Spurs legend David Ginola has said in an article in the BBC site that players like Gareth Bale should be protected not persecuted. Well said David. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20587205
In some ways I agree with Ginola, but the manner in which Bale goes to the ground doesn't help his case, as in the game against Fulham there was minimal contact yet Bale decides to jump through the air as if he is on strictly come dancing, is there really any need?
I don't see the point in denying it, the masses(and refs) have made their mind up and now the witch hunt is on. Meanwhile Liverpool fans bleat on about Suarez being criticised for diving because he's not British, in a total failure to understand the situation.
I can't defend Bale much here, thats twice he's got contact, but then he has to dramatise it, throwing his arms up and arching his back, flinging his head backwards....why??? It looks totally unnatural and can't blame refs for the way it looks.
I think there is every need Boss. Being heavily tackled when you are running at speed can cause major injury. Bale is right to protect himself by taking evasive action and that will always look spectacular at his speed. In many games he has not been protected by the referees it's almost as if they resent his skill so the evasive falls become more common. The kind of tackles put in by players like Skirtel are uncompromising and don't forget Charlie Adam who at least twice has been close to breaking Bale's legs. The alternative is that he stops making these runs which would be a sad loss to Spurs and the game in general.
There was contact both times he was booked for diving. No matter if he goes down dramatically or not, he is the victim in this. Will it take him getting his leg broken for people to realise that?
Bale does dive, but the other end of the scale is when he's fouled, doesn't make a meal of it and his opponent isn't penalised. He doesn't seem to be able to win in this situation, as he's either branded a cheat or he gets clogged that crap out of every game.
Think we discussed this before. When you are running at speed it is inevitable that any contact is going to look spectacular. I think the refs need some help from their assistants to see if it is a dive or a foul. It looks bad but if he is trying to avoid serious injury i have no issue with the manner of his evasive actions.
?? Must be watching different things! If you don't agree he exaggerated the fall in those instances, fair enough, but I think he did, and its that exaggeration that casts doubt and gives the ref a decision.
I would understand that if the tackles were brutal, as in Bale could clearly see he was going to get hurt, yet in the fulham game it was just a clip, and yes when running at speed, any sort of touch can cause a player to go down, but because Bale is thinking like a diver, he goes down in such a dramatic fashion, then he can't expect refs to give him the benefit of the doubt, as otherwise the refs will feel they are being seen to reward play acting. A good example of a player that doesn't go down in dramatic fashion, is Lennon, has he even been accused of diving? often i see him ride tackles in the box and i think "he could have gone down" but he doesn't, he trys his best to stay on his feet and doesn't dive.
and this is the problem No doubt about the contact at the weekend, but WTF was the acrobatics all about? If he was a genuine cheat/diver, he would have complained about the "challenge" from Guzan when we played aston villa. Instead, he was just getting out of the way so he didn't get hurt after realising he wasnt going to get there for the 50/50. He got up and just carried on. he just needs to cut the theatrical element out. I hate Foy, but with the position he had at the weekend I'm not surprised he gave it as a dive. We had the benefit of about 3 or 4 different camera angles, and only 1 of which was convincing.
Let's be clear about this. Simulating a foul when you've not been fouled is against the rules. The way you fall over following a foul is not covered. Bale did not 'dive' in either match. He was fouled both times. He might need to consider the way he falls down if the refs are going to be this bad but that is about the only criticism.
Sorry it's not like for like Lennon is low centre of gravity and he goes in for mazie runs in short bursts often from an almost standing start. Bale is at flat out gallop. If Bale exaggerates it's through the experience of not getting protected by refs. This is not a dancing contest, players do not receive points for presentation. The referees should give a foul when a player is tripped. FFS the rules were changed to protect forwards (These are the rule changes that have led to diving in the first place) because of dangerous tackles. I do not perceive Bale to be a cheat if he has dived once or twice it would be through frustration at the lack of protection more than anything else.
Don't agree at all, of course a theatrical fall could sway a ref...it has!...twice, so don't do it! When its minimal contact, a clip, but more than enough to upset your stride, its a foul, he should just leave it at that, there's no need to fall like you've been scissored. You say refs are on the lookout for dives...then don't make it look like you're doing one, because the initial contact may be missed...and it has.
Bale really should've taken the ridicule for the Guzan incident on board and not invite further criticism, because once you get a reputation for diving it sticks - unless you play for Man Utd, Chelsea or Liverpool...
