[Sultan]

Hopefully it isnt the board who's is naming teamsheets and Fergie said that privately but was filmed.

It's a bit of a stretch to point fingers at the board or even Sir Alex. However, it does seem Ronaldo seems to be too big a personality due to his past greatness. I am just assuming this as I don't know the inner workings.

I wonder if Ole was just too nice to deal with the issue?

 

[AndySmith1990]

Wish he'd gone to Liverpool, he'd have made them a worse team as he barely moves, and they rely heavily on movement from all players.

 

[Real Name]

It's a bit of a stretch to point fingers at the board or even Sir Alex. However, it does seem Ronaldo seems to be too big a personality due to his past greatness. I am just assuming this as I don't know the inner workings.

I wonder if Ole was just too nice to deal with the issue?

I'm guessing the latter is true. Ole was too nice maybe and thought he should start him every game. I dont think RR will have a problem dropping Ronaldo when needed or so I hope.

 

[lilcurt]

Really? I was at the game last night and you do miss some action when the mind and eyes wander. Can you please share some examples?

You didn't miss anything. Ronnie offered nothing.

He makes us really easy to play against as he operates in a such a small window of space. It was so telling when Bruno played a lovely ball over the top for him and you feel any striker who still has legs gets there comfortably... If you don't put something on a dime for Ronnie now he is a passenger.

 

[harms]

I hated this at the time. It was a start of the end for Ole. Because in that game we were actually winning before he came on and playing reasonably well in attack... then he came on and we were awful. Yet Ole still got blamed for not starting him. It was the worst thing that Fergie has done to interfere with the club since he left. I know he didn't intend to be filmed, but that was like something post-Busby everyone feared.

As for the intent — they’ve just done a sponsorship interview with Fergie & Cristiano and he had said the same thing, this time intentionally on camera.

I obviously adore the man and I understand that he has very special relationships with Cristiano and likely played a huge role in convincing him to move back but at this point I really wish he wouldn’t have said that.

 

[UnitedFan93]

I hope with more structure in our play he'll come good.

I'll be amazed if we see much improvement in his general play. It's not down to his ability or confidence, it's simply his age. He's still in great shape, but his legs have gone. Sadly, his physical condition is only going down from here as he ages.

The structure relies on pressing which he can't do alone, hence why he needs a partner up front to help him press. However this is causing problems in other areas of the pitch as we try to compensate for this, leaving us exposed.

By the time the next permanent manager comes in Ronaldo will be on his way to being 38 years old. A manager simply can't think long term when you've got players of that age in your squad, especially with the ego and status that he has. His first job will be getting rid of Ronaldo, as he'll bring the house down, just like he's doing this season.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Yes.

Cavani was playing really well and was subbed. You could see Cavani was visibly upset and being subbed when playing well.

Cavani did so well for us last season too. His only problem was being injury prone but we shouldn’t need or expect 35 year old strikers to start every game. Completely frozen out since we signed Ronaldo. One of many players who must be deeply unhappy about the move.

 

[Real Name]

I'll be amazed if we see much improvement in his general play. It's not down to his ability or confidence, it's simply his age. He's still in great shape, but his legs have gone. Sadly, his physical condition is only going down from here as he ages.

The structure relies on pressing which he can't do alone, hence why he needs a partner up front to help him press. However this is causing problems in other areas of the pitch as we try to compensate for this, leaving us exposed.

By the time the next permanent manager comes in Ronaldo will be on his way to being 38 years old. A manager simply can't think long term when you've got players of that age in your squad, especially with the ego and status that he has. His first job will be getting rid of Ronaldo, as he'll bring the house down, just like he's doing this season.

How exactly will he bring the house down?

Saying that I agree to an extent with other points.
I dont think him not pressing is that bad as portrayed.

 

[Real Name]

Cavani did so well for us last season too. His only problem was being injury prone but we shouldn’t need or expect 35 year old strikers to start every game. Completely frozen out since we signed Ronaldo. One of many players who must be deeply unhappy about the move.

