Cheating to win

[Jockey]

First we see Gerrard conning the ref to get Liverpool's first penalty. A blatant dive. Next we see Johnson diving to get the penalty and first goal for Everton. I reckon Johnson is the worst offender in the EPL - worse than Ronaldo.

Both Merseyside teams playing against relegation opposition having to resort to cheating? Pathetic.

Also both players involved are English internationalists.

Sibierski also dived and got a penalty for Newcastle, but justice was done when the Wigan goalie saved it.

The quicker video evidence is brought in the better.

[JimmyGreaves]

Totally Agree.

[caller]

The only objection I have to Jocky's post is the equation of Johnson = England international. That, sadly, is a delusion of the Swede and the current manager (not).

[BEARHUG]

First we see Gerrard conning the ref to get Liverpool's first penalty. A blatant dive. Next we see Johnson diving to get the penalty and first goal for Everton. I reckon Johnson is the worst offender in the EPL - worse than Ronaldo.

Both Merseyside teams playing against relegation opposition having to resort to cheating? Pathetic.

Also both players involved are English internationalists.

Sibierski also dived and got a penalty for Newcastle, but justice was done when the Wigan goalie saved it.

The quicker video evidence is brought in the better.

Not a mention about Chelsea, surely you cannot have a discussion on cheating without anyone from this side.
The sooner the third eye the better.

[Jockey]

First we see Gerrard conning the ref to get Liverpool's first penalty. A blatant dive. Next we see Johnson diving to get the penalty and first goal for Everton. I reckon Johnson is the worst offender in the EPL - worse than Ronaldo.

Both Merseyside teams playing against relegation opposition having to resort to cheating? Pathetic.

Also both players involved are English internationalists.

Sibierski also dived and got a penalty for Newcastle, but justice was done when the Wigan goalie saved it.

The quicker video evidence is brought in the better.

Not a mention about Chelsea, surely you cannot have a discussion on cheating without anyone from this side.
The sooner the third eye the better.

This post was based on the Live football last weekend before the Carling Cup Final. It's not the teams I'm getting at - it's certain individual players. I stick by my claim about Johnson. Its not Everton - its the way he plays. He did it with Palace. Running into the box then trying to get a penalty is part of his play. Some may even say its a skill. He runs into the box, leans against the defender and falls over making sure his leg is caught on the way. If anyone practices diving in the box it must be him. Ronaldo on the other hand is running so fast, the merest clip is going to send him genuinely flying.

[Wanderlust]

I stick by my claim about Johnson. Its not Everton - its the way he plays. He did it with Palace. Running into the box then trying to get a penalty is part of his play. Some may even say its a skill. He runs into the box, leans against the defender and falls over making sure his leg is caught on the way. If anyone practices diving in the box it must be him. Ronaldo on the other hand is running so fast, the merest clip is going to send him genuinely flying.

I think this highlights that the definition of a foul has to be restated, or even reinterpreted, so that contact between players where one player goes down is not automatically a foul and a free kick/penalty; in fact much like the way referees used to interpret the game in the UK before FIFA and others decided football should become a non contact sport. A foul in my eyes is where a player either deliberately impedes another player, or blatantly fails to connect with the ball when challenging another player and thus brings him down (in other words a badly timed tackle, which from now on shall be known as a 'Scholes').
I have to say that I disagree about Jockey's comments on both Ronaldo and Johnson; in most cases that I have seen of both of them, they have been fouled because of their speed and/or quick footwork; however both of them have sometimes gone down under the lightest of touches, but I have never seen Johnson go down with no contact (i.e. a dive) whereas I have seen Ronaldo do that on many occasions, albeit that he now does seem to have stopped. As I have said I think that a lot of the penalties 'won' by both of these players and others because of minimal contact should not be given as fouls, and should just be a part of the physical contest. If the attackers are not strong enough to stay on their feet in a 50/50 challenge then hard luck, the defender did his job.

[Big Boy]

My personal opinion is that the majority of these offences are fouls. If they happened anywhere other than inside the penalty area, a free kick would be given. Most dives are the result of the victim exaggerating the offence in an attempt to get what he would have awarded on any other part of the pitch.

Yes cheating does take place, and Christiano (the Cheat) Ronaldo is no innocent. I remember one dive in the world cup (not against England) where the opposing defender went totally the wrong way - the Cheat not expecting this actually dived anyway.

[caller]

But it would be a brave referee who would give a penalty and then book the player fouled for diving!

[Jockey]

I I have never seen Johnson go down with no contact (i.e. a dive)

Possibly because he's so good at it! He did it last week against Watford and tries it every time he plays but gets about a 30% success rate (penalty). Watch every penalty he wins (and he will), from now till the end of the season.

[Jockey]

My personal opinion is that the majority of these offences are fouls. If they happened anywhere other than inside the penalty area, a free kick would be given. Most dives are the result of the victim exaggerating the offence in an attempt to get what he would have awarded on any other part of the pitch.

Yes cheating does take place, and Christiano (the Cheat) Ronaldo is no innocent. I remember one dive in the world cup (not against England) where the opposing defender went totally the wrong way - the Cheat not expecting this actually dived anyway.

Players don't dive outside the penalty area unless to set up a free kick just outside the box. I'm talking about players deliberately conning ref's to get penalties. Ronaldo does it but Johnson is worse. Video evidence could put a stop to it.

On another note, why is it ok for a defender to hug, pull, handle and push a player at corners and the result is nearly always a foul to the defending / offending team?

[Big Boy]

Jockey,

First thing, I have to admit that I can't remember seeing Johnson commit such an offence - I'm not saying that he doesn't do it, just haven't noticed him.

When you say:

On another note, why is it OK for a defender to hug, pull, handle and push a player at corners and the result is nearly always a foul to the defending / offending team?

Is this not the problem? The inconsistency of the referee is forcing the attacker to exaggerate the offence in an attempt to gain the reward he deserves. I think its quite ironic that the referees are actually punishing (yellow/red cards) players who are trying to highlight the referee's own shortcomings.

Maybe there should be a way of punishing the referee. Some referees actually seem to thrive on the publicity gained by their incompetence. I've said it before on this board, but I'll say it again - it doesn't matter what you're remembered for, as long as you are remembered.