[Chesterlestreet]

People were saying that about 37 year old Ronaldo and got proven wrong....

Were they, though?

(I don't mean to mean to be dismissive or flippant - it's a genuine question: In what way have the - let's say - more reasonable Ronaldo naysayers been proven wrong?).

 

[Deery]

Were they, though?

(I don't mean to mean to be dismissive or flippant - it's a genuine question: In what way have the - let's say - more reasonable Ronaldo naysayers been proven wrong?).

Well people were saying we couldn’t build a team around him and his legs were gone but through circumstances we’ve had to and he’s become our best player scoring 17 PL goals and 23 for the season.

It’s not logical and not many would have thought possible but it has been done..

 

[mctrials23]

I know! Why don’t we get a team full of good players, just like man city and Liverpool did? The idea that we should get rid of our 1 world class player to make the rest of the team better…. Well maybe you could convince RM, City, Liverpool that they should do that.

So which of the players at Liverpool, City and RM are at odds with how their manager wants to play but are being accommodated because they are world class.

This is the problem and completely endemic of our club thinking over the past decade. Just because a player is brilliant, doesn't mean he is the right player for the club. You buy the right player for the team, not the best player ignoring the team.

 

[Gavinb33]

The idea that we shouldn't build a team around a 37-year old (Ronaldo, no less) is idiotic, not because we should be doing it, but because, why build a team around one single player anyway? Those who spout this nonsense, often refer to Man City and Liverpool not having 37-year olds in attack, but they also haven't built a team around one player either, have they? The best players play, Ronaldo is our best player so he plays.

The hope is that Ten Hag comes in and builds a system that is clear enough, so the players are interchangeable and the team doesn't suffer dramatically as a result. This is what Liverpool and Man City have built. Not some weird "37 year olds be built around" bollocks. Adding to that, what they have built is not the only way to operate and as long as Ten Hag wants Ronaldo in the team and it's paying off then why would we care?

The reason why they are able to have players who come in and out and be multifunctional upfront is because none of them are specialists who do only one thing.

Ronaldo can score yes, can he press for 90 minutes no, could he play on the right or left for 90 minutes no, can he drop in and become a playmaker no, that leaves one thing he scores and that just isn't enough in modern football it wasn't enough at Juve and it shouldn't be enough for United either.

And lastly because of all the things mentioned you have to build the whole attack around him because he cannot do the other things so you'd have to, the reason you wouldn't have to do that if you got multifunctional forwards is because they can slot in and do multiple things.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Well people were saying we couldn’t build a team around him and his legs were gone but through circumstances we’ve had to and he’s become our best player scoring 17 PL goals and 23 for the season.

It’s not logical and not many would have thought possible but it has been done..

Yes - but it really hasn't been demonstrated that we can build a team around him. If that's what we (Ole and Ralf) have been trying, you can't say that it has worked, can you? We don't look like a top team (with Ronaldo as the, call it what you will, focal point) at all.

Individually, Ronaldo has done very well for a 37 year old - I mean, this is undeniable. But what I call "reasonable naysayers" have never denied that he still has extreme qualities - nor that he can post good numbers if he starts more often than not.

I dunno - this isn't a black n' white thing at all. Part of the premise (or even the premise itself) is that Ronaldo has been playing in a generally sub-par or even dysfunctional team this season. Which makes it difficult to assess him.

His fans will use the "dysfunctional" part to big up his - individual - contribution. The other side will claim that he is one of the reasons why the team is dysfunctional in the first place.

Some people will look at nothing but the numbers (even going as far as to presume - or pretend - that we lose all of Ronaldo's goals if he gets removed from the equation) - others go too far in the other direction (blaming Ronaldo, first and foremost, for our dysfunctional attacking "patterns").

 

[IhabX7]

So which of the players at Liverpool, City and RM are at odds with how their manager wants to play but are being accommodated because they are world class.

This is the problem and completely endemic of our club thinking over the past decade. Just because a player is brilliant, doesn't mean he is the right player for the club. You buy the right player for the team, not the best player ignoring the team.

Yes, the well oiled machine that is Manchester United of today, should get rid of Ronaldo because he doesn’t fit our great system. We are simply accommodating him into the otherwise great footballing structure we’ve got here, and now it’s ruined.

