Dunphy's "Ronaldo is a disgrace to the game"

Bubs101

Muff_Daddy wrote: »

That's like saying shoplifting adds a massive mental element to going to the supermarket, something a shopkeeper needs to think about when encountering a customer. Diving is con-artistary, and is not a footballing trait in any way, shape or form.

What about actually being able to use your footballing talents, be they technical, physical or creative, to score a goal without having to resort to conning the referee into giving a penalty when there was no contact?

But conning the referee is a talent. A rare one at that. Also, it's not like shoplifting at all. If you go into a Tesco, you can shoplift from them but they can't shoplift from you. On a football pitch both teams can dive and it's not unfair in anyway shape or form. In fact, it's a decent way of levelling the playing field against the big clubs. Andy Johnson for instance is a big offender but his dives have won Everton penalties, penalties which have won them matches and now they are in 5th by 3 points. If they get into the Uefa cup are people gonna say "but it's tainted, they only got the extra points they needed because of dives"? No, nobody will care

Mr Alan

this interview is arrogant, i dont care wat anyone says.

http://www.skysports.com/video/0,20285,12606,00.html

(for some reason the ferdinand one is popping up, link to ronaldo beside it though)

"I didnt score, but its no problem, now I will score in Manchester"
"We played well"
"We created more chances than Barcalona"

and my favourite;

"was it a peno Cristiano?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he touched me. The ref he didnt give the penalty, i dont know why, i dont understand??"

First off;
Its a contact sport!!!!!!! he is allowed "touch" you

second of all, he says he doesnt know why the ref didnt give the peno after saying himself he doesnt even know if it was a peno as he "thinks" he touched him.

For cyring out loud.

This is why the bloke will never get the respect he deserves.

Guy:Incognito

Bubs101 wrote: »

But conning the referee is a talent.

It it ok to con a ref into thinking a player elbowed you in the face to get him sent off?

thebaz

Dunphy is on one of his senationalist missions , boost up the ratings with high dramatics and sensationalism , no Ronaldo is not a great player , Wegner is a clown , the premiership is woefull, the Premiership is brilliant , Wegner is a genius -- hes winding us all up -- and makes great TV , well certainly better than listeniing to Gary Lineker, Gath Crook, george Hamilton, Ray moany houghton etc

kerash

Bubs101 wrote: »

But conning the referee is a talent. A rare one at that. Also, it's not like shoplifting at all. If you go into a Tesco, you can shoplift from them but they can't shoplift from you. On a football pitch both teams can dive and it's not unfair in anyway shape or form. In fact, it's a decent way of levelling the playing field against the big clubs. Andy Johnson for instance is a big offender but his dives have won Everton penalties, penalties which have won them matches and now they are in 5th by 3 points. If they get into the Uefa cup are people gonna say "but it's tainted, they only got the extra points they needed because of dives"? No, nobody will care

Lord, i hope you dont call yourself a sports fan, the point is fair play, your point is best cheater wins. FFS nobody will support blatent cheating in any form, outwit, outplay by all means - but do not condone cheating to win matches please. Refs should take the hard line to cut it out or it'll ruin the true soul of the game.

Also if your going to condone diving, why not say ah sure its ok to break a fellas leg if it puts him outta the game and wins you the match:(

Fanny Cradock

His repeated gesticulations towards the heavens did become very tiresome after a while. At times I thought he was re-enacting the final scene from Platoon. Ah, maybe I'm just bitter from those horrendous Suzuki Swift ads we were subjected to.

Unlike Ronaldo Dunphy was pure entertainment tonight; he was at his hyperbolic best. Take note ITV, that was a world class performance from Eamon.

Bubs101

Stekelly wrote: »

It it ok to con a ref into thinking a player elbowed you in the face to get him sent off?

That's not diving, that's simulation which I'm not a fan of. Rivaldo against Turkey being a massive example of why I hate it. I don't agree with play acting when the only possible benefit is a red card to the other player. That affects the other player more than his club.

kerash wrote: »

Lord, i hope you dont call yourself a sports fan, the point is fair play, your point is best cheater wins. FFS nobody will support blatent cheating in any form, outwit, outplay by all means - but do not condone cheating to win matches please. Refs should take the hard line to cut it out or it'll ruin the true soul of the game.