Wasnt he injured a lot this season?

 

[ClassOf'99]

Granted now I only seen the last 5 minutes of first and then all of the 2nd, but come on, Ronaldo is the cause of our problems?

You have Maguire who turns slower than the titanic and cou tless times stood statically with the ball on the half way line, Rashford who looks half the player he was, just Rash now and then we have a new manager and system being implemented, everyone looked shaky, nervous and unsure on the ball.

Cavani coming on freed both our strikers, the difference I seen between them was Cavani's killer instinct in the box got him a goal, and everytime Ronaldo got the ball he was faced with 2/3/4 players depending on how close he was to the box, coupled with how poor we were at passing it to him 2nd half.

Countless passes from Sancho, Bruno and Rash all went astray, and the keeper mistake which Cavani could've squared. But I understand, when we play against a team sitting back it doesn't suit Ronaldo but if we play fast in transitions like the manager keeps saying we are looking to do, with accurate passes to him, then Ronaldo will score goals because he likes to peel away from the cb to give himself space to attack.

We are rushing play, not doing basics, still, we are not running with the ball to increase the pressure and then when are players do make runs they are ignored or worse the pass is terrible, play breaks down and frustration increases.

There are far more fundementals wrong in the team more than just lumping it at Ronaldo because a lot of us have pinned our hopes on him being the catalyst to a great season.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Wasnt he injured a lot this season?

Yeah, he gets injured a lot. He still didn’t deserve to lose his place to Ronaldo when he was fit/available. That Everton substitution is an example of this.

 

[Relevated]

This guy is lashing players and getting angrier each game.

 

[Real Name]

Yeah, he gets injured a lot. He still didn’t deserve to lose his place to Ronaldo when he was fit/available. That Everton substitution is an example of this.

Agree with the edited post.

 

[McGrathsipan]

The gloss has come off - he should be used as an impact sub - at his age.
Him being primed to run like feck for 20/25 mins in every game will keep the oppo managers guessing too.

He needs to dropped from the starting team

 

[Devil81]

I think the words of Buffon recently were so true. Juve may have been on a decline but the introduction of Ronaldo altered the way they operated.

As Buffon said they lost their DNA, they no longer played as a team. Madrid had the best of Ronaldo, they knew better than anyone the decline would come with its issues.

The lad just demands centre stage, it's the Ronaldo show after all. I think we've sold our soul to the devil to prevent City ruining a legacy and its taken us back two years to before Ole had even started.

His place in the team has come at the expense of Fernandes, Rashford and Greenwood the most, all three aren't getting into spaces that they previously did before Ronaldo because he occupies those spaces and doesn't move.

Fernandes even lost the penalties even though he had a near perfect record. I still attribute his miss again Villa to the pressure placed on him to retain the duty.

We need to cut this money making exercise at the end of the season, no way can we have have the shadow of a demanding Ronaldo at the club next season.

 

[Bestietom]

Cavani did so well for us last season too. His only problem was being injury prone but we shouldn’t need or expect 35 year old strikers to start every game. Completely frozen out since we signed Ronaldo. One of many players who must be deeply unhappy about the move.

Yes, and this is where our problem is. Ronaldo and Bruno are not showing good example to the younger players by throwing their arms in the air when they don't pass them the ball.
They should be encouraging them on the field, and talk to them in the dressing room afterwards

 

[Bestietom]

Greenwood should have been left on as he is the one who could have found a way to score and won us the game.

 

[Bebestation]

I think the words of Buffon recently were so true. Juve may have been on a decline but the introduction of Ronaldo altered the way they operated.

As Buffon said they lost their DNA, they no longer played as a team. Madrid had the best of Ronaldo, they knew better than anyone the decline would come with its issues.

The lad just demands centre stage, it's the Ronaldo show after all. I think we've sold our soul to the devil to prevent City ruining a legacy and its taken us back two years to before Ole had even started.

His place in the team has come at the expense of Fernandes, Rashford and Greenwood the most, all three aren't getting into spaces that they previously did before Ronaldo because he occupies those spaces and doesn't move.

