01 Apr 2018 23:48:18
I think that one of the worst things we see in modern-day football is players waving imaginary cards at the referee. Yesterday we saw Townsend and Cabaye doing it when Mané handled the ball after he thought he had been fouled. (He had in fact been fouled by Townsend! ) . If I remember rightly several years ago referees were instructed to show a card to the offending players - is this rule still in effect? Also on MOTD the paragon of football (Shearer) made a comment about the tackle of Mané that could have resulted in a penalty had he not delayed his fall. Shearer stated that it was only a slight touch in a contact sport yet after the Spurs match he commented that a player in that situation was 'entitled' to fall. He really does talk a lot of nonsense most of the time.

1.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 05:42:17
Bring Hansen back to match of the day. There all useless on that show. I even use to like Murphy but I think he's even like the rest of them.

2.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 06:13:41
Bring in a sin bin for simulation and dissent (card waving) . No appeals, no checking with VAR. if the ref feels you dived then you go in the bin.

It would soon stop, managers wouldn’t let players risk it.

3.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 08:15:17
What happened to the rule that a player would be cautioned for waving an imaginary card?

Distinctly remember that being introduced to stop a problem - that seems to be back.

4.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 09:44:47
He’s (Swarbrick’s) seen all the reactions in the game and it’s not like we’re saying ‘send him off, send him off! ’ This is a quote from James McArthur who is one of those very lucky players who shouldn't even be playing in the EPL. If he didn't see the imaginary cards how can he have seen the whole incident. There is also a lot more fuss about the red card that Mané didn't get than he the one that he did get!

5.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 10:47:34
As long as players get awarded free kicks or penalties for selling contact and for simulating contact that didn't occur, then the only thing that will really reduce it is retrospective bans. But as is life, prisons don't stop crime so ya got to go with educating players and coaches to change the culture.

{Ed002's Note - At one time Switzerland experimented with an honour based system whereby players were asked by the referee if they dived or not. If they said they didn't and then it was found subsequently that they did, the play was given a ban.}

6.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 11:44:34
Ed- I firmly believe that Swarbrick has his whistle in his mouth and was going to give a free kick to Mane before he grabbed the ball.
Difficult to tell as only angle was from behind the red but it does look as though he was going to award it to Mane.

Possibly contributing to the fact that Mané avoided a certain sending off . Poor officiating.

7.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 12:48:34
Spot on, OP. The CP players were waving the card sign at the ref to get Mane sent off and yes, the ref (the perennial disaster named Swarbrick) was going to blow his whistle then swallowed it when the CP players got in his face. The guy was so incompetent on both sides, it was insane. I thought players were booked for dissent for trying to get a player sent off by waving the card sign but I guess that no longer exists. Shocking, I know.

As for Shearer and Murphy, they are a bunch of paid hypocrites. I mean this is the guy (Shearer), who told us from his throne of infinite wisdom, that also said the same thing with the Everton pen vs Lovren, saying that as long as Lovren put his hand on the player's back, it was a penalty as the player was entitled to go down (hence, dive) YET when Holgate held Lallana back and won a pen vs Everton, there was not enough contact hence, should not have been a pen. For the record, neither incidents were pens, IMO. So my question to this clown is: When did you become a hypocrite? Was it when the decisions went against LFC or when they go in favor LFC?

8.) 02 Apr 2018
02 Apr 2018 12:15:57
Did the Swiss experiment work, ed? First time I’ve heard of it, it sounds interesting.

{Ed002's Note - It was seen to be successful and Austria considered it as well.}

9.) 03 Apr 2018
03 Apr 2018 01:26:31
interesting that ed2. and to hear of some success. Something like that, that focuses on culture, would be good to implement over time. but the big obstacle is the amount of money in the game and of course the fouls are subject to so much subjectivity it allows so much room for players to try and con the ref.