First and foremost, I adore football and my point is not best cheater wins. It's not as if a player can do it every saturday, they'll get a reputation which will harm them in the long run. Also, you say that they should outwit by any means. How does that not include diving, the ultimate test of outwitting somebody in the game. You have to trick the defender into comitting and trick the ref and the linesman closest to you. That takes talent. Also, if refs do take the hard line it'l, result in a lot of innocent players getting sent off

Muff_Daddy

Bubs101 wrote: »

Andy Johnson for instance is a big offender but his dives have won Everton penalties, penalties which have won them matches and now they are in 5th by 3 points. If they get into the Uefa cup are people gonna say "but it's tainted, they only got the extra points they needed because of dives"? No, nobody will care

As an Evertonian myself......I can tell you we've been awarded zero penalties in the league this season, the only team not to I think after Man City got 2 in recent weeks. In fact, we've been robbed quite a number of times by officials this season.

Back OT, yes Dunphy had a point, but it was obvious he was waiting for a Ronaldo rant for a long time. And mentioning Ronaldo in the same sentence as Ruby Walsh was laughable.

Bubs101

kerash wrote: »

Also if your going to condone diving, why not say ah sure its ok to break a fellas leg if it puts him outta the game and wins you the match:(

Just saw the edit now. If you notced in a previous thread I said I was hoping (as a Chelsea fan) that one of the players takes one for the team and towards the ends of the match on Saturday tries to crock Ronaldo and put him out of action for a month or so if we are winning. Special circumstances though

Call Me Jimmy

I have to say, during the game I was thinking about how standards for what constitutes a foul have dropped so low. I was thinking that the contact in football is getting closer and closer to basketball each day and I don't like it at all. The problem is that everyone dives - it's natural now and people tell themselves that it wasn't a dive but deep down they know it is. Iwon't have a go at ronaldo because I think he dives just as much as everyone else.

kerash

Bubs101 wrote: »

That's not diving, that's simulation which I'm not a fan of. Rivaldo against Turkey being a massive example of why I hate it. I don't agree with play acting when the only possible benefit is a red card to the other player. That affects the other player more than his club.



First and foremost, I adore football and my point is not best cheater wins. It's not as if a player can do it every saturday, they'll get a reputation which will harm them in the long run. Also, you say that they should outwit by any means. How does that not include diving, the ultimate test of outwitting somebody in the game. You have to trick the defender into comitting and trick the ref and the linesman closest to you. That takes talent. Also, if refs do take the hard line it'l, result in a lot of innocent players getting sent off

People who dive are not showing their witt they're showing their weakness in being unable to out play the oponent. Nice twist on my words tho - I still think there is no room for cheating. You seem to take a lot of pleasure from diving, is there any actuall real athletic skill you admire?? I suppose you enjoyed Deco waving the imaginary card so that carrick would be booked tonite too...:rolleyes:

Bubs101

kerash wrote: »

People who dive are not showing their witt they're showing their weakness in being unable to out play the oponent. Nice twist on my words tho - I still think there is no room for cheating. You seem to take a lot of pleasure from diving, is there any actuall real athletic skill you admire?? I suppose you enjoyed Deco waving the imaginary card so that carrick would be booked tonite too...:rolleyes:

Seeing as I despise Man Utd I would appreciate Deco's antics but in general no. That is play acting, not diving, there's a big difference. Asking a fellow player to be booked is being a prick, diving to help your team win a match is bad sportsmanship but worth it

PHB

I want my players to dive as long as they are able to. As Ian Wright said, if they are going to do it, we are going to do it.
I don't blame the players. They should do it (cleverly, not like Ronaldo who does it stupidly, but like Iniesta or Gerrard who avoid the reputation of a diver)

The people are blame are the authorities.
I think a simple retrospective 5 match ban for anyone caught diving on video evidence (even if the ref has acted on it) would remove diving from the game over the course of the season.

