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The DIV theory
Ryan, Ireland, opines that, compared to Sterling on the matter of dives, “Salah is 10x worse”
than Sterling. Scientifically-minded as I am, I would propose that you can’t state “A is 10x
more than B” without defining your metrics of measure. Therefore, I propose some metrics.
The first I have named DIV (Dive Indicator Value), in honour of Ryan. I’ve set DIVs as
follows:
1- Attacker is lightly fouled, could possibly stay on his feet if his life depended on it, but goes down (i.e. barely a “dive” at all really)
2- Attacker is running at pace and is marginally touched, could avoid/stay on his feet, but goes down (think Michael Owen vs Argentina 1998)
3- Attacker is touched, could definitely stay on his feet, but goes down (think Calvert-Lewin, Anfield 2017)
4- Attacker draws an illegal-looking movement from defender, is not touched but goes down (enough to elicit much tut-tutting on MOTD)
5- Attacker employs absolute s**thousery by dragging foot into innocent defender or similar (firing-squad level offence).
So our overall Cheating Bastard Level (CBL) is the DIV times by the amount of dives, (DC =
Dive Count):
CBL = DIV x DC
Therefore, for Salah to be 10x worse than Sterling, he would have to :
A) Do 10x more dives of the same level in any given time period (i.e. DCmo = 10x DCrah)
OR
B) Do 2x more dives in any given time period (i.e. DCmo = 2x DCrah) and the offence is 5x worse (i.e. DIVmo = 5 x DIVrah, Mo does an absolute s**thouse for every innocuous tumble from Sterling)
OR
C) Something in-between, resulting in the same 10x CBL.
I’m not sure the figures would back up Ryan’s opinion!
Dave J (Already done loads of brackets)
Singing the blues
So, took a call from an old mate at the Burton v City game who had taken umbrage at Citeh fans repeatedly singing the “We’re not really here” song as he thought it to be both disrespectful and arrogant in the extreme to the home supporters. I understood him and thought “Ffs” at the same time because this particular song has seemingly raised more hackles of opposing fans than any other since the takeover of 2008.
The reason/explanation for its origin is (still) hotly debated but what isn’t is that it started in the 1980s. I’m fairly certain that nobody over the age of 16 reading this will fail to understand the significance of the song being over 40 years old. That is to say, when Man City were very much still very s**t!. Suffice to say, it is sung now with a tongue very much in cheek and with a huge sense of irony (See Super Saint Paul Dickov and Nicky Weaver v Gillingham Wembley 1999).
Which got me thinking, which songs/chants do your clubs sing that other fans either misinterpret or misunderstand or which are so obscure that you are always asked “Why do your lot sing that?”
Mark (Why Z Cars at Everton and Watford?) MCFC
Random musings
– I was watching highlights of Monaco 1 – 5 Strasbourg, then I had this thought that perhaps Henry just isn’t meant to be a Manager. Great player, great in front of the press and as pundit. Probably be a great club ambassador or Sporting director. But Not every great player has to be a manager. I mean, not many people know who Strasbourg manager is or most of their starting line up and their 5th on the table. Monaco star studded is 2nd to last. A manager motivates and gets the best out of his players, period. Henry has yet to show this.
– That one mail about Liverpool a few days ago had some truth in it or the reaction would not have been so strong. Its not about hate or jealousy (certainly wouldn’t swap Aguero, De bruyne, Silva for Salah, Mane, Firmino. or Kane, Son, Eriksen for Liverpool trio. The thing is, Liverpool’s novelty has worn off. Last season, most neutrals wanted Liverpool to win and upset city and their vast expenditure. but this season, Liverpool spent more than every other club . couple that with Salah diving a few too many times and Liverpool fans always shooting their mouth off , for example this from the comments section “Outside of Manure no one else can fill stadiums across the world like Liverpool”
Here’s data showing spurs, arsenal, west ham and city had a much larger average home attendance than Liverpool last season.
It will be a good change for the league if Liverpool did win it. but after outspending everyone else in the league (net spend does not show on the cost of the 18 players selected) and all these constant cheat accusations, the novelty has gone and city players are just more likable.
– Higuain transfer to Chelsea. For me, this is the most exciting transfer for some time now. Always wanted to see Higuain play in the premier league.
Another exciting transfer would be Arturo Vidal loan or transfer to Arsenal or Spurs. Spurs desperately need reinforcements. Arsenal, Ramsey on his way out,Vidal is not getting game time at barca. this move would be perfect.
Michael, Philippines
Plane stupid?
I am going to start this off by saying what happened in relation to Emiliano Sala is nothing short of tragic.
Its desperately sad for everybody involved, and we can only hope, one way or another his body is recovered to give his family some small bit of peace.
Yesterday, Cristiano Ronaldo tweeted a picture of himself on a private jet on his way back from Madrid to Turin following his court case.
I do not know if Ronaldo knows Sala, or has ever met him. But I doubt his tweet was intended as any form of disrespect.
Gary Lineker seemed to think so, tweeting “Not the day for this tweet, it really isn’t”.
Again, I don’t know if Lineker knows Sala, and defended himself saying he was only trying to highlight that the tweet was poorly timed.
I think Lineker was doing more than that, and in his self appointed role as the games conscience, was trying to shame Ronaldo for likes and re-tweets (19k retweets at time of writing)
Terrible things happen in the world everyday. Does that mean that everyone elses life should go on hold, and what place is it of Linekers to be pointing this out to everyone.
It’s another form of clickbait dressed up as doing the right thing.
I don’t have any skin in this game. I am Irish and live in Dublin. I have no connection to Cardiff City, Nantes, Sala, Ronaldo, Lineker, the BBC or what it pays him.
As I said, whats happened to Sala is tragic, but just because Ronaldo tweeted a picture of himself on a plane the day after it happened, doesn’t mean he doesn’t care.
The tweet was narcissistic as you would expect from Ronaldo, but for Lineker to link it to the Sala tragedy was equally self serving.
DC, BAC
Diving
Interesting one from Alex on diving – I’ve always referred to that particular dive as the “Robert Pires”.
My take was that when the attacker just throws his leg out unnaturally to get caught, he’s basically initiating the contact that wouldn’t have happened (I.e. he’s kicking the defender). I say the fair treatment would be a yellow for the kick and a second yellow for the dive, with a third yellow if you happen to have a stupid little soul patch while doing it.
Andy (MUFC)
…Jamie Vardy has been doing that move for years as have many others
It’s a thing that strikers are doing more and more often, the first move is towards the defender rather than away. Most times a penalty is given because it is at speed and looks like a genuine tangle of legs so the defender gets the blame
Maybe VAR can sort this out as well….
Steve LUFC Spying on together
Note to future self
Dear Me in 2019/20,
Hmm, what’s that? A second-leg semi final with nothing on the line? You want to watch it?
Don’t.
Gosh that was dull as sh*t.
Jonno McSchmonno
Oh boycott
I think we can all agree that the sun is the most pathetic and vile newspapers out there.
They have again proved this again after their disgraceful article on Emiliano Sala as pointed out by the fantastic media watch.
My question is to people how far do they take the boycott? After News Corporation bought out Wireless Group in 2016 I vowed never to listen to talk sport again. This only lasted about 1 month as my long drives became painfully boring without it.
I reassured my self that talk sport wasn’t the problem and to be fair it hasn’t affected the quality radio they offer in my opinion.
It seemed they just spammed the sun articles on the talksport social media pages which I quickly unfollowed.
Can I listen with out any guilt?
I’m hoping someone with more intelligence than me can clarify.
Wheeler LFC