Let’s bring in Scots-style review panel

There is nothing more infuri- ating for a defender when you’ve not caught an opponent but he still goes over and the referee is not smart enough to spot it. You are incensed.

Players have always dived but they are becoming cleverer now. Attackers try to win a penalty by planting their foot or leg so the defender has to run into it.

When I was playing I’d always be doubly careful when facing someone known for winning fouls. Usually it was players with really good pace, able to tempt in a defender then tap the ball away at the last second to draw the foul.

Defenders are aware of opponents who are particularly good at winning fouls — and if they’re not, they should be. If you’re up against this type of player you must be cautious.

Look at Jamie Vardy last season, he won seven penalties for Leicester City on the way to winning the title.

ryan Fraser at Bournemouth this season has won five, the most in the Premier League. Andy Johnson once won eight in a season at Crystal Palace.

I’m not suggesting these players dive for every one but if you’re playing against a player with statistics like that you need to be careful. The only way a defender can deal with it is to pull back, but then they risk the player getting through on goal.

everything favours the striker. The punishment is not great enough for the offender. They might get a yellow card, but that’s it.

Scottish football is taking the lead here. A couple of weeks ago, ross County striker Alex Schalk won a late penalty against Celtic with a blatant dive.

After the match the authorities took retrospective action and banned Schalk for two matches. It is the standard punishment there. I think that’s beautiful.

english football must take more action. If you dive, simulate, become a serial offender, it must be dealt with retrospectively.

There should be an independent FA panel sitting each week to judge controversial penalty decisions, deciding if it was simulation or not.

If found guilty, ban the offender for one game the first time, then impose a longer ban each time they offend. It is cheating.