---

That said I have no problem with a player asking for another player to be booked. They have ever right to question the refs decision. If a player, normally a skill player, is getting constantly fouled and the ref does nothign about it, why shouldn't be say 'Hey, that guy should get a booking'

Call Me Jimmy

That's pretty sad to read (boohoo sad not loser sad).

Requiem4adream

The part i dont quite get is the way Dunphy, Giles n co automatically expect the "Worlds Best Player" (Ronaldo, Messi, Kaka or whoever) to be a perfect role model, a shining light of professionalism and an ambassador for football. Of course it's ideal if they were, it'd be ideal if every player was, but it doesnt always necessarily work out that way.

With a good many notable exceptions, some of the best players in every generation have had colourful personalities on/off the pitch to say the least! Consider Geroge Best, Diego Maradona, Rivaldo (i shudder to include him in the same bracket) and Ronaldinho. Of that quartet on the pitch one could only argue a case for Georgie Best in terms of workrate and team ethic.

In terms of the Premiership some of the best and most flamboyant players weren't exactly the personification of team players: Cantona, Ginola, Asprilla, Anelka, Thierry Henry (at times). They've all had many matches behaving similarly to Ronaldo tonight.

My own take on the whole thing is - yes i'm very disappointed by Ronaldos performance tonight, yes Messi was miles better, yes he did sulk around a bit , went down too cheaply and did play to the gallery (and did nothing to dispel the myth that he cant do it on the big occasions)...... but i'd rather watch him over the course of a season than a good honest pro like Owen Hargreaves giving it 100% committment and determination. We forgive the top players their faults because they do things that others simply cant do. I dont think Ronaldo will ever be a model pro with great team ethic it's not in his make-up.

Mr Alan

PHB wrote: »

If a player, normally a skill player, is getting constantly fouled and the ref does nothign about it, why shouldn't be say 'Hey, that guy should get a booking'

Mascherano. Old Trafford.

PHB

in fairness in the other thead you lauded him for having a good game under the circumstances because he 'won' those penos yet agree that he nullified his own impact? does that not qualify as a bad game? if that doesn't what does?

No, it qualifies as stupid decisions he has made in the past coming back to haunt him. In this game, he did fine.

PHB

Mascherano. Old Trafford.

Saying you should get a booking is different to constantly shouting at the ref.

I don't think players should be able to say

Hey you ****ing twat, why the **** didnt you book so and so.

Players should be allowed talk to refs though, like they can in rugby. They just can't be abusive or aggressive, and if the ref tells them to go away, then they should stay off.

StickyMcGinty

PHB wrote: »

The people are blame are the authorities.
I think a simple retrospective 5 match ban for anyone caught diving on video evidence (even if the ref has acted on it) would remove diving from the game over the course of the season.

so a player caught diving should get a longer ban than a player done for violent conduct?

it IS the players fault. i agree with retrospective banning, but not for 5 games. lets not loose the head here. 1 match would do the job fine.

and i mean retro punishment for stone cold diving, not for "going down easy"

Muff_Daddy

PHB wrote: »

As Ian Wright said,

Hmmmmmm.

kerash

Bubs101 wrote: »

Seeing as I despise Man Utd I would appreciate Deco's antics but in general no. That is play acting, not diving, there's a big difference. Asking a fellow player to be booked is being a prick, diving to help your team win a match is bad sportsmanship but worth it

I am never, ever ever, going to agree with you, i get no satisfaction from seeing players dive. They way you seperate play-acting and diving makes me LMAO tho!! If your a decent team you should be able to win without diving full stop. As a neutral this kinda craic ruins the game for me.

Mr Alan

PHB wrote: »

Hey you ****ing twat, why the **** didnt you book so and so.

