Daniel James - Premier League's new whipping boy?

[Fortitude]

Once in a while a rapid and/or skilful player comes along that teams resort to hacking down or rough-housing to take out of the game, all the while, the foul play against him is downright ridiculous.

I see James being called a faker, a ham actor and all sorts of, frankly, unfair things - the lad is getting smashed out there a lot of the time and nothing is being done about it.

Zaha had to have a proper strop about the treatment he was receiving before the refs started protecting him; is Ole or James himself going to have to the same before the kid is on the receiving end of a proper injury that keeps him out for a prolonged period of time?

Alternatively, do you think the kid is soft and hamming it up?

 

[Sandikan]

If Fergie was still managing us, he'd have made a massive thing of it, and the refs would automatically have picked up on it.
Ole isn't quite that cute yet.

A couple of bookings for "diving" which were a bit debateable seem to have made people's minds up.

Luckily he seems a very brave game lad, and isn't put off sprinting to breaking balls, knowing some 13 stone goon is trying to smash him.

 

[Handsome Devil]

Yeah, that was vicious out there today, more like American football or ice hockey.

 

[Pexbo]

He’s getting knocked all over the shop. When he really gets going he’s travelling at about 70mph so it’s virtually impossible to stay up when someone clips you.

The most encouraging thing though is that he never stops trying, he’ll get absolutely smashed and then two minutes later he’s running head on at the same massive bastard that just cheap shotted him determined to make a tit out of him.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

He was ducking and stepping out of challenges in his first few games, and getting criticism. A couple of those looked like they were dives and he instantly got a rep.

Now he's taking hits head-on and still getting nothing. The lad is going to have to get a broken leg before he gets a bit of protection.

 

[Samid]

Thanks to Ryan Giggs.

 

[imamuppet]

He’s getting knocked all over the shop. When he really gets going he’s travelling at about 70mph so it’s virtually impossible to stay up when someone clips you.

The most encouraging thing though is that he never stops trying, he’ll get absolutely smashed and then two minutes later he’s running head on at the same massive bastard that just cheap shotted him determined to make a tit out of him.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Giggs' comments didn't help at all. Carragher trying to paint the narrative that he's a faker today too, kept pointing out that he was looking up after he went down like every other player would stare at the ground or something.

 

[Mcking]

Well, when you keep running without looking, you are going to jam a wall at some point...

 

[Bastian]

He got smashed once by van Dijk and twice by Fabinho. But why did our players carry on playing when he was clearly needing treatment?

Maybe if he had arrived with some huge reputation ref's would be wise to this, but he's had a rough ride so far. The two cautions he's received were absolutely criminal.

 

[TheReligion]

No one can handle him. He scares them. See Ronaldo.

 

[Santoryo]

Doesn't help also when Giggs opens his mouth and chat nonsense.

 

[WR10]

To me, it just looks like a human body flinging itself at absurd speeds at other, immobile, harder objects. Over and over again.

He hasn't quite figured out how to protect himself as Ronaldo did in his early years.

 

[Jev]

He hasn't helped himself with a few dives but today Liverpool were downright assaulting him at times. I liked how he just took it, shook it off and kept running at them. He's a keeper, this lad.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

What did Giggs say about him? I've seen his name mentioned a lot regarding James today.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Giggs' comments didn't help at all. Carragher trying to paint the narrative that he's a faker today too, kept pointing out that he was looking up after he went down like every other player would stare at the ground or something.

His comments helped him being able to play the game today, he had to play down the potential concussion.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

What did Giggs say about him? I've seen his name mentioned a lot regarding James today.

It appeared that James was knocked out cold in Wales' game against Croatia. Giggs said after the game that Dan had just been acting.

 

[Handré1990]

He maybe dived once, for all of you trying so hard to be objective, saying a couple. Look back at the replays, one time he went down without contact, and even then he looked surprised because he expected to get hit.

Today, and a couple of other games he’s been absolutely manhandled.

 

[Santoryo]

He hasn't helped himself with a few dives but today Liverpool were downright assaulting him at times. I liked how he just took it, shook it off and kept running at them. He's a keeper, this lad.

Could you please list them?

 

[Havak]

He keeps getting back up. Happy for him to do so, but hopefully a cheeky comment is mentioned by Ole in the next presser just to plant it in the officials minds.

 

[Jev]

Could you please list them?

Don't think I need to. He's been booked twice for diving, I don't think it's outrageous to suggest he's made a meal of it a few times.

 

[Bobski]

Makes me realize how rarely Giggs was hit hard in a match, was such a beautifully balanced mover that he always avoided the tackler, also why he won so few pens over the years.

 

[cyberman]

Neville saying he was just too small was ridiculous. If Silva got those slaps today there wouldn't be any mention of size.

 

[dev1l]

Don't think I need to. He's been booked twice for diving, I don't think it's outrageous to suggest he's made a meal of it a few times.

