Cristiano Ronaldo News: November 2006

pics for the game against Everton

Report: United 3 Everton 0

29/11/2006 21:55, Report by Ben Hibbs

This was by no means United’s classiest performance this season, but three goals and three points keeps the Reds in front of Chelsea at the top of the Premiership.

The bonus for Sir Alex was that he gave valuable rest to regulars such as Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Louis Saha and Nemanja Vidic and still secured victory. The Reds boss made five changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Chelsea three days previously – Patrice Evra, Darren Fletcher, Mikael Silvestre, Kieran Richardson, John O’Shea all stepping in.

The changes to United’s side meant an as yet untried strike partnership of Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, as usual given a ‘warm’ welcome from the Everton fans who used to idolise him.

For the Toffees - without star striker Andy Johnson due to a hamstring injury - David Moyes had to rely on James Beattie and James McFadden to try and find the goals to end a run of five away games without a win. In truth, though, missing United loanee Tim Howard and injured midfielder Tim Cahill as well, they would undoubtedly have settled for the point they have earned in their last two league visits to Old Trafford.

Everton were, as expected, feisty and physical to start with, and were first to have a shot on target. Leon Osman ran some 30 yards unchallenged and tested Edwin van der Sar with a rising 25-yard shot. The Toffeemen did well in the opening 15 minutes not to allow the Reds to dictate the pace of the game.

United tentatively threatened on the break, but were unable to breach the visitors’ defence. Everton proved dangerous in attack, James McFadden dragging a shot wide from inside the area after 17 minutes where a more clinical finisher probably would have punished the Reds. The travelling support tucked away in the south-east corner of the stand sensed an opportunity and roared their team on.

But United slowly began to come out of their shell. A sense of anticipation arose whener Ronaldo received the ball, while Richardson clipped the bar with a free-kick from the right on 23 minutes and moments later Rooney headed narrowly wide from Silvestre’s cross.

United's gradual improvement paid off with six minutes of the half remaining. Michael Carrick, still searching for his first goal for the Reds, had his powerful shot blocked by Nuno Valente on the edge of the area. Fortunately the ball ricocheted out to Ronaldo, who struck a low shot into the bottom right corner of Richard Wright's goal. It was a goal that would prove vital. It had a settling influence on United and, because Everton’s lack of firepower up front, left the opposition with a mountain to climb.

The second half started much the same as the first, a battle for possession in the middle of the park but with few chances for either side. Everton’s fans made clear their passionate dislike of their former starlet, Rooney. At one point, deep in United’s half and receiving a barrage of abuse, Rooney kissed the United badge on his shirt.

But he soon made the most telling gesture possible. Receiving a pass from O'Shea just after the hour mark, he turned away from Mikel Arteta whilst also drawing Joseph Yobo out of his right-back position, creating space for Evra to run into. And when the French left-back received the 21-year-old striker's pass, he took an aggressively direct line towards goal and fired a fierce shot through Wright’s legs to make it 2-0.

The points were as good as wrapped up. But the Reds weren’t finished there. As the clock approached 90 minutes and the life appeared drained out of Everton’s challenge, United grabbed a late third. A Rooney shot was blocked by Yobo, but the ball bobbled out to Evra on the left. His cross found O’Shea in space inside the box and with impressive nimbleness O’Shea steered the ball past Wright into the top corner with the outside of his right boot.

This game didn't come with the fluid brand of football United fans have been used to in recent weeks, but this was an important three points. The victory also sees the Reds' unbeaten run stretch to ten league games, having taken 26 points from a possible 30.

With Chelsea not in action this weekend, the Reds could potentially go nine points clear of the Blues with victory over Middlesbrough on Saturday and Manchester City seven days later. Jose Mourinho's men are, after tonight’s win over Bolton, not in action until the Sunday after City visit Old Trafford in ten days’ time.

Team Line-ups

United: Van der Sar, G.Neville (c), Ferdinand, Silvestre, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick (Brown, 72), O'Shea, Richardson, Ronaldo (Heinze, 68), Rooney.
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Scholes, Saha.

Everton: Wright, Yobo, Lescott, Stubbs, Valente, Arteta, P.Neville (c), Carsley, Osman (Vaughan, 76), McFadden, Beattie.
Subs not used: Ruddy (GK), Weir, Van der Meyde, Anichebe.

Attendance: 75,723

Ronaldo: I want to be the best

LISBON: Manchester United’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo is working towards becoming the world’s best footballer, he said in an interview published on Friday in Portuguese sports daily A Bola.

