Premier League - Wenger: Ronaldo 'arrogance' hurts him

Eurosport - Fri, 06 Mar 12:23:00 2009

Cristiano Ronaldo's "arrogance" makes him a target for opposing defenders, according to Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

FOOTBALL Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United - 0

Hitting out at the rise of rash challenges in the Barclays Premier League of late, Wenger used the example of the Manchester United winger as a player who does not always get enough protection.

"Sometimes I feel Manchester United get too much protection and sometimes they don't get enough and Ronaldo is a specific example of that," Wenger said.

"Sometimes his arrogance is provocative - and his class as well.

"But when a player is not protected it's not right. When there is a bad tackle you have to be punished and get sent off the pitch."

Ronaldo was in the wars again during United's 2-1 win over Newcastle at St James' Park on Wednesday night, clashing with Alan Smith on the pitch and Steven Taylor off it in a tunnel bust-up.

Wenger has been concerned by a rise in reckless tackles this season.

Wigan's Lee Cattermole saw red on Wednesday night for a lunge at Scott Parker, while Everton yesterday confirmed that Victor Anichebe will miss the rest of the season as a result of a Kevin Nolan tackle on January 22.

Wenger wants to see longer bans of up to 10 matches introduced for guilty players, claiming three matches is not enough when the victims can be sidelined for so long.

"They could create a special committee to analyse if three [games' suspension] is enough or not," he said. "I feel in some tackles 10 games is not enough."

TeamTalk / Eurosport

Comment 29 - 48 of 88

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  1. 10 mins in the sin bin for a yellow card like in rugby­ would sure liven it up!

    I hate it when a player gets­ a yellow for a foul when they leave the other player­ injured and they have to go off for treatment. Why­ should the offender still be aloowed to stay on the­ pitch?

    From Phill, on Fri 6 Mar 10:53AM
  2. fans within 50 miles? thats all man city fans!!! man­ utd's fans are mostly in asia, africa, europe and­ s.america...all glory hunters!!

    From Unknown U, on Fri 6 Mar 10:51AM
  3. How about fining and banning players who dive??? With­ more servere penalties to players who dive and get a­ goal resulted or a player sent off. Use a match reply­ to comb through the evidence and then hand out the­ yellow or red cards after the game to the players who­ deliberatly dive to get a penalty, shot on goal or­ another player a card.
    Could use a video ref during the­ game also but i think it will slow the game down a bit­ but then again all this crying a faking slow's the­ game down anyway.

    From the doctor, on Fri 6 Mar 10:44AM
  4. Ronaldo needs to work on his diving skills and stop­ trying to humiliate opposing players with his­ tapdancing...just play the game nerd...now go on Man U­ fans rip me apart...but only fans from within 50 mile­ radius of Old Trafford...the rest of you, go fling­ custard at the moon! Glory hunting nerds hahah

    From AdrianP, on Fri 6 Mar 10:43AM
  5. I'm more anti Arsenal then Man Utd but I have to­ agree with what Wenger is saying, Ronaldo doesn't­ do himself any favours with his smug arrogant look and­ his diving around like a fairy. I have no problem with­ a bit of showboating, if you have the skill then why­ not show it off! I certainly don't doubt his­ ability its just his manor, i'm sure he can onnly­ learn as a player otherwise it will only take one hot­ head to dive in two footed and he's out for the­ season and not the same player again.

    From benjyrama2007, on Fri 6 Mar 10:36AM
  6. I agree with micpando - why does Ronaldo get away with­ kicking out at people when he's on the ground? He­ should have beem sent off against Blackburn before­ scoring for kicking out at Dunne...he would have been­ had Dunne not been so honest and carried on with the­ game-maybe Ron should take a leaf from his book

    From carl, on Fri 6 Mar 10:36AM
  7. TOMKBNS;RUBBISH, THERE IS A DIFERENCE BETWEEN HARD­ TACKLE AND ROUGH TACKLE WITH INTENT TO INJURE AN­ OPPONENT AND I DONT THINK VIERA WAS OF THE LATTER.HOW­ MANY LEGS DID VIERA BREAK IN HIS ALMOST TEN YRS IN THE­ PL.WHAT WENGER IS SAYING IS JUST COMMON SENSE AND I­ DONT THINK HE ADDED THAT ARSENAL PLAYERS SHOULD BE­ EXEMPTED FROM LENGTHY BANS.

