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 9 - 28 of 88

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  1. I'm a united fan and half agree with what Wenger­ says. Yes, players like Ronaldo need protection but­ because Ronaldo dives so much, refs would be under­ wraps if they kept giving away free kicks to UTD or­ yellow cards to the opposition. They have to be really­ sure that a foul is actually given against him. Ronaldo­ is so smarmy that I actually don't mind him getting­ his comeuppance from time to time. I am not a fickle­ UTD fan and still remember the disrespect he showed us­ over the summer.

    From Stina, on Fri 6 Mar 10:14AM
  2. IF WENGER SPENT LESS TIME TALKING ABOUT OTHER TEAMS­ PLAYERS AND SPENT LESS TIME MOANING, MAYBE HIS @#$%TY­ TEAM WOULD BE HIGHER THAN 5TH PLACE

    From Stench, on Fri 6 Mar 10:14AM
  3. TUCK IN THE BELLY!!!!

    From fsekou1009, on Fri 6 Mar 10:14AM
  4. Some comments on this forum are written without really­ thinking. Wenger actually says that Ronaldo isn't­ protected enough on a lot of occasions. He isn't­ taking a dig at Man U, but rather highlighting a very­ important problem in the game in general. Some of you­ need to learn to be more objective. I can bet your­ comments would be different if Fergusson said the exact­ same thing.

    From shadow_01_me, on Fri 6 Mar 10:14AM
  5. Martin taylor should have been banned 4 more than 10­ games after breaking eduardo's leg!!

    From fsekou1009, on Fri 6 Mar 10:13AM
  6. stay with the 3 match ban for a red card mimimum, but­ if the player hurt is off for 4,5,6 games ect make that­ the lenght of his ban. also make a rule for players ­ diveing but use tv or video to be sure. have sin bins­ its worth a try, our football is being ruined by the­ minority.

    From Eddie, on Fri 6 Mar 10:09AM
  7. Wenger siding with Man Utd. Think it's a sign that­ he's conceded defeat, not just this season but long­ term as well . . . The Wenger of two seasons ago would­ never of came out & made such a statement.

    From micasa242000, on Fri 6 Mar 10:08AM
  8. No 16 with short memory. Vieira was a dirty player and­ everyone saw it. How many times did he get a red card­ for a dirty foul.........not one is it ...... How many­ red cards have Arsenal had since Wenger arrived. His­ team's are dirty and the number of cards reflect­ it. What he is doing is preparing Ronaldo for the­ Arsenal game, because he is going to get his players to­ kick him.

    From tomkbms, on Fri 6 Mar 10:08AM
  9. Wenger is right about Ronaldo, but I think he should­ concentrate more on fixing back Arsenal rather than­ wasting time on things of siily importance. We should­ also know that a star player is always a target for­ rough defenders whether he is arrogant or not. People­ say Drogba is arrogant. I am sure you have known today­ that there are more arrogant players, most of them in­ Man U.

    From Terrence, on Fri 6 Mar 10:08AM
  10. i think the therapy treatment for belly has been­ dramatically underfunded...

    From stuartxland, on Fri 6 Mar 10:05AM
  11. he attracts jealous attention from lesser players who­ want to see thier names in the paper...as for viere ,­ he was a thug on the pitch and did deliberatly take­ opponents out on a regular basis....think the arsenal­ althiemers is kicking in there arsen...glory glory man­ united...play up burnley!

    From stuartxland, on Fri 6 Mar 10:02AM
  12. Wenger should concentrate on his own failing club­ instead of chirping jealously about other teams­ players. The rot is setting in at Arsenal and he needs­ to think about sorting that out.

    From tomkbms, on Fri 6 Mar 10:02AM
  13. @#$% is this Belly K - speak fockin English boy?!

    From PolyphobiaCymru, on Fri 6 Mar 9:55AM
  14. no 6 for your information mate vieira never sort to­ deliberetly hert a player not like lets say roy keane­ wenger is right a player should recieve a longer ban­ for such bad tackles

    From topcaper76, on Fri 6 Mar 9:54AM
  15. Comment hidden due to it's low rating. Show

    shame on you, a team full of arrogants, divers and­ drunk dealers will never be a proud of english­ football... wake up

    From belly k, on Fri 6 Mar 9:54AM
  16. its true such tackles are very bad.werger is Right such­ plays should be given different punishment than three­ game because plays will lose they future with time if­ nothing done, some intended tackles made by plays with­ bad heat.so plays should be proteced.

    From patrick, on Fri 6 Mar 9:52AM
  17. DON'T TALK ABOUT ARROGANCE, HE IS ONLY ONE MAN,­ THERE ARE AFEW TEAMS OUT THERE FULL OF THEMSELVES LIKE­ CHELSEA LIVERPOOL ARSENAL..IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK­ ABOUT ONE YOU MAY AS WELL DROP IN OTHER NAMES.

    From L H, on Fri 6 Mar 9:52AM
  18. if ronaldo wasnt a diving cheating @#$%, than maybe he­ might get some more protection off the ref's

    From douglas, on Fri 6 Mar 9:50AM
  19. Good Wenger. I am a arsenal fan

    From Abdul Wahab, on Fri 6 Mar 9:48AM
  20. @#$% Whinger should stop whinning and concentrate on­ getting is @#$% anal down the toilet of the­ premiership... Whinger is the arrogant one, thinking he­ can win the premeirship with his sissy squad....

    From akesan d, on Fri 6 Mar 9:48AM
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