“It’s one of my goals. I want to be up there. I would like to be the best player in the world. I have to work hard for that. Nothing is impossible,” he told the newspaper.

The 21-year-old said taking part in the 2006 World Cup, during which Portugal lost to hosts Germany in the third-place playoff, had given him maturity and he hoped to surpass veteran Portuguese playmaker Luis Figo’s football career.

STAR IN THE MAKING: Portugal and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo says one of his goals in to be the best footballer in the world.
“I am more mature, more confident. The World Cup gave me experience. I have some things to fine tune, I’m not 100 percent complete,” he said.

“Figo had a spectacular career. He’s a big reference in Portuguese football. If he’s not the greatest he is among the greatest, beside Eusebio, Rui Costa, Fernando Couto, examples all of us young players must follow,” he said.

“I hope to go as far as possible, win many titles, create my own image, which is built over the years.

“If my career is the same as that of Figo it already would be gratifying. But I want to do better than Figo. I have that ambition.”

Figo announced in August that he would stop playing for Portugal after a 12-year career in which he was the country’s standout player having scored 31 goals in 110 caps, a national record for appearances which he shares with Fernando Couto.

Figo’s retirement from international football has placed more pressure on Ronaldo, who has come to be seen as the Inter Milan player’s successor in the Portuguese national team. – AFP

Ronaldo rues lost points

By James Pearson - Created on 28 Nov 2006

Louis Saha's superb strike from the edge of the box gave The Red Devils a half-time lead, but Ricardo Carvalho's header after the break secured a share of the spoils.

Ronaldo believes Sir Alex Ferguson's charges were the better side and should have gone on to win following Saha's strike.

The former Sporting youngster is disappointed United failed to open up a six-point gap at the top of the table, but believes the side are still on course to strip The Blues of their crown.

"I feel like we ended up with two points lost," explained Ronaldo. "We played better and because of that this draw leaves a bitter taste.

"This was a good chance to increase the gap to six points. It wasn't possible, but also we didn't lose and that was very important.

"We have a great chance of winning the title. We are on the right track."

Fuji xerox?

Man Utd's Ronaldo: We let Chelsea off hook

tribalfooball.com - November 27, 2006

Manchester United wing ace Cristiano Ronaldo feels they let two points slip after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
He said: "I feel like we ended up with two points lost after our exhibition and the chances we created.

"We played better and because of that this draw leaves a bitter taste."

Ronaldo believed United were heading for a six-point lead over Chelsea after Louis Saha?s stunning strike put them ahead.

Ricardo Carvalho ruined Ronaldo?s day by levelling for the reigning champions.

But Ronaldo insists United?s stars must stay positive - and they have the consolation of still having a three-point advantage over Chelsea.

He added: "This was a good chance to increase the gap to six points.

"It wasn?t possible, but also we didn?t lose and that was very important. Therefore we kept our advantage at three points and that is also good.

"I had a good game like the whole team, which did well enough. On balance it?s positive and most of the players are at a good level."

Ronaldo is convinced Alex Ferguson?s side are still on course in their bid to wrestle the title away from Chelsea.

He added: "We have a great chance of winning the title. We are on the right track."

delegates penalty decision

27/11/2006 11:30, Report by Ben HibbsBoss

Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo will decide between themselves who should be on spot-kick duty for United, according to Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

After Saha's miss against Celtic in the Champions League last week, it was speculated that Ronaldo would assume the responsibility for the Reds.

The Portuguese winger has proved he has the nerve to take penalties in high-pressure situations, he converted the decisive kick to knock England out of the World Cup in the summer.

But, despite reports suggesting the 21-year-old had been promoted to the role of regular penalty taker, Sir Alex has confirmed he will let the decision be made by the two players on the day.

"I have left it between Louis and Cristiano to decide," the Reds boss told Sky Sports.

"Sometimes if one is playing better than the other it is sensible for the one who is playing really well to take it. Although I told Louis if he needed one for his hat-trick he should take it."

Ronaldo Vs Chelsea

Video of the game Vs Chelsea

more pics for the big game aginst Chelsea

Report: United 1 Chelsea 1

26/11/2006 17:50, Report by Adam Bostock

United fans didn't know whether to laugh or cry after seeing their team maintain a three-point lead over Chelsea but miss a big chance to double it.

The Reds led at half-time through Louis Saha's exquisite strike but were pegged back when Ricardo Carvalho's header from a Frank Lampard corner went in off Saha with 20 minutes remaining. At the final whistle, it seemed a better result for the Blues as they celebrated in front of their travelling fans.

