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2022-23 Performances


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4.9 Season Average Rating
Appearances
16
Goals
3
Assists
2
Yellow cards
3
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Our worst player during most of these matches has been Rashford. Two good goals in the latter part of this match doesn't change that. Ultimately when Ronaldo gets up to speed (and yes it is his own fault he isn't since he missed the preseason) I expect he will be a better striker option than Rashford, who basically provides nothing from that position except trying to constantly run in behind which rarely works.

If Martial can get himself fit then that's a different story though, as he easily has the best all-round striker play of the three of them.
This post made me laugh.
So when Ronaldo plays crap for 90 mins, but scores, then it’s okay because that’s what his job is.

When Rashford does that, then it’s not good enough. Rashford’s off the ball running alone has made us more of a team than Ronaldo’s static positioning.
 
He played well but obviously needs some match sharpness still having missed pre-season.

The key thing is he's a very different option. If he was the same style as the others it might be a debate but having varied options is going to be key to a decent season.

I can see Rashford going back to the left with Sancho dropped and Ronaldo starting. I liked that he and Rashford interchanged a lot yesterday.
 
This is actually a pathetic argument, i mean anyone healthy with 2 legs could have done that , it's such a bare minimum for a footballer , it shouldn't even be a footballing trait to be debated for.
Dan James put in this kind of performance week in week out. And he doesn't need 500k a week.
 
One thing is the third goal. We dont get that with any other player than Ronaldo. He basically drew 7 Arsenal players towards him, allowing for Eriksen and Rashford to run free.
Despite him losing a step he still has a presence that makes defenders think to much about him. Its definately a weapon we can utilize.
 
The absolute state of clips like this. “Ronaldo gets ignored by”. “Ronaldo creates easy chance but x misses”. People are so fecking weird. Specifically, football fanbois are so fecking weird. Get a life, weirdos.
I’m hoping that’s aimed at the video creator not me :)

Maybe drink during game, maybe chat during game but live, didn’t think Ronaldo had any impact.. video is OTT but he does do a couple of decent things (expected in a pro footballer?).

Dont know how this ends up but can see him staying until WC then maybe getting a move in Jan if we have an alt. Everyone moves on.
 
Was wondering why such annoyance at the video then saw the username.

Aren't you the guy that said a consistent hazard would be better than Ronaldo ? :lol:


The whole reason it's being pointed out is because people say Ronaldo never presses. That's the point

Unless I was drunk and don't remember, I never wrote such a thing, that would be dumb.

And I'm not particularly annoyed at the video, I just wrote that I think it's sad someone has to edit a clip and add silly captions to prove that Ronaldo can press for 30mn or do pretty basic stuffs as if we were talking about a totally random player.

Anyway, it's not very important, he had a good game and helped the team when he showed up, that's good news for United, we'll see how it evolves un the upcoming games.
 
I’m hoping that’s aimed at the video creator not me :)

Maybe drink during game, maybe chat during game but live, didn’t think Ronaldo had any impact.. video is OTT but he does do a couple of decent things (expected in a pro footballer?).

Dont know how this ends up but can see him staying until WC then maybe getting a move in Jan if we have an alt. Everyone moves on.

Absolutely!

I actually thought Ronaldo played ok. And even though the stats show he presses less than almost any other striker in Europe, giving him just 30 minutes to run around might boost those stats?

I still think he’s a huge headache for Ten Haag and his arm waving during matches must be annoying for team mates (likewise that stupid fecking shoulder pass to an Arsenal player) but his overall contribution hasn’t been too bad in his last two appearances.
 
It was a decent cameo to be fair to him.

He clearly was desperate to score (which is fine) so got very frustrated at times - but he was also quick to encourage teammates too, which was nice to see.
 
Ignoring the nonsense comments like “sets up easy chance for mctominay” it backs up what I thought when watching it. He played well. He’s bought in. He’s running. He’s pressing. He isn’t dropping in constantly just to avoid defenders. Once he can get his fitness up to play with that intensity for 60 minutes he’ll be starting games and will be a huge asset.
No the clip proves nothing. Chicharito scored a lot of goals coming off the bench but this didn't make him a good striker. Quite the contrary, he barely started in every team he played in. Similarly, closing down the opponents with tired legs on a few occasions in 30 minutes is totally different from constant pressing since the beginning of a match.

I can't see how the video shows Ronaldo "adapts to ten Hag's system". Fact is, none of our players successfully "adapts to ten Hag's system", hence the shambolic results we got at the start of the season. It turns out ten Hag adapts to the team by giving up constant pressing, playing a high line, and playing out from the back.

Plus, Ronaldo has been playing in a 4-4-2 coming off the bench in recent matches, with Rashford alongside him. This again is an entirely different story compared to being a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 system, which we always deploy at the start of every game.
 
Thought he was good. Ran and pressed hard, much better than he’s been in other games this season.

