[wbako]

A little bit of background on myself to start: I have played football for 18 years at a varying level, from being a district player in school to a slightly overweight left-back for a struggling sunday league team nowadays. I've mentioned this because I want to make a distinction between the football I play and the farcical scenes we see on our TVs every weekend. I love playing football, and one of the key reasons I enjoy it so much is the competitiveness element; the shoulder-to-shoulders, the hard tackles, the aggression. This also explains why I find myself growing detached from "professional" football. This week we have again seen numerous penalties awarded for incidents where there has been minimal contact, if any at all.

I suppose my main issue is with the ease at which it is to get a free-kick or penalty thesedays. When I play, football is very much a contact sport and I wouldn't have it any other way. However, premiership football can no longer be described as a contact sport in my opinion. Try and remember the last time a genuine shoulder-to-shoulder didn't result in a free-kick for either team. Also, any contact in the penalty area invariably results in a penalty it seems.

It's getting to the stage now where I'm happy enough if I never attend another match again. Seriously.

[WBASPE77]

I would say no, you carnt touch a keeper these days, most times a player goes up with a keeper for th eball, the ref blows for a free kick for the keeper.

[albion59]

it still should be, but sadly not anymore.

[chris-wba]

No its not. You can't touch anyone in professional football anymore without them rolling about on the floor. Suarez is a good example, he's such a cheat. He spends more time on his backside or complaining to the ref than he does playing the game.

How about Dorrans on the weekend? I couldn't believe how adamant they were on match of the day that it was a penalty. As an Albion fan even I will admit that it was a blatant dive. In todays game maybe we were unlucky not to get one.

[dB]

Yes, everywhere but the penalty area.

[wbako]

No its not. You can't touch anyone in professional football anymore without them rolling about on the floor. Suarez is a good example, he's such a cheat. He spends more time on his backside or complaining to the ref than he does playing the game.

How about Dorrans on the weekend? I couldn't believe how adamant they were on match of the day that it was a penalty. As an Albion fan even I will admit that it was a blatant dive. In todays game maybe we were unlucky not to get one.

Agree with ya pal. It was a blatant dive in my opinion. The reactions of the so called pundits on MOTD just show how out of touch the professional game is. I then read Dan Ashworth on twitter saying that anyone who has ever played football knows it was a stonewall penalty. Behave Ashworth. I have played football all my life and would be ashamed if any of my team mates dived like that.

[Quakes Fan]

I think Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo are heroic, to suffer agonising injuries every game and continue playing. And what self-control, never seeking retaliation after yet another near-crippling! They are truly the heroes of our era.

To subject them to even more violence would be inhumane.