:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/32102165/484692855.0.jpg)
The fallout from the cavalcade of incompetence that was Chelsea vs. Sunderland continues today with the least surprising development: Ramires has accepted his violent conduct charge and will now be banned for four matches.
Chelsea midfielder Ramires has accepted a charge of violent conduct following an off-the-ball incident that was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.
[...] Ramires receives a four match ban which will start with immediate effect.
The ban includes three games for this offence plus an additional game for his sending off at Villa Park last month.
-source: The FA
Wait. Four?
That's right. Ramires is what we call a repeat offender. And if that sounds a bit unreasonable, let's recall that Sunderland was just his second Premier League match back after serving a three-game ban for his previous bit of uncontrolled petulance.
So that's the Brazilian cardiac kid's season over. By the time he comes back for the second match of the 2014-15 season, he will have been banned for seven of the last nine domestic matches. Impressive, most impressive.
At the start of this season, Ramires had appeared to be taking the next step in his development of becoming a bit more controlled, a bit more disciplined, but still dynamic midfielder. Alas, all that seems to have gone out the window as we've come closer and closer to the end of the season. He's gone from an almost universal fan favorite to hearing ever-increasing calls for his sale. While that may be an overreaction, the fact that we're not too concerned about him having to miss four games - including the Anfield headliner this weekend - speaks volumes.
Hopefully Ramires takes the summer to calm down a bit. I doubt his Brazilian teammates would appreciate similar displays of petulance at the World Cup.