Pretty sure you’ve noticed we’re a shit team, mate. We’ve got one player who’s a legend of the game still working his arse off and delivering but we should get rid of him because someone on the internet speculated that he’s not a good fit for the new manager or hypothesized that there’s a relation between signing Ronaldo and the free fall of the players. Let the new manager decide and stop posting random theories and hearsay. These narrow minded narratives are absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Bebestation]

Only an idi*t will ever write down Ronaldo's ability to score.

He hasn't had such a season in God knows how long.

The problem has never ever been his ability to score - as seen by his time at Juventus and its fan base where he was regularly the top goalscorer but still pushed out the club; the problem is that Ronaldo becomes the only player at the club that ends up performing in a full first team 11. Ronaldo becomes the total sum of a teams parts.

Ronaldo's 20+ goals this season is great and to some like me even legendary to GOAT him up even more. However did he create these chances by himself? Dribbled, shot and scored by himself? No. He got set up by the rest of the team but literally at the end of the season only really Ronaldo has performed for United.

It's a very hard thing to explain - but I can't be asked for people shouting at me acting like I've got a problem for Ronaldo - the best performer at United 21-22.

The thing is, some people just see that Ronaldo here next season means that Ronaldo will be our best performer again.

However he won't just be our best performer, he will be our only performer for another season as the rest of the team focuses purely on setting him up. It won't be Sancho. It won't be Bruno Fernandes. It won't be the replacement for Pogba or Rashford. It won't be whoever we buy or find. It wont be Hannibal, Elanga, or whoever you have in mind.

It will be Ronaldo. Our best but only performer for a season.

It's why, the moment he signed - I knew our season was f*cked.

Ps. I love you Ronaldo. Always have. My GOAT.

 

[Trex]

At this point I'll say it will be quite arrogant of ETH to get rid of Ronaldo now, its not like there's any center forward who can guarantee his goal return, and its not like ETH full vision can be achieved within a single transfer window/preseason. He is definitely going to have to accommodate certain players who he doesn't see starting two or three years from now so why not a goal machine like Ronaldo.

 

[IhabX7]

The reason why they are able to have players who come in and out and be multifunctional upfront is because none of them are specialists who do only one thing.

Ronaldo can score yes, can he press for 90 minutes no, could he play on the right or left for 90 minutes no, can he drop in and become a playmaker no, that leaves one thing he scores and that just isn't enough in modern football it wasn't enough at Juve and it shouldn't be enough for United either.

And lastly because of all the things mentioned you have to build the whole attack around him because he cannot do the other things so you'd have to, the reason you wouldn't have to do that if you got multifunctional forwards is because they can slot in and do multiple things.

We need to copy City and Liverpool then! How on earth didn’t we think of that? All teams should copy that system and be done with it.

There are more ways to play football and win. I believe that with two wingers who can beat their man and a midfield that is capable of retaining possession and progressing the ball Ronaldo can thrive and not only on the goals scoring front, but linking up and playmaking. I don’t believe I have to say it but he’s far more clever than you are suggesting.

 

[bakalhau]

Nothing unreasonable about doubting a 37 year old or wondering whether he was what this team really needed.

I'm okay with criticizing, pointing out weaknesses in his game, fair discussion from both sides. I'll always be more inclined to bring out the positives from him and it's only fair someone else balances it out by trying to bring out his weaknesses. It's not unreasonable to think he might've been done at 37, but just from those who look to him as just another dude going on about playing football - it's just he's a freak of mentality, and some people don't understand that, which is okay, either through not being able to follow the entire career, or something else, it's fair.

I'm not sure he's a solution either to be honest - there's too many things wrong with United and one man can only help so much. Look no further than this season, you have him performing week in week out except for that 2 month spell, and the end result is what we all know. Maybe the team needs something else other than him. Maybe United needs to bring players to match Ronaldo's quality and mentality. At this point I don't know to be fair. The only thing I feel confident about is that he's definitely not a problem right now, considering everything else surrounding him.

It's just incredible some people actually had the guts to come here and say he was just another finished guy that came here for vacations and syphoning money out of the club. Apart from that extremism (which admitedly, as someone else pointed out at the start of this page, also exists to the other side), I'm all for a decent, respectful conversation, on all things positive or negative regarding him.

