Just thought it would be a good idea to vent frustration by rating the Arsenal players for their diving skills based on the following criteria: 1) Gracefulness 2) Volume of thud as they hit the ground 3) Ability to appeal for a freekick whilst in mid-air 4) Aggregated number of dives. I'd give rate the following: Cazorla - 9 - A consistent menace, showed great determination to fall over relentlessly and an admirable lack of need for his legs. Sanchez - 8 - A typically robust diving performance from the Chilean magician. Falling over at any possible opportunity, appealing with the same gusto as he puts into his game. Escapes higher rating due to technical efficiency lacking in any other Arsenal player. Flamini - 9 - Fell over whenever Wanyama got near him, somehow winning freekick after freekick whilst displaying no discernible strength, skill or talent. A great performance from this incompetent Frenchman. Giroud - 10 - Unbelievable cameo in which the towering stallion appealed for more freekicks than he did spend minutes on the pitch. Dazzling in terms of speed of appeal and deserves credit for a fine performance on that level. Creditable mentions to Chambers and Monreal who were repeatedly gifted freekicks for clean tackles after tumbling artistically. Awful performances from the 2 centrebacks and Welbeck who spent most of the evening on their feet. Do more fellas.
I've just seen Cazorla's tackle on Tadic .... how on earth that wasn't booking, I'll never know. In defense of Andre Marriner, he was three yards away, with hundreds of blades of grass between him and Tadic.
If the ref was watching the game he could have stopped the nonsense in the first half. Once he loses control there is no going back. The arsenal players certainly took advantage of him not seeing what was happening and they are quite good at both diving and looking innocent in a tackle.
The tackle on Cork annoyed me the most, not just because Jack got injured and had to subsequently come off, but the fact that he played the advantage and then we immediately lost possession, and he gave bugger all. To be fair to Arsenal, despite the crowd, they did give the ball back.
I have to say, I'm rather pleased that the gooners are heading up to stoke tomorrow. Lets see them complain when when there's something to complain about. Hope Shawcross has had his weetabix & is in a horrible mood.
All that and Arsenal were without their top diver, Wiltshire I wish RK would stop Mane (in particular) and Long hitting the deck quite so easily, I find it embarrassing to us trying to cheat our way to the top like Arsenal and most of the Big Boys If we win we should do it the fair sportsman like way
