Diving - A Disgrace to Football

I hesitate to take away the stunningly bright light that Lionel Messi has thrust himself into after creating beauty amidst an ugly cloud of controversy, but how can I not, when many Real Madrid and Barcelona's player's were an utter disgrace for much of the game.

The play acting and - well, just plain diving was clear for all to see. Maybe not the referee, who didn't have the benefit of replays, but luckily, or unluckily for us watching at home, we could witness the diving in it's full,  disgraceful, slow motion picture. It is despicable behaviour from grown men who should be setting an example to young footballers with their fair play. What was broadcast all over the world on Wednesday night was not fair play, and it is certainly not something which I want to see future generations of player's participating in.
I noted down several of the incidents that were particularly shameful and abominable excuses for fouls:

•  Sergio Busquets fell down clutching his face in apparent agony. Replays show that he jumped on the back of a Real Madrid player, and jumped back off of him as soon as his hand came anywhere near him. There was absolutely zero contact, yet uproar among protesting Barcelona players.

• Real Madrid defender, Marcelo went down from a foul. It was a foul - his feet had been taken away from him, and it was nothing more than a free-kick - and it was given. Yet rolling around was the added effect and waving his arm in the air to indicate a card to be shown added insult to... "injury".

• Next up was Pedro. He ran into a Real player and fell down, holding his face whereas replays clearly show there was no contact. To carry on the act - or to hide his shame, he needed medics to come on and check on it, whilst pouring water on it. What's worse is that the Barcelona players hounded the referee like hungry dogs as if Pedro had been assaulted.

• Hypocrisy was also rife. Dani Alves - a serial diver if I ever saw one, complained about a foul given against him, claiming that the Madrid attacker went down to easily. Amazing.

• The last two involve Madrid's Pepe. Firstly, he was the perpetrator, jumping - almost flying through the air like a deranged bird after a slight touch from Mascherano. Yes, it was a foul, but there is simply no need for the play acting.

• Finally, the sending off. Dani Alvez was up to his old tricks again, and this time conned the referee into sending Pepe off. It was a high foot from Pepe, but a yellow card at the worst. However, professional ballet-like pirouettes from the Barcelona defender added to theatrics. Replay's showed that the contact was minimal, and was on his shin pad. Unless his pain thresh-hold is nothing on a scale of 0 - 10, surely he wouldn't have needed a stretcher to take him off the pitch.

I want to know why such talented footballers, who have made it to the top of their games and managed to reach this stage of such a prestigious competition feel the need to cheat. That is what it is - cheating, and it is an absolute disgrace. 

I don't want to draw comparisons, but when Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney swore into the camera, he was banned for a few games. In my opinion, what I saw in the Real Madrid - Barcelona game was just as bad. It is cheating, cheating, cheating. That is what they are doing - cheating. It is infuriating, and it is something that millions of young kids will have watched and thought "I could do that", or "they did it, so I can". Many of the principles that were broken by Rooney swearing into a camera were broken in this game, with an awful, explicable example being set to young, aspiring footballers. 

The game was ruined by all of the controversies, sending off's and cheating but sprinkled in glory and glamour in the end by a fabulous footballer, and one who does not get involved in all of the blatant deception of the referee. Lionel Messi - a true example of a fair and honest football player, and the best in the world without a doubt. Some of those cheating divers should take a leaf out of Messi's book, and start playing football, letting their skills do the talking. It isn't too much to ask is it?

DBSFootball in association with: http://www.watch-football.tv/football/ - Live Football Streaming.

£16 million man: "Manchester United is the club of my dreams"

Despite being an apparent £16 million target for Liverpool, 20 year-old defensive midfielder Yann M'Vila has revealed his love for club rivals, Manchester United. This may be a big blow for Liverpool, who have reportedly been scouting the Rennes player for a while through their Director of Football Strategy, Damien Comolli, and it perhaps shows a sign of the times at Liverpool. The Mersey side club have dropped out of the top four, haven't won a trophy for a couple of years, and have suffered utter turmoil both on and off the pitch in recent times having trouble with both their owners and managers.

The French player M'Villa, who has been described as a player who possesses "excellent defensive abilities" and "impressive physical strength" said:

"Manchester United is the club of my dreams. It's a very prestigious club and I dream to play for them."

Since losing Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid in 2009, Liverpool have never really replaced him with a quality central midfielder to partner Steven Gerrard, who can create for the attack, whilst holding the team together in the middle of the park. They tried with Alberto Aquilani - look where that ended up. Raul Meireles hasn't had an immediate impact on Liverpool, and doesn't look as if he has the authority to command the midfield like Alonso used to. M'Villa would certainly add to the squad at Liverpool.

Manchester United on the other hand, have not been linked to the player as heavily as Liverpool have, but will soon be looking for some midfielders themselves as Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will be looking towards retirement in the near future. The problem with transfers at United is mainly about both the price, and the preference of the player. If the player wants to join you, you have a great chance of signing him, but if you are in hundreds of millions of pounds of debt... well there lies the problem.

United have been linked to Belgian central midfielder Steven Defour, as well as German play maker Bastien Schweinsteiger for the central position, while players such as Michel Bastos and Fabio Coentrao have been tipped to replace Giggs - despite both being defenders.

Liverpool have far bigger problems on the pitch than top of the League, unbeaten Manchester United, but both teams can easily be improved. By who, we will have to find out.

Liverpool Links with Ronaldinho, Ashley Young and Suarez Untrue Says Roy

Transfer rumours have grown over the past few years. They have moved on from things you may hear of various rumours here and there over the course of the season as well as a couple of times during the transfer window, and then the deal is done. They are now fully blown stories on players thinking of moving, agents asking or more money, hinting at a move, players going to leave then deciding against it, with blogs like this one circulating the latest gossip on players moving to what club and for how much, and so on.

But Roy Hodgson has dismissed the latest links to Brazilian Ronaldinho, Aston Villa pacey winger Ashley Young and biting "cheat" Luis Suarez. Hodgson, who has been under big pressure to turn Liverpool into a title challenging team again since taking over as manager, said the following:

"Ronaldinho and Suarez are players who we have never even thought about but I would think there is not a manager in the Premier League who has not given Ashley Young a thought at some stage or another,"

"But giving a player a thought and thinking 'This is a good player' and signing him are two vastly different things.

"I could give you quite a long list of players in the Premier League who I admire and think are very good."

The "list" that Hodgson refers to probably includes every Fulham player that he managed at his time at Craven Cottage. Them, and the recent players linked to a move to Anfield. Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia may be in Hodgson's mind as well as Ryan Shawcross of Stoke City. But lets listen to what Roy ha to say some more:

"But there is no truth in the rumour. If you are asking if there are any negotiations taking place between Aston Villa and Liverpool, then there aren't."

Hodgson is also comfortable with his position at the club due to the new owners and their dedication to the Liverpool cause:

"We have got new owners who are working unbelievably hard and putting in enormous hours at the club, both here physically, as they are at the moment, and even when they are in America spending hours studying games and liaising with us here"

They will all agree then, that Liverpool need to add to their squad in January. Back up players and a new energy is needed in most positions; a partner for Torres and a midfielder with a passing ability, vision and stability like Xabi Alonso who they lost to Madrid and still haven't replaced. In addition to a strong centre back, to fill in for the injured Jamie Carragher while possibly partnering or replacing him in the future.

Hodgson knows additions to his squad must be made, and I am pretty sure he will act on this knowledge, because if Liverpool do not build on their recent current good form, then Hodgson's time could be coming to an end at Liverpool as fans become frustrated with him.