 

[Trex]

Only an idi*t will ever write down Ronaldo's ability to score.

He hasn't had such a season in God knows how long.

The problem has never ever been his ability to score - as seen by his time at Juventus and its fan base where he was regularly the top goalscorer but still pushed out the club; the problem is that Ronaldo becomes the only player at the club that ends up performing in a full first team 11. Ronaldo becomes the total sum of a teams parts.

Ronaldo's 20+ goals this season is great and to some like me even legendary to GOAT him up even more. However did he create these chances by himself? Dribbled, shot and scored by himself? No. He got set up by the rest of the team but literally at the end of the season only really Ronaldo has performed for United.

It's a very hard thing to explain - but I can't be asked for people shouting at me acting like I've got a problem for Ronaldo - the best performer at United 21-22.

The thing is, some people just see that Ronaldo here next season means that Ronaldo will be our best performer again.

However he won't just be our best performer, he will be our only performer for another season as the rest of the team focuses purely on setting him up. It won't be Sancho. It won't be Bruno Fernandes. It won't be the replacement for Pogba or Rashford. It won't be whoever we buy or find. It wont be Hannibal, Elanga, or whoever you have in mind.

It will be Ronaldo. Our best but only performer for a season.

It's why, the moment he signed - I knew our season was f*cked.

Ps. I love you Ronaldo. Always have. My GOAT.

But we don't set up to Ronaldo strength though, you need to re watch Madrid under zidane, they played him next to Benzema so he can always face goal with Benzema doing the back to goal stuff and drifting around creating spaces for Ronaldo, they also used the wings a lot putting dozens of crosses per game.
I don't see that here, he is currently feeding on scraps.

 

[Gavinb33]

We need to copy City and Liverpool then! How on earth didn’t we think of that? All teams should copy that system and be done with it.

There are more ways to play football and win. I believe that with two wingers who can beat their man and a midfield that is capable of retaining possession and progressing the ball Ronaldo can thrive and not only on the goals scoring front, but linking up and playmaking. I don’t believe I have to say it but he’s far more clever than you are suggesting.

This is old time football wingers who can beat the man and cross it in, its not 1999 football has moved on.

Also most teams play with a pretty fluid front 3 it's not exclusive to City and Liverpool at all, I mean Chelsea last night false 9 inverted wingers etc, West Ham mobile forward Antonio and Benrahma and Bowen i mean I could go on.

If Ronaldo could do the things you've mentioned we'd have seen it but we haven't because he cannot do it, he couldn't do it at Juve either, it's not a disgrace to him he isn't the player at 37 he was at 27 that happens to everyone time is a great equaliser

 

[Gehrman]

But we don't set up to Ronaldo strength though, you need to re watch Madrid under zidane, they played him next to Benzema so he can always face goal with Benzema doing the back to goal stuff and drifting around creating spaces for Ronaldo, they also used the wings a lot putting dozens of crosses per game.
I don't see that here, he is currently feeding on scraps.

Its not going to happen here though. We are doing yet another rebuild for ompfh time since fergie retired. That Madrid side was one of the best ever. We aren't getting near it until we get the next klopp.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Well even Pele or Maradona at their absolute peak won't be the solution to this pile of shite, why do people expect Ronaldo, at 37, would be the solution?

Fool not yourself, this whole team is hopeless, we simply need a revolutionary change, a complete overhaul. Theres no other way out, not even peak Pele and Maradona could have saved us. Ronaldo already did all he could to carry us through with all the important goals and performances, he deserves more respect.

 

[Trex]

Its not going to happen here though. We are doing yet another rebuild for ompfh time since fergie retired. That Madrid side was one of the best ever. We aren't getting near it until we get the next klopp.

I was replying to a poster who said Ronaldo was holding us back, I agree we're not going to do that here, but he still got 17 and counting league goals. I don't see why he wouldn't repeat it or even achieve more under ETH next season with a more attacking and balanced set up.

 

[Gehrman]

I was replying to a poster who said Ronaldo was holding us back, I agree we're not going to do that here, but he still got 17 and counting league goals. I don't see why he wouldn't repeat it or even achieve more under ETH next season with a more attacking and balanced set up.

