First of all, let's get one thing straight. I am an Arsenal Season Ticket Holder. I try and make it to as many home games as I can. I could have had a ticket to watch the biggest FA Cup fixture ever last night but I had to go to my job this morning so decided against it. Arsenal played brilliantly and, I thought, thoroughly deserved to be the team to go through to the FA Cup Semi-Final at Wembley. This isn't about that. This isn't even about Danny Welbeck and his match-winning goal on his return to Old Trafford.
No, what this is about is the loathing I have in my bones for people who cheat at professional sports. I have no love for Lance Armstrong, Dwain Chambers and Tyson Gay. None whatsoever. They should be ashamed of what they have done and the damage they have done to their respective sports. You want my opinion on them? Lifetime bans. You want to cheat? You should pay the ultimate price. That should be the punishment. No grey areas.
This is pretty much the same attitude I have for football players who dive. Now, there are those who will point to the 2006 Champions League Final when Emmanuel Eboue went down a little too heavily to win the free kick which ultimately gave Arsenal the lead. To them I say, yeah, that annoyed me, but we were always going to score first so leave it out. Last night, I witnessed two horrific actions by Man Utd players trying to con the ref into giving away either a penalty or a free kick.
We are also not talking about kids in their first season in the top flight. Adnan Januzaj was the player touted as being Moyes' saviour last season as he strung together several impressive performances that almost single-handedly kept the Scot in a job. Whilst not a seasoned professional, he should know by now the limits of what he can get away with - and why he should never test them. It was a pathetic attempt by a player who should not have been out of his depth to con the referee. However, whilst Januzaj's dive was blatant and the referee (not often I say this) absolutely correct in his decision to book him, I cannot describe the blood-boiling hatred I now have for Angel Di Maria.
Throughout the years, Arsenal and Man U have had some epic encounters. Pizzagate springs to mind, the 1999 FA Cup Semi as well. So do the many tussles between Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira. Two incredible and iconic captains who remain loved in nearly every section of Old Trafford and the Emirates. I have a lot of respect for Manchester United and the majority of their fans, in the same way I know they have respect for Arsenal. The teams and players have respect for each other. Di Maria showed none of this in his actions last night.
In the 77th minute of an otherwise firm, but calm, match, Di Maria dived, clearly and obviously, in full view of the referee. In accordance with the laws of the game, he was shown a yellow card by Michael Oliver. As Oliver was walking away, the £59.7m Champions League Winning summer signing from Real Madrid inexplicably pulled on the back of his shirt in an attempt to protest his innocence.
Such a show of disrespect to the referee, to his fellow players, to the fans and to the occasion was swiftly met with his second yellow card in 30 seconds and followed by a red card. As the commentator put it, "Michael Oliver took him to one side, composed himself and sent him on his way."
What was going through his head when he grabbed the back of a referee's shirt we may never know, but it was the lack of respect shown that has me spitting mad. Louis van Gaal didn't exactly ingratiate himself to me afterwards either. I get why such a huge signing can't just be benched as a result of one foolish action, but seeing as how poorly he has played this season compared to last, it probably wouldn't hurt the team to have the British record signing staying away for a few games. Me? I'd have sacked him on the spot. He can find another team. If any Arsenal players behaved in that way, I wouldn't care if they came back to score the winner in the Champions League final, I'd never love them.
I hate cheats, they are a cancer for sport. I fully advocate a straight red card for anyone caught diving. Angel Di Maria deserves everything he gets for what he did last night. Him and Januzaj ruined an otherwise epic encounter between two of football's most famous rivals. I say this to LVG, get your house in order. Turns out a £16m invesment in one of England's finest strikers is better than anything you can do. So stop whining, honeymoon is over. Be a man and realise that the whole team needs an overhaul. I'd start with that questionable Argentinian.
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