Players should be allowed talk to refs though, like they can in rugby. They just can't be abusive or aggressive, and if the ref tells them to go away, then they should stay off.

seem to remember the straw that broke the camals back in OT was mascherano very calmly talkin to the ref.

dont wanna talk about it actually, still makes me sad

Call Me Jimmy

Requiem4adream wrote: »

The part i dont quite get is the way Dunphy, Giles n co automatically expect the "Worlds Best Player" (Ronaldo, Messi, Kaka or whoever) to be a perfect role model, a shining light of professionalism and an ambassador for football. Of course it's ideal if they were, it'd be ideal if every player was, but it doesnt always necessarily work out that way.

With a good many notable exceptions, some of the best players in every generation have had colourful personalities on/off the pitch to say the least! Consider Geroge Best, Diego Maradona, Rivaldo (i shudder to include him in the same bracket) and Ronaldinho. Of that quartet on the pitch one could only argue a case for Georgie Best in terms of workrate and team ethic.

In terms of the Premiership some of the best and most flamboyant players weren't exactly the personification of team players: Cantona, Ginola, Asprilla, Anelka, Thierry Henry (at times). They've all had many matches behaving similarly to Ronaldo tonight.

My own take on the whole thing is - yes i'm very disappointed by Ronaldos performance tonight, yes Messi was miles better, yes he did sulk around a bit , went down too cheaply and did play to the gallery (and did nothing to dispel the myth that he cant do it on the big occasions)...... but i'd rather watch him over the course of a season than a good honest pro like Owen Hargreaves giving it 100% committment and determination. We forgive the top players their faults because they do things that others simply cant do. I dont think Ronaldo will ever be a model pro with great team ethic it's not in his make-up.

Good post ^^ On the diving issue, do you guys not get frustrated watching a game where people just keep falling at every opportunity instead of standing their ground and working thier way through it (like lionel messi tonight). Again I'm not referring to ronaldo, I'm repeating that I dont think he dives any more than anyone else. But for me, it's very hard to enjoy the football when the players' primary concern is "has this guy touched me enough for me to fall down and get a free kick?"

leninbenjamin

PHB wrote: »

No, it qualifies as stupid decisions he has made in the past coming back to haunt him.

can you expand? i fail to see how this is relevant to a discussion based solely on tonights match. he got himself into a postion where he drew the foul, he overplayed his card and as a result United lost a scoring opportunity. why does his past have anything to do with this? the referee made the same decision against Barca in relation to Iniesta. I fail to see how it can have been as the result of any prior bias.

PHB wrote: »

In this game, he did fine.

so what else did he do then tonight? I really am stumped on this...

PHB

it IS the players fault. i agree with retrospective banning, but not for 5 games. lets not loose the head here. 1 match would do the job fine.

No it wouldn't.

This is economics. If you there is an incentive to dive (i.e. to win games) actors are going to do it unless the cost is too great. Good sportsmanship is not a good enough reason for most highly competive people. Therefore the authories have to step in and create enough of a disincentive.
A 1 match ban is not enough. Dive in the league to win a crucial peno and you'll happily taken a one match ban.
A 5 match ban would end diving completely. It would never be worth it in any sort of cost benefit analysis.

People think when they dive, and they choose to do it. Tackling and injuries are different, most of the time its just tackling going wrong.

---

can you expand? i fail to see how this is relevant to a discussion based solely on tonights match. he got himself into a postion where he drew the foul, he overplayed his card and as a result United lost a scoring opportunity. why does his past have anything to do with this? the referee made the same decision against Barca in relation to Iniesta. I fail to see how it can have been as the result of any prior bias.

Ah I understand now. I was talking about previous dives he has done that has earnt him the reputation of a diver. I blame him for that.
I don't think he did much wrong tonight.
I don't think he did anything wrong in the 2nd peno call, and imo was clearly blocked off by the defender.

His previous reputation as a diver is what cost him those two penos tonight imo.

Sqaull20

He's a tit, the whole world knows he's a tit, we will keep saying Messi, Kaka and so on are much better ( even though they may not be ) because of that..

It doesnt matter how good you are or how much you are being kicked, you just dont act the way he does.You dont sit on your greasy ass looking up to the heavens with your arms in the air like you are God himself, everytime someone tries to make a tackle but gets it wrong ( how dare they )..