I agree

 

[bakalhau]

But we don't set up to Ronaldo strength though, you need to re watch Madrid under zidane, they played him next to Benzema so he can always face goal with Benzema doing the back to goal stuff and drifting around creating spaces for Ronaldo, they also used the wings a lot putting dozens of crosses per game.
I don't see that here, he is currently feeding on scraps.

Oh yeah absolutely, I usually go back and rewatch a lot of Madrid performances from that era, it's worlds apart from United. The system in place was so good Ronaldo was the focal point in certain aspects of play, but at the same time you had a multitude of Madrid players scoring goals each season, with at least 3 or 4 players going double digits on goals, including Sergio Ramos. They had the finest balance ever, with players knowing Ronaldo could turn a game around if they did their job well, yet those same players had the confidence to shoot, create opportunities for other players, strike a ball from outside the area, something I'm not seeing with United.

Same thing happened at Juve as United. Just because Ronaldo can score 30 or 50 goals, doesn't mean the whole thing should be setup for him, I'd even go out to say if Juve before, and United now, played a little less for him, he'd actually score more goals. And so would other players. But these dynamics need to be talked about between players and manager and see where everything can improvewith team goals in mind.

 

[IhabX7]

This is old time football wingers who can beat the man and cross it in, its not 1999 football has moved on.

Also most teams play with a pretty fluid front 3 it's not exclusive to City and Liverpool at all, I mean Chelsea last night false 9 inverted wingers etc, West Ham mobile forward Antonio and Benrahma and Bowen i mean I could go on.

If Ronaldo could do the things you've mentioned we'd have seen it but we haven't because he cannot do it, he couldn't do it at Juve either, it's not a disgrace to him he isn't the player at 37 he was at 27 that happens to everyone time is a great equaliser

Watch some Real Madrid and Vinicius and tell me if that kind of player won’t benefit the team. I didn’t say anything about beat a man on the line and crossing. That’s in your head.

City, Liverpool and Chelsea all play a different game. Real Madrid play a different system too where there isn’t constant pressing for 90 minutes.

This perception that football has evolved into this complex thing probably stems out of the train wreck football we’ve been dealt for years now. New ideas yes, but the basics remain the same, and a player who can beat his man regularly is still essential to most systems.

We’re still failing at the basics right now and that has nothing to do with Ronaldo. You’re building a hypothetical situation in which we have a system that Ronaldo ruined. If anything Ronaldo has been very good at everything for a few games on the trot now.

 

[Gavinb33]

But we don't set up to Ronaldo strength though, you need to re watch Madrid under zidane, they played him next to Benzema so he can always face goal with Benzema doing the back to goal stuff and drifting around creating spaces for Ronaldo, they also used the wings a lot putting dozens of crosses per game.
I don't see that here, he is currently feeding on scraps.

The only way to get away with playing anything like this in the PL means you play 3 at the back a 2 central forward partnership isn't going to work, probably the last time it did wad RVP and Rooney and even then Rooney and RVP and even then it worked because Rooney would sacrifice himself for the structure of the team

 

[IhabX7]

The only way to get away with playing anything like this in the PL means you play 3 at the back a 2 central forward partnership isn't going to work, probably the last time it did wad RVP and Rooney and even then Rooney and RVP and even then it worked because Rooney would often sacrifice himself to protect the structure ot the team

Are you some sort of authority on the matter? “The only way”

 

[Gavinb33]

Watch some Real Madrid and Vinicius and tell me if that kind of player won’t benefit the team. I didn’t say anything about beat a man on the line and crossing. That’s in your head.

City, Liverpool and Chelsea all play a different game. Real Madrid play a different system too where there isn’t constant pressing for 90 minutes.

This perception that football has evolved into this complex thing probably stems out of the train wreck football we’ve been dealt for years now. New ideas yes, but the basics remain the same, and a player who can beat his man regularly is still essential to most systems.

We’re still failing at the basics right now and that has nothing to do with Ronaldo. You’re building a hypothetical situation in which we have a system that Ronaldo ruined. If anything Ronaldo has been very good at everything for a few games on the trot now.

I haven't said he ruined anything, I'm saying there is no point us hanging our hat on him going forwards there is difference.

