Should players like Jay Rodriguez stop being 'too honest' if they want to win penalties?

Jay Rodriguez goes down under the challenge of Shkodran Mustafi
West Brom manager Tony Pulis says his player was punished for being 'too honest' at Arsenal on Monday night Credit: reuters

In England, there are a few things which generate almost universal condemnation from football's traditionalists.

Shirt-swapping at half-time, imaginary card-waving and feigning injury are seen as deeply offensive crimes against the sport.

But a handful of events during Arsenal's win over West Brom on Monday night reignited the most English of age-old English footballing debates: is diving the very worst of these offences?

West Brom manager Tony Pulis accused Alexis Sanchez of "cheating" in order to win a free-kick, while at the other end Jay Rodriguez was denied a penalty for being "too honest" after being fouled by Shkodran Mustafi.

Rodriguez had been taken down inside the box by Mustafi, but sprung to his feet immediately before shooting, unsuccessfully, from a tight angle.

"I felt contact," Rodriguez said. "I went down and expected the foul to be given but it wasn't so I got back up. I wasn't injured or hurt. For me it was a penalty."

Tony Pulis at the Emirates
Tony Pulis was incensed at the decision Credit: PA

In English football's moral code, Rodriguez comes out of the incident looking like a saint - and a mistreated one at that. Sanchez is the evil, fraudulent villain.

Ultimately though West Brom did not win a penalty and came away from the game with nothing. Arsenal fans laughed all the way home.

So, what is the right answer here? What should we expect of our footballers? Should Rodriguez have made the most of the incident, flailed his arms in the air and appealed towards referee Bobby Madley for a penalty in order to try and win the game, or was he right to take this very specific moral high ground and get a shot off at goal?

Rodriguez gained no advantage by getting up again: shooting off balance, under pressure and from a tight angle is far, far harder than a shot from a stationary ball, 12 yards from goal.

Jay Rodriguez is fouled by Shkodran Mustafi
Rodriguez takes a tumble after being fouled by Mustafi Credit: Reuters

Nobody would have said the winger was wrong to appeal for a penalty, just as few others would consider Sanchez a cheat for exploiting a situation for the benefit of his team. Players play to win, and given how much scrutiny they face, why not?

The issue here is not, though, one of honesty on the player's part: Rodriguez's reaction should have played no part in Madley's decision.

The International Football Association Board laws of the game for 2017/18 state that advantage "allows play to continue when an offence occurs and the non-offending team will benefit from the advantage and penalises the offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time or within a few seconds."

So Madley should have allowed Rodriguez to play on, seen that the shot he had was not actually a better chance than a penalty would have been, and then awarded a spot-kick when the initial shot was not scored. That he had a shot at all does not necessarily mean he had an advantage.

West Brom's players plead with Bobby Madley after he awarded Arsenal a penalty
West Brom's players plead with Bobby Madley after he awarded Arsenal a penalty Credit: Getty images

The fact that Rodriguez sprung to his feet almost hints to the referee that there was no foul, that he is playing on because he doesn't think he should be given a penalty. It is this 'honesty' that Pulis says cost his team.

But it shouldn't be up to the player to make that call. Rodriguez was unquestionably fouled by Mustafi, and from that moment he effectively earns himself two chances: one after getting back to his feet, and then another from the penalty spot should he miss the first.

It turned out Rodriguez might have been better-served staying on the floor, rolling around, feigning agony and doing everything he could to convince Madley it was a foul, but the referee should have rewarded rather than punished Rodriguez for his honesty.

What do you think? Should Rodriguez have played on or stayed down? Let us know in the comments below.

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