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CHEAT OF THE WEEK 21-3-07
James Bassett
It should be news to no one that Boro were eliminated from the FA Cup on Monday night in an ill-tempered game against the Premiership's champions-elect, Manchester United.
Despite showing limited ambition in the first-half, Boro defended magnificently and were beginning to carve out some chances for themselves before - in the 76th minute - Cristiano Ronaldo won and converted United's third penalty in as many games against Boro under a slight challenge from Jonathan Woodgate.
Ronaldo then gestured to the Boro bench that Gareth Southgate should perhaps keep his mouth shut, following the Boro boss' comments earlier in the season that Ronaldo, y'know, dives and cheats a bit.
The penalty was followed by a scuffle between the failed Real Madrid manager, Carlos Queiroz, and members of Boro's coaching staff. From what your host understands, despite physical contact from parties attempting to break up the skirmish, Carlos Queiroz did manage to stay on his feet, proving that it isn't a pre-requisite for greasy, Portuguese to fall over under any circumstances.
Then, in the 90th minute, Wayne Rooney - already booked for dissent - walked away completely unpunished from a shoving contest with George Boateng, when the Boro captain received a yellow card.
Seconds later, James Morrison, having just been clattered by Nemanja Vidic, was sent-off for scything down Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney - annoyed that he couldn't manage to beat Mark Schwarzer when given two one-on-one chances - again entered the fray and grabbed Morrison by the neck. Mike Dean appeared to reach for a yellow card, but again Rooney's misconduct went unpunished. United held on for the four minutes of injury time and sealed a place against Watford in the FA Cup semi-final.
Just moments after the final whistle, message boards, forums, blogs, phone-ins, pubs and bars erupted in an almost unprecedented mass of invective by Boro fans.
Are we right to be aggrieved, or are we just sore losers?
Over to the panel..
Graham Frankland
Having been a football addict for more years than I care to remember, I can only say that the events of Monday night have only served to make me doubt my own sanity and why I indulge a large percentage of my time and energy on what is often called "the beautiful game", but in reality is an ugly, twisted and shameful sport where the players who are portrayed as heroes and gods are, in fact, brainless, highly-paid spoilt brats who have a complete disdain for the average supporter and operate in a world of "win at all costs" where integrity is something they can neither spell or understand.
I called Cristiano Ronaldo the patron saint of divers in a previous edition of this column and nothing that we saw on Monday night has diminished that view and, in fact, after witnessing his post-match interview which was full of knowing smirks and smiles when trying to defend his actions capped by his comment that "he was too good for us", my view has only been strengthened.
Shameless comments from a shameless footballer. Am I the only one who is losing the love of football because of this type of players? I trust not.
Dave Easson
Well, this is a tricky one isn't it?
I expect you're all expecting me to go off on an anti-ManUre diatribe, which believe me would be easy for me to do. But no, not for the first time in my life, I'm going to be controversial (and not like Jeff in his "I'd really like Darlington to beat Hartlepool this Sunday" way).
I don't actually think ANYBODY cheated on Monday night.
Ok, well not quite.
"Sir" Alex Ferguson? Guilty of being his normal self. Not a crime, but worth locking him up for all the same.
Rooney got away with being an obnoxious get all through the match, frustrated at just not being very good this season (and regularly being shown up by Ronaldo, who was supposed to be having that "difficult" post-World Cup season, remember?) He should have walked when Morrison went, but the referee put his hand in his pocket, saw who it was, realised what he'd be doing and shut up.
I think that was Mike Dean's only bad decision.
"But what about the penalty??!!" I hear you cry.
Nailed on, I'm afraid. You're not telling me you didn't cry "penalty" when you saw it.
Woodgate should be apologising for putting in such a dog of a tackle at such a stupid time in such a stupid place. And on Cristiano Ronaldo!! My, they do make footballers thick these days don't they? If there's one thing that'll keep him at Old Trafford next year it'll be that Champions League sides will have seen that and had second thoughts about him being back to his best.
New feature alert: Dick of the Week. I fancy I'll win it a couple of times, but I'll take that risk.
Jonathan Woodgate wins a tour round Abel Xavier's wardrobe.
Jeff Winter
It is difficult to totally have a go at Ronaldo, because Woody made a stupid needless challenge that any Referee in the world was going to penalise. Though the Winker saw it coming and made sure he leaned into to it to get the contact. It's the way of the world now. See my column on my web log on the DJ's page of www.tfmradio.com where I have detailed in greater terms my feelings on the penalty scenario at present.
James Bassett
Let's get one thing straight: anyone who follows Boro is used to losing. So, the idiotic Mancs calling into radio phone-ins last night accusing us of sour grapes would do well to remember that, while our first chance on the global stage could easily have turned on a penalty that Mark Viduka wasn't awarded, in the Uefa Cup Final, we'd been outplayed and outthought by a superior team with a superior coach. That was the end of the matter.
What the baseless charge of sour grapes also ignores is that it's the stock reaction of any Boro fan to blame our own players. When we lose, it's usually the fault of Yakubu or Downing or Boateng or any one of the eleven players in red who are, at any moment, only split-seconds away from being considered useless by hoards of Boro die-hards.
There can be no denying that it was United who showed more attacking thrust on Monday night night, but a masterful, energetic and concentrated defensive performance contained United to only two decent chances; decent chances that a certain portly England striker with delectation towards ageing fanny spurned. For that splendid rearguard action to go unrewarded is, of course, immensely frustrating.
I won't criticise Mike Dean for awarding the penalty, because my instinct was that it was the correct decision. Replays show that Ronaldo helpfully trailed a leg towards Woodgate, but Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink employed a similar trick against AS Roma to earn a tie-winning penalty and there were few complaints from the Boro faithful then. I will, however, criticise Mike Dean for showing absolutely no backbone when dealing with Wayne Rooney.
Booked for dissent in the 61st minute, Rooney should have received his marching orders for entering a shoving match with George Boateng in the game's dying moments. That he didn't, while Boateng received a yellow card was ludicrous. That Rooney remained on the field for committing the same act against James Morrison just seconds later, smacks of incredible weakness by Dean.
Then there's James Morrison. Yes, he lost his rag. Yes, his behaviour was reckless. But could any United fan getting on their high horse about a 'career-threatening assault' please explain to me exactly what the difference was between it and Alan Smith's lunge from behind on Woodgate in the first-half?
And there you have it. Disappointment reigns on Teesside as Boro lost their one remaining stab at silverware, but there's little agreement as who the biggest culprit was. And, indeed, whether that culprit was wearing a red, black or, indeed, white shirt.
But, while we might not agree on who the night's biggest villain was, we can all agree who was the night's biggest hero.
Arise, Sir James Morrison.
Cheat Of The Week is published weekly. No bullshit. No more cheating. Enough is enough. Contact us here with your nominations for Cheat of the Week.
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