[the_cliff]

Seems like the things certain pundits and journalists warned about are beginning to come true. Ronaldo is an arch finisher, but his overall ability has declined to the extent that he can't contribute in deeper areas. When you consider what our strikers are asked to do, he really doesn't fit.

He would be perfect for a team like City who create many chances to score and just need someone to put it in the net.

This.

He's become a terrible footballer and it shows when he doesn't score. Elite finisher, poor footballer, when he doesn't score he drops stinkers.

I also suspect that he'd be regularly rotated for City and never start as many games for them as he does for us. He'll be playing against certain opponents and only that. We on the other hand are making him our focal point.

 

[Jev]

He never will be but he should be dropped. If you look at his PL matches in isolation, he's just been poor. Cavani, Martial, Rashford, Greenwood, they'd all be worth trying out to see if it improves our play. Ronaldo is definitely a hindrance right now, he offers nothing at the moment other than angry hand gestures.

 

[Bobski]

Can't believe how bad his touch is these days. He's ridiculously clumsy.

Stiffness that age brings. He is still in absurdly good shape and impressively athletic in many ways but he just doesn't change directions as fluidly these days and you can see the impact in his erratic touch.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Another really poor performance. I wouldn't be upset if this is his last season for us.

 

[Leftback99]

Did he play? Invisible.

 

[McGrathsipan]

Has to be dropped for Burnley game.
He needs to be an impact sub

 

[Idxomer]

His fans have kept pretending he's still good enough but he just isn't anymore.

Having him in the team currently is like playing with a man down, I would take Neal Maupay over him.

 

[RedIan]

Off the pace, poor touch. I’d honestly prefer Cavani. Ronaldo scores lots of goals but the teams turned to dogshit with him up front, coincidence ?

 

[Josh 76]

Stiffness that age brings. He is still in absurdly good shape and impressively athletic in many ways but he just doesn't change directions as fluidly these days and you can see the impact in his erratic touch.

To be in good shape at 36 is not difficult. I know people in their 50s who look awesome. I’m just sick of people saying this. His football ability is declining, that’s the only thing that matters, not his bloody six pack.

Ronaldo is not the main problem, but he is definitely one of them!

 

[CloneMC16]

Really poor again. He did nothing useful all game. Should have been sent off as well. His attitude isn't great.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Almost like he’s a problem no matter what the manager. How can you sustain a successful pressing tactic with him in the team? I really doubt it.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Pretty poor.

Looked his age.

 

[Lay]

Really poor. If he hasn't scored, he offers nothing else. Passenger.

 

[Dan_F]

I don’t think he’ll start against Burnley, there’s an easy excuse to sit him on the bench after playing 90 tonight.

Almost like he’s a problem no matter what the manager. How can you sustain a successful pressing tactic with him in the team? I really doubt it.

Let’s not pretend we tried to press tonight.

 

[Brwned]

Stiffness that age brings. He is still in absurdly good shape and impressively athletic in many ways but he just doesn't change directions as fluidly these days and you can see the impact in his erratic touch.

Yeah I guess so, but it seemed to me that someone like Giggs kept that touch and dribbling right to the end, he was less agile but still silky smooth.

His fans have kept pretending he's still good enough but he just isn't anymore.

Having him in the team currently is like playing with a man down, I would take Neal Maupay over him.

Not only that but some people have suggested he's having a great season, showing Messi how it's done in a different league once again. He's been an absolute shadow of the player I expected him to be in most games. Really bad at so many of the basics.

 

[Idxomer]

Almost like he’s a problem no matter what the manager. How can you sustain a successful pressing tactic with him in the team? I really doubt it.

It's impossible, you also can't play good football with him in the team.

 

[Bobski]

Yeah I guess so, but it seemed to me that someone like Giggs kept that touch and dribbling right to the end, he was less agile but still silky smooth.

Giggs was even more of freak athlete in his own way than Ronaldo. Also a much better dribbler in terms of close control of the ball while running with it.

 

[UnitedFan93]

Shot ourselves in the foot bringing him back. Just a really stupid last minute panic buy brought on by City's interest. Pathetic really. Hopefully he decides to clear off in the summer, because he'll create all sort of problems for the next manager as well given his ego and status.

 

[A-man]

I didn’t even see him on the pitch. Invisible.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Yeah I guess so, but it seemed to me that someone like Giggs kept that touch and dribbling right to the end, he was less agile but still silky smooth.



Not only that but some people have suggested he's having a great season, showing Messi how it's done in a different league once again. He's been an absolute shadow of the player I expected him to be in most games. Really bad at so many of the basics.

I agree, I really don’t know how people can see the player who once played for us, the agile and technical trickster with an eye for goal and compare to this shell of a player in terms of overall impact on the pitch. If he didn’t have the name he has he’d be treated completely differently.

 

[Andrew7582]

He just doesn't have the legs anymore for the premier league, this league is too fast for him. He'll still get the odd goal here and there but it's not enough for a team that wants to win the league.

