IT SEEMED TO make a comeback with Ashley Young’s high-profile tumble against QPR in April 2012.
The simulation didn’t just result in Manchester United being awarded a penalty after just 14 minutes but the ‘offender’, Shaun Derry, was sent-off. It was the game’s defining moment and the hosts inevitably controlled things once Wayne Rooney converted from the spot. The effects could’ve been much more devastating had QPR been relegated. As it turned out, they survived – barely.
Much was made of Young’s theatrics at the time. He was lambasted in many quarters and the common theory was that owing to the media attention, the winger would be so embarrassed by the level of criticism that he wouldn’t dare go down so easily again.
In fact, he waited just seven days before doing it again. In a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa, Young dramatically threw himself to the ground after cutting inside Ciaran Clark. As soon as the Irish defender inched his left foot in the general direction of the ball, Young pushed his body towards the tackle, forced the contact, threw both legs into the air and conned referee Mark Halsey. That incident came about after 7 minutes. Rooney again scored from the spot and United ran out 4-0 winners.
That season, simulation was certainly catching. Over at Tottenham, Gareth Bale was also growing accustomed to cheating. Late in the campaign, he defended himself against the accusations:
If people want to say I’m diving then they can, but I’m trying to get out of the way and save myself, save my career if you like. It’s a bit annoying [when people say I dive] but you’ve got people flying in at you, you’re trying to get out of the way of the challenge. If you stand there, you’re going to get a whack.”
But the evidence against him was damning. There was the humiliating dive against Aston Villa – one of those that looked like he’d taken a bullet from a sniper’s gun. There was a highly contentious fall to win a penalty in a North London derby. There were the bookings he’d accumulated for diving throughout the season. And there was his own, bizarre, logic. ‘If you stand there, you’re going to get a whack’.
His reputation naturally followed him to Real Madrid and on his debut at the Bernabeu, he scored twice and set up two more for team-mates Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. But he was confronted by a reporter after the game who felt he had dived in an attempt to win a penalty. The video footage, as usual, is laughable.
But in the cases of Bale and Young, the humiliation has clearly had little effect. Against Crystal Palace last season, Young conjured a direct replica of the dive against Aston Villa. This time, he picked up a yellow card for his troubles. Later in the game though, he went down in the area as he grappled with Kagisho Dikagacoi. A penalty was awarded, the Palace midfielder was sent-off and United subsequently took the lead through Robin van Persie.
After last night’s FA Cup clash, Manchester United are at the centre of more diving controversy. Angel di Maria may have protested Michael Oliver’s decision to award him a yellow card after going down easily following minimal contact from Aaron Ramsey but shortly before he had certainly dived after being dispossessed by Alexis Sanchez. On that occasion, Oliver gave him the benefit of the doubt. Still, di Maria persisted. Ultimately, a yellow card is not a strong enough punishment, as exemplified by Adnan Januzaj.
The Belgian picked up his fourth booking for diving in last night’s clash and the only Premier League player to receive more since the offence was deemed yellow-card worthy is Bale (7). For a 20 year-old perceived as the next great attacking product at the club, he now has as many yellow cards for simulation as goals in his short career. Despite gaining a reputation, Januzaj obviously doesn’t care much. Last term, David Moyes admitted that he would speak to the youngster about the perils of diving after being booked in game against West Ham. It clearly had little effect.
Though certain players carry reputations, this season has seen the likes of Gary Cahill involved in diving incidents. And while Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho theorises that there’s a campaign against his Chelsea side, the team picked up two bookings for diving in the same game against Hull – the only time it’s happened this term. Willian and Diego Costa were both shown yellows – the Spaniard’s second booking for diving since arriving in England.
The ill is certainly embedded in the fabric of the game currently and only hard-line retroactive punishment will suffice. The counter-argument of ‘there was contact’ – which regularly attempts to justify an alleged dive – appears to be over-ruling the prospect of tougher sanctions. It’s simply too difficult for referees to spot diving on a consistent basis. The game moves too quickly, as do the players.
Each of the four videos included in this article are blatant dives though none of the players involved received punishment. The evidence is damning but the mindset is that the players will hang their heads in shame and never even contemplate doing something similar again. The strategy is not working.
Given the acclaim for Michael Oliver’s performance last night and how the official stepped up to the plate and made a firm statement of intent regarding the battle against simulation, think of the appreciation felt should other offenders be frequently reprimanded. Something’s got to give and it’s not going to be the players.
Originally published at 17.56
