Gerrard "is a diver"

[ufc43]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YFp6...eature=related

one from our Momo

He did right to avoid the tackle, but there was no need for the dramatics.

[Reece]

Having said that, it wasn't a penalty in my opinion as there was no way he would have got the ball.

I don't see what that has to do with it? If a player is punched off the ball in the penalty area, then it is still a penalty no?

[ufc43]

That is incorrect mate. Friedel went through Gerrard and ended up about a couple of meters on the other side from the point of contact. Whether Gerrard wanted or not, he was going to be brought down by Friedel in any case.

The "trailing leg" is a myth. What I want to know is how can a running man have a trailing leg. Gerrard was running so he has to take is right leg forward doesnt he.

This sounds like someone who watches a lot of football but never plays the game. There are 8 year olds who know how to leave the leg in to win a peno/freekick. I think Gerard is a great player but i'd like to see less of this.

[ufc43]

Exaggerating a contact to make sure the referee sees it is not diving. Falling to the floor with no contact is diving. There is a difference. If people can't see that then bollocks to them.

Gerrard has dived in the past, but on this occassion he did not dive. Having said that, it wasn't a penalty in my opinion as there was no way he would have got the ball. Oh, and those saying he flung his foot out, he did, but that was after Friedels knee had clipped him. Watch the reply, the one from behind, it shows it pretty ****ing clearly, and if you can't see it i'd suggest a trip to the opticians.

Cautions for unsporting behaviour
There are different circumstances when a player is cautioned for
unsporting behaviour e.g. if a player
• commits in a reckless manner one of the six offences that incur a
direct free kick
• commits a foul for the tactical purpose of interfering with or breaking
up a promising attack
• holds an opponent for the tactical purpose of pulling the opponent
away from the ball or preventing the opponent from getting to the
ball
• handles the ball to prevent an opponent gaining possession or
developing an attack (other than the goalkeeper within his own
penalty area)
• handles the ball in an attempt to score a goal (irrespective of
whether or not the attempt is successful).
• attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to
have been fouled (simulation)• changes places with the goalkeeper during play or without the
referee’s permission
• acts in a manner which shows a lack of respect for the game
• plays the ball when he is walking off the fi eld of play after being
granted permission to leave the fi eld of play
• verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart
• makes unauthorised marks on the fi eld of play

[Tee]

Opinion is clearly split on this one. I wonder how many of the critics would be jumping up and down if he did that in the last minute of the CL Final in Moscow v the Scum??

[Shaggy]

Cautions for unsporting behaviour
There are different circumstances when a player is cautioned for
unsporting behaviour e.g. if a player
• commits in a reckless manner one of the six offences that incur a
direct free kick
• commits a foul for the tactical purpose of interfering with or breaking
up a promising attack
• holds an opponent for the tactical purpose of pulling the opponent
away from the ball or preventing the opponent from getting to the
ball
• handles the ball to prevent an opponent gaining possession or
developing an attack (other than the goalkeeper within his own
penalty area)
• handles the ball in an attempt to score a goal (irrespective of
whether or not the attempt is successful).
• attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to
have been fouled (simulation)• changes places with the goalkeeper during play or without the
referee’s permission
• acts in a manner which shows a lack of respect for the game
• plays the ball when he is walking off the fi eld of play after being
granted permission to leave the fi eld of play
• verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart
• makes unauthorised marks on the fi eld of play

If we're dealing with people who think "exaggerating" is perfectly acceptable then there's not much point in carrying on the debate.

[Shaggy]

Opinion is clearly split on this one. I wonder how many of the critics would be jumping up and down if he did that in the last minute of the CL Final in Moscow v the Scum??

Wouldn't give a ****, obviously.

There's always an exception.

[Tee]

Wouldn't give a ****, obviously.

There's always an exception.

Exactly.