Fernandes even lost the penalties even though he had a near perfect record. I still attribute his miss again Villa to the pressure placed on him to retain the duty.

We need to cut this money making exercise at the end of the season, no way can we have have the shadow of a demanding Ronaldo at the club next season.

Agree with everything. I mean even Sancho, I think he would have started performing better if we had used him more with the Greenwood, Bruno, Rashford type set up we were building up.

Now Greenwood is not performing. Rashford isn't. Bruno isn't to his level. It's maybe not a surprise that Sancho isn't looking that great either. The only players who has performed after Ronaldo joined is -

1. Ronaldo
2. De Gea

I think that says alot about everything when you look at their positions, and how that indicates how we have been playing and played against.

 

[Nordmore]

As for the intent — they’ve just done a sponsorship interview with Fergie & Cristiano and he had said the same thing, this time intentionally on camera.

I obviously adore the man and I understand that he has very special relationships with Cristiano and likely played a huge role in convincing him to move back but at this point I really wish he wouldn’t have said that.

One thing imo we should notice that SAF is 79 yo.

My father used to be a typical ruthless, no-nonsense, tough as nails man. He was very little talking and cold.

Now he cries when he watches TV dramas and can talk to anyone who would listen for hours about his younger days.

You got old and that may happen I think.

 

[Jacob]

Yup, nothing wrong with him, totally normal behaviour from a player without any issues.

That's only a positive. He clearly is frustrated by the lack of quality/performance from his team mates.

 

[Judge Red]

It’s not working. Greenwood was working before he came, scoring every match. Cavani and Greenwood were the best partnership last season too.

With the players he has to work with, Ronaldo is an impact sub for the last 30 minutes with too big an ego to ever accept that. It’s a shame because it would work and he’d be paid well for it.

 

[Pep's Suit]

I think he looked finished for two years now. Just seems like someone who can't start every game in PL anymore, maybe 1 in 3. So happy City didn't sign him because he has nowhere to go now.

 

[RORY65]

It's almost as if buying players just to avoid the potential awkwardness of City signing them and to get loads of engagement on social media isn't the right approach for a serious football team. He's had some great moments since he came back, especially in the Champions League, but we've never dominated games enough to allow for having someone whose role is so limited. The fact that he genuinely is bigger than the club as well means he has to play pretty much every game he wants otherwise the situation is going to get ugly.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

That's only a positive. He clearly is frustrated by the lack of quality/performance from his team mates.

Guess we should be pleased his team mates tolerate the lack of quality/performance from Ronaldo without launching into lunatic challenges like that.

 

[cyberman]

Don’t blame Ronaldo at all. The box player isn’t getting chances because we are an attacking mess.

 

[IhabX7]

A lot of people are frustrated and trying to blame Ronaldo based on correlation with the down turn in form. When the team pulls itself together you will see all of the players producing performances much better than the horrific ones we've seen. We have to have patience. My only worry is that some players felt the pressure of signing Ronaldo which meant we have to be going for the league title. These players should be identified and dealt with. Just remember that we were top of the league for one week last season and they crumbled under pressure.

Ronaldo cares and is up for it, so is Sancho. That much is obvious.

 

[Gehrman]

Don’t blame Ronaldo at all. The box player isn’t getting chances because we are an attacking mess.

No doubt he'll obviusly score more if we start controlling games and give him good service. However as a team we might be more dynamic without him and have more goals spread around. I think at United at least he's more suited as an impact sub. He's an old poacher now. The best forwards can create chances for themselves at least some of the time.

 

[IhabX7]

No doubt he'll obviusly score more if we start controlling games and give him good service. However as a team we might be more dynamic without him and have more goals spread around. I think at United at least he's more suited as an impact sub.

We've played without him and saw the same performances. It's not Ronaldo vs play style, he can be very useful in whatever style we go for. There's a huge mental issue at play here with players not being able to handle the pressure of having a squad that's supposed to compete for the league. It's the manager's job to sort this out. He talks about psychology and sells a sophisticated persona, we're gonna have to wait and see if he can actually produce.