    From valach, on Fri 6 Mar 10:34AM
  8. Everyone has an opinion on this subject, so to all­ football fans lets stop slagging off wenger and­ ferguson and stick to the facts, dirty footballers and­ divers for whatever team they play for should and must­ be banned as approprite for the good of the game and­ for the safety of all footballers

    From nkazamia, on Fri 6 Mar 10:33AM
  9. Wenger's right (as always). Referees are scared to­ make judgment decisions with Man Utd - especially at­ Old Trafford. Ref's are far too lenient on Man Utd­ - point in fact: Vidic should have red carded for his­ deliberate lunge on Martins on Wednesday. And as for­ Ronaldo kicking out during the Blackburn game the week­ before, we all know the ref seen it but was too gutless­ to do anything. Ronaldo needs to be taken down a peg or­ too - and he needs to wash his slimey hair.

    From dr.space_cowboy, on Fri 6 Mar 10:32AM
  10. The Guilty should be banned from playing as long as the­ innocent is out injured, be it the rest of the season­ or a minimum of about 10 games!

    From alanobrien1, on Fri 6 Mar 10:29AM
  11. The Sun: 'Arrogant Ronaldo is Asking for­ Trouble'
    BBC: 'Wenger calls for tackling­ crackdown'

    Yahoo: 'Wenger - Ronaldo Arrogance­ Hurts Him'

    Nice to see where Yahoo's­ aspirations are.

    From sergeisdiary, on Fri 6 Mar 10:28AM
  12. ronaldo:" I am happy here but the future you never­ know= I want to get the fuc out of here".
    Best­ player last season by a mile no doubt about it, u can­ bang in as many goals as u want but u'll never b as­ great as Cantona and Best becoz of ure diving and­ character! That's what makes you disliked by many­ fans

    From fsekou1009, on Fri 6 Mar 10:27AM
  13. mr wenger ...do you remember thiery henry scoring a­ goal at highbury, then mockingly picking the ball out­ of the net and giving it to the goalkeeper...if­ that's not arrogance what is ???....you never said­ a word about it did you...united may well meet you in­ the champions league or the fa cup...and boy will the­ united player's give you their answer...another­ massive own goal for mr sour grapes !!!!!!!!!!

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Fri 6 Mar 10:27AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Wenger you are right.Am sure Fergie influence him to be­ doing that.Not only Ronaldo but the whole ManU are­ being favoured by refs.That is why they are at this­ level.Well rafa said it and anti-Liverpool fans­ shouted.Let me see their reactions on this too

    From Michael, on Fri 6 Mar 10:26AM
  15. And to all those ManU fans who complain about Vieira­ taking out players deliberately : the last example of­ this attitude was Vidic. What did he get ? A yellow­ card... Mmmh!!
    Again when you have Rooney, Scholes,­ Ferdinand, Vidic and co in the same team, you­ shouldn't criticize someone defending your own­ player, you idiots.

    From hempy, on Fri 6 Mar 10:25AM
  16. Celery, Celery,
    If @#$%-whinger don't @#$%, Jose­ will always tickle her @#$%-anal squad,With a lump of­ celery...

    From akesan d, on Fri 6 Mar 10:18AM
  17. I think Wenger is right and fair in his comments­ here.
    it's just the title doesn't reflect the­ true meaning of the article. It's a shame !

    @­ Robert :
    you feel Wenger should look at his own­ signings ? Well, if you think ManU are better : what­ about Scholes, Vidic, Ferdinand, Rooney...back to­ Cantona. What a great bunch of role models and players­ who know how to control their temper and aggressiveness­ !
    And for your information, he didn't say his own­ players would escape any punishment.

    From hempy, on Fri 6 Mar 10:17AM
  18. I Think Wenger And Other Players And Coaches Are Jelous­ Of Cristiano. As For Me Is The Best Player On Earth.­ After Ronaldinho And Jay Jay Okocha Of course. Milan 4­ Life

    From thelma, on Fri 6 Mar 10:15AM
  19. Wenger the great ronaldo a p***y

    From robinsondanny13, on Fri 6 Mar 10:15AM
  20. Wenger has a point about the length of bans for­ dangerous tackles. Perhaps the aggressor should be­ banned until such time as the victim is fit or for 3­ games, whichever is the greater!

    From David, on Fri 6 Mar 10:15AM
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