by BlueinBosnia » Sun Apr 23, 2023 8:35 am
If we were talking about the game as it was 10-15 years ago, I'd say yes. Nowadays, with VAR interventions for the tiniest thing, no. A foul is a foul, and going down draws the ref's attention to it, and gets the VAR replay, which leads to a decision about whether something is a legit foul or simulation.
The fact that we haven't featured in any 'top divers' stats/articles (as teams or individual players) in spite of consistently being among the most-fouled teams (although possession has a lot to do with that stat) shows we're not faking it.
It's also become a legit tactic in slowing down a game's tempo. Although I'm not in favour of it, that's what the powers-that-be have turned the game into.
"Ferguson. Žvaka kurac."
(Ferguson. Chewing-gum cock.)
Old man in a bar in rural Bosnia.