Are we going to win the league with Ronaldo next season? If we are not what is the point 500k per week to maybe finish 3rd or 4th, he isn't going to he the key to us winning anytime soon so why prolong an exit we all know is going to come sooner rather than later.

We bought a 72 million pound player who can beat a man just last summer

 

[Gavinb33]

Are you some sort of authority on the matter? “The only way”

Which elite teams play with 2 center forwards in 2022?

 

[IhabX7]

I haven't said he ruined anything, I'm saying there is no point us hanging our hat on him going forwards there is difference.

Are we going to win the league with Ronaldo next season? If we are not what is the point 500k per week to maybe finish 3rd or 4th, he isn't going to he the key to us winning anytime soon so why prolong an exit we all know is going to come sooner rather than later.

We bought a 72 million pound player who can beat a man just last summer

He could be paid 1 million a week what do I care? He’s an excellent player and goalscorer and Ten Hag will find him more than useful for at least a year.

 

[The Irish Connection]

I love the narrative that we had a team ready to press and run their socks off and playing Ronaldo would be a weak point in that system, when the guy puts in more work than any of our forwards.

What a phenomenal player he is. Elite mindset and ability, playing with a bunch of amateurs. 5 goals behind arguably the best player in the world, in arguably the best team. Would be the top scorer in a better team. Even his link up play has been very good.

With everything he has accomplished, he was still the most disappointed after the draw last night.

Yes. I genuinely found his performance last night to be inspiring from a human point of view. He was willing the team on in multiple ways. playing left back when the team needed it. telling everyone to push up or press at the right times. chasing the ball. world class movement and goal. He's mentally incredible.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

Honestly I wasn't sure how this would work out and had my doubts for part of the season, but I think the season as a whole has made me see that Ronaldo is probably the greatest player of all time. He's still kept himself motivated and on form in a team of clowns and conmen. I'm completely certain that the other player with a claim to this title who shall not be named would have been nowhere near this productive with such poor players around him.

 

[shamans]

Do people here who on about him "not being the problem" realize that he's one of the highest paid footballers around? We signed to be a solution (not avoid being a problem) and he's nowhere near that. I'm not sure how we are going to get rid but paying him obscene wages for average performances is yet another blot on the way we are run and consistently hurting us.

The only we can say with surety is that we would be better with a much better striker in Lewandowski. While the CG suffers from having worse players around him, the rest of the team suffers from having a CF who is past his physical peak, can't hold up the ball, general play is weak etc

I see your usual hate for Ronaldo is still active but Ronaldo vs Lewandowski is a fair question.

I personally would still take Ronaldo. I genuinely think Lewandowski would be starved for any service in this United team. Could be my bias but Ronaldo is still the sort of player who can make something out of nothing.

 

[Trex]

The only way to get away with playing anything like this in the PL means you play 3 at the back a 2 central forward partnership isn't going to work, probably the last time it did wad RVP and Rooney and even then Rooney and RVP and even then it worked because Rooney would sacrifice himself for the structure of the team

I'm not saying we should do that, I was only replying to a poster who said we already set up to Ronaldo strength at the expense of the team.
I was reminding the poster what its really like setting up to Ronaldo's strength.

 

[Trex]

Playing an attacking set up like the one ETH would like to implement would see most teams set up like Newcastle did on Ronaldo's debut, how he wouldn't be relevant in that set up baffles me.
Against sides who would be brave enough to come out and play even better.
He has 8 goals against the top 5 this season. No one else in the league has more than 5.
We should be more worried about Maguire against counter attacks and bringing in a DM who can distribute the ball and also cover ground easily.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Honestly I wasn't sure how this would work out and had my doubts for part of the season, but I think the season as a whole has made me see that Ronaldo is probably the greatest player of all time. He's still kept himself motivated and on form in a team of clowns and conmen. I'm completely certain that the other player with a claim to this title who shall not be named would have been nowhere near this productive with such poor players around him.

Would the team be doing as well though? That’s what matters more than personal stats. Wouldn’t be hard to be better than 6th and out of all cups early. I think it might possibly be better, the technical excellence and passing of Messi’s chance creation would have been miles ahead of what we have, even if he was past his best. Before Ronaldo signed we were one of the most clinical teams in the league anyway, finishing wasn’t an issue. Swap them around, and I don’t see Ronaldo changing the fortunes of a very unbalanced PSG side either, other than taking 10 goals off the final total of Mbappé at the end of the season.