When the gods of football like Maradona, Pele etc were being kicked, fouled, held back, they got mad and fought back the only way you should do..

Ronaldo prefers to hide, complain, give up and history will remember him for it...

Nunu

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Ronaldo prefers to hide, complain, give up and history will remember him for it...

Sqaull20

He gave up tonight...

When things go his way he's great, when they dont you get what you saw tonight...

MrPillowTalk

Mr Alan wrote: »

this interview is arrogant, i dont care wat anyone says.

http://www.skysports.com/video/0,20285,12606,00.html

(for some reason the ferdinand one is popping up, link to ronaldo beside it though)

"I didnt score, but its no problem, now I will score in Manchester"
"We played well"
"We created more chances than Barcalona"

and my favourite;

"was it a peno Cristiano?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he touched me. The ref he didnt give the penalty, i dont know why, i dont understand??"

First off;
Its a contact sport!!!!!!! he is allowed "touch" you

second of all, he says he doesnt know why the ref didnt give the peno after saying himself he doesnt even know if it was a peno as he "thinks" he touched him.

For cyring out loud.

This is why the bloke will never get the respect he deserves.

Theres nothing wrong with the confidence he is showing there.

Ronaldo should have had three penos tonight. There is nothing wrong with going down when your fouled. Yes Ronaldo dives but its no where near as much as people make out and he also doesnt get half of the penalties and fouls he should, there have been plenty of games this year ronaldo has been hacked to pieces and gotten no protection from the ref.

Drogba and Gerrard dive just as much as Ronaldo.

MrPillowTalk

Sqaull20 wrote: »

He gave up tonight...

When things go his way he's great, when they dont you get what you saw tonight...

You cant play great in every single game, every time Ronnie has a medicre game everyone gets on his back when tbh he is the most consistently brilliant player in the world. One of the pundits got it right tonight when asked if he was a small game player, he answered that with all the goals he has scored this year United must be playing a whole load of small games.

LOL @ Ronaldo haters it makes it so much sweeter when he destroys your teams.

Xavi6

MrPillowTalk wrote: »

You cant play great in every single game, every time Ronnie has a medicre game everyone gets on his back when tbh he is the most consistently brilliant player in the world. One of the pundits got it right tonight when asked if he was a small game player, he answered that with all the goals he has scored this year United must be playing a whole load of small games.

LOL @ Ronaldo haters it makes it so much sweeter when he destroys your teams.

Don't remember him destroying my team......

kryogen

Ronaldo did alright tonight, he pisses me off unbelievably when he goes down so easy.....and when he then complains and throws the arms like a petulant child.....im happy with his overall gameplay but i didnt like a few instances when i think he could have gone on and tried to create something but he just went down like a sniper shot him instead

MrPillowTalk

Xavi6 wrote: »

Don't remember him destroying my team......

lol good year to be a blue.

However how we lost the first game I will never know it was ridiculously one sided.

Xavi6

MrPillowTalk wrote: »

lol good year to be a blue.

However how we lost the first game I will never know it was ridiculously one sided.

Goals win games, not possession, as we saw tonight.

CHD

KdjaCL wrote: »

OH FFS

Question for you Johnny24.ie, if you were a WINGER playing up front on your OWN away to BARCELONA and your manager sends out a 451 with your best attacking players playing deep with drawn roles which only serve to defend.

What do you do?



How on earth to people belive that Dunphy actually has a clue about football and think what he says is gospel.

Souness was on Sky telling it like it was.

EDIT pool fans jumping on the Dunphy bandwagon....Le tallec vs Thuram/Zambrotta eh ??? same thing only pool tinted glasses?


kdjac

Stop making excuses for him

Jazzy

ppl just hate how good he is and how much coverage he recieves. there are far worse players then him out there for behaviour. tbh, that competitive edge he has and his apparant pompousness on the pitch all add to his game. it infuriates other players and then they make mistakes. a player forcing opponents to make mistakes through being an a$$hole on the pitch is surely a good thing for the team?

best player in the world atm. simple as. u might not like it (i dont) but its the truth

Victor McDade

Back on topic....

