Stay on your feet in the box - or pay the Penalty

Two of the best central defenders playing in Britain today, Jonathan Woodgate and Ricardo Carvalho, paid the price tonight for attempting to tackle an opposing player in the penalty area. In Middlesboro's game against Manchester United, Woodgate slid in as tricky Cristiano Ronaldo homed in on goal. Woodgate had a choice; try to tackle Ronaldo or let him take his chances with the goalkeeper. He made the wrong choice, sliding in and getting the lightest of contacts with Ronaldo but none with the ball. Decision? Penalty and Man Utd go through to the FA Cup semi final. At White Hart Lane, Carvalho tries to curl his foot around Berbatov to clear the ball 12 yards out. Any contact with the ball is so faint that all the ref sees is Carvalho tripping Berbatov. Result? Penalty and Spurs give Chelsea a tricky last 10 minutes. The moral of this story for defenders? Stay on your feet and let your goalkeeper earn his money. A ref will always give a penalty if he sees a defender sliding in on a striker and not getting the ball.