[Football] Cheating - pretending to be injured to disrupt the opposition

[giveusfalmerplease]

Didn't see the match, first time this season but surely any time these days for injury feigned or otherwise gets added? Go back ten years and you would get maybe 4 mins max added time. These days that seems like the minimum.
Regarding injury, we get near instant replay these days, ref should check the cause and if it's clear there's no head contact or bone breaking incident, get player off to the side and play continues. I like the idea of a minimum absence say 5 minutes as someone suggested too

 

[Stat Brother]

Fulham were one place behind us. This wasn't a relegation threatened side fighting for their lives. This is what they do, it's their style. It's how they got there, in their DNA. Villa the same.

It has to be stopped. Delaying their return when there's no injury is the way to do that.

Forest were the same but were a dogshit side in relegation places. Its nearly forgivable then.

League standings has nothing to do with it.
Fulham did what they had to do to win, go sixth, be in the box seat for a European place.

If Brighton did what they had to do to win they'd have scored a blooming goal.
In hindsight Fulham could have made the unusual decision and swapped Leno for me, and still won 0-1.
Had the ref added 15 minutes of injury time, or even 15 hours, the score would have remained 0-1.

This place has been riddled with only child syndrome.
You lot have a 'friend' over but the rules of every game played a so weighted in your favour you can't lose, or else you have a tantrum.
Fulham don't have play by your rules, neither will West Ham, palace and Brentford, they will all do what they have to do to win the game.

If the Albion want to stop this happening it's quite simple - score a goal.

 

[BadFish]

Put the ball in the back of the net.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Maybe the referee could have the VAR watch some video replay and make an educated guess as to whether the player was faking it or not. The VAR could draw some stupid lines on the screen to determine if the player stayed in a position of pain long enough.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I've not seen Fulham doing that before and I hope it isn't a new tactic but it didn't seem to affect your dominance or reduce your chances (look at the stats) and we ended up with 5 yellows to your 0.

Not just that though is it. Breaks momentum, stops breakaways, the added time is never the same (see first half).

Anti-football tactic, but until officials act on goalkeeping and other time wasting it will continue.

I’d say well played, but not it really wasn’t - great finish though

 

[Horses Arse]

League standings has nothing to do with it.
Fulham did what they had to do to win, go sixth, be in the box seat for a European place.

If Brighton did what they had to do to win they'd have scored a blooming goal.
In hindsight Fulham could have made the unusual decision and swapped Leno for me, and still won 0-1.
Had the ref added 15 minutes of injury time, or even 15 hours, the score would have remained 0-1.

This place has been riddled with only child syndrome.
You lot have a 'friend' over but the rules of every game played a so weighted in your favour you can't lose, or else you have a tantrum.
Fulham don't have play by your rules, neither will West Ham, palace and Brentford, they will all do what they have to do to win the game.

If the Albion want to stop this happening it's quite simple - score a goal.

It has relevance to league standing in terms of understanding why a side would do that rather than show ambition. It needs stamping out regardless but i looked at Forest and thought, well what else can they do?

This concerns more than one game, it is the game. If this cheating isn't stopped then every game can become like this, no ambition to win. Not the future I want.

I came away from the arsenal loss frustrated that we lost but enjoying the game because it was entertaining. Yesterday was anticipated by all as a cracking game to see. It wasn't, because Fulham decided to stop the game at every opportunity.

If you can't understand the effect that has on the game and on the ability to score, if you don't realise that it is not just about time added, or if you think there's no problem with the game heading down that route then there's little point in further discussion.

As for the petty comments about only child syndrome...... this forum has always been that. This thread is about a scourge of the game, exploitation of a rule to protect players health. I find that disgusting, despicable and it must be stopped

 

[Binney on acid]

I'm still seething about the Notts County tactics at Wembley ! Their goalkeeper was writhing around when play was about 80 metres away. We played the football, they scored the goals. Tommy Johnson was unplayable that afternoon.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It has relevance to league standing in terms of understanding why a side would do that rather than show ambition. It needs stamping out regardless but i looked at Forest and thought, well what else can they do?

This concerns more than one game, it is the game. If this cheating isn't stopped then every game can become like this, no ambition to win. Not the future I want.