 

[MNG2646]

The main problem with Ronaldo is that other than his bad behavior on the pitch, he has turned into a 36 year old Inzaghi. it's either scoring goals or absolutely nothing.
Ronaldo used to be fast and dribble past defenders. some creativity too. but right now he has zero creativity, no dribbling, no pace and no proper off the ball movement in order to help the team press and defend in opponents half.
he may work in a super team who can create chance after chance for him ( Madrid ) but at a team who struggles to create ( Juve and United ) he will be useless most of the time. part of the problem if i'm being honest.
United needs a star who helps them control the game, create chances and make others around him look better. not a player who does nothing all game and occasionally saves you by scoring a last minute goal against average opponents.

 

[BlueHaze]

The gloss has come off - he should be used as an impact sub - at his age.
Him being primed to run like feck for 20/25 mins in every game will keep the oppo managers guessing too.

He needs to dropped from the starting team

But who exactly should start ahead of him? I would buy this argument if the other attackers where shining but the whole lot of them are being useless.

 

[McGrathsipan]

But who exactly should start ahead of him? I would buy this argument if the other attackers where shining but the whole lot of them are being useless.

Cavani for one. Greenwood another.

 

[BlueHaze]

Cavani for one. Greenwood another.

Cavani's body is done he'll start 2 and be out for 10. Mason also started yesterday and was pretty terrible.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

1. Ronaldo
2. De Gea

I think that says alot about everything when you look at their positions, and how that indicates how we have been playing and played against.

Even Ronaldo, how well has he really performed in the league overall? His overall rating for the Premier League on WhoScored is 6.94, which makes him the 71st best player in the league this season, even worse than Harry Kane who has got slated for his performances. It's worse than Hudson Odoi, Lacazette, Josh King, Lukaku, Trossard etc, never mind Salah on 7.89, nearly a full point better than him. Even Jota and Toney are .4 better than him.

To compare Ronaldo to Jota and Toney, for example, from general play. I'll also put the league leader in italics:

Aerials won per game
Toney 5.5 (also league leader)
Jota 1.3
Ronaldo 1

Tackles per game
Dennis 1.7 (leader among forwards)
Jota 1.2
Toney 1.1
Ronaldo 0.1

Key passes per game
Salah 2.1 (leader among forwards)
Toney 1.3
Jota 1.3
Ronaldo 0.6

Dribbles per game
Saint-Maximin 4.2 (leader among forwards)
Toney 0.9
Jota 0.9
Ronaldo 0.9

These statistics show up some of his limitations from general play.

 

[IhabX7]

Even Ronaldo, how well has he really performed in the league overall? His overall rating for the Premier League on WhoScored is 6.94, which makes him the 71st best player in the league this season, even worse than Harry Kane who has got slated for his performances. It's worse than Hudson Odoi, Lacazette, Josh King, Lukaku, Trossard etc, never mind Salah on 7.89, nearly a full point better than him. Even Jota and Toney are .4 better than him.

To compare Ronaldo to Jota and Toney, for example, from general play. I'll also put the league leader in italics:

Aerials won per game
Toney 5.5 (also league leader)
Jota 1.3
Ronaldo 1

Tackles per game
Dennis 1.7 (leader among forwards)
Jota 1.2
Toney 1.1
Ronaldo 0.1

Key passes per game
Salah 2.1 (leader among forwards)
Toney 1.3
Jota 1.3
Ronaldo 0.6

Dribbles per game
Saint-Maximin 4.2 (leader among forwards)
Toney 0.9
Jota 0.9
Ronaldo 0.7

These statistics show up some of his limitations from general play.

But who is he going to pass to? Does he have the same options as other forwards in other teams? Statistics lead to silly comparisons, it's a team sport and you can see the team is not functioning and the players are suffering for it.

 

[evil_geko]

Granted now I only seen the last 5 minutes of first and then all of the 2nd, but come on, Ronaldo is the cause of our problems?