 

[Gehrman]

Would the team be doing as well though? That’s what matters more than personal stats. Wouldn’t be hard to be better than 6th and out of all cups early. I think it might possibly be better, the technical excellence and passing of Messi’s chance creation would have been miles ahead of what we have, even if he was past his best. Before Ronaldo signed we were one of the most clinical teams in the league anyway, finishing wasn’t an issue. Swap them around, and I don’t see Ronaldo changing the fortunes of a very unbalanced PSG side either, other than taking 10 goals off the final total of Mbappé at the end of the season.

We already have Bruno for chance creation

 

[MoskvaRed]

I'm okay with criticizing, pointing out weaknesses in his game, fair discussion from both sides. I'll always be more inclined to bring out the positives from him and it's only fair someone else balances it out by trying to bring out his weaknesses. It's not unreasonable to think he might've been done at 37, but just from those who look to him as just another dude going on about playing football - it's just he's a freak of mentality, and some people don't understand that, which is okay, either through not being able to follow the entire career, or something else, it's fair.

I'm not sure he's a solution either to be honest - there's too many things wrong with United and one man can only help so much. Look no further than this season, you have him performing week in week out except for that 2 month spell, and the end result is what we all know. Maybe the team needs something else other than him. Maybe United needs to bring players to match Ronaldo's quality and mentality. At this point I don't know to be fair. The only thing I feel confident about is that he's definitely not a problem right now, considering everything else surrounding him.

It's just incredible some people actually had the guts to come here and say he was just another finished guy that came here for vacations and syphoning money out of the club. Apart from that extremism (which admitedly, as someone else pointed out at the start of this page, also exists to the other side), I'm all for a decent, respectful conversation, on all things positive or negative regarding him.

I don’t disagree with any of that. When I referred to his reported salary, I was refuting the idea that Ronaldo came back to United out of love for the club rather than implying that it was just a last pension top up for him. He’s far too driven to just go through the motions. As for his impact on the team, this season has been such a car crash that it is impossible to identify one specific cause. I think for both parties that it might be best if we part ways - we are starting yet another rebuild from a long way back and, even with his freakish fitness levels, he must be in the last year or two of his stellar career and he could find something more rewarding than battling West Ham and Spurs for fifth place.

 

[steffyr2]

So which of the players at Liverpool, City and RM are at odds with how their manager wants to play but are being accommodated because they are world class.

This is the problem and completely endemic of our club thinking over the past decade. Just because a player is brilliant, doesn't mean he is the right player for the club. You buy the right player for the team, not the best player ignoring the team.

The managers are responsible for getting the best out of the players they have available. Even Pep and Klopp. (Plus I expect that Pep and Klopp make all kinds of accommodations for the players they have, rather than pouting because they didn't get 23 absolutely perfect in every way players. )
We're supposed to be setting up a system, so that we don't waste money endlessly changing out good players for new/different players.
Sooooo boring tho' to the fans, who want something different every year.

 

[Acheron]

Have people on here who constantly bring it up ever asked themselves how Real Madrid won everything they've won without Ronaldo pressing?

First of all we used to have a great squad and world class players in almost every position, and the team was somehow functional and balanced. As for Ronaldo in particular I think he started to do better once the team started to manage his minutes better by giving him more rest and rotating him in order to keep him fresh for the second half of the season.

Not all teams can do that as you need a large squad with top players who are good enough to be rotated if the team pretends to challenge in all fronts throughout a season.

I don't think he would fit a system intended for him to press all game while using him every week but Manchester United lacks options upfront who are half as good as him so I think they should keep him while also looking for younger options to carry the attack.

I've read some rumors about Bayern being interested in Ronaldo and while I think he would destroy the Bundesliga, playing for Bayern, and it would be nice for him to conquer yet another top league I believe he will stay at United to help the team getting back to the top.

 

[arnie_ni]

anyone watched the sky show, 100 pl goals for ronnie? Flipping heck he was so good.

