16 May, 2010

Trophyless: Ronny's Dream Turns Sour

The La Liga two-horse race went right down to the last day...and the first ten minutes of the RM match.  Pitted against relegation-threatened Malaga, RM needed a win and a loss or draw by Barcelona if they had any chance to win the title.  Barcelona, who were playing at home against relegation-threatened Valladolid, knew their title hopes hinged upon a win...no problemo.
Barca thrashed Valladolid 4-0 (2 by Messi, 1 by Pedro, and an own goal). 
Whatever RM did it wouldn't matter.  And they played like it.  Down a goal in the first ten minutes when Duda took on three RM defenders (loose terminology) by himself and put one past outstretched and overrated Casillas.  RM never recovered.  Yes, they equalized in the second half, but their play was pathetic and their big stars, Ronny, Higuain, and Xabi Alonso were mediocre at best. 
Ronny lost possession so many times it looked like he was playing for the other side.  Frustrated and hopeless, he dove, threw up his hands, and gave Sir Laurence Olivier a run for his money with his theatrics.  But it was all for naught.
Close to the end of the match, with the title all but gone, and their chance of salvaging some dignity all but gone, Ronny pushed a Malaga midfielder out of bounds and should have received a red card.  He got a yellow instead, but it was eerily reminiscent of last year's Champions League final when he gave a nasty push to Carles Puyol.  Ronny doesn't like to lose and when he senses it is lost he becomes very petulant.
That attitude hasn't won him many friends in La Liga and international play.  He will need to get that attitude in check when he arrives in South Africa, or Portugal's chances of advancing out of the "Group of Death" will look much like today's match...futile.

Ronny's Year:
La Liga...no trophy
Copa del Rey...dumped out by 3rd-tier Alcorcon
Champions League...out in the round of 16
Pichichi...goes to Messi (who equaled fat Ronaldo's goal-per-season record), Higuain 2nd, Ronny 3rd

World Cup?  After struggling to qualify against inferior teams, I don't give much hope for Portugal.
World Player of the Year?  Will probably go to the short Troll from Barcelona, but depending on England's play, Rooney may be right there.


@#$%^&*!!!


#$%^&!!


But...


And the Oscar goes to...


First season of not being a winner since 2003


This Ronny is a far cry from the one below...


Ahhh...the memories!

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