matthew123

I don't think Rooney dived yesterday, he was merely trying to lash out at the defender and lost his footing. He was lucky to escape a yellow card never mind actually win a penalty. With it being a friendly match it'd have been nice if Rooney had put his hands up and said Ref it was not a foul - never mind, instead of being applauded for good sportsmanship Referees will now think twice before awarding him penalties in future. Steven Gerrard said afterwards, "Wayne seems to think his shirt was pulled. I asked him straightaway if there was any contact, and he said he got dragged back. I didn't get a good angle of it because I played the pass, but Wayne said there was contact."

Stoke!? You got to be at least 6'7" to be part of their master plan

Read into this what you want about Ferguson not commenting on Rooney's dive against Arsenal - in reference to one of your own players diving, "I wouldn't say it publicly though, because when you do that you're in danger of losing the morale of the dressing room." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8238560.stm Hmmmm... H being the operative word

My discontent with Owen from his latter days at Liverpool was that it was like playing with 10 men - and unless he was 100% match fit rarely a threat in the penalty box. I think that is the crux of the matter as to why he has been jettisoned by Capello. You do lose something by not having a footballer upfront. On the otherhand I think England should take him to the World Cup as someone to come off the bench as he still has the midas touch at international level in front of goal. I think when it comes down to it Owen will go to the World Cup as a fifth striker probably at expense of someone like Carrick.

Personally I'd have given a free kick to Arsenal and sent off Rooney for leading with the knee into Almunia's body :))

LOL Now look SP, if that was a player in another team's colours would you be so quick to dismiss the clear cut evidence?

It's a shame that Wayne Rooney has to make these unfounded comments, the best answer to these cheating accuastions would have been to do his talking on the pitch by staying on his feet

Maybe the quickest and cheapest measure would be a maximum speed of 20 mph between the 2 existing zebra crossings.

Some old Dulwich photos - http://www.francisfrith.com/dulwich/photos/ - although nothing recognisable from Lordship Lane even though some are dated 1955

I think a lot of it has to do with Peter Kenyon as didn't United do some serious tapping up when he was in charge at Old Trafford, e.g. Jaap Stam. I think he'd also lined up Arjen Robben for United - but once he joined Chelsea he used his knowledge of Robben's personal demands to make sure he instead came to Stamford Bridge.

Some players are motivated by the Club bringing in new players if they do not perform. Which Chelsea players are now likely to take their foot off the gas because no replacements can be brought in for another 16 months? Are we about to see likes of Ballack, Drogba and other ageing players ease up as however they perform this season they're almost certain to get those contract extentions? Of course Chelsea will appeal, and no doubt Peter Kenyon will point the finger across the Premiership which may result in other big clubs being banned..

I'd just like to add I don't think Messi should be tarred with the same brush as Ronaldo. I think Messi is an honest player. I agree Eduardo's dive was unnecessary and in bad taste - I guess he will get a tough time at Wembley next Wednesday night. Unfortunately when it's an England player diving about it seems to be swept under the carpet by the media.

I'd screw down the floorboards, twice, at each point they cross the joists. Use a thick underlay on top (something like Tredaire softwalk). Maybe offer to do the work / pay for it yourself. Based on the room in question being 16 by 12 foot that should all come in (labour and materials) to less than ?100.

A bit of diving from Arsenal but let us not forget it has been systematic for years at some Clubs particularly Manchester United and to a lesser extent Chelsea. Okay Eduardo has been a bad boy and has now been dealt with by UEFA - we should all applaud UEFA for taking this step and also hope they can sustain this crackdown.

Is that a young dirk kuyt?

Yes Pires was a diving cheat but you cannot put him in the same bracket as Ronaldo... but of course the undoubted master of diving in the box was Ruud Van Nistlerooy. No one, not even Ronaldo can touch the Dutchman. Ahh I forgot Teddy Sheringham.. now there was a player who had no shame in the box although most of his dirtiest work at Spurs. We all know there are individuals who cheat and it's difficult to pin the blame on the Club they play for but when you have half a team of players who dive outside the box (rather than make a pass) because they have a master craftsman free kick taker then that is an entirely new level of cheating. I don't want to point any fingers here but not so many years ago the Club in question would have it's players manufacture 50-50 challenges on edge of opposition box so they could vault 2 footed in the air to try and win a free kick - they usually got the free kicks but this tactic suddenly disappeared circa 2003.

Notable divers Liverpool: Gerrard, Owen United: Rooney, Ronaldo, Scholes, Van Nistlerooy, Carrick, JS Park, G Neville Arsenal: Pires, Eduardo, Eboue, Viera Chelsea: Joe Cole, Drogba, Ballack, Robben

As I've said before, harsh on Eduardo considering it's common place but for the good of the game it sends out a clear message for this season's Champions League that diving will retrospectively be dealt with if not spotted by Referee.

The very best few players have always tended for Real Madrid or Barcelona or previously Italy - if you think of players that have moved to a new club (when in their prime) it's always been to foriegn clubs. Although world class players have come to the Premiership the very elite won't even get off the boat.

Hmmmm I agree to an extent but I think the main fix can be done by showing more adventure in the tactics deployed - for instance Steve Gerrard is not a striker he is a midfielder. It fools nobody that Liverpool only play with one striker - and even though Torres is arguably the best striker in the world it is too much of a burden on him for an entire Premiership campaign to sustain the performances necessary for Liverpool to be Champions.

Celtic have signed the Captain of China - he'd previously proven himself last season down at Charlton Athletic

Atila Reincarnate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > matthew123 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Yes diving is different - and again this > fixture > > probably threw up the most infamous dive in > > Premiership history back in the autumn of 2004. > > These players should be punished > retrospectively > > if necessary but persistant fouling has to be > > dealt with by the Referee. > > > Couldn't agree more this was when the fat @#$%& > Shrek look a like Rooney went down like a sack of > shite when Sol Campbell looked at him the wrong > way, gaining a pen and putting and end to our > unbeaten run. Easily the biggest and most > notorious dive in the history of the Prem. Can we > ban him retrospectively???????

Question marks being raised about whether Rooney was already going to ground before keeper clipped him on Saturday. Is Rooney being picked on unfairly?

Wenger seems to have been suggesting that part of United's game plan was to kick Arsenal players (with getting the ball being a bonus) in safe areas of the pitch to break up flow of play - a similar claim was also made back in circa 2004 when Gary Neville systematically fouled Jose Antonio Reyes at Old Trafford. Yes diving is different - and again this fixture probably threw up the most infamous dive in Premiership history back in the autumn of 2004. These players should be punished retrospectively if necessary but persistant fouling has to be dealt with by the Referee.

On the Sunday Supplement yesterday, Matt Lawton from the Daily Mail claimed to have now seen a previously unseen camera angle that shows the keeper knocking Eduardo's ankle... whether there is much credibility in this claim I don't know as also on same show it was claimed Wayne Rooney is best player in Premiership.