All the tantrums etc when he doesn’t get a pass need to stop though. It’s annoying
Beyond being annoying, it puts pressure on his teammates to try make wrong decisions by trying to find him every time, even when better options exist.

Saw a sprint that I didn't realise he had in him, and he did seem up for it. Just needs to cut out the tantrums as you said
 
No the clip proves nothing. Chicharito scored a lot of goals coming off the bench but this didn't make him a good striker. Quite the contrary, he barely started in every team he played in. Similarly, closing down the opponents with tired legs on a few occasions in 30 minutes is totally different from constant pressing since the beginning of a match.

I can't see how the video shows Ronaldo "adapts to ten Hag's system". Fact is, none of our players successfully "adapts to ten Hag's system", hence the shambolic results we got at the start of the season. It turns out ten Hag adapts to the team by giving up constant pressing, playing a high line, and playing out from the back.

Plus, Ronaldo has been playing in a 4-4-2 coming off the bench in recent matches, with Rashford alongside him. This again is an entirely different story compared to being a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 system, which we always deploy at the start of every game.
He hasn’t sulked. He’s putting in the effort. That tells me he’s buying in and realises it’s the ETH way or no way. I have no jeffing clue what relevance chicharito has to Ronaldo. None. Absolute zilch.
 
Absolutely!

I still think he’s a huge headache for Ten Haag and his arm waving during matches must be annoying for team mates (likewise that stupid fecking shoulder pass to an Arsenal player) but his overall contribution hasn’t been too bad in his last two appearances.

The irony being that we’ve actually looked better and far more like scoring with him on the pitch in these last two games, where we became quite insipid in the periods just before his introduction… this is likely to be as much a case of tired legs and a fresh Ronaldo than him working in the system, but it’s just amusing that the crux of the anti-Ronaldo argument thus far as been “yeah he scores, but the team is worse!” where it’s now “well he didn’t do anything, even if the team looked better”
 
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Still looks way off the pace, so I assume he'll start in midweek and hopefully can get off the mark for the season.

ETH has clearly laid down the law to all the players, so it's either get in line or sit on the bench. For the likes of Maguire, Shaw and Ronaldo sitting on the bench, the easiest way for this squad to quiten the murmus of discontent is to keep winning.

It puts the problem back on them: How can I take my chances and show that I deserve to be in this winning squad?
 
The irony being that we’ve actually looked better and far more like scoring with him on the pitch in these last two games, where we became quite insipid in the periods just before his introduction… this is likely to be as much a case of tired legs and a fresh Ronaldo than him working in the system, but it’s just amusing that the crux of the anti-Ronaldo argument thus far as been “yeah he scores, but the team is worse!” where it’s now “well he didn’t do anything, even if the team looked better”

All true. But - in addition to him simply being fresh legs - there are a lot of other factors that coincided with his arrival that probably explain our improvement. Especially the way we beefed up our midfield in both our last two games at the same time Ronaldo was subbed on.

As an aside, I don’t think that’s an accident. Ten Haag knows exactly what Ronaldo brings to the team. The positives and negatives. And tweaks the whole team to best accommodate him. So refreshing to see a manager use our substitutes so effectively.
 
He hasn’t sulked. He’s putting in the effort. That tells me he’s buying in and realises it’s the ETH way or no way. I have no jeffing clue what relevance chicharito has to Ronaldo. None. Absolute zilch.

For some reason this dude seems to hate Chicharito...
 
Tony Kroos today on Cristiano:

I can tell that there was a lot of work that he put in to get here. You can see him playing football on the weekend, that he drives home with the Ferrari and is on the huge poster. What you don’t see: What he invests every day to stay that way, always to get better.”

“Look at him, he is 37 years old. Not just how he looks, see how he plays, how fit he is, how much he invests every day of the week, whether on the training ground, at home or in his diet.

“He didn’t get here because his name is Cristiano Ronaldo, but because he’s investing an incredible amount to keep going
 
Thought it was another good cameo from him. If this is how we're going to use him (and it should be) then I'm on board.
 
This post made me laugh.
So when Ronaldo plays crap for 90 mins, but scores, then it’s okay because that’s what his job is.

When Rashford does that, then it’s not good enough. Rashford’s off the ball running alone has made us more of a team than Ronaldo’s static positioning.
Rashford hasn't yet scored while he's been playing as the main striker. All three goals came after Martial or Ronaldo came on to take the main spot, allowing Rashford to play his more natural role and picking his time to make those runs.

Against both Leicester and especially Southampton Rashford was doing absolutely nothing as a striker, we may as well have been playing with 10 men. When Ronaldo came on, while he certainly wasn't good, he at least started winning some balls and giving us some small amount of hold-up play which enabled us to ease some of the pressure that was building. He even, at least against Leicester, was trying to press and win the ball back more than Rashford.

