How dirty do you like it?

[ForeverBlue92]

You've all just come from the Amanda Holden thread, haven't you?

We are finally on a full agreement about something Blue lol

I was just about to ask @deipnosophist to fetch me my jug of custard

 

[The binman chronicles]

I thought Roy Keane's challenge on Alf-Inge Haaland a bit half hearted tbh.

 

[Sassy Colombian]

Sorry to disappoint you but this is in the correct forum.

I'm talking about that side of the game often referred to in euphemisms. dark arts, no nonsense, hardman, let them know you're there. The beautiful game is full of dirty, sniding cheats.

All fan bases are the same when it comes to this. In the same way we idolised Pat Van Den Hauwe and hated Tommy Smith, If Peter Reid had played for the rs, we'd have been calling the UN after every other tackle. Whereas, if Steve McMahon had stayed at Everton, he'd probably be a Goodison legend.

The truth is, all great teams have been able to 'look after themselves' and 'dish it out' while cleverly 'winning free kicks' to run the clock down when it was deemed necessary. Revie's Leeds took it to a whole new level. And there are some fine examples of snide and brutality from Italy and South America.

It's often said that we're too nice and that we need more snide and players who can look after themselves.

So what levels are you prepared to go to for success? How low can you go guys and girls? Which players, past or present, could give us an edge in this sense? What would be you're all time dirty, cheating snide 11? a side no-one would look forward to playing.

Or are you a true Corinthian?

I don't like dirty (well at least not in football lol)

Some roughness is inevitable, at times players bump into each other and get injured but when coaches or players embrace dirty and vicious tricks with the intend to hurt an opponent to gain advantage then that is unacceptable.and shouldn't be part of the game not matter how much successful one wants to be.

 

[Yank]

I like all of it. The game needs villains, animosity, a lil chippy to be a great game.

It's all part of the game. We all probably played at some level, I always loved the other side of the game and the game within itself.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

I'm all for it when Everton are dishing it out.

Disgraceful cheating rats when it's anyone else.

Which is only right and proper.

 

[canuckblue]

An honest tackle, with players getting up, dusting themselves down and just getting on with the game, is something I'd like to see again. Nothing malicious, just a good hard tackle without the histrionics.

 

[zukai12_]

Sincere question: Do supporters of other teams also think Everton are too nice?

No, Richarlison and now Pickford have bad reputations

Ferguson back in the day too

 

[Amokachi1995]

Dosent always have to be a sly tackle, a simple squirt of water can be enough !!

I enjoyed kev doing that more than I should have. Just the snidey petulance of it all.

 

[mmmmsnouts]

Snide is one thing. Diving is quite another.

I genuinely think one big reason footy took so long to gain traction in America was because of all the play acting and diving. Before USA 94 the only games we got were World Cup matches or Spanish-language channels showing Liga MX, where the dark arts were on full display. If we had all been brought up on the Football League of old, with thumping meaty tackles and very little theatrics, I bet it would have caught on faster here.

 

[tommytowne]

Franny Lee and Norman Hunter. Give me that any day.

 

[deipnosophist]

I was just about to ask @deipnosophist to fetch me my jug of custard

Given your hankerings toward the 'Fit Birds' thread, I imagine you'll be wanting Bird's custard?

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

Gerrard used to walk round v us like the daddy.
Untouchable, that's why he done well v us.
Why after his 1st appearance he wasn't put in his place I don't and still scratch me head thinking why.
Even methadone boy v Davies laughing in his face recently.
I'm predicting the rs teo.wing backs will besides in the next derby and our boys will sit back and give them there dinner money.
Seen it recently, James knocked pillar to post ,not a murmur from his mates.

 

[PaulPowersTash]

The game has moved from the Norman Hunter, Billy Bremner, Chopper Harris, Jim Holton days and
that's for the better. However, it has been taken to the other extreme by cheats like Salah & Mane
and that's exactly what they are: cheats. It's not 'simulation' (Jesus I hate that word!) it's 100% cheating.
There needs to be some middle ground. Without sounding like an old fart (which I do) even in the 70's
you had football artisits such as Rodney Marsh, George Best, Alan Hudson, Tony Currie and a very long list
of others so it wasn't all cloggers and hoofers. Today, football is a contact sport unless the attacker is in
the penalty box, then it is most definately a non-contact sport. That just seems weird somehow. It also
seems its just the PL where this is the case in England. In the lower divisions, from what I've seen lately it's
how it should be so it can happen.

 

[PaddyJames]

Tackling Hard - Yes

Cheating - No

 

[wandyr79]

It is a contact sport so there is going to be contact so a bit of aggressive play is always OK in my books.

However, as mentioned in the OP, it can depend on who is giving it out, during the game. I have always said you cannot be a true fan of a football club without being hypocritical, it is part and parcel of the game. For example, Newcastle's treatment of James was not acceptable but in truth it was borderline whether they went into the territory of dirty or not.

It is a fine line but nobody here can say that they don't like a full blooded challenge, if they have control of themselves and are honestly going for the ball then it is 100% fine, now and again the opponent will get unlucky and have their leg in the wrong position but if the intent was to win the ball then no problems here.