You have Maguire who turns slower than the titanic and cou tless times stood statically with the ball on the half way line, Rashford who looks half the player he was, just Rash now and then we have a new manager and system being implemented, everyone looked shaky, nervous and unsure on the ball.

Cavani coming on freed both our strikers, the difference I seen between them was Cavani's killer instinct in the box got him a goal, and everytime Ronaldo got the ball he was faced with 2/3/4 players depending on how close he was to the box, coupled with how poor we were at passing it to him 2nd half.

Countless passes from Sancho, Bruno and Rash all went astray, and the keeper mistake which Cavani could've squared. But I understand, when we play against a team sitting back it doesn't suit Ronaldo but if we play fast in transitions like the manager keeps saying we are looking to do, with accurate passes to him, then Ronaldo will score goals because he likes to peel away from the cb to give himself space to attack.

We are rushing play, not doing basics, still, we are not running with the ball to increase the pressure and then when are players do make runs they are ignored or worse the pass is terrible, play breaks down and frustration increases.

There are far more fundementals wrong in the team more than just lumping it at Ronaldo because a lot of us have pinned our hopes on him being the catalyst to a great season.

There is no one main cause here, both Maguire and Rashford aren't excused here, there are many parts of the problem, and Ronaldo is one of them.

 

[Oly Francis]

The main problem with Ronaldo is that other than his bad behavior on the pitch, he has turned into a 36 year old Inzaghi. it's either scoring goals or absolutely nothing.
Ronaldo used to be fast and dribble past defenders. some creativity too. but right now he has zero creativity, no dribbling, no pace and no proper off the ball movement in order to help the team press and defend in opponents half.
he may work in a super team who can create chance after chance for him ( Madrid ) but at a team who struggles to create ( Juve and United ) he will be useless most of the time. part of the problem if i'm being honest.
United needs a star who helps them control the game, create chances and make others around him look better. not a player who does nothing all game and occasionally saves you by scoring a last minute goal against average opponents.

The problem isn't so much what he turned into in my opinion, it's the difference between how he sees himself and what he really is at this point. He's still a prime poacher that shouldn't start every game, but he still sees himself as a central part of the team that should attract most passes in the last third. He'll have to face the truth at one point or it's going to be REALLY hard to handle his frustration.

 

[Maniron]

If Ronaldo doesn't score he's not worth his place. But then again he scores more often than not.

I think he would be better used as a substitute coming on when defences are tiring, but I am not sure he would put the team's needs before his own.

I can imagine an unhappy Ronaldo could be very bad for team morale

 

[Pogue Mahone]

But who is he going to pass to? Does he have the same options as other forwards in other teams? Statistics lead to silly comparisons, it's a team sport and you can see the team is not functioning and the players are suffering for it.

Another player on the same team. Simple really.

Unless you’re implying he chooses not to pass to players he somehow thinks aren’t worthy of receiving a pass from CR7?

In which case his problems run even deeper than the frankly atrocious stats in that post you’re responding to.

 

[AndySmith1990]

If Ronaldo doesn't score he's not worth his place. But then again he scores more often than not.

I think he would be better used as a substitute coming on when defences are tiring, but I am not sure he would put the team's needs before his own.

I can imagine an unhappy Ronaldo could be very bad for team morale

If an unhappy Ronaldo is bad for morale he should be pulled aside by the manager and be put in his place. If he has a problem with it he can feck off. I've no time for pandering to big egos. About time we focus on what's best for the team instead of worrying about what's best for individuals

 

[IhabX7]

Another player on the same team. Simple really.

Unless you’re implying he chooses not to pass to players he somehow thinks aren’t worthy of receiving a pass from CR7?

In which case his problems run even deeper than the frankly atrocious stats in that post you’re responding to.

You think you're clever? Passing options is a thing, look for it when you watch the next match. City players have several almost at all times, as is the way of Pep since his Barcelona days. We simply don't, and this isn't a problem for Ronaldo alone, it's for all our players. The problem is the team as a whole. We can get Messi and he will look clueless.