 

[illotr]

He’s focused more on scoring these days but not that restricted. For one thing Ronaldo’s passing is criminally underrated. Who can we say is definitively better at crossing in this United team than him? I can’t think of anyone. And he can do it with both feet. In recent games when he dropped deep and got involved in our linkups I found that he at times picked smart passes that were very calculated and that actually had a calming effect on our usually very nervy buildup. Like what we used to see with Scholes but on a smaller scale. I agree that he’s limited on the defensive side but that’s how he has been since a long time ago. In my opinion, Ronaldo can be useful before we get better players to fulfill those functions. Ultimately it is up to ten Hag to decide how to set up the team and I think it’s dangerous for fans and media to pressure him one way or another.

The reason why they are able to have players who come in and out and be multifunctional upfront is because none of them are specialists who do only one thing.

Ronaldo can score yes, can he press for 90 minutes no, could he play on the right or left for 90 minutes no, can he drop in and become a playmaker no, that leaves one thing he scores and that just isn't enough in modern football it wasn't enough at Juve and it shouldn't be enough for United either.

And lastly because of all the things mentioned you have to build the whole attack around him because he cannot do the other things so you'd have to, the reason you wouldn't have to do that if you got multifunctional forwards is because they can slot in and do multiple things.

 

[Pronewbie]

Hands up I was dead wrong about Ronaldo.

The problem always was Rashford and Greenwood not being creative or hardworking enough to feed the goat and not the other way around. To be fair to me at least I knew as a front 3 it was going to flop miserably and I still have doubts about his chemistry with Bruno. I’d be selling Rashford and Greenwood and getting players who can actually complement Ronaldo and our new striker next season. As I said last year. 2 x Dan James either side of a fit Cavani and we’d have won more games. Our wingers work rate is absolutely appalling. Playing the game at a walking pace. Losing the ball every time you get it. Always looking for the shot or the dribble into a crowd, all while seemingly learning nothing from game to game.

I’ve read some of your posts on Ronaldo this season and I’m loving your humility and open-mindedness.

 

[TenonTen]

This is crazy! Whoa.

 

[RepardReece]

Only an idi*t will ever write down Ronaldo's ability to score.

He hasn't had such a season in God knows how long.

The problem has never ever been his ability to score - as seen by his time at Juventus and its fan base where he was regularly the top goalscorer but still pushed out the club; the problem is that Ronaldo becomes the only player at the club that ends up performing in a full first team 11. Ronaldo becomes the total sum of a teams parts.

Ronaldo's 20+ goals this season is great and to some like me even legendary to GOAT him up even more. However did he create these chances by himself? Dribbled, shot and scored by himself? No. He got set up by the rest of the team but literally at the end of the season only really Ronaldo has performed for United.

It's a very hard thing to explain - but I can't be asked for people shouting at me acting like I've got a problem for Ronaldo - the best performer at United 21-22.

The thing is, some people just see that Ronaldo here next season means that Ronaldo will be our best performer again.

However he won't just be our best performer, he will be our only performer for another season as the rest of the team focuses purely on setting him up. It won't be Sancho. It won't be Bruno Fernandes. It won't be the replacement for Pogba or Rashford. It won't be whoever we buy or find. It wont be Hannibal, Elanga, or whoever you have in mind.

It will be Ronaldo. Our best but only performer for a season.

It's why, the moment he signed - I knew our season was f*cked.

Ps. I love you Ronaldo. Always have. My GOAT.

How can one player cause every other player to perform poorly?

He's actually created far more chances this season than you make out, as per a post on here a load of pages back. Yet, our players barely finish them. How is Ronaldo the cause of our players inability to shoot and miss big chances? How does Ronaldo cause Maguire to make a big mistake every match? How does Ronaldo cause Telles to be 2v1'd against all game vs Chelsea? In fact, Ronaldo started tracking back IN RASHFORDS PLACE to help Telles out.... How does Ronaldo cause McT to not make a single successful pass in the second half up till the 84th minute? If the other team are busy trying to set him up, how are these scenarios affected? Bruno isn't thinking of passing when he's 1 on 1 and about to shoot...

It's great to see all your debates about this guy this season completely debunked. Ronaldo put in a fantastic performance against Chelsea but it's still somehow his fault we got absolutely battered and could barely make a pass according to your logic.

It is a hard thing to explain like you said because there is literally nothing to explain.

 

[Bebestation]

How can one player cause every other player to perform poorly?

