Comments on: 2008 Ballon d’Or Shortlist of 30 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html League Football, Soccer News and Views from Around the World Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:45:33 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: shinan http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-136170 shinan Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:08:49 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-136170 c.ronaldo is the best c.ronaldo is the best

]]> By: LL is a moron http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-136097 LL is a moron Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:56:11 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-136097 Messi had a horrible year?! Are you sure? Barca might have gone trophyless but that is not down to Messi, he dragged us through so many games with match winning displays and in a season disrupted by injury was our best player along Iniesta. He then starred at the olympics, gold medal and best player. And is currently in sensational form, you can't quanify his performances as he isn't an out and out goalscorer but he is a match winner and the number of goals and chances he has created already this season is incredible. He is the best player in the world and although he maybe doesnt deserve to pip Ronaldo this time he certainly will next year if he stays injury free Messi had a horrible year?! Are you sure?

Barca might have gone trophyless but that is not down to Messi, he dragged us through so many games with match winning displays and in a season disrupted by injury was our best player along Iniesta. He then starred at the olympics, gold medal and best player. And is currently in sensational form, you can’t quanify his performances as he isn’t an out and out goalscorer but he is a match winner and the number of goals and chances he has created already this season is incredible. He is the best player in the world and although he maybe doesnt deserve to pip Ronaldo this time he certainly will next year if he stays injury free

]]> By: mr muppet http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135326 mr muppet Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:18:26 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135326 If Zenit win the champions league this season, (not likely), then arshavin. but otherwise, he shouldn't get it QUITE yet. HOWEVER Christina Ronaldo isn't it either. Rubbish. Player on Man United. Scoring 42 goals, mostly from penalty kicks. I think Del Piero should get it If Zenit win the champions league this season, (not likely), then arshavin. but otherwise, he shouldn’t get it QUITE yet. HOWEVER Christina Ronaldo isn’t it either. Rubbish. Player on Man United. Scoring 42 goals, mostly from penalty kicks. I think Del Piero should get it

]]> By: Chubby http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135315 Chubby Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:39:18 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135315 Im not sure whos gonna read it, but my POV is that although Ronaldo had an amazing year, Arshavin should be in the straight contest for the prize, and not Torres or Ibra for that case. We all know an importance of CL (and as Milan fan i know it firsthand) but lets not diminish other leagues, ok? Because with your logic only players from big 4 leagues should win the prize... Snubbing CRon would be a nice beginning and humble him a bit too. If they had balls to snub Paolo Maldini and Gigi Buffon, snubbing Cristiano Ronaldo should be piece of cake. Im not sure whos gonna read it, but my POV is that although Ronaldo had an amazing year, Arshavin should be in the straight contest for the prize, and not Torres or Ibra for that case. We all know an importance of CL (and as Milan fan i know it firsthand) but lets not diminish other leagues, ok? Because with your logic only players from big 4 leagues should win the prize…
Snubbing CRon would be a nice beginning and humble him a bit too. If they had balls to snub Paolo Maldini and Gigi Buffon, snubbing Cristiano Ronaldo should be piece of cake.

]]> By: Nelson http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135267 Nelson Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:57:15 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135267 Oh btw, its also not about potential or what COULD have been, so Messi really should not even be in the top 3. I say: Ronaldo Torres Xavi Oh btw, its also not about potential or what COULD have been, so Messi really should not even be in the top 3.

I say:

Ronaldo
Torres
Xavi

]]> By: Nelson http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135266 Nelson Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:55:56 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135266 I agree with Shazback. People calling for Arshavin are setting different standards for the players, i.e. because Ronaldo is known and plays for a big club his merits don't mean as much as Arshavin who played for a lesser club yet still achieved a lot. When you break it down, Ronaldo won the most coveted prize in club football, swept all the awards in one of the world's top 3 leagues (if not the top one), and won the European Golden Boot by a pretty wide margin. People hold him to the highest standard and say he isn't good enough because he isn't perfect (i.e. missing penalties in crucial moments) but this award isn't about who's perfect (then no one would win) but rather who was the best last year. Ronaldo no contest I agree with Shazback. People calling for Arshavin are setting different standards for the players, i.e. because Ronaldo is known and plays for a big club his merits don’t mean as much as Arshavin who played for a lesser club yet still achieved a lot.

When you break it down, Ronaldo won the most coveted prize in club football, swept all the awards in one of the world’s top 3 leagues (if not the top one), and won the European Golden Boot by a pretty wide margin.

People hold him to the highest standard and say he isn’t good enough because he isn’t perfect (i.e. missing penalties in crucial moments) but this award isn’t about who’s perfect (then no one would win) but rather who was the best last year.

