Is it okay for Saints players to dive and cheat?

Rodriguez has clearly dived for the penalty in todays game against Villa. Reading the match thread there is a mixed response to this. Some people seem unhappy to have got a goal through cheating, others seem okay with it.

If we last the second half and win this game, it could be key to both our and Villa's season. Is it acceptable to have that influenced by a dive? If Rodriguez was a foreign import I reckon he'd get a lot more stick.

Personally, I'd prefer to win without the diving and think we would have scored eventually anyway as we were battering them at that point. But we're in dire straits and need the points and there is nothing we can do to change it, so I say, lets just be pleased to be ahead and if we end up winning, lets rejoice that and if we stay up and Villa go down then let us all laugh in their faces.

No.

Yes, it is ok. We're 1-0 up.

It does generally even itself out over the season but that does not mean the system is fair, a panel should review afterwards for situations such as this and the person should be heavily punished, we should do everything we can to stop cheating, but I have not seen it yet so I cant comment on what Rodriguez is supposed to of done.

I'm not proud that one of our players has done it, but will I say we shouldn't have won/ not enjoy it/ complain...nope.

Lallana would have have been proud of that one...

You can imagine what Adkins said to JRod - Don't do that, don't play like that, don't cheat, don't dive, but fu**ing well done son.

I shall reserve judgement until I've seen the incident.

Great result though.

Of course

No.

But we deserved the win.

Boruc was fouled before J Rod went down, and again later by Benteke.

When Shaw was down injured, a villa player had his hand on the ref's neck, and didn't even get a card.

Ref was awful, including giving that penalty.

You win the game any way you can.

Surely it's the ref's inability to officiate, rather than the player diving? Anyone can dive - not all referees give them.

Rather no one did it, however in the absence of widespread honesty, if it keeps us up this year, I would add Tom daly to the coaching staff.

I despise it, whoever does it.

Diving is an urgent candidate for post-match reviews and yellow cards - or worse.

Not convinced he dived to be honest. Think the weight of his upper body as he shifted forced him over. Great performance by him today though. Ran his socks off.

Never ok. Shocking dive

I thought it was a foul on Puncheon by Guzan...

Sack him

Never ok. Shocking dive

Evens out over the blatant ones we miss out on over the course of the season

I thought it was a foul on Puncheon by Guzan...

Likewise, I thought Halsey played advantage after Punch was clattered, didn't look like Jay Rod had anything to do with it. It is possible to go down without it being a dive or foul of course...

Way I saw it, JRod moved to get out of the way of a rash challenge (they made plenty of those) and lost his footing. He did'nt claim the pen - it was given - therefore OK in my book. I don't understand how Saints fans can be so harsh on a Saints player - we're not known generally for cheating. If you want to berate anyone, berate the Ref or Villa, who are a bunch of nasty barstewards anyway for the way they kicked off when Luke Shaw (a 17 year-old kid) was quite clearly badly injured.

No, cheationg has become endedmic and the game authrorities need to introduce retrospctive punishments strong enough to eradicate it from the game. Unless the game is played within the rules, why have any rules at all?

J Rod anticipates contact (the Villa player made to take his leg) and falls. I'd rather our strikers did this than missed chances and penalties by not making the most of contact. He doesn't claim for anything either. It's never a penalty, but it's a refereeing mistake, not out and out cheating.

Don't be so quick to criticise you bunch of bed wetters, would you hear manure or liverpool or any other supporters moan about getting 3 points by foul means.

ffs man up!

Way I saw it, JRod moved to get out of the way of a rash challenge (they made plenty of those) and lost his footing. He did'nt claim the pen - it was given - therefore OK in my book. I don't understand how Saints fans can be so harsh on a Saints player - we're not known generally for cheating. If you want to berate anyone, berate the Ref or Villa, who are a bunch of nasty barstewards anyway for the way they kicked off when Luke Shaw (a 17 year-old kid) was quite clearly badly injured.

Nutshell. It wasn't a 'dive' to win a penalty, he was trying to get out of the way of a rash challenge and hitting the deck was perhaps the only way of achieving that.

I thought it was a foul on Puncheon by Guzan...

Ditto. Did not even notice the JayRod challenge!

Not convinced he dived to be honest.

Oh come on!

I certainly would feel aggrieved if we'd lost to that.

Having said that, I think Rodriguez was saying it wasn't a foul in the footage, maybe it'll become clearer later. Apart from a Villa spell from around 70-90 mins, we deserved to win it.

