Whilst I commend Sean and our squad for trying to buck the trend of diving in football, I fear it is a losing cause.

Seeing the penalty last night where legs suddenly stop working when a shoulder is touched and given the fact we have not had a penalty in decades, I think we should admit defeat. It was a noble cause but one that has ultimately failed.
So I suggest that we start training our team on how to properly go down in the area under the slightest of challenges. I think Ash could lead the way, he is probably our most effective diver, but the rest really need to up their acting skills. We just aren’t as flamboyant in our dives and facial reactions to a nudge or flick.

I think we should also bring the experts in to help with training at Barnfield. I suggest that Sean contacts the Burnley Pantomime Society. I watched one of their shows last week and they had a couple of great proponents of the over theatrical fall. I am sure they will be able to help our players in this clearly crucial element of modern football.

We'll just get players booked. You can only join them, if all refereeing decisions are neutral. As this isn't the case, it rules that option out.

Whilst it's very moral of Dyche to want the game to be played fairly I think that whilst the law of the game don't really punish offenders I think we should do as everyone else does until we're told otherwise.

Id rather continue to play with and stick to our values. Even if it means we dont benefit as a result.

Lets focus on improving our ability as a team rather than going down that route.

Dyche has integrity. So this wont happen on his watch.

Are you suggesting that we changing the team nickname from "Clarets" to "Oliviers"?

ClaretsPlayer should do a mocumentary with Sean Dyche and the first team practicing how to fall over after contact in training sessions.

The video shows the squad analysing all the other ‘dives’ with presentations instructing the players what they need to do - studying quotes from respected mangers, television pundits and referees who who have told players to “make them make the decision”.

It’s not flamboyant or over the top film, but a realistic-looking behind the scenes of a genuine training session with a Hollywood stunt coordinator teaching players how to perform a convincing fall.

I’d love to see what the FA would do. They couldn’t do anything if it’s sll backed up with facts.

If the FA continue to insist that someone who falls over deserves a penalty and someone who does not fall over does not deserve a penalty, then I reluctantly think we should start to fall over. Dyche can explain after the match that he doesn't think it should be a penalty but that sort of dive is encouraged by the FA, so he thinks we ought to do it.

It might help our cayse if we sign some players with pace, trickery and fearlessness.

Should we have had a penalty in the last 70 games? Of course there is the odd example - Hendrick at Huddersfield last season. But thats over a year ago itself.

We very rarely get into positions to dive anyway!

cricketfieldclarets wrote:It might help our cayse if we sign some players with pace, trickery and fearlessness.

Should we have had a penalty in the last 70 games? Of course there is the odd example - Hendrick at Huddersfield last season. But thats over a year ago itself.

We very rarely get into positions to dive anyway!

Long at the Emirates.... Blatant

Honestly. 100% would sooner be relegated this season ans remain who we are with Dyche banging the drum.

Would take that every time rather than not being relegated by us up winning, let’s say, 2 penalties before mid May which were clear dives leaving us looking hypocritical, stupid and as low an end pathetic as all the rest.

I think the incident with Kevin Long at Arsenal shows that this would be a futile exercise.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:It might help our cayse if we sign some players with pace, trickery and fearlessness.

Should we have had a penalty in the last 70 games? Of course there is the odd example - Hendrick at Huddersfield last season. But thats over a year ago itself.

We very rarely get into positions to dive anyway!

It’s not true.

We gets lots of balls into the box with crosses and high balls from deep. Defenders climb on our forwards, hold shirts and hold on to players.

That penalty at Old Trafford would not have been given if Man Utd player placed his hand on Hendrick’s shoulder. It would’ve even been entertained.

claptrappers_union wrote:ClaretsPlayer should do a mocumentary with Sean Dyche and the first team practicing how to fall over after contact in training sessions.

The video shows the squad analysing all the other ‘dives’ with presentations instructing the players what they need to do - studying quotes from respected mangers, television pundits and referees who who have told players to “make them make the decision”.

It’s not flamboyant or over the top film, but a realistic-looking behind the scenes of a genuine training session with a Hollywood stunt coordinator teaching players how to perform a convincing fall.

