The Rooney Dive and was it a penalty?

Last night's was a tricky one.

"Absolutely no contact - it was a dive" is one way of looking at it but is it reasonable to do so?

The goalie came steaming out, dived in at full pelt and Rooney jumped over him and went down but what else was he supposed to do? He could have tried to stay on his feet, I suppose, but chose not to - if he did make that choice and it wasn't a natural result of avoiding the challenge, that is.

Do we expect players to actually not try to avoid a clobbering thus risking injury to themselves before we give them a free kick or penalty? Surely that's plain daft.

This all boils down to how the incident is perceived by the individual. I can see why some might insist that Rooney dived, and I suppose he did, but I don't think it is one of those farcical dives, cheating or an attempt to con the ref; I think it was just how he avoided the challenge.

And I think it was definitely a penalty if not for an actual foul on Rooney then for reckless play by the goalie.

Penalty on the basis that if he had kept both feet on the floor he'd now be out for 6 months. The goalie was not in control at all.

Yeah I also think it was a pen. People would moan for his stamp if he had made contact but then they're the sort who do it because it's United, not because of anything else.

Echo the above sentiments.

Penalty. It was a choice between hurdling the challenge or risk getting taken out.

Wouldn't have been a penalty at the other end.

Greenskin wrote:

Wouldn't have been a penalty at the other end.

Course not because De Gea is far too intelligent to hurtle himself in like a mad man in the way the Preston keeper did.

Josh Pope wrote:

Greenskin wrote:

Wouldn't have been a penalty at the other end.

Course not because De Gea is far too intelligent to hurtle himself in like a mad man in the way the Preston keeper did.

Ah,the innocence of youth.

Definite penalty, there doesn't have to be physical contact for a direct free kick to be awarded

Did I see he has apologised for diving?

Any deliberate dive is an attempt to con the referee.

If he has he should have the England captaincy removed. Diving along with all the holding / wrestling that goes on at corners etc. is a stain on football.

Yes he did apologise, but i think the dive was more to avoid injury, the way that keeper whacked into him was a potential leg breaker, but a direct free kick can be awarded just for the intent.
I do agree with you on all that pushing and shirt pulling, how was that allowed to creep in, I would have thought refs could have sorted that out quite easily by awarding a few penalties/sendings of etc