Ultimately I don't think either of them give us enough all-round play as a sole striker, so I certainly won't be saying Ronaldo's done well if he scores a goal while playing crap. It's just that Ronaldo does give us a little more, so once he gets fully match fit I would prefer him up front most of the time if it's a choice between the two. Let Rashford compete with Sancho and Antony for the two wing spots. Maybe against the top teams which will give us more space then Rashford might be the better option, but even then I doubt it (Rashford should be on the left instead).

Ultimately I think our season depends massively on Martial staying fit and in form. If he does then I expect our entire playstyle will be much better and more solid, and consider us strong favourites to make top 4. If not, I expect we'll struggle to break down teams and we'll be (much like we have for most of the last 7 or so years) relying on individual brilliance to win us games. Sometimes that will happen, other times it won't.
 
Rashford hasn't yet scored while he's been playing as the main striker. All three goals came after Martial or Ronaldo came on to take the main spot, allowing Rashford to play his more natural role and picking his time to make those runs.

Against both Leicester and especially Southampton Rashford was doing absolutely nothing as a striker, we may as well have been playing with 10 men. When Ronaldo came on, while he certainly wasn't good, he at least started winning some balls and giving us some small amount of hold-up play which enabled us to ease some of the pressure that was building. He even, at least against Leicester, was trying to press and win the ball back more than Rashford.

Ultimately I don't think either of them give us enough all-round play as a sole striker, so I certainly won't be saying Ronaldo's done well if he scores a goal while playing crap. It's just that Ronaldo does give us a little more, so once he gets fully match fit I would prefer him up front most of the time if it's a choice between the two. Let Rashford compete with Sancho and Antony for the two wing spots. Maybe against the top teams which will give us more space then Rashford might be the better option, but even then I doubt it (Rashford should be on the left instead).

Ultimately I think our season depends massively on Martial staying fit and in form. If he does then I expect our entire playstyle will be much better and more solid, and consider us strong favourites to make top 4. If not, I expect we'll struggle to break down teams and we'll be (much like we have for most of the last 7 or so years) relying on individual brilliance to win us games. Sometimes that will happen, other times it won't.
While I agree with the general premise of your post (you made excellent points), I can’t help but be slightly perplexed(?) at how important Martial suddenly is to everyone. I know the guy is talented and he was good in pre-season and for 45mins against Liverpool but is this the the same guy that frustrated for so long that people now think will be the difference between us being strong favourites for top 4 and struggling? Even if he’s fit, I somehow don’t trust his form will be consistent throughout.
 
He's not even a true cf though. He constantly drops deep for no reason, vacates the box when he shouldn't and can't link up play very well. Rangnick even said in a press conference towards the end of last season “Cristiano is not a central striker or does not want to play in that position”.

Correct, but neither are Martial or Rashford. Ronaldo is more competent as a #9, and the pace of the two others is better utilised as wide players.
 
We look better when he’s on the pitch. I expect him to get a run of games soon. He won’t start all of the time, but he’s more than capable of playing in this Ten Hag set up.
 
Hope he scores a goal or two in midweek for his confidence. I think he has a big part to play in our season.
 
If he embraces the Ibra role in AC Milan part 2, then he will be a great asset.
 
It was a decent cameo to be fair to him.

He clearly was desperate to score (which is fine) so got very frustrated at times - but he was also quick to encourage teammates too, which was nice to see.
Yups, now the whole speculative nonsense is out of the window he will just buckle down and try make the vest out of it I reckon.

More so now we are three points off the top. Keep it up and that will be in his crosshairs in no time. You could tell there was a different spring in his step. Beating top-ranked Arsenal like that, it must bring him fond memories. We can do with a motivated Ronaldo.
 
If he embraces the Ibra role in AC Milan part 2, then he will be a great asset.
Exactly what I was thinking last week. Someone said MLS may be next for Cristiano and it struck me Zlatan's giant ego got bored very quickly and felt much more at home being Billy Big Bollocks helping win stuff at a club with history.
 
Correct, but neither are Martial or Rashford. Ronaldo is more competent as a #9, and the pace of the two others is better utilised as wide players.
Disagree, the team performs best with Martial as a 9. He's also too heavy and slow to play on the wing at this point too. Think ETH agrees with that too cos he said the difference between pre season and the first two games is we didn't have anyone to replace martial after he got injured.
 
While I agree with the general premise of your post (you made excellent points), I can’t help but be slightly perplexed(?) at how important Martial suddenly is to everyone. I know the guy is talented and he was good in pre-season and for 45mins against Liverpool but is this the the same guy that frustrated for so long that people now think will be the difference between us being strong favourites for top 4 and struggling? Even if he’s fit, I somehow don’t trust his form will be consistent throughout.
Martial is so important because he's the only one capable of actually playing that role properly. There are absolutely huge question marks on him, and unfortunately I'd say it's more likely than not that he fails either due to injury or form, but when he's actually on form he has aspects of his game than neither Ronaldo or Rashford have. Martial has far superior hold-up play and ability to link with other players, and he has the tendency to make our other players play better as they have that focal point to play around. There's