I came away from the arsenal loss frustrated that we lost but enjoying the game because it was entertaining. Yesterday was anticipated by all as a cracking game to see. It wasn't, because Fulham decided to stop the game at every opportunity.

If you can't understand the effect that has on the game and on the ability to score, if you don't realise that it is not just about time added, or if you think there's no problem with the game heading down that route then there's little point in further discussion.

I reckon out of 90+ minutes of the game, we saw about 40 minutes of actual football. No entertainment at all.

 

[Horses Arse]

I reckon out of 90+ minutes of the game, we saw about 40 minutes of actual football. No entertainment at all.

I do hope you're not an only child!!

 

[um bongo molongo]

Any ideas how this can be fixed?

Maybe they could just introduce the same rule as rugby where an injured player gets treated whilst the game continues? Or straight off on a stretcher?

Might have its downsides but sure as hell would stop cheats like Robinson getting away with altering the course of the match.

I’ve never understood why we can’t do your first idea. Just play around them. If it’s a serious injury (like Azpilicueta yesterday) it quickly becomes apparent and the ref can stop the game. Otherwise, play on. Would solve the problem instantly.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I do hope you're not an only child!!

I am

 

[Horses Arse]

I am

Well there you go then, you've got an excuse!! It's me I'm worried about, one of three.

Perhaps I'm adopted, must find out

 

[Stat Brother]

It has relevance to league standing in terms of understanding why a side would do that rather than show ambition. It needs stamping out regardless but i looked at Forest and thought, well what else can they do?

This concerns more than one game, it is the game. If this cheating isn't stopped then every game can become like this, no ambition to win. Not the future I want.

I came away from the arsenal loss frustrated that we lost but enjoying the game because it was entertaining. Yesterday was anticipated by all as a cracking game to see. It wasn't, because Fulham decided to stop the game at every opportunity.

If you can't understand the effect that has on the game and on the ability to score, if you don't realise that it is not just about time added, or if you think there's no problem with the game heading down that route then there's little point in further discussion.

As for the petty comments about only child syndrome...... this forum has always been that. This thread is about a scourge of the game, exploitation of a rule to protect players health. I find that disgusting, despicable and it must be stopped

I completely and wholeheartedly agree, but all the time it hasn't been stopped it is what it is.

I'm not entirely sure why you thought the game against Mitrovicless Fulham would be a classic.
If a team thinks they can't beat us, the next best thing to do is stop us and that's how you stop the Albion.

We swarmed them for the first 15 minutes.
A Fulham player went down after about 6 minutes.
Leno went straight to Silva (something I'd stop) who must have said 'more of that please'.

The referee can't do anything.
We can't do anything.
But it works.

It didn't work for Bournemouth, who were nowhere near as bad, I assume it didn't work for Villa yesterday, but it did work for Fulham.

 

[Horses Arse]

I completely and wholeheartedly agree, but all the time it hasn't been stopped it is what it is.

I'm not entirely sure why you thought the game against Mitrovicless Fulham would be a classic.
If a team thinks they can't beat us, the next best thing to do is stop us and that's how you stop the Albion.

We swarmed them for the first 15 minutes.
A Fulham player went down after about 6 minutes.
Leno went straight to Silva (something I'd stop) who must have said 'more of that please'.

The referee can't do anything.
We can't do anything.
But it works.

It didn't work for Bournemouth, who were nowhere near as bad, I assume it didn't work for Villa yesterday, but it did work for Fulham.

Of course it can be stopped. Stop the game, assess the situation and use judgement. If the ref suspects play acting then they stay off for the period of the stoppage. It won't always be perfectly administered but it would present too much of a risk for playacting to continue. The reduction in play acting would mean that such events are more likely to be genuine, self regulating to an extent.

Refs used to use judgement, they're like robots now. That is part of the problem.

Whilst they're at it, never stop play when a player goes down when a foul hasn't been given. They can walk off the pitch or if unable to then subbed at a natural break in play.

 

[Stat Brother]

Of course it can be stopped. Stop the game, assess the situation and use judgement. If the ref suspects play acting then they stay off for the period of the stoppage. It won't always be perfectly administered but it would present too much of a risk for playacting to continue. The reduction in play acting would mean that such events are more likely to be genuine, self regulating to an extent.

Refs used to use judgement, they're like robots now. That is part of the problem.