He's actually created far more chances this season than you make out, as per a post on here a load of pages back. Yet, our players barely finish them. How is Ronaldo the cause of our players inability to shoot and miss big chances? How does Ronaldo cause Maguire to make a big mistake every match? How does Ronaldo cause Telles to be 2v1'd against all game vs Chelsea? In fact, Ronaldo started tracking back IN RASHFORDS PLACE to help Telles out.... How does Ronaldo cause McT to not make a single successful pass in the second half up till the 84th minute? If the other team are busy trying to set him up, how are these scenarios affected? Bruno isn't thinking of passing when he's 1 on 1 and about to shoot...

It's great to see all your debates about this guy this season completely debunked. Ronaldo put in a fantastic performance against Chelsea but it's still somehow his fault we got absolutely battered and could barely make a pass according to your logic.

It is a hard thing to explain like you said because there is literally nothing to explain.

Ronaldo at his best/ peak (arguably 22-33) took the performances down of his more central team mates Rooney and Benzema. That was ultimately perfectly fine during these players best years. That was when Ronaldo was a left winger with pace and dribbling ability (and much much more); with him being the best in the world aswell.

Now at the age of 37 - he plays centrally as a pure striker. If he reduced the performance of his more central team mates during his peak when playing as a winger - you cannot see how Ronaldo at the age of 37 would reduce the performance of players around him when he himself is the most targeted player playing centrally and furthest up?

And I'm not going to complain about Ronaldo's performances vs Arsenal & Chelsea. But again I do not think he plays like this when he is starting 2 or 3 matches a row in a week.

One of my biggest problems is not that Ronaldo is here - it's that Ronaldo starts every game and was not rotated during the season because he turned out grumpy the first moment he was rested.

When he plays once a week he looks a completely different player with energy, attacking movement and work ethic - better than most the players. But many people saw that his performances were not as good when he was playing more often during a week.

Anyway man. I love Ronaldo but ultimately this is just two different ways we watch football and the tactics or players involved. You don't think this is a problem whilst I do - we are not going to convince each other because its just different for the both of us. His goal scoring will continue, whilst the rest of the team purely focuses on just getting the best out of him and struggling to get the best of anyone else.

 

[RepardReece]

Ronaldo at his best/ peak (arguably 22-33) took the performances down of his more central team mates Rooney and Benzema. That was ultimately perfectly fine during these players best years. That was when Ronaldo was a left winger with pace and dribbling ability (and much much more); with him being the best in the world aswell.

Now at the age of 37 - he plays centrally as a pure striker. If he reduced the performance of his more central team mates during his peak when playing as a winger - you cannot see how Ronaldo at the age of 37 would reduce the performance of players around him when he himself is the most targeted player playing centrally and furthest up?

And I'm not going to complain about Ronaldo's performances vs Arsenal & Chelsea. But again I do not think he plays like this when he is starting 2 or 3 matches a row in a week.

One of my biggest problems is not that Ronaldo is here - it's that Ronaldo starts every game and was not rotated during the season because he turned out grumpy the first moment he was rested.

When he plays once a week he looks a completely different player with energy, attacking movement and work ethic - better than most the players. But many people saw that his performances were not as good when he was playing more often during a week.

Anyway man. I love Ronaldo but ultimately this is just two different ways we watch football and the tactics or players involved. You don't think this is a problem whilst I do - we are not going to convince each other because its just different for the both of us. His goal scoring will continue, whilst the rest of the team purely focuses on just getting the best out of him and struggling to get the best of anyone else.

I do agree he can't play 2/3 games a week, 1 game a week is suited best to him and anyone can see that this season. He's been superb in the last month or so because of this.

He's always going to reduce the numbers of players around him, but so is every single high profile player for any team. If Mbappe moves to Real Madrid, Benzema won't score as many goals, but that's not an issue. You can't just get Mbappe, Ronaldo and Messi on the same team and expect them to score the usual 50 goals a season they score each, totalling 150 goals, the output will naturally be lowered. The point of the matter is that he isn't responsible for them performing tragically. Bruno has himself to blame for his lowered goal output this season too, as does Rashford, both missing chance after chance this season that they should easily be scoring. Ronaldo has nothing to do with those wasted chances...