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Gareth Bale

look at Alonso's approach, and also at Bale tuck his foot out of the way in order to protect it..This is the same foot which has taken some serious hammering and damage in the past which led to Bale being out for a long period

Alonso was about to stamp on Bale's foot, how can that not appear to be hideous? Alonso was miles from the ball, he made no attempt to play the ball. Watch again

Yes Bale dives, and rightly so

:ross:

I'm not even sure if you're serious at this point. If bale is that afraid of contact why did he lean his leg in to ensure there was contact? That's the lampard special usually.
 
also we have to take into account the sheer speed at which bale and others play at. Its not like a kickabout in the park, these guys are frighteningly fast and if Bale felt threatened by Agger the immediate reaction was to go down even if he did this just a split second after passing Agger's raised foot. This is a form of self protection, its just that it happened at such a speed that we cant comprehend.

Poor little Gareth was probably so much in fear of the bad man that when the bad man lunged at him, little Gareth brick himself with so much force it propelled him onto the ground.

Look Bale dived yesterday. He has dived a number of times playing for Spurs. And there's no excusing it.
Someone (Redknapp I'd hope) needs to have a word with him and get him to cut it out.
 
I'm just waiting for Billy Graham, Martin Luther king, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Jesus to join in, and then we will have a full set of Saints and Apostles preaching the good word.

I wonder how many of the sanctimonious would - if gifted with Hindsight at the end of the season, having been deprived of Bale's skills due to having his ankle or leg broken for the last 3 months, would happily recant and trade Bales propensity to jump out of the way of agricultural challenges - for their lofty ideals?

Before you all rush me with kindling and burning torches, I too wish he was a little more robust and and steady on his feet - but then again I'd also like to see some of the tackles that cripple the lad on so many occasions get a little more punitive treatment.

Bales worked out a way to keep himself playing, it might not be pretty at times, but if it keeps him on the teamsheet and the scoresheet, I'll settle for it.

Right, who's got the petrol, and who's got the matches?
 
I'm just waiting for Billy Graham, Martin Luther king, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Jesus to join in, and then we will have a full set of Saints and Apostles preaching the good word.

I wonder how many of the sanctimonious would - if gifted with Hindsight at the end of the season, having been deprived of Bale's skills due to having his ankle or leg broken for the last 3 months, would happily recant and trade Bales propensity to jump out of the way of agricultural challenges - for their lofty ideals?

Before you all rush me with kindling and burning torches, I too wish he was a little more robust and and steady on his feet - but then again I'd also like to see some of the tackles that cripple the lad on so many occasions get a little more punitive treatment.

Bales worked out a way to keep himself playing, it might not be pretty at times, but if it keeps him on the teamsheet and the scoresheet, I'll settle for it.

Right, who's got the petrol, and who's got the matches?

What has him jumping out of the way of challenges got to do with him diving to the ground after the challenger has failed to make contact with him.
If he was jumping out of the way then why is he jumping so late? Is he terrible at jumping out of the way?
Or is using his skill to avoid the challenge and then purposefully going to ground making sure he makes contact with player on the way down ( like he did with Alonso above).
 
I'm just waiting for Billy Graham, Martin Luther king, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Jesus to join in, and then we will have a full set of Saints and Apostles preaching the good word.

I wonder how many of the sanctimonious would - if gifted with Hindsight at the end of the season, having been deprived of Bale's skills due to having his ankle or leg broken for the last 3 months, would happily recant and trade Bales propensity to jump out of the way of agricultural challenges - for their lofty ideals?

Before you all rush me with kindling and burning torches, I too wish he was a little more robust and and steady on his feet - but then again I'd also like to see some of the tackles that cripple the lad on so many occasions get a little more punitive treatment.

Bales worked out a way to keep himself playing, it might not be pretty at times, but if it keeps him on the teamsheet and the scoresheet, I'll settle for it.

Right, who's got the petrol, and who's got the matches?

I'll say it again - he didn't jump out the way of Agger's tackle, he fell over once he had gone past it.

FALLING OVER IS NOT A FORM OF SELF-PROTECTION!