How many times does Rickie get fouled each game and nothing is given? About time a bit of luck went our way.

If you want to berate anyone, berate the Ref or Villa, who are a bunch of nasty barstewards anyway for the way they kicked off when Luke Shaw (a 17 year-old kid) was quite clearly badly injured.

I agree with you on that. They clearly set out to intimidate the wee chap. Bullying b*stards!

If Saints ended up in the relegation zone (like Villa now are) as a result of the opposition winning a penalty through a dive, I'd be furious.

Absolutely delighted with 3 points - but tainted by the manner in which we got the goal (although haven't seen it yet so might change my mind). I expect Jay Rod will get some grief for this.

Oh come on!

he fell over;

Jonathan Pearce (MotD commentator for this game) NOT saying that it was a blatant dive by Rodriquez, just that he went down to avoid contact. I.e. no cheating involved, just poor ref decision

Having said that, I think Rodriguez was saying it wasn't a foul in the footage, maybe it'll become clearer later.

Granted I'm not a qualified lip-reader but it looked like J-Rod said it wasn't a foul in one the replays. Can't stand players that dive personally, but I thought it should have been a pen for the foul on Punch by the keeper.

I thought he moved his foot to simulate contact, so it was a conscious thing rather than just falling over.

I certainly would feel aggrieved if we'd lost to that.

 

Having said that, I think Rodriguez was saying it wasn't a foul in the footage, maybe it'll become clearer later. Apart from a Villa spell from around 70-90 mins, we deserved to win it.

He looks up a little bemused and says "he didn't touch me".

like some have said, these kind of things even themselves put over the season, we're going to get decisions like that go against us. until a system is in place to address dives like these, it's going to be part and parcel of the modern game. okay jrod did dive but he did not vehemently shout for a penalty, tbf he looked sheepish about it being given and even look guilty at the end of the game but what can he do, the referee gave the penalty. we're in a relegation fight, we'll just have to take everything we get, can't expect to win beautifully every game

He went done under no contact, however he had turned and was about to plant his right foot when the defender was coming in with a challenge. Now if he had planted his foot there would have been a foul and j rod could have ended up with a nasty injury. Therefore I don't blame the lad from moving his landing foot out of the way before he got chopped. As it was his landing foot still in the air he went down and made the most of it.

My point is it would have been a foul if he hadn't avoided it at all costs last minute and saved hi.self an injury.

Yes cheating is acceptable. Great win!

Rodriguez has clearly dived for the penalty.

What a load of rubbish. His weight was forward and he fell over. It was not a penalty and he did not try to cliam one. Just a strange decision from the referee.

No, diving is horrible, but today, without it, we'd have got a 0-0 draw and with Reading and Sunderland winning, and Newcastle, QPR and Wigan all picking up points, that dive was crucial for 3 points.

I'm sure it all balances out over time anyway, we'll be, or have been victims of diving against us at some point.

No. Cheating is not OK. Diving is despicable.

What a load of rubbish. His weight was forward and he fell over. It was not a penalty and he did not try to cliam one. Just a strange decision from the referee.

He went down as if his legs had been swept away from under him - that is not what happens when you fall over. I guess it's too hard for Saints fans to see one of their own cheating. It's easier if it's Suarez or someone.

I couldn't care less how we win. Hand ball goal, offside goal, diving for penalties. If it was against us though, that's a different matter

On the subject of things being evened up over time it was only last week that we had a pen given against us when it shouldn't have.

If 19 other teams in the league have a go at it against you then you're a mug not to have a go yourself. It can't be applauded but it's part of the prem and here to stay.

He didn't dive!

For it to be a dive, he has to claim the penalty. He didn't claim it but the referee gave it. Therefore it is a 'mistake' by the referee NOT a dive.

Rodriguez dived, the only question for me is did he dive to win a penalty or to get out of the way of what looked a shocking tackle, and penalty's are given for intent. Was Rodriguez supposed to stand and take a possible leg breaking tackle? I can see both sides to this argument, I don't like to see us win by cheating, but for me the tackle had intent & was high. Anyway how many times this season have we had poor decisions against us clear pens not given, maybe over the season we've earned our bit of luck today.

Until the authorities decide to bring in retrospective penalties for cheating nothing will change. This however would be a difficult decision for any board retrospectively.

Adkins deals with the issue very well on SSN.