14 Aug 2017 06:05:50
Hi all, not exactly Liverpool related but a topic that involves all. The match between Barcelona and Real Madrid was full of controversy, specifically diving.

Suarez (love him or head him) got away with a blatant dive and won Barcelona a penalty. He just threw himself to the ground after anticipating contact from Navas (who barely touched him) .

Ronaldo, on the other hand, was sent off for a 2nd yellow for diving even though Umtiti bumped him and placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back. The contact was minimal and soft but arguably that was a stronger claim for a penalty than Suarez's.

2 points to consider here:

1) How can diving be removed from the game? It seems like the punishments meted out do not sufficiently deter players to attempt to dive to win penalties for their teams. It is sickening and annoying to see players cheat to win. If a Liverpool player does it, it is inexcusable as well.


2) How can referees/ officials be more consistent in their decision-making? How much contact or impediment is necessary for a foul or penalty to given. Goal line technology has been useful but the VAR has been ridiculous thus far.

Once again, yes, it's not exactly Liverpool related but I think it'd be a welcome change from all the gloom and doom after last weekend's draw as well as persistent questions about a certain Dutch defender and Guinean midfielder.


1.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 06:22:51
Isn't that there a premier league panel, this season, that can hand out retrospective punishment if anyone is found to have dived to gain an advantage?

Obviously, a dive needs to be proven beyond doubt, so I guess we will still see the soft ones in the game, but hoping the retrospective action drives out the blatant Ines where the player hasn't been touched or does an Ashley Young and looks to make the contact by sticking their leg out to an unnatural position.


2.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 06:23:16
It's a tough one. A judiciary panel could review all major decisions and retrospectively ban a player. This won't reverse the decision made at the time, but surely if a player gets pinged a couple of times and banned, it's got to have an impact on their future behavior? Or is this just wishful thinking?


3.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 07:41:40
A dive tends to halt play either way and so it should. Player goes down like they've been shot, stop play, go to the video referee, contact-penalty, no contact-indirect free kick to opposition and yellow card. I think this is definitely one of the areas that a video referee wouldn't slow the game down and it's important to get the correct decision.


4.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 08:12:20
Im with WelshScouse, play halts while everyone gas their say to the ref anyway sk why not have it reviewed then by 4th official. Considering how many hold ups you get anyway this myth that it would disrupt the game is BS anyway.


5.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 08:45:11
Severe, retrospective punishment for clear cases of diving are the only way the blight will be removed. If you know you may face a 4 or 5 game ban if you dive then the incentive to not behave in such a way is very strong - it's already been going on for far too long and the authorities have done little to effectively clamp down on it, severity of punishment is the only thing that would work in my opinion.


6.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 10:11:08
Here's the problem: You saw that and I saw a clear foul on Suarez that wouldn't have been called if he didn't go to ground. It's subjective and there is only so much the game will be able to do to limit that.


7.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 10:40:58
I agree Faith which is why it should only be reserved for cases of blatant diving rather than used for every single 50/ 50 incident - it may not completely eradicate it but if the seed is sown in a players head that 'if I dive I might miss significant game time' it could be the catalyst for players to change their behaviour - sometimes the threat of punishment, as opposed to the punishment itself, is enough.