Article: Saints at Villa match thread | Southampton FC, Football

Having watched it again there was no contact but Rodriguez definitely didn't dive, he was off balance and poked the ball away, Villa defender lunged and he avoided him and went down, but didn't appeal at all and looked pretty surprised to be given the penalty.

 

I'm not sure if it was a dive, certainly wasn't a penalty though.
Villa are giving Lambert freedom of Villa Park which is a very stupid thing to do. Lambert>Benteke

 

Heh, I think that Shaw has discovered the joys of getting forward.

 

Whoa, flashbacks of Bale there. Shaw is having an inspired game

 

Bloody foreigners diving again

 

He devastated that right back, but even better he's been outstanding defensively.

 

Shaw is looking immense, he could give Bale a run for his money by the end of the season

 

Funny movement from rodriguez moving his leg, but if he had not of moved it he would have be clipped so actually would have been a pen if he didnt dive

 

I'm at the game, Shaw and One goal probably the best players so far.

 

The Clyne and puncheon over lap is working really well again as well. We've missed clyne badly

 

Looked a bit dodgy from Rodriguez to be honest, definitely no contact and it's generous to say he was off balance. Looked like Guzan's challenge on Puncheon might have been a foul anyway though, would have to see that again.

Interestingly as soon as the whistle blew he shook his head and appeared to say something conciliatory to one of the Villa players, I wish I could lip-read well enough to tell whether it was "I didn't appeal" or "I didn't dive"!

Shaw looks very impressive, getting forward well and his block on N'Zogbia on the wrong side when everyone else was out of position was just sublime.

 

I thought that too. It could be that he was trying to ride the challenge to avoid getting hurt.

 

That was Rickie's 28th converted league penalty for the club, by the way.

 

Rickie surely deserves a mention. His movement is great and he's in the middle of everything.

 

The fall was so well timed from rodriguez that if it was a dive, he has certainly mastered the art.

 

How about "am I bothered?"

 

What about the keeper taking out, was it, Puncheon just before JRod fell over?

 

Personally, having seen it only once back on a dodgy stream I think it was a dive to be honest.

I'll take it though.

 

This is the key thing for me. There is a difference between faking contact and avoiding contact, and then there's avoiding contact and still claiming a penalty. Rodriguez neither faked contact or appealed for the penalty, he just avoided the challenge.

 

Still not caring.