Sir Alex Ferguson kept faith with the eleven who dictated but lost the Celtic game in Glasgow - his strongest eleven in many people’s eyes. Chelsea’s team, however, showed two changes from Wednesday’s defeat to Werder Bremen - Lampard and Carvalho returning at the expense of Joe Cole and Khalid Boulahrouz.

Chelsea kicked off attacking the Stretford End, to a cacophony of boos as they negatively worked the ball back from Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko on the halfway line to skipper John Terry at the heart of their defence.

The visitors’ robust style saw two United players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nemanja Vidic, clutching their faces after early clashes with Michael Ballack. The first foul, after less than 60 seconds, resulted in a free-kick to the Reds which Ronaldo whipped into the area towards the head of Wayne Rooney. The striker connected but alas couldn't cap his new contract extension with a goal.

Referee Howard Webb was busier than both goalkeepers in the opening minutes as the two sides tested each other’s mettle in midfield with some full-blooded challenges - Cole on Ronaldo and Rooney on Makelele to name just two. But the ref sensibly refrained from showing a card until Claude Makelele used his upper arm to thwart United’s attempt at a quick counter-attack in the 20th minute. Ballack’s prior handball was only punished by a free-kick, struck well by Ronaldo but tipped over by Cudicini.

Cudicini was well beaten, however, by Louis Saha’s wonderful finish in the 29th minute. Chelsea’s midfield seemed to open up as Rooney played a pass from the centre circle into his strike partner’s path and although both Terry and Carvalho were back behind the ball, Saha kept his head and picked his spot, caressing a left-foot shot inside the left-hand post.

This moment of beauty was followed by an ugly episode, Drogba planting his elbow into Vidic’s face as the two players competed in the air. Without the benefit of TV replays, Webb waved only a yellow when really a red was warranted.

Unfortunately for Chelsea, their first decent chance fell not to Drogba but to Geremi. To the right-back's credit, his shot was on target and needed van der Sar to fist it away. The Dutchman’s next save saw him dive the other way, his right, to clutch Lampard’s low drive.

Geremi made way for Mourinho’s first substitute at half-time, Arjen Robben. An attacking change by the Blues but it was the Reds who almost drew the first blood after the break. In fact, they came agonisingly close to what might have been a decisive second goal when Rooney received Carrick’s reverse pass on the left flank, shrugged off Drogba and pulled the ball back for Saha or Ronaldo. Both men snatched at it, the Portuguese in particular could have buried it at the far post.

The battle for midfield supremacy claimed another name for the referee’s book in the 54th minute as the excellent Carrick for once mistimed his movement and tripped his England team-mate Frank Lampard.

Chelsea were by now enjoying a larger share of possession but two attempts to beat van der Sar in the space of a minute failed to find their target, Lampard firing a shot across goal and Drogba heading wide under pressure from Ferdinand. At the other end, Carvalho cleared a loose ball after Ronaldo chested down Heinze’s left-wing cross and Cudicini parried a fierce shot from Giggs on the right.

Carvalho the goal-saver turned goalscorer in the 69th minute when he leapt to meet Lampard’s corner from the right and powered in a header which hit Saha on the line and came down off the crossbar. TV replays later showed Saha had himself headed the ball - he could yet be credited with an unwanted owngoal by the dubious goals committee.

United immediately tried to bite back, but Terry blocked Saha’s shot and when Scholes hit a trademark thunderbolt on the rebound, it spun off the grounded Saha and out of play.

With 15 minutes to go, Mourinho again demonstrated his strength in depth by replacing the ineffective Shevchenko with attacking England midfielder Joe Cole.

Joe's namesake Ashley had his name taken for a foul on Ronaldo - and then chanted in disdain by the fans. Cristiano played no further part - he was replaced by Darren Fletcher, while John O'Shea came on for Saha.

With United's two most potent threats on the day withdrawn, there was to be no dramatic, air-punching finale for the home faithful. Instead of euphoria there were feelings of relief that Chelsea's second-half improvement didn't produce a second goal and concern that the substituted players could miss the next Premiership assignment in just three days' time.

Teams

United: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo (Fletcher, 86), Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Saha (O'Shea, 86), Rooney.
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Evra, Silvestre.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Geremi (Robben, 46), Carvalho, Terry, A Cole, Essien, Makelele, Ballack (Ferreira, 90), Lampard, Drogba, Shevchenko (Cole, 75).
Subs not used: Hilario, Boulahrouz.