It was a dive, and Bale dives a lot. Clearly diving bothers some people less than it does others; personally I think it's shameful, pathetic, and a blight on the sport. Some people might think that's dramatic or preachy, but it's how I feel.
 
Those of you condoning Bale's diving, I don't wanna hear any of you moaning if Arsenal beat us in the last minute from the result of a penalty which was given after an Arsenal player dived in the box.

I'll say it again, he gets kicked more than any player in the league, that doesn't give you the right to dive.
 
Did you guys ever see Maradonna at his best?

Did you ever see the footage of him chasing people round the pitch, when he just completely lost the plot, after a succession of fouls and dirty tackles?

I guess Bale can stay on his feet and put up with that sort of brick, until he snaps, and starts laying into people - would that all make you feel better?

In the past I have taken part in some long and testy threads taking all kinds of brick from people in debates over cheating, and the hypocrisy that surrounds it. I don't really want to go down there again, so try to remember what I said about my preferences, before tarring me with that pot and brush you are only too keen to start spreading around.

A big part of Bales problem is that he can move his feet faster than defenders can think and react, and the net result is he gets kicked a lot, add in the speed and you get a lot of pain. When you learn to skydive, you spend a lot of time learning how to fall over and transfer the impact through a roll, as a continual absorption process, maybe he's been taught this kind of thing - I don't know (so don't attack me for it) but it might just be.

like I said, I'd rather have him playing out the last 14/15 games than watching from the stands with a pot on his leg.
 
Did you guys ever see Maradonna at his best?

Did you ever see the footage of him chasing people round the pitch, when he just completely lost the plot, after a succession of fouls and dirty tackles?

I guess Bale can stay on his feet and put up with that sort of brick, until he snaps, and starts laying into people - would that all make you feel better?

In the past I have taken part in some long and testy threads taking all kinds of brick from people in debates over cheating, and the hypocrisy that surrounds it. I don't really want to go down there again, so try to remember what I said about my preferences, before tarring me with that pot and brush you are only too keen to start spreading around.

A big part of Bales problem is that he can move his feet faster than defenders can think and react, and the net result is he gets kicked a lot, add in the speed and you get a lot of pain. When you learn to skydive, you spend a lot of time learning how to fall over and transfer the impact through a roll, as a continual absorption process, maybe he's been taught this kind of thing - I don't know (so don't attack me for it) but it might just be.

like I said, I'd rather have him playing out the last 14/15 games than watching from the stands with a pot on his leg.

Not really sure what to say to this... you haven't responded to the fact (or, for the sake of being diplomatic, my opinion) that Bale falling to the ground had nothing to do with protecting himself from injury. And the skydiving comparison is just a bit bizarre....
 
Those of you condoning Bale's diving, I don't wanna hear any of you moaning if Arsenal beat us in the last minute from the result of a penalty which was given after an Arsenal player dived in the box.

I'll say it again, he gets kicked more than any player in the league, that doesn't give you the right to dive.

This over and over again

As I said - save it in Classics forever so the word can be preserved until the next SQL crash. So that a reference can always be made much like it has been done before
 
i just feel that the attempt of agger was to put in a tackle, he missed, bale ducked but that sort tok away the advantage from bale....therefore foul. and even it wasnt a foul its kind of anNOYING that the level of intimidation that bale gets results in him losing the advantage by having to avoid everything. so he drops to discourage that brick

diving though is not good, i can see the point some people are trying to make
 
Not really sure what to say to this... you haven't responded to the fact (or, for the sake of being diplomatic, my opinion) that Bale falling to the ground had nothing to do with protecting himself from injury. And the skydiving comparison is just a bit bizarre....

Yes I did, I said I would prefer it if he stayed on his feet, but not if it means he ends up with a broken leg.

All I said was that hitting the ground at speed and rolling is a well known method to absorb the impact, and perhaps it has been something he has been advised to do. I know that from learning to land parachutes - I did say it was just a guess.
 
Those of you condoning Bale's diving, I don't wanna hear any of you moaning if Arsenal beat us in the last minute from the result of a penalty which was given after an Arsenal player dived in the box.

I'll say it again, he gets kicked more than any player in the league, that doesn't give you the right to dive.

I agree. I don't understand why people are arguing that he doesn't dive, or that he's excused for diving because he's quick and gets fouled a lot.

