[Shadowthrone]

Yea tell me about it Macros, Man U were static throughout. What was with Ronaldo going off without a sub even. What a cunt!

[polishgenius]

He was injured. He went off. I honestly don't see the fuss. He maybe could have handled it with a little less in the way of 'look at me, look at me', but then making a big deal of it validates it. In his little world where he's the most important thing anyway.

[Shadowthrone]

Every other player on the planet would wait for a sub and go off normally. Its just another wierd thing Ronaldo has done this season. Makes me think that he isn't very happy at United and is trying to show it but it might just be he is being a little shit.

[caladanbrood]

Eurosport Early Doors said:

Cristiano Ronaldo cranked the prima-donna-o-meter up to 11 during Manchester United's game against Sunderland on Saturday.

Recently, Ronaldo has spent more time grimacing melodramatically with his face pressed to the floor than Stone Cold Steve Austin, so it was little surprise to see him clutching his hip in agony after a tackle.

He got to his feet and played on, but then decided it was all too much and flounced off in spectacularly 'look at me' fashion.

Ronaldo received possession and started to run but then stopped, knocked the ball out for a throw, walked off the pitch and down the tunnel.

No words, no warning and no signal to the United bench, who were forced to rustle up a Ryan Giggs in double-quick time. And persuading a 35-year-old to relinquish his hot-water bottle and strip for action on a cold evening can take a while.

As the tunnel at Old Trafford is in the corner, Ronaldo's refusal to go to the dug-out was even more flagrant. It was an act that said 'I know best, and I've had enough'.

United fans should be concerned. Last season, he worked his backside off for 90 minutes every week and consequently won several games through his sheer force of personality.

A scrappy 1-0 at Derby in March springs to ED's mind and, without going to the effort of doing any research, there were definitely others.

This time United's best player abandoned them with 25 minutes to go in a game that was still goalless.

It will surprise nobody to learn that Early Doors is not a doctor and has not examined Ronaldo's hip in the last 36 hours, so it obviously has no idea whether he was actually injured or not.

But needless to say there are ways of doing things, and stopping play to remove yourself from the game isn't really cricket. Early Doors is just surprised he didn't pick up the ball and take it away with him.

A day later he appeared on French TV, sporting a sharp suit and enough hair gel to constitute a very real fire hazard. He was in Paris to do what he enjoys most - pick up individual awards for stuff he did 10 months ago.

Alex Ferguson has obviously decided the only way to keep Ronaldo at Old Trafford is to stroke the winger's ego like a Bond villain with his cat.

If Ronaldo's ego were a person, it would be the enormously fat bloke from the Monty Python sketch who has eaten to the point where he is physically incapable of consuming any more.

Ronaldo has gorged himself on compliments and his ego is dangerously inflated - Fergie's next sycophantic remark could be the wafer-thin mint that causes him to explode, spattering the Old Trafford dressing room with fake tan, supremely-talented entrails and shreds of 'CR7'-branded clothing.

"Of course he can win [the Ballon d'Or] again. He's only starting his career. We expect, and I think Cristiano also expects, him to improve."

Careful Fergie, he's probably had enough.

"I think that when a player gets to 26 that's when they begin to mature so these next three or four years for Cristiano will prove my point. He'll win more and I hope he'll win them at Manchester United."

Come on, now - he's blown up like a balloon!

"Everyone at the club is delighted to see him get this prize because it represents the best award you can get as a footballer, this individual prize."

Close your mouth, Fletch, this could get messy...

"He really deserved it when you look at what he did this year, 42 goals from a wing position is amazing. It's a long time, 40 years, since (George) Best got it so I'm delighted that we have another prestigious moment."

Look out, he's going to blow!

"It's also part of the legend of Cristiano Ronaldo."

BOOOOOOMMM!!!

[polishgenius]

Shadowthrone, on Dec 8 2008, 05:40 AM, said:

Makes me think that he isn't very happy at United and is trying to show it but it might just be he is being a little shit.

I honestly don't know which I'd prefer. My entire basis for not wanting him out there and then when he said he'd rather be at Madrid was that he's not the type of player who'll lower his game just to force a move, but he's been back from the injury for a while now and he still doesn't seem to be putting the effort in. I'd almost rather we sold him and bought someone like Ribery or even Arshavin, unproven as he is. Certainly if he doesn't pick up soon he'll have to go in the summer, we can't be doing with that sort of behaviour wrecking the team spirit (he seems to think he's Cantona, but he'll never have what Cantona had by way of charisma).
On the other hand he's had brain-melts like this before and it could just be that, if he sorts it out he'll be unstoppable, again.

[Macros]

phew, go on the hammers!!!

[mocker]

i love west ham

that draw leaves liverpool top which is good, but carlton cole missed a sitter which is bad (as i had to play him in fantasy league this week, boo)

[Dancer+]

It's incredibly interesting that the top four all failed to win again. I wonder when this all is going to stop and one team clearly pulls ahead, it's hard to see it happening at the moment. All of the top four look like they are able to start a hugely promising run of victories but none of them actually look infallable like Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea have all done at different times in recent seasons so, basically, it's really hard to predict how this season will turn out.

