In today’s Manchester derby, what was Cristiano Ronaldo thinking?
After a cross had been floated into the box, Ronaldo jumped up but instead of heading it, he decided to knock down the ball with his two hands.
Ronaldo indicated to everyone that he heard a whistle before the ball reached him, so thinking that the game had been stopped, he decided to stop the ball with his hands.
Most professional footballers know that it’s best to play the ball instead of the whistle. In a stadium of almost 50,000 fans, all it takes is one idiot in the crowd to blow a whistle to try to put off an opponent — and this time it worked. Ronaldo received his second yellow card in the game for handball and got his marching orders.
Co-commentator Alan Smith seemed oblivious to the images of Ronaldo putting his fingers to his mouth to tell the referee and fellow teammates that he heard a whistle. Instead Smith lambasted Ronaldo for an obvious handball. When a player is wide open in front of goal and has an opportunity for a clean header, he’s not going to handle the ball like that Mr. Smith unless he thinks he heard a whistle.
But, as I said before, Ronaldo should have the maturity as a professional to know that he should have headed the ball whether he heard a whistle or not.
Despite Ronaldo’s red card, Manchester United held on to win the derby 1-0 after Rooney’s 100th career goal in the first half after Joe Hart spilled Michael Carrick’s shot. City had few chances to equalize in this game that United dominated for large portions of the afternoon.
He didn't want to mess up his hair unnecessarily.
Ronaldo thought was a foul during the corner and he try to stop the ball using his hand. This is purely my opinion.
Ronaldo is an idiot, on a yellow and you always play to the whistle… after his mocking earlier it was never in doubt. Hughes called it a soft red but a red nonethless.
Paolo DiCanio was given a fair play award for doing a similar thing; Ronaldo gets sent off. use your head and see the situation, Webb.
Ronaldo did motion to the prone Micah Richards after the play, and indicated that he thought there was a whistle.
The ball was easier to head into the goal than bat away with hands.
He batted the ball away from the net, not toward it. Obviously he was NOT trying to gain advantage here. Actually, he conceded advantage instead.
There's the rule, and there's the spirit of the rule, which refs are allowed to employ in making just decisions. No way on Earth Howard Webb was going to pass up a chance to card a United player, though.
United owned possession, not a nasty game at all, and yet he conjures SIX yellow cards for United out of that? Lunacy. And he's the best England have to offer? Yikes! No wonder the Respect campaign has fallen apart.
SB
A hearty thanks to the United delegation for chiming in.
Considering you've already won one match this year by shoving a keeper out of the way, you might want to pipe down about the reffing, yes?
yes, it was weird. It was a free header on goal and why would he hand the ball. I checked the reply and could not hear any whistle. I really would love to hear the explanation for this. Ronaldo said that it was whistle when we went through to the dressing room. Anyway, Manchester United won the game and closed the gap to the leaders.
Bikesh(www.epl365.blogspot.com)
I agree with Bikesh…the MOTD feed had an isolated shot (no commentary, etc) and there was no audible whistle. I think Ronaldo just mistimed his jump and didn't want to get smacked in the face. A yellow card for that? Probably harsh
BishopvilleRed took the words right out of my mouth, and the ref over-reacted. These things happen and it was a lesson learned, let's move on.
He thought that it was a foul duhh! did you guys watch the game?? I thought so too! But hey look on the bright side he's HOTT!!!!