Hopefully he'll stop it, and hopefully he'll continue toughening up as well.
 
Are people distinguishing between diving (as cheating) and winning a free kick? I wonder because Parker is incredible at winning free kicks when he loses the ball through miscontrol, mainly by going down ridiculously easy on a pretty regular basis. I really do not see Bale as a chronic diver, considering the treatment he gets he generally deals with it well. People have also referenced Messi in this thread, rightly pointing out that he gets major treatment and just gets on with it. This is true, but Messi has not always been a saint, he has adapted his game in response or perhaps out of sheer acceptance that is what he has to face. I think Bale has become much more physical, if he goes down more often than not does so because he has been fouled. But I have no problem for those who think it is an issue with him, after all no harm in him trying to improve that aspect of his game seeing how much he has improved the rest of it. But let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Sometimes I genuinely think he is an easy target, which is a shame because much bigger clubs than us would be glad to have him. At 22yo he is the future of our club.
 
Yes I did, I said I would prefer it if he stayed on his feet, but not if it means he ends up with a broken leg.

All I said was that hitting the ground at speed and rolling is a well known method to absorb the impact, and perhaps it has been something he has been advised to do. I know that from learning to land parachutes - I did say it was just a guess.

Fair enough, I certainly agree with the bold bit!
 
Yes I did, I said I would prefer it if he stayed on his feet, but not if it means he ends up with a broken leg.
It's not really an 'either or' in most of Bale's cases. He doesn't dive out of the way of tackles, but he goes looking for a freekick without contact, or will spend ages rolling around on the floor when hardly touched.
 
there's probably an in between that is closer to reality than 'bale is a diving cheater who brings shame to a club supported by righteous football purists' and 'bale is a victim who is only protecting himself from dangerous thugs whenever he goes to ground.'

the moral hand wringing that the football world goes through whenever it comes to simulation, card baiting etc. is embarrassing. its called gamesmanship, and in some sports its celebrated. the NBA routinely admires players who are able to draw fouls, initiate contact etc. as well as 'flop' or appear to win a favorable call from the ref. as has been pointed out by another poster, parker is a master at drawing slight contact, falling over and winning a free kick. suarez is a clam racist, but he's also a master of controlling the ball under pressure and anticipating contact.

players like bale, bent, nani etc. quickly learn that when moving at an extremely high speed, you can coax defenders into challenging for the ball and then exploding by them with a quick step, but because of where a defenders leg is, yes, technically bale could avoid the challenge and stay on his feet, but that could mean losing the step that would allow him to maintain his dribble and get to the ball before the covering defender.

perhaps, in a game where bale was struggling and isolated against punishing, physical defenders and the side were under pressure, he was playing for free kicks a little too much -- something that can easily become a bad habit for players.

regardless, this is professional sport, not the church league. he gets paid a ton of money and is under immense pressure to win football games, and he'll look for any edge possible. at least he's not racially abusing other players, stamping on people's heads or hands, pretending he got punched in the face every 10 seconds etc.
 
Fair enough, I certainly agree with the bold bit!


someone else also pointed out something that I think is relevant, and should not be dismissed lightly. The position where the incident occurred wasn't one where any tangible advantage would have been gained, its not like it was a Zokora penalty box swan dive - it was over by the touchline. Having been Skyrtled into the advertising hordings once already, my feeling is this probably entered his mind and he simply went for the softest option to lessen the damage.

With Agger pulling out/missing completely - he just ended up looking a bit of a taco.

Like I said, one day it might save his career
 
someone else also pointed out something that I think is relevant, and should not be dismissed lightly. The position where the incident occurred wasn't one where any tangible advantage would have been gained, its not like it was a Zokora penalty box swan dive - it was over by the touchline. Having been Skyrtled into the advertising hordings once already, my feeling is this probably entered his mind and he simply went for the softest option to lessen the damage.

With Agger pulling out/missing completely - he just ended up looking a bit of a taco.

Like I said, one day it might save his career

Well lets hope the next time he dives to save his career he gets up and holds his hands up to say thats what he was going, cause he certainly wasnt fudging doing it for that 'challenge' on him.
 
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