Firstly congratulations on your win last night, the tactics to play against Barca are obvious but it is another thing to execute them as well as you did. This is not another thread have a dig at Drogba's diving, I'm sure you have had plenty of them. But he was diving so much last night one assumes he was told to by the management. After all it broke up play and prevented Barca getting any rhythm so proved very effective. However how do you feel (presuming this was the case) about management teams actively instructing players to go out and dive? Not just Chelsea but any team. Do you feel it should never happen or its ok because other teams do it? Personally I hate diving and its far to common with almost all teams taking to it. However until players are banned it will continue to happen but don't like seeing it used as a tactic.
Someone said this last night on here as well, and I just commented somewhere about it...I reckon it's a very good chance that it has been employed to do just that and frustrate Barca and break up the play.
Normally I don't like to see it but given it was against European opposition and particularly Uefa's darlings Barca then I loved it. It frustrated Barca and broke up their rythm. It is exactly what they do when in a commanding position in big games. Forget Drogba the biggest cheats on the pitch last night were Alves and Sergio. Proper ****s them 2.
I wasn't criticising the use of these tactics just asking for you view on them. In an ideal world I would hate it and lament the use of them. However as you say its not like players such as Busquets and Alves never dive. Ideally all dives would receive a booking or suspension but as that rarely happens you push the boundaries of the rules as far as you can to win especially in European games.
I can't stand diving but I'm a hypocrite and if Drogba rolling a round a few times gets up Barca's nose and helps our cause I'll turn a blind eye!! No need for it in the prem where the odd player aside, there is a lot more honesty in the game (i'm excluding ashley young obviously!!). However in Europe it's fair game when you take into account the cheating, diving etc that goes on all the time from the spanish and italians in particular. Last night Drogba was out for revenge and I think it was more his doing than the management.
Yes, but his was a masterclass! The rumour is that he was rehearsing for the Olympics - he wants to represent his country on the Men's 3m Springboard. I really can't see that he was under instructions to dive - it seemed so spontaneous rather than planned. It did break up the monotony of Barca passing the ball, however, as did the fans counting the number of home team passes at one stage. Well done anyway to Drogba in particular and to the team in general. Barca were mugged!!
Drogba has long kicked this out of his game and yesterday was nothing more then revenge. Like people said barca are full of divers so well done to him for winding them up <OK>
Diving become an increasingly effective tactic as the game becomes less and less a contact sport. Now it worthwhile to dive, as referees have been instructed to be strict with illegal tackling and barging. Evidence, if you are too young to remember tackling, is the rule where 'simulation' is a yellow card offence. In other words the the increasing prevalence to feign a foul or injury, stemming from the increase of punitive measures against 'foulers', has been recognised by the officiators of the sport. If we go on like this we'll get like netball where the player in control of the ball can't move and must not be challenged. There is cheating and rule bending in all sports, but diving in football has come to prominence directly from FIFA's manipulation of the rules to give the game the sort of image that sells sodas and burgers to children.
The Australian Judge awarded Drogba 3 perfect 10s' against Barca, which made him the clear winner. Actually he did get clattered a couple of times, the rest was pure theatre, which I personally loved. Particularly amused by the reaction of the greatest divers of all times, Busquets and company, actually having a go at Drogs !!! Totally priceless. Barca whinge like banshees when anything goes against them, and they get the hump. They really don't like it up em. They also don't referees who do their job fairly and properly. Expect a typical FIFA/ EUFA referee next match to save the blushes of Platini et al. They surely won't let their darlings get beaten twice !!!
But what you don't appear to recognise is that Drogba didn't deliberately dive in the penalty box twice in two weeks to get unfair penalties and players sent of like that cheating twat Young
