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CHEAT OF THE WEEK 6-12-07
Peter Owen
This week's Cheat of the Week feature will start with some correspondence we received regarding last week's article.
David Kirby wrote to tell us:
You forgot the West Ham goalkeeper Green for his blatant foul on Keane. Other than
that I thought you did well although Davies ranks above Bentley from my perspective.
Hiya Dave
Please read my summing up in last week's feature regarding Keane's eyes.
The referee's clinical positioning identified everything, which is something that television failed to match.
I have no doubt in my mind that the referee waved play on from within that
directive. That doesn't mean to say Keane wasn't fouled but it does mean that he must closely look at himself and his own actions.
The same goes for other players who may earn a penalty in such a way.
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This week was a bumper week for cheating in the Premier and Champions' Leagues. Here are this week's nominations:
Evra - Manchester United
His dive against Sporting Lisbon tells me the cheats' circus is rolling again.
Mario Melchiot - Wigan
His two-footed lunge at Stephen Ireland earned this cheat a red card.
Mikel Jon Obi - Chelsea
His disgraceful tackle on Scott Parker was most definitely not a one-off.
Pascal Chimbonda - Spurs
This cheat tried to encourage the official to book a fellow professional.
El-Hadji Diouf - Bolton
You are beyond a shadow of a doubt the most disgusting dirty cheater
that English football has ever spat its eyes on.
Peter Crouch - Liverpool
If a breeze blows you over in the box, may I ask how on earth do you stay on your
feet when you walk your dog on a windy day?
Gary McSheffrey - Birmingham
You are another who took advantage on the day - to cheat his way to a canny penalty!
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And so to the panel...
Alistair Griffin
Divers really get my goat. Not since the days of Cousteau, Hans and Lottie Hass and the British high board team has there been such a proliferation.
That aside, and with Billy and Nani safe, my inaugural vote is for El-Hadji Diouf for his ludicrous challenge on Arbeloa. The only challenge more cynical this week came from John Darwin's harbour master looking for unpaid mooring fees. Diouf it is.
Graham Frankland
As an ex referee, one of the things that really got on my tits was players telling you how to do your job. My god they could all referee a game of football with their eyes shut! Now where's that sarcasm smiley when you need it?
So it will come as no surprise that my Cheat of the Week is Pascal Chimbonda for putting more effort into encouraging the referee to book a fellow professional than he did in preventing Spurs' comical defence from conceding three goals against a rampant Birmingham City...ahem.
Despicable behaviour Mr Chimbonda for which you are suitably rewarded.
Simon Dixon
Well, we're spoiled for choice this week. It's almost a case of too much choice really as no one incident stands out for me.
I'm almost tempted to go for Diouf ('Where's your Fat Sam gone?") simply because he's on the list and he's the worst example of an habitual cheat I think I've seen in the last few years.
However, I think I'm going to vote for Mikel Jon Obi.
Scott Parker admitted he was shocked by the severity of the challenge. Meanwhile we were all shocked by the fact that Obi only received a yellow card.
There's no place for that kind of challenge in the game.
No doubt Obi will get away scott-free because a) it's Chelsea and b) the FA have no backbone (you can almost hear them now: "Obi was punished during the match and the incident therefore cannot be reviewed").
Jeff Winter
Well he's back! Despite the growing reputation of Mikel Jon Obi as a bit of a head banger, Diouf, the king of cheats is back!
Sam Allardyce once banned me from the Reebok for describing his player as despicable. He even threatened me with legal action for tarnishing the reputation of the man. YEAH RIGHT!!!
Sooner or later someone is going to do this obnoxious individual and I just wish I was the ref who did not see it.
Some challenges are mis-timed and look worse than they are. Not this one. Diouf went out to do his opponent in my opinion. Why won't the spineless authorities take action against this animal before he ends someone's career?
And so this week's winner is Diouf.
The incident concerning Roy Keane was more like a script from Dad's Army because
football is riddled with an incompetence that embarrasses the human brain.
Keane's over enthusiastic tackle earned him a red card yet Diouf's career threatening act of violent intent merely earned him a mellow-yellow.
Mistakes are part of our daily lives because we are human beings. However, if
one shies away from redressing the expected then you are totally incompetent.
The late and great Sir Alf Ramsey said the Argentineans behaved like animals in the
1966 World Cup. However, they were merely Toy Poodles when compared to Spit the Dog.
The concern for the welfare of every player is paramount in the minds of all those who contribute to this feature of fair and care play. We will never move these goal posts.
Therefore, we are just pleased that Alvaro Arbeloa of Liverpool was not seriously
hurt. Melchiot's sending off was justifiable and thankfully Stephen Ireland is also okay.
Chimbonda of Spurs stands guilty of entering snakes' territory because to encourage any official to book a fellow player is as low as one can stoop.
Evra of Manchester United took a dive on camera and the referee should have smacked his bum!
Football is not a game of handbags. This has been proven millions of times over by
the hard men of yesteryear, whose generations pioneered the beautiful game.
Arsene Wenger's recent call for managers and players to show more respect for the
game's officials must have come from his nose instead of his mouth.
He will be telling us next that the Pope is playing Pinocchio in Panto at the Emirates.
Joking aside, his belated words are of worthy tribute and we shall see if others have the balls to stand up and give respect a kick in the same direction.
We promote honesty and relegate cheats, which is why we sit at the top of the table.
However, this feature is your ball. If you agree of disagree with our expert
panellists' points of view then please tell them so.
Cheat Of The Week is published weekly. No bullshit. No more cheating. Enough is enough. Contact us here with your nominations for Cheat of the Week.
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