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Profile of the Month :: Christiano Rolando -> the real CR7

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Name : Christiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Nick : CR7
Birth : Februari, 5th 1985 Funchal,Madeira,Portugal
Position : Midfield
Height : 6'1
Weight : 13st 0lbs

Cristiano Ronaldo became Manchester United's newest young hero when he signed from Sporting Lisbon in August 2003 and was immediately given David Beckham's number 7 shirt.

The Portuguese teenager was expected to take his time to settle in England, but made an immediate impact with a stunning debut against Bolton at Old Trafford. While he did not always replicate that level of performance in his first season, Ronaldo's tricks were always entertaining at the very least.

Sir Alex Ferguson made sure he gave the youngster plenty of rest, and the three week break he enjoyed after Christmas certainly paid dividends with some inspirational performances towards the end of the season.

While Manchester United's title challenge was fading fast, Ronaldo's importance to the team was becoming more and more evident with each game. The season ended on a high for him with a goal in the FA Cup final and a call-up to Portugal's Euro 2004 squad.

He started the tournament on the bench, but his performances and goals persuaded Luiz Felipe Scolari to make him a crucial part of the team that went all the way to the final, though Ronaldo was left in tears after Greece spoiled the hosts' party.

Those tears were soon turned into smiles though as he became a firm favourite with the Old Trafford faithful in his second season at the club. Indeed, along with fellow youngster Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo's superb season was one of the few highlights in an otherwise poor campaign at Old Trafford.

Despite a small dip mid-season, his crowd-pleasing tricks saw him make 50 appearances all in all, scoring nine, often lavish, goals including two in a Barclays Premiership game against Arsenal.

He continued this fine form for Portugal, scoring seven goals as they made a strong start in their World Cup 2006 qualifying group. 2005/06 was a mixed season for him, with off-field troubles and heartbreak affecting his form on it. He improved after Christmas, scoring six goals in five games in February, including one in the Carling Cup final.

Ronaldo also performed well for Portugal in the World Cup in Germany, helping them get to the semi-finals, although his tournament was overshadowed by the part he was alleged to have played in getting Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney sent off in the quarter-finals. The young winger was made public enemy number one by the English press, while quotes attributed to him about wanting to join Real Madrid only made him more unpopular.

With many fans, both opposition and Manchester United, baying for his blood at the start of the season, Ronaldo rose above the criticism to put in some stunning performances for the Red Devils and was the key figure in their push for the title in 2006/07, not only winning that trophy but also every individual award going and establishing himself as one of the best players in Europe.

He continued to shine in 2007/08, his fine form helping United to a Premier League and Champions League double.

He scored 42 goals (just two short of Ruud van Nistelrooy's club record), but beat George Best's long-standing goal-scoring record for a midfielder.

One of those goals came in the Champions League final against Chelsea and, despite missing a penalty in the subsequant shoot-out, United still claimed glory.

Such was his impressive form that he attracted the interest of Spanish giants Real Madrid. He has done little to dismiss rumours of a move there, and it still remains unclear if he will be playing his football in Manchester or Madrid next season.

Reference @ www.carling.com

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The Gunners "SHOOT" Red Devils 2-1

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A double from French forward Samir Nasri condemned United to a second defeat of the season, and moved Arsenal ahead of the champions in the Premier League table. The Gunners' summer signing from Marseille struck with 20-yard efforts in either half, while United had only Rafael's late consolation to show after passing up a string of chances.

Wayne Rooney, Anderson, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ji-sung Park were all unable to find a way past Manuel Almunia, while Gael Clichy was a touch fortunate to survive a first-half penalty claim for handball.
The first half was a captivating affair, with chances cropping up from the get-go. In the first minute, Manuel Almunia picked up an errant back-pass from former Reds defender Mikael Silvestre and, from the resultant free-kick, Anderson’s effort was inadvertently blocked by Ji-sung Park, and Michael Carrick sent the rebound just wide. After eight minutes, the Reds went one better and found a route past Almunia, only for Berbatov to see his goal chalked off. Great build-up play between Neville, Ronaldo and Park ended with Rooney’s curling effort being parried out by Almunia, before Berbatov converted the loose ball, having been lurking in an offside position.

In response, Gael Clichy fizzed in a superb left-wing cross which found Bendtner in-between Ferdinand and Vidic, but the Dane could only guide his free header over the bar. Two minutes later, he was again guilty of a glaring miss, failing to apply any kind of touch to Nasri’s in-swinging cross. That move was exceptional, but bettered by a piece of United teamwork in the 18th minute. Anderson skipped away from Fabregas and found Berbatov’s run inside the area. The Bulgarian fed Ronaldo, who slid a ball back for Rooney, but the England striker fired over when well-placed, 15 yards out.
For a game of such speed and incision, it was far from fitting that the opening goal came from a set-piece and a deflection. A right-wing free kick from Fabregas was headed clear by Berbatov, as far as Nasri on the edge of the area. The Frenchman’s left-footed strike took a telling deflection off Neville en route, leaving van der Sar helpless as the ball sped past him.
United’s response was to dominate possession immediately afterwards.

After Gallas had prevented Evra bursting into the Arsenal area, Ronaldo's perfectly drilled in-swinging free-kick clipped Clichy’s head, but somehow inched past the far post. The game continued at a breathless pace, with Walcott firing a volley off-target for the Gunners and Park having a fine left-footed effort powerfully parried away by Almunia. The Reds had a reasonable shout for a penalty turned down when Rooney's cross struck the arm of Clichy inside the area, before Anderson wormed himself through a cluster of Gunners defenders, but saw his close-range effort clutched gratefully by Almunia. Somehow, just the one goal was the collective end product of some superb attacking play from both sides. Within two minutes of the restart, however, Arsenal struck again.

Fabregas turned Neville and slid a pass to Nasri, who took advantage of space created by Walcott's run to drill a fine shot high past van der Sar. Little more than a minute had passed when United had a glorious chance to pull a goal back. Park again worked well down the left and curled in a delightful back-post cross, but Ronaldo sidefooted fractionally past the far post. Had that opening been converted, Arsenal's nerve would have been tested. As it was, the hosts were able to regroup, and proceeded to defend as if their lives depended on it. Time and again a home defender applied a telling touch or block to curtail a United forward foray, ensuring an afternoon of frustration for the Reds. Sir Alex Ferguson introduced Rafael, Ryan Giggs and Carlos Tevez as the second period wore on, with a view to injecting more attacking incision, and it was the young Brazilian who belatedly gave his side hope. In the final minute of normal time, Silvestre headed Giggs' cross clear as far as the edge of his own area, where Rafael took a touch on his chest and lashed a stunning left-footed volley past substitute goalkeeper Fabianski, who had earlier replaced the injured Almunia. It was too little, too late though - despite six minutes of injury time - as the Reds were unable to forge another opening and were left to rue a glut of spurned first half opportunities.


TEAM LINE-UP :

ARSENAL: Almunia (Fabianski 78); Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy; Walcott (Song 78), Denilson, Diaby (Toure 86), Fabregas, Nasri; Bendtner. Substitutes: Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou. Booked: Gallas, Sagna, Clichy

MANCHESTER UNITED: Van der Sar; Neville (Rafael 63), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Carrick, Anderson (Giggs 72), Park; Berbatov, Rooney (Tevez 77). Subs not used: Kuszczak, Nani, O’Shea, J Evans. Booked: Evra, Carrick
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