Arsenal: Don’t worry about diving, we aren’t Tottenham

Arsenal had three flops against Huddersfield, and people are, rightfully, unhappy with it. But don’t worry, it’s snuffed out. We aren’t Tottenham.

Arsenal‘s win against Huddersfield had a lot of talking points, but one that is still floating on the surface is the fact that the Gunners were yellow carded three times for simulation. Granit Xhaka (not a known flopper), Shkodran Mustafi (meh, he embellishes on occasion), and Matteo Guendouzi (let’s not make this a habit) were all carded in different situations for rather obvious flops.

In the moment, it was cringeworthy and we moved on, but bigger picture, is this something we need to revisit?

I don’t think so. In fact. I know that it will not become a problem. For a couple of reasons. For starters, Sokratis doesn’t like flopping. He’s as no-nonsense as they come and he wouldn’t let his teammates do that. Same with Lichtsteiner. We have a lot of hard-arses in the team these days.

But that’s not the main reason why. The main reason why is because we aren’t Tottenham, and Unai Emery is not Mauricio Pochettino.

“I don’t want simulation for players. I want more rhythm in the match.”

“Football is about trying to trick your opponent.”

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One of those quotes stands alone as Unai Emery’s. One is one line in a massive speech by Maurico Pochettino. Bet you can’t guess.

Emery categorically cleared the air – he doesn’t want simulation. He was not happy with the three flops, less so since they were punished so harshly, but regardless, simulation is simulation and Emery wants none of it.

Pochettino on the other hand, went in depth about the state of the English game and how he hopes we won’t rip up the roots to install VAR just because we don’t like flopping – all in reaction to a flop by Deli Alli.

Spurs players like Alli and, still fresh in our minds, like Son, are guilty of flopping more than Arsenal players, and when they do, Pochettino is there to point out that it is just “part of the game” and that’s just how it is.

Emery, on the other hand. Doesn’t want simulation, and will take the steps to weed it out of his own players to make the game better overall.

You tell me which one you’d rather have. And while you’re at it, remind me why flopping shouldn’t be weeded out on a bigger scale, VAR or no VAR.