I am surprised that this is being picked on because IMO the worst bit of cheating on Sunday was that hand ball goal by Adebayor. Not a word about it on the TV or press

[The Birdman]

There is also a difference between 'diving' and avoiding contact, diving to me is someone who deliberately feigns contact when there isn't any to get a decision. At the speed top flight football is played now either the slightest touch or having to avoid a challenge at that speed causes players to go over.
Babel could of stayed on his feet against Arsenal but he didn't, he felt contact and went down. No-one accused him of diving.

[Skillz]

Your right, Gerard cleverly put his foot on Friedel (as he was going by in an attempt to win a peno). I don't know if you have ever played football, but this is done to deceive refs into thinking the defending player made the contact. Its a trick that has been used over and over again in the premiership. It was a clear dive.

The second one was a free kick as there was clear contact from the defender on Gerard. This could also have resulted in a red card as Gerard was denied a goal scoring opportunity.

I,m a Liverpool fan, but you have to call a spade a spade.

Correct. It was a blatant attempt to deceive the ref and was poorly executed. Ronaldo is the best exponent of this tactic I have seen but he has stopped doing it for the last couple of months, probably because the Ref's started waking up to it.

I hope Stevie stops it too, either that or he needs to work on his technique.

[akjs123]

This sounds like someone who watches a lot of football but never plays the game. There are 8 year olds who know how to leave the leg in to win a peno/freekick. I think Gerard is a great player but i'd like to see less of this.

Which leg did he leave in? The one he is standing on? Or the one which he is moving forward in order to continue running. Either way he doesnt leave a leg in.

[akjs123]

There is also a difference between 'diving' and avoiding contact, diving to me is someone who deliberately feigns contact when there isn't any to get a decision. At the speed top flight football is played now either the slightest touch or having to avoid a challenge at that speed causes players to go over.
Babel could of stayed on his feet against Arsenal but he didn't, he felt contact and went down. No-one accused him of diving.

[Exiled_red]

The fact is that players dive/make the most of things whatever you want to call it partly because if they clearly get fouled and try to stay on their feet they get nothing from the referee, going down forces the referee to make a decision.

Admittedly some players push this to it's extreme now though

[Scratch]

• attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to
have been fouled (simulation)

Pretending to have been fouled/simulation? Ie, going to ground under no contact...a dive.

However, if a player dives in and makes contact, as Friedel did, then a foul has been committed. Gerrard just tries to exagerate it to try and make sure the ref gives it. I don't like him doing it, but it's not a dive.

But thanks for providing me with the information that proves the point.

[Diego]

Actually mate, judging from that posturing is wrong. I have uploaded another highlight from a different angle. If you look at it, you will see that Gerrard's right foot is going forward until it hits Friedel's knee after which instead of going forward it starts going right and hits him in the stomach. The end product is a frame which shows Gerrard in a diving posture. If his leg hadnt hit Friedel's knee and gone forward, Gerrard wouldnt look in a diving posture but would still be brought down when his other leg was taken out.

http://www.zshare.net/video/1060662558980d60/

You might argue that the position of his standing leg indicates he is diving. But if you look at the way he runs in both the highlights, almost immediately after landing his foot, it becomes like that. The only difference is that the other foot's direction was changed by Friedel.

once again after seeing further evidence i stand more firmly, it's a blatant dive and you see that he isn't standing on his left leg when friedel makes contact, you can see that he's trailing his left toe when contact is being made. he's already has it in his mind that he's going doe way way before that happens. you can see how long his last step is and how he starts to jump way before friedel arrives. second if he had been standing on his left leg and a friedel knocked him of it no way would he have been falling to the left like he did, most like he would have fallen in the opposite direction, and if gerrard had been standing in that leg when contact was made he would have hurt himself real bad as there is nothing like a tackle on the standing leg, his leg would have been left behind and actually could have suffered an horrific injury, but you can clearly see that when contact is being made he's not standing on it anymore, and thats further evidence that this is a dive...