 

[Cascarino]

To be in good shape at 36 is not difficult. I know people in their 50s who look awesome. I’m just sick of people saying this. His football ability is declining, that’s the only thing that matters, not his bloody six pack.

Ronaldo is not the main problem, but he is definitely one of them!

There’s a difference between looking awesome, and playing elite football at 36. You can run marathons at 50, but football is something different entirely. There’s a reason you see so few players of that age in the prem. Go have a look, at his age there’s Silva, and then a bunch of goalkeepers. It’s extremely hard to be elite football ready at 36.

 

[BuzzKillington]

Not getting into a conversation on his merits as a footballer. I just don’t like him. I hate the way he sulks and throws his arms around when somebody else fecks up despite the fact he cocks up himself plenty, I don’t like the diving, I don’t like the histrionics aimed at the referee and I don’t like the way he plays up to the camera. I won’t be sorry to see him go in the summer.

Contrast him to Cavani. Night and day.

 

[Thiagoal]

Sadly, his introduction has massively harmed team cohesion and it also appears team harmony. It’s cost Ole his job and I just hope RR can see it before our season is totally ruined

 

[Glorio]

My conclusion is his presence is harming our play. Lethal finisher, but his overall play means it could be an uphill battle for the team to have any good, controlled performance.

He's saved us a few times, but you wonder whether we'd have needed the saving in the first place. And his whinging has to be having a terrible impact on the team.

 

[United in sin]

I don't want him at this club next season. Our attack as a unit has really regressed and he's a big reason why

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

He had literally zero service

 

[Barthez]

Time to sell him. Can’t even be bothered to clap the travelling fans.
Neville spot on.

 

[sullydnl]

He's not all that good any more, which was probably to be expected at 36. Will continue to poach his fair share of goals of course but comes with plenty of downsides too.

The Ole-era arguments that he was to blame for our issues was always off-base but that doesn't mean he solves a lot of them either.

 

[Mr Anderson]

A fairytale signing, but not the ideal fit. Same issues Lukaku had here, effectively playing with 10 men when out of possession.

first half he had no service. Second was a little more fluid but Cavani was smarter with it and Ronnie done little.

 

[LuisNaniencia]

Elephant in the room, but Ron cannot be unsubbable. No one else in the league would have stayed on the pitch with that performance.

 

[Gazza]

Yeah I guess so, but it seemed to me that someone like Giggs kept that touch and dribbling right to the end, he was less agile but still silky smooth.



Not only that but some people have suggested he's having a great season, showing Messi how it's done in a different league once again. He's been an absolute shadow of the player I expected him to be in most games. Really bad at so many of the basics.

Perhaps Giggs differs in that he knew in his mid/late-20s he'd have to adapt his game because of his recurring hamstring injuries and actively started dropping deeper and becoming more of a passer as a result.

 

[Mickson]

Time to sell him. Can’t even be bothered to clap the travelling fans.
Neville spot on.

What did he say?

 

[lex talionis]

Ronnie should have been subbed off as well as Marcus. Both were grim tonight.

 

[Lay]

I didn’t even see him on the pitch. Invincible.

From being subbed.

 

[Oly Francis]

Stiffness that age brings. He is still in absurdly good shape and impressively athletic in many ways but he just doesn't change directions as fluidly these days and you can see the impact in his erratic touch.

I've been talking about his stiffness for a couple of years now, it was very noticeable at Juventus, he almost looks robotlike. He grabs the ball, 2 or 3 useless step-over and a desperate shot without any room, that's pretty much the only thing he can do when he's not used in the box as a pure finisher.

Good luck handling a benched Ronaldo, I can't imagine it, he's either a starter or he should be sold.

 

[sp_107]

Off the pace, poor touch. I’d honestly prefer Cavani. Ronaldo scores lots of goals but the teams turned to dogshit with him up front, coincidence ?

Same thing happened to Jeventus, as a whole teamthey regressed a lot

 

[RUCK4444]

Almost like he’s a problem no matter what the manager. How can you sustain a successful pressing tactic with him in the team? I really doubt it.

He was running (in the press) as much as any of the other forwards the second half.

We have been shite at pressing if we are honest. No trace of a proper cohesive press yet, so I don’t think we can blame Ronaldo on this one.

Both he and Rashford were awful tonight though, same for Bruno and the rest of them though.

 

[Dinghy]

Sadly, his introduction has massively harmed team cohesion and it also appears team harmony. It’s cost Ole his job and I just hope RR can see it before our season is totally ruined

https://www.espn.com/soccer/juventu...-juventus-lost-team-dna-after-players-arrival

 

[DWelbz19]

What did he say?

That Ronaldo and Bruno as the best and most experienced players in the side are far too negative and constantly complain and whinge which is having an adverse affect on the younger players in the side. Also said he’s not happy with the fact that Ronaldo consistently runs off the pitch straight after the game