I don't think anyone really takes Dunphy seriously. Most people tune in to see what state he's in this time, not to learn from his vast footballing knowledge. If you don't like what he's saying, do what I do, change channel at h/t and f/t.

You're not going to miss much if you don't think his clueless rantings are funny.

Requiem4adream

savemejebas wrote: »

Back on topic....

I don't think anyone really takes Dunphy seriously. Most people tune in to see what state he's in this time, not to learn from his vast footballing knowledge. If you don't like what he's saying, do what I do, change channel at h/t and f/t.

You're not going to miss much if you don't think his clueless rantings are funny.

I think we are lucky in this country with our punditry in a lot of the main sports. Give me George Hook and Dunphy et al over any of their English counterparts. Like them or loathe them they're good value and good characters and provide so many discussion-starters. Personally i think Dunphy has a vast knowledge and understanding of the game, do people believe he goes on his rants on his own volition? I'm pretty sure RTE are not discouraging them anyway!!

Do you guys honestly prefer this type of stuff :

Redknapp: "smashing game. i thought Stevie G* (*insert random ex-liverpool/southampton/spurs teammate) was terrific. T'riffic advert for the Premier League. T'riffic. Smashing goal richard."

Keys: "is there an argument for saying* Drogba dived there? *(insert absolutely blatantly obvious 100% fact).

Redknapp: "i wouldnt say dived richard , no, i think he was losing his balance possibly tripped on a long blade of grass or a balloon* (*insert attempt to make everything smashing again!)


Whilst over at the Beeb:

Hansen: "shocking defending. just shocking."

Shearer: "aye poor. very poor."

Lineker: "fair comment but* it was a 0-0 draw couldnt be that bad" followed by cheesy grin. (* insert generic agreement with any comment no matter how absurd)

Lawrenson: Wouldnt see defending like that from a pub team. Absolutely awful. Terrible. Awful.

Predhead

chdpoker wrote: »

Stop making excuses for him

It's not an excuse it's a very valid point. The muppets on RTE were going on about how demoralized Rooney must be playing wide right against Barca, being a player of such high calibre. Yet when it comes to Ronaldo constantly being told to play right then left, then up front on his own he's a disgrace to the game. It's a joke.

Predhead

Xavi6 wrote: »

Don't remember him destroying my team......

Don't remember Xavi 'destroying' Utd on home turf last night either.

gucci

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Tonight i have to admit he bugged me a lot. Not so much diving, as going down a little easy very regularly, under non fouls (where the ball was gotten as well as himself) and them gesticulating to the sky. He just kept doing it! When I kept noticing as well as that the camera would show him with arms to the sky, then carry on showing the game, but as the action passed his part of the field, he was still on his knee's on the ground looking sulky rather then getting back into action. Really annoyed me!

He was pretty annoying last night, the dramatisation/show boating everytime he lost the ball or didnt get the pass he wanted was really annoying. Even Drogba wasn't as annoying on Tues night!

Necromomicon wrote: »

Exactly. I can't believe people still get offended from the ramblings of this clown.

Exactly, its whats loosely described as entertainment really...to get opinions and people annoyed talking about it. Every big game people get on here giving out about him.

Predhead

:pac:

gucci wrote: »

He was pretty annoying last night, the dramatisation/show boating everytime he lost the ball or didnt get the pass he wanted was really annoying. Even Drogba wasn't as annoying on Tues night!



Exactly, its whats loosely described as entertainment really...to get opinions and people annoyed talking about it. Every big game people get on here giving out about him.

He's a class A idiot but great to watch. I even prefer to listen to the ramblings of Georgie ''it's Diego Maradona, nope that's Wes Brown sorry'' Hamilton than that insufferable gimp Andy Grey. Hurrayy for RTE!

Xavi6

Predhead wrote: »

Don't remember Xavi 'destroying' Utd on home turf last night either.

