Premiership 2015/2016

[Aidan11]

West Brom take the lead.

[Aidan11]

Wow, Pardew was wound up in his post-match interview.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Wow, Pardew was wound up in his post-match interview.

Not surprised after losing to a controversial last minute penalty after being 1-0 up against 10 men, not to mention they haven't won in about 12 games!

[Gingerfinch]

It's one of those where I personally don't care about the contact. If the defender is stupid enough to dive in when there is absolutely no need to, then they deserve to be punished by a penalty. One of the worst pieces of defending all season. (But then Delaney is stealing a life as a PL CB).

It wasn't a case of Benteke having to hurdle the challenge, those are situations for me, when non contact is still a foul as you have impeded the player. This was a situation where Benteke was ahead of the defender so if there was no contact there was no impedance and therefore no foul. If he did catch Benteke then the referee has to decide if it was sufficient to give a foul. In this case Mariner thought no foul and initially blew for a goal kick. His lino gave the foul and Mariner then awarded the penalty.

I agree with Hartson and Lawro. The defender did catch him, therefore it was a pen. Yes he went down easy but most do.

[sussexpob]

Id ban Benteke for 3 games. Clear dive that stole 3 points.

[sussexpob]

It's one of those where I personally don't care about the contact. If the defender is stupid enough to dive in when there is absolutely no need to, then they deserve to be punished by a penalty. One of the worst pieces of defending all season. (But then Delaney is stealing a life as a PL CB).

Im looking at your "team supported" notes to the right, and I think your "soft spot for Liverpool" might be slightly underrated.

[sussexpob]

The defender did catch him, therefore it was a pen. Yes he went down easy but most do.

I believe Benteke touched a defender on the way through, so why is some contact deemed instantaneous qualification of a foul, and other ignored. If "contact" was enough, then every single time a player is touched by another, a foul has to be given. It seems there is always this "yeah but he touched him" nonsense with penalties, like inside the box and contact deems it necessary to throw yourself on the floor for a penalty.

He did touch him. If you are telling me that "touch" was enough to send a 15 stone heavily built sportsman down to the ground, or to in anyway impede his shot, then I feel truly sorry for Benteke because life cant be very kind to him. Any wind over 10mph must render him house bound!! Strikers know they wont get the ball that is already out, drop anchor, wait for the pat on the back, and go down like they are shot.

you end up having a striker runs the ball out as a result of terrible play, winning a game for his team based on contact that wouldnt have even knocked down a toddler.

[Gingerfinch]

Id ban Benteke for 3 games. Clear dive that stole 3 points.

I'd tell the defender to stay on his feet. Any contact and a player goes down like a sack of spuds, rightly or wrongly.

[sussexpob]

Id ban Benteke for 3 games. Clear dive that stole 3 points.

I'd tell the defender to stay on his feet. Any contact and a player goes down like a sack of spuds, rightly or wrongly.

The quality of defending is neither here nor there. It shouldnt have amounted to anything other than a goal kick, but for the dishonesty and very poor decision of a referee. If defenders are giving penalties away for that, then I am pretty well inclined to never criticise a defender ever again. Their job is nigh on impossible if a mere incidental touch gives a goal away.

Its usually people who argue the "contact = penalty" who then spend time 3 weeks later bemoaning diving being such a problem.

Diving is only a problem because players profit from it. Ban a striker everytime he does this, diving doesnt exist in 12 months time.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Sadly we may see one or two more dives in the penalty area as a result of this incident over the coming weeks.

There may well have been the slightest contact by the defender although I couldn't see it, but I think from Benteke's comments after the game he went down because he felt contact not because it impeded his progress. On the byline, not in a goalscoring position, last minute of the game, let's see if I can win a penalty.

[sussexpob]

Sadly we may see one or two more dives in the penalty area as a result of this incident over the coming weeks.

There may well have been the slightest contact by the defender although I couldn't see it, but I think from Benteke's comments after the game he went down because he felt contact not because it impeded his progress. On the byline, not in a goalscoring position, last minute of the game, let's see if I can win a penalty.

Well, the worse case scenario is a booking. "Win game vs booking"... most people will take option A, its a no brainer.

[sussexpob]

Another thing not mentioned, was Benteke's run up legal? He seemed to completely stop in the run up, which I believe wasnt allowed. Not that Liverpool are the only ones, Caballero in the League cup final was 5 yards off his line for all those saves against them, so Im willing to overlook this match on karma grounds.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Another thing not mentioned, was Benteke's run up legal? He seemed to completely stop in the run up, which I believe wasnt allowed. Not that Liverpool are the only ones, Caballero in the League cup final was 5 yards off his line for all those saves against them, so Im willing to overlook this match on karma grounds.

The law is being changed in the summer to outlaw hesitating in the run up, but at the moment it is allowed, as long as you don't stop completely.

[sussexpob]

Another thing not mentioned, was Benteke's run up legal? He seemed to completely stop in the run up, which I believe wasnt allowed. Not that Liverpool are the only ones, Caballero in the League cup final was 5 yards off his line for all those saves against them, so Im willing to overlook this match on karma grounds.

The law is being changed in the summer to outlaw hesitating in the run up, but at the moment it is allowed, as long as you don't stop completely.

I thought he had stopped.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Sadly we may see one or two more dives in the penalty area as a result of this incident over the coming weeks.

There may well have been the slightest contact by the defender although I couldn't see it, but I think from Benteke's comments after the game he went down because he felt contact not because it impeded his progress. On the byline, not in a goalscoring position, last minute of the game, let's see if I can win a penalty.

Well, the worse case scenario is a booking. "Win game vs booking"... most people will take option A, its a no brainer.

I'm up for a straight red if the referee deems it a dive, especially when you stand to gain so much by the deceit.

Trouble is, it can be such a difficult decision to get right at times with only one look often from a difficult angle. Having a replay available with video technology isn't always sufficient either.