TV footage showed that he was fouled in both occasions (when he was booked for diving).

 

[Art Vandelay]

His comments helped him being able to play the game today, he had to play down the potential concussion.

Not really, if he's medically cleared then he's medically cleared. His manager doesn't have to justify that to the media.

 

[friendlytramp]

He can handle it. Strength of character

 

[Terminator]

Don't think I need to. He's been booked twice for diving, I don't think it's outrageous to suggest he's made a meal of it a few times.

One of the yellow for diving was actually a proper hard kick to the shin by the opposition.

 

[horsechoker]

It's a man's game!

 

[Superunknown]

I did notice that he took a fair few hits today. It's that typical thing which some teams do. They figure out who is the most dangerous player on the opposition team and try to get into their heads early on, to make them lose confidence and become a bit scared when they do have the ball. These types of players do need more protection from referees or at least the offenders should get cards when they do deliberately go out to hurt players in this way.

I don't think size has anything to do with it. It's not really about James taking the hits, it's the fact that's he's targeted in the first place purely for the reason that he's one of our better players. I understand why teams do it, but I don't agree with it.

 

[RUCK4444]

He’s getting knocked all over the shop. When he really gets going he’s travelling at about 70mph so it’s virtually impossible to stay up when someone clips you.

The most encouraging thing though is that he never stops trying, he’ll get absolutely smashed and then two minutes later he’s running head on at the same massive bastard that just cheap shotted him determined to make a tit out of him.

I love this about him, what an awesome signing he’s been.

Can you imagine how bad the start of this season would have been without him.

He always gives 100%, top lad, and he’s Welsh so I’m biased anyway

 

[Cliche Guevara]

Fabinho totally wiped him out. Someone should have crocked that cnut in revenge.

This club needs players with balls again.

There’s no doubt James needs protection and those two yellow cards for diving were disgusting. The second one in particular was absolute cowardice from a complete sheep of a referee.

 

[Prometheus]

Hazard anyone? He was never protected by the refs and he still tore the league up. James will be fine as long as they don't succeed scaring him off.

 

[kouroux]

Fabinho totally wiped him out. Someone should have crocked that cnut in revenge.

This club needs players with balls again.

There’s no doubt James needs protection and those two yellow cards for diving were disgusting. The second one in particular was absolute cowardice from a complete sheep of a referee.

Not more so than Atkinso who did feck all before the Liverpool players kicked the ball out of play, regarding James' safety. It was a disgrace from the referee again

 

[RUCK4444]

Fabinho totally wiped him out. Someone should have crocked that cnut in revenge.

This club needs players with balls again.

There’s no doubt James needs protection and those two yellow cards for diving were disgusting. The second one in particular was absolute cowardice from a complete sheep of a referee.

This. One of the traits I hate most about this squad is the lack of proper character's and leaders.

Keano for example would never let this kid be bullied like he has been. We need a bit of that back again.

 

[Cliche Guevara]

Hazard anyone? He was never protected by the refs and he still tore the league up. James will be fine as long as they don't succeed scaring him off.

Are you having a laugh? Are you forgetting the infamous next player that fouls Hazard is getting a yellow card game against United? Where the feck did the referee pull that shite from?

Hazard used to fall over and get free-kicks constantly.

 

[SirReginald]

Are you having a laugh? Are you forgetting the infamous next player that fouls Hazard is getting a yellow card game against United? Where the feck did the referee pull that shite from?

Hazard used to fall over and get free-kicks constantly.

Guess it's gone completely over your head that Herrera and co took turns fouling him in almost all mourinhos games against chelsea then.

Hazard is not a diver, he regularly finished a game with ripped socks and cuts all over his ankles but if that's diving.

 

[RUCK4444]

Hazard anyone? He was never protected by the refs and he still tore the league up. James will be fine as long as they don't succeed scaring him off.

It’s funny how people’s perceive things differently.

I always thought Hazard was always the most protected player in the league.

He was incredible at positioning himself to win free kicks but at the same time the refs almost seemed to put the whistle in their mouths the moment anybody got within five yards of him.

I’m not sure about the stats but I would hazard a guess (no pun intended) that he won more free kicks than anybody during his time in the premier league.

 

[Kostur]

He's just got a very small frame, weight and height wise. It's easy to damage him, just like today by van Dick and Fabinho. Both accidental I thought but still could quite easily concussed given the momentum.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Don't think I need to. He's been booked twice for diving, I don't think it's outrageous to suggest he's made a meal of it a few times.

One of those wasn't a dive.

 

[Bratt]

Don't think I need to. He's been booked twice for diving, I don't think it's outrageous to suggest he's made a meal of it a few times.

One of those wasn't a dive.

None of them were.
One was a clear foul. The other one wasn’t, but still not a dive.