I’d love to see what the FA would do. They couldn’t do anything if it’s sll backed up with facts.

Just to move on from that a bit. I do wonder if some of these teams actually do training sessions where they look to improve their diving/sportsmanship, call it what you want, skills.

claptrappers_union wrote:It’s not true.

We gets lots of balls into the box with crosses and high balls from deep. Defenders climb on our forwards, hold shirts and hold on to players.

That penalty at Old Trafford would not have been given if Man Utd player placed his hand on Hendrick’s shoulder. It would’ve even been entertained.

But most penalties will be from players running directly at defenders, with pace or skill. We dont do that.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:It might help our cayse if we sign some players with pace, trickery and fearlessness.

Should we have had a penalty in the last 70 games? Of course there is the odd example - Hendrick at Huddersfield last season. But thats over a year ago itself.

We very rarely get into positions to dive anyway!

So how do you explain the run of penalties we got immediately before this run without one?

claptrappers_union wrote:That penalty at Old Trafford would not have been given if Man Utd player placed his hand on Hendrick’s shoulder. It would’ve even been entertained.

Absolutely spot on

ClaretShaun wrote:Honestly. 100% would sooner be relegated this season ans remain who we are with Dyche banging the drum.

Would take that every time rather than not being relegated by us up winning, let’s say, 2 penalties before mid May which were clear dives leaving us looking hypocritical, stupid and as low an end pathetic as all the rest.

Agree entirely. Never understood the point of cheating in sport (okay I do understand to a degree with all the money players get in win bonuses) but, money apart, what exactly IS the point? As I was always told when I was a kid if you cheat at a game you are only cheating yourself. If you hold up a trophy won through cheating you still know deep down that you didn't win it fairly and that takes the whole point of competition away. It is one thing playing hard and maybe being a bit too hard (for which you may well get punished anyway), there is nothing wrong with being competitive, but to dive for a penalty or a free kick or, worse still, to get someone sent off is just plain wrong. Give me relegation ahead of a set of cheating barstewards any day.

claptrappers_union wrote:It’s not true.

We gets lots of balls into the box with crosses and high balls from deep. Defenders climb on our forwards, hold shirts and hold on to players.

That penalty at Old Trafford would not have been given if Man Utd player placed his hand on Hendrick’s shoulder. It would’ve even been entertained.

Your last point is so true, and where did the 5 minutes extra come from with no physios on the pitch? United shouldn't even have had the time to come back let alone win dodgy penalties.

ClaretTony wrote:So how do you explain the run of penalties we got immediately before this run without one?

Its been that long I can't remember them. Remind me

ClaretTony wrote:So how do you explain the run of penalties we got immediately before this run without one?

I think refs are swayed as much by teams applying pressure and attacking as they are by theatrical dives.
We don't get enough bodies in the box often enough.

boatshed bill wrote:I think refs are swayed as much by teams applying pressure and attacking as they are by theatrical dives.
We don't get enough bodies in the box often enough.

So how were we getting penalties so easily when we were playing exactly the same way two years ago?

When I first opened this thread, it was a little tongue in cheek to be honest.
However, after yesterday, I do think we seriously need to look at this.
It’s not about cheating and pretending to be fouled anymore, I seriously think that we will only get decisions if we over exaggerate contact to make it so bl@@dy obvious that there has been contact.
The only thing Barnsey got wrong yesterday was that his initial appeal was half hearted. Maybe if he had yelled out in pain as if he had been shot and rolled over 14 times the ref may have spotted it?
And it’s not just in the penalty area. The number of times Taylor was shoved whilst heading the ball and nothing given. Yet when it happens the other way, their player over exaggerated the contact, shouted out in agony and got the free kick.
A ridiculous state of affairs, but our lone stand against this is not doing us any favours.

Not seen the post match press interviews but did Dyche mention Charlie Taylors Tom Daleyesque dive in the second half as with his moral stance he cant have been happy about it?

The absolute worst non pen decision I've ever seen wasn’t yesterday. It was the one Connolly punched over the bar at Cardiff, with his hand above his head.