I know one thing Liverpool will really be kicking themselves for the missed opportunities.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

I think this Sunday's game is a crucial one for Liverpool. Even as an Arsenal fan, I accept we're pretty much out of it, but the Arsenal management/playing staff know that a win brings them back within 5 points, which is a slim enough gap to kid themselves a while longer. For liverpool, dropping those 3 points to a rival at this stage would be psychological suicide. All of a sudden Chelsea and Manure would likely overtake them, Arsenal and Villa would be breathing down their necks and they'd have the knowledge of being on an awful run and throwing away a real chance to have the league pretty much sewn up. That combined with Torres' injuries and Keane's rubbishness means they'd struggle mentally to start winning again. I think they will win though, Arsenal are just so piss poor atm that a draw is teh best they could manage.

[mocker]

unless Van Persie is allowed to be a yard offside again to score

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Or Arsenal dont score another own goal for the other team. OR the other team actually get their captain sent off for an horrific two footed lunge...

[Bhurnae]

Crazy.......Newcastle win 2 games and are now mid table

[Macros]

another fucking slip up on liverpools part. arse down to ten men and liverpool folded. typical and oppourtunity to really capitalise and secure christmas numberr one. assholes.

happy to see keano scoring though, and what a goal!

[Sir Thursday]

I managed to catch the Arsenal - Aston Villa game last night (ironically, being in Thailand allows me to see far more live football than living in the UK), and it was a belter. Villa dominated the first half - they hit the woodwork 3 times, had the ball cleared off the line, and generally looked very menacing. Denilson's goal was completely against the run of play, based on which I would have said 2-0 Villa was a more accurate reflection than 1-0 Arsenal. Arsenal actually had some pressure after their second goal, but eventually Villa started after them again and the last 20 minutes was Villa getting down the flanks and sending cross after cross into the Arsenal box. In the end, they didn't get the goals from those though. The penalty was probably less certain than it looked at first glance - I couldn't actually see any contact between Agbonlahor and the defender (I think it was Gallas). And a nice late goal to finish, which was no less than Villa deserved.

Have to say, I know people have been disparaging about the Arsenal defence recently, but I thought they actually looked pretty good. Sagna, in particular, had an outstanding game. He cleared off the line in the first half, and then dealt very well with the Villa pressure down his flank in the second half.

In any case, I'm now very positive about Villa's chances of getting a CL place, especially if they can maintain this form into next year.


Sir Thursday

[HoosierDaddy]

I've been without my "soccer" channel... how the hell are Fulham top 8? BTW, yeah Villa did look good 'gainst Arsenal.

This post has been edited by HoosierDaddy: 27 December 2008 - 07:27 AM

[Sir Thursday]

HoosierDaddy, on Dec 27 2008, 02:26 PM, said:

I've been without my "soccer" channel... how the hell are Fulham top 8? BTW, yeah Villa did look good 'gainst Arsenal.

Fulham are unbeaten in 8 games (they haven't lost since 1st November), mainly on the back of their defence kicking into gear. Conceding only one goal in six is pretty impressive, particularly given that includes a clean sheet against Liverpool.

I'm liking this, as I have Schwarzer as my goalkeeper in the Fantasy League .


Sir Thursday

[Macros]

so we're settled at the top still, less breathing space than I would like, but if liverpool keep playing like they did yesterday, and keane keeps this apparent burst of goalscoring form running, I can't see us slipping yet.
the scum have two games in hand but unless they score an obscene amount of goals they can't take second.
Loving villas position, would rather it was at manures expense but we can't have everything

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Arsenal's defence makes me want to weep. Why the fuck did Gallas slide? There was just no need - we had two defenders in the box, Agbonlahor would have had to pause to keep the ball in play and Gallas could have caught up then anyway. He was going nowhere!

Denilson is f*cking abysmal too, not ONCE did he bother tracking back properly, the only time he made a tackle was off Reo-Coker to set himself up for the goal. Song is abysmal, Ramsay looked so inexperienced it was comical, Van Persie offered nothing isolated up top - we just looked piss poor in every way, and still managed to fluke two goals. At that point you think the players would realise luck was on their side, and they just had to hold out and defend solidly for a while, but no, they cant manage it, because they suck.

Sagna was the only one that looked good, Diaby had a few decent moments (but looked shit at other times). The squad needs a massive overhaul, we need to buy a new keeper (Almunias positiong is dire, especially from crosses), at least one centre back, 2 CMs, and a winger, and with any luck a replacement for Bendtner when we sell him.

5th will be a struggle.

[polishgenius]

Sagna is awesome.


Anyway, Newcastle suck but Given rocks, and Arsenal should really buy him if they can.

[Sir Thursday]

Well well well, Fulham really are playing incredibly well at the moment - a draw against Chelsea now! Liverpool will be thanking them this evening...


Sir Thursday