Ronaldo no contest

]]> By: Shazback http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135252 Shazback Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:41:30 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135252 The case for Arshavin is pretty weak... Won the Russian league? CRon matches with the Premier League. And I don't see no Chelsea, Arsenal and liverpool (a.k.a.) four champions league finals in a row in the Russian League. Won the UEFA Cup? CRon has the proper european trophy, the big-eared version of Andrei's toy. Euro 2008? Arshavin was great against the Netherlands and Sweden, but invisible against Spain. CRon was brilliant against the Czech Republic and Turkey. Yes, dispite people saying CRon had a crap Euro, it wasn't all that bad. Ronaldo created the second goal against Turkey, made two assists and scored against the Czech Republic and he created the first Portuguese goal against Germany... Three games, one goal scored, four assists. Portugal played only one game without Ronaldo... and lost 2-0 to Switzerland. Arshavin also played three games, scoring twice, but only giving one assist. Arshavin was absent whilst Russia lost 4-1 to Spain, and with him, they lost 3-0. Add to that the 42 goals scored (yes, he did miss a penalty in the final, and a penalty in the semi-final, but he -did- also score important goals, such as vs Lyon@OT, Sporting Lisbon (twice) or Chelsea in the CL Final), and I can't really see where Arshavin can one-up CRon... Torres, however, with a CL semi, a Euro 2008 winner's medal and a decent first year in the Premiership, could be in for a strong showing. The case for Arshavin is pretty weak… Won the Russian league? CRon matches with the Premier League. And I don’t see no Chelsea, Arsenal and liverpool (a.k.a.) four champions league finals in a row in the Russian League. Won the UEFA Cup? CRon has the proper european trophy, the big-eared version of Andrei’s toy. Euro 2008? Arshavin was great against the Netherlands and Sweden, but invisible against Spain. CRon was brilliant against the Czech Republic and Turkey. Yes, dispite people saying CRon had a crap Euro, it wasn’t all that bad. Ronaldo created the second goal against Turkey, made two assists and scored against the Czech Republic and he created the first Portuguese goal against Germany… Three games, one goal scored, four assists. Portugal played only one game without Ronaldo… and lost 2-0 to Switzerland. Arshavin also played three games, scoring twice, but only giving one assist. Arshavin was absent whilst Russia lost 4-1 to Spain, and with him, they lost 3-0.

Add to that the 42 goals scored (yes, he did miss a penalty in the final, and a penalty in the semi-final, but he -did- also score important goals, such as vs Lyon@OT, Sporting Lisbon (twice) or Chelsea in the CL Final), and I can’t really see where Arshavin can one-up CRon… Torres, however, with a CL semi, a Euro 2008 winner’s medal and a decent first year in the Premiership, could be in for a strong showing.

]]> By: Marco Pantanella http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135251 Marco Pantanella Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:12:00 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135251 John, no way Luca Toni is making the top 3. Not with Euro 2008 and the abysmal 2008-09 season he's having so far. Pretty much brought down all the good things he did <i>last</i> season. John, no way Luca Toni is making the top 3. Not with Euro 2008 and the abysmal 2008-09 season he’s having so far. Pretty much brought down all the good things he did last season.

]]> By: Al http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135250 Al Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:44:00 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135250 1. Torres 2. C. Ronaldo 3. Xavi 1. Torres
2. C. Ronaldo
3. Xavi

]]> By: LL http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135249 LL Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:30:21 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/ballon-dor-shortlist-of-30.html#comment-135249 the list is always political and definitely suspect, C.Ronaldo should definitely win though. Kaka had a horrible year last year and so did Messi, yet low an behold there they are. Messi, as a Barcelona substitute in 2005-2006, was awesome because defenses were worried about E'to and then World Player of the Year Ronaldinho. Since becoming a starter for BARCA in two years has he won anything? the answer is no. He even got outscored in LA LIGA last year by ROBINHO who didn't even make the list even though he was crucial to a MADRID side who won LA LIGA two years in a row before his controversial move away from the Bernabeau. In the Champions League, MESSI wasn't that convincing either, he had 6 goals and no assists while ROBINHO had 4 goals and 8 assists. the list is always political and definitely suspect, C.Ronaldo should definitely win though. Kaka had a horrible year last year and so did Messi, yet low an behold there they are. Messi, as a Barcelona substitute in 2005-2006, was awesome because defenses were worried about E’to and then World Player of the Year Ronaldinho. Since becoming a starter for BARCA in two years has he won anything? the answer is no. He even got outscored in LA LIGA last year by ROBINHO who didn’t even make the list even though he was crucial to a MADRID side who won LA LIGA two years in a row before his controversial move away from the Bernabeau. In the Champions League, MESSI wasn’t that convincing either, he had 6 goals and no assists while ROBINHO had 4 goals and 8 assists.

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