hunt refereeing like this that will have him begging Madrid to come in for him. Rival fans will be pissing themselves that he's now been banned for being fouled. I don't really mind so much that Twatkinson didn't see it as a penalty, it was difficult to see the full extent of the contact, what annoys me is that he, Foy and someother idiot have booked him for diving when he's been fouled, how can you make a decision if you don't see whether or not there was contact? Haven't see a good replay of the Defoe one but it certainly looked like he arrowed himself, disappointing if he did dive.
This is an issue that has been created and perpetuated by the media and the football authorities. Diving started in earnest when the rules were changed giving forwards the benefit of the doubt in attacking positions. Extra protection for goalkeepers and forwards. It distorts the game and encourages 'cheating'. They need to go back and look at the affect these changes have had on the game and first admit where the fault lies and second do something about it. I think Bale is being booked on reputation and that is a very poor way to referee a game. Was it a foul or not, in this case yes. Ironic that the change in rules that was designed to promote attacking play now has the opposite effect.
i agree with Bale......why shouldnt he go down when he is impeded? you just have to stand next to a goalkeeper on corners and the slightest bit of suggestion that his movement is blocked results in a free kick. At the end of the day the referees are incompetent so players who have pace and trickery like Bale feel the need to look after themselves. If anything i would suggest to Bale that he is a bit more slyer from now on in and dont throw your hands all over or leave a trailing leg in order to make it look theatrical...just work on making it look natural Gareth
Weren't you lot all claiming that walcott should never have had a penalty against Wigan, even tho there was clear contact, now suddenly because its bale 'if there's contact then it's a foul' seems a bit hypocritical. Personally I don't think its a foul just because there's contact.
Absolutely terrible decision on Bale's yellow today. I wonder what the ref has to say: 1. It was a foul, and therefore a penalty, but Bale deserved the yellow because I think he could, and therefore should, have stayed up. 2. Hell if I know, couldn't quite see what happened, but figured I'd give Bale a yellow because he's dived in the past. 3. ?
The contact with Walcott was the back of his foot hitting Beausejour in the nads, totally accidental. I think you'll also find that the reaction to that was more because Arsenal fans think he's not a diver but Bale is.
I certainly didn't say that. Can you find someone who did? I objected to this particular card because the replays clearly show the defender's knee hitting Bale's knee with sufficient force to move it appreciably sideways, which seems to me a very clear foul. Did you think it wasn't a foul?
Initially I when I seen it at normal speed I thought he dived, however seeing the replay there was definite contract and probably was a foul, I think this might be a case of bales reputation, and it did look like the Sunderland player tried to pull out at the last minute, maybe he could have stayed on his feet, and maybe he could not, either way I don't think it was a booking.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20866012 Rare interview with Bale, think its the first time I've seen him speak post match.