Whilst they're at it, never stop play when a player goes down when a foul hasn't been given. They can walk off the pitch or if unable to then subbed at a natural break in play.

No it can't not without a change in the law.

I'm sure some smarter than myself said at the time of the introduction of the head injury protocol 'yeah but the players will use it to cheat', sadly they weren't listened too.

Stopping the game is the whole point, your system changes nothing.
Players 'doing a Robinson' have done that for decades, the head injury is an instant cheats charter.
The ref isn't going to leave a player clutching his face on the ground - everyone knows that so this is what we have.

Referees using their own judgement is exactly how we got into this mess in the first place which is why we have VAR - thank god that works perfectly.

It's wrong and it's shitty but my point is:-

- It's happening.
- it's going to get worse (this season)
- So suck it up, if for no other reason there may well come a game when we're dishing it out.

If your team doesn't like it all they have to do is score a goal.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

It’s the players who need to stop it though. No point in blaming the refs, they can’t tell when it’s genuine or not and especially with the head injuries, they can’t insist they go off because you can’t move them,

Maybe if a player has a head knock then they have to go off for 5 mins to be assessed for concussion (once standing again). Forcing teams to play for 5 mins or so with 10 men might help a bit.

If it seems clear that the injury is feigned, why aren’t players booked for simulation?

 

[Surf's Up]

We haven't played away at a team who need knocking out of their stride.

At the moment we are a biggish fish, this is exactly what teams do when playing away at in form fluid teams.

Were we away to Arsenal next week, and 0-0 at half time, some posters would look incredibly silly in the wake of that game.

The only way to stop the cheating is score a f***ing goal - rocket science it ain't.

You have no evidence to support this - purely hypothetical

 

[Sea Cider]

No it can't not without a change in the law.

I'm sure some smarter than myself said at the time of the introduction of the head injury protocol 'yeah but the players will use it to cheat', sadly they weren't listened too.

Stopping the game is the whole point, your system changes nothing.
Players 'doing a Robinson' have done that for decades, the head injury is an instant cheats charter.
The ref isn't going to leave a player clutching his face on the ground - everyone knows that so this is what we have.

Referees using their own judgement is exactly how we got into this mess in the first place which is why we have VAR - thank god that works perfectly.

It's wrong and it's shitty but my point is:-

- It's happening.
- it's going to get worse (this season)
- So suck it up, if for no other reason there may well come a game when we're dishing it out.

If your team doesn't like it all they have to do is score a goal.

Ok saying "all they have to do is score a goal", but this is a sport of fine margins, and it is sad for the sport that a small number of teams overtly cheat by feigning injury to gain an advantage (maybe just enough to gain multiple points over the course of the season)

 

[Stat Brother]

'Just pointing out this current 'new' cheating is perfectly legal because the law was introduced to protect players and players will do anything to get an advantage.' ..........It may under the interpretation of the law be legal however it certainly isn't sport. It's cheating and I would think I would not be the only one to condemn us if we systematically exploited the letter of the 'law' in order to gain. Instead of arguing why you are 'oh so right' why don't you take a while to post something positive with ideas how to stop it instead of blitheley accepting it?

How about:-

4th official has stopwatch.
Ref blows whistle for injury.
Timer starts.
Player leaves pitch.
Ref blows whistle to start game, timer stops.
'injured' player remains sidelined for the length of time they stopped the game.
4th official instructs player to return to pitch, once the ball has been in play for the same amount of time.

 

[Horses Arse]

No it can't not without a change in the law.

I'm sure some smarter than myself said at the time of the introduction of the head injury protocol 'yeah but the players will use it to cheat', sadly they weren't listened too.

Stopping the game is the whole point, your system changes nothing.
Players 'doing a Robinson' have done that for decades, the head injury is an instant cheats charter.
The ref isn't going to leave a player clutching his face on the ground - everyone knows that so this is what we have.

Referees using their own judgement is exactly how we got into this mess in the first place which is why we have VAR - thank god that works perfectly.

It's wrong and it's shitty but my point is:-

- It's happening.
- it's going to get worse (this season)
- So suck it up, if for no other reason there may well come a game when we're dishing it out.

If your team doesn't like it all they have to do is score a goal.

Where did I suggest leaving a player clutching his head on the floor?