Well he had more of the ball than pretty much the entire United midfield and completed probably 95% of his passes so he did his job. Oh and let's not forget the beautiful nuts on Scholes.

Kimbot

Predhead wrote: »

It's not an excuse it's a very valid point. The muppets on RTE were going on about how demoralized Rooney must be playing wide right against Barca, being a player of such high calibre. Yet when it comes to Ronaldo constantly being told to play right then left, then up front on his own he's a disgrace to the game. It's a joke.

But thats not why he was called a disgrace to the game. It was because of his "Giving out to team mates", "Diving" and "Playacting" not the fact he was up front on his own.

Killme00

Q. Why do dogs lick their own balls?
A. Because they can

Q. Why does Dunphy talk so much drivel?
A. Because people listen

Q. If Dunphy talks drivel in the woods, does he make a sound?

redspider

Muff_Daddy wrote: »

That's like saying shoplifting adds a massive mental element to going to the supermarket, something a shopkeeper needs to think about when encountering a customer.

LOL :-)

Totally agree with you .....

L'prof

MrPillowTalk wrote: »

You cant play great in every single game, every time Ronnie has a medicre game everyone gets on his back when tbh he is the most consistently brilliant player in the world. One of the pundits got it right tonight when asked if he was a small game player, he answered that with all the goals he has scored this year United must be playing a whole load of small games.

LOL @ Ronaldo haters it makes it so much sweeter when he destroys your teams.

LOL @ you for saying LOL @ anybody!

It's not every time that he ha a mediocre game that people get on his back! He is currently the best player in the world and there's no denying that, he destroys mediocre teams, but never has he destroyed a big team in a big game or made a big impact on that game and until he does, he'll constantly get abuse especially when he behaves like he does!

RE*AC*TOR

jasonorr wrote: »

He is currently the best player in the world and there's no denying that,

I deny it. Messi is twice the player.

estebancambias

Has Ronaldo had a match like Messi did against Real Madrid? No.

As Trevor Steven said last night on the ball Messi is just better than Ronaldo. Ronaldo has skills no doubt, and is very fast but no way is he the best player in the world.

Oh and Dunphy was up for United.

He loves Scholes, Vidic and Rooney, he is cynical about Ronaldo. How this makes him know nothing is quite strange.

redspider

Its quite ironic that there is more discussion about what Dunphy and Giles said than about the match itself. It just goes to prove that 'contoversial punditry' wins out time and time again, whether we approve of it or not.

The Punch and Judy show last night, erm I mean the Giles and Dunphy show, is laughable at times - they are the clowns. Every time they mention the words 'great player' in a rant you know they have lost the plot. Sure they know football to a degree but they lose the run of themselves in their analysis, exaggerating, making sweeping statements on a couple of incidents, etc.

I cant figure out why they hounded Ronaldo so much last night. Sure, he has flaws, awful ones, he is not perfect, and by his standards he didnt have a good football game last night, but he has very very good attributes. Liamo at least recognises that, and those attributes cant be ignored. You can give him the ball and he can run at people and get past them. He is very dangerous. Yes, when he looks for a foul it is distasteful. But until refs start booking players a lot for dives, etc, not only Ronaldo when/if he does them, but ALL players, and until Managers come out against it, the scourge will remain in the game. Penalties and frees are won by dives so diving will continue. Until any possible benefits are nullified (eg: should games be forfeited for dives that win penalties/frees that are scored!), it will remain in the game. Same with blatant handballs that score goals, win games etc.

By the way, Giles and Dumb-phy's love of Scholes is laughable. Yes, Scholes is a good player, and he is a no-nonsense chap, down to earth which Giles and Dunphy like, but their level of love is waaaaay over the top.

My advice would be to forget about the pundits - if a drunk in a corner of the bar was saying the same things to you, you probably wouldnt listen to them. Just because Giles and Eamo have a platform, paid for by us tax-payers ironically, it doesnt mean that what they rant about has any kudos. Sure watch them, what they say can be funny even if you dont agree with it. But lets talk about the football first and foremost and the punditry second. This is not the media/tv forum.

Redspider