Something has been bothering me a little since the back end of last season and the title of the article sums it up really.
Two years ago and at the start of last season, Jamie Vardy won us penalties by bursting past defenders and being cropped either purposely or with a defender being simply too slow to get to the ball and taking him out accidentally. If they took a swipe and missed, or he cut across them and they pulled out of the challenge he'd continue to burst forward and either score or have a good chance (review goals/penalties from earlier last season and prior - goals where he doesn't even consider going down or manipulating contact/penalties have clear contact or at worst, he's knocking the ball past defenders and is being hindered in his progression by avoiding challenges)
Gradually throughout the season this changed and it is at the stage; where like in Coopenhagen, he tries to run across the defender and stutter and trip (often with no or such minimal contact that he does well to avoid yellow cards - refs and lack of carding for diving is another thread)
Some may argue this is just initiating contact and it's the defenders problem for being too slow.
But does any other Leicester fans feel a little uncomfortable with it/have too noticed a definite change in how he gets them and perhaps mos importantly, wonder whether if he just keeps going/is stronger would have simple chances at goal/opportunities for an assist?
I think it is wrong that the media, and therefore opposition fans who blindly follow their spoutings, suggest he has always done this but, as mentioned, I am positive it has changed over the last year in terms of his mentality towards them (from it being a consequence of being too quick previously to now categorically looking for them)
Obviously opposition fans are welcome to comment but it would be a bit superfluous to comment saying 'he dives and I don't like it' as an opposing supporter
Please don't take this as Vardy bashing - I am one of his biggest fans and have stuck by him from the beginning - it's as such a huge supporter of his i feel uncomfortable with it.
Jamie Vardy Aquatics
posted on 5/11/16
A lot of strikers actually struggle to score one on ones because when they have too much time to think about it they bottle it. Kane is a classic example of that, he very very rarely scores one on ones.
In my opinion Vardy is one of the best in the league, if not the best in the league in one on one situations. I honestly can't think of anyone who has scored more.
posted on 5/11/16
Concentrate on scoring and not diving then!!' 😡
I kid 😊
posted on 5/11/16
I don't recall him diving or looking for penalties this season and I don't remember any contentious decisions?
I really don't know which incidents you're referring to?
posted on 5/11/16
As I said, I was being light-hearted.
But to riposte, he dived against Copenhagen.
posted on 5/11/16
I didn't see that incident, obviously missed it somehow.
So is your article based on one dive against Copenhagen or are there other incidents that you're referring to that give you that opinion?
posted on 5/11/16
My article was based on Vardy's time as a whole at Leicester and watching him home and away during this time and my view on penalties awarded/not given and how I feel his attitude or perhaps technique in relation to gaining penalties has changed.
Although I did try to explain this, I'm no professional writer by any means so I appreciate that maybe it may have somehow just come across like I was talking about an isolated incident - if this is the case, I confirm it wasn't my intention.
posted on 5/11/16
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 5/11/16
In a thread about diving no mention of Morgan getting booked when the Copenhagen player made a clear and deliberate dive?
I personally think Vardy plays a fine line but if he's in front of the player and gets touched, it's a foul.
posted on 5/11/16
comment by Keep_the_faith1 (U8129)
posted 29 minutes ago
My article was based on Vardy's time as a whole at Leicester and watching him home and away during this time and my view on penalties awarded/not given and how I feel his attitude or perhaps technique in relation to gaining penalties has changed.
Although I did try to explain this, I'm no professional writer by any means so I appreciate that maybe it may have somehow just come across like I was talking about an isolated incident - if this is the case, I confirm it wasn't my intention.
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Sorry yeah I did read it like you were referring to incidents this season so my mistake.
I don't think much has changed though since the Championship. I suppose he probably won more through pace back then because the defenders were slower.
Now that he's facing better opposition maybe he's having to find new ways of winning penalties so you're probably right.
I wish I'd seen the incident against Copenhagen so I could comment but in general he doesn't go down without contact, initiated or not. If he starts diving I'll have a problem but I don't have an issue with him drawing fouls.
posted on 5/11/16
The thing about doing "a Vardy" (ie racing in front of someone and getting tripped) is it's very much a grey area. You are allowed to get in front of someone and shield the ball, and then if someone runs through you, it's a foul. But, on the other hand, if you just run into someone's path, it's obstruction. So at some point the referee has to judge between the two, and as far as I know it's not clear. Most of the time I've seen Vardy do this I've thought it was a foul. Occasionally however (like against West Ham) I think he is the fouler.
Vardy's problem is that he's done it so often and, with that notoriety - and particularly the infamous Jon Moss decision to give him a second yellow for it - referees will be reluctant to give it precisely because it's controversial and arguably outside the spirit of the rules. If he wants to continue doing it, he's going to have to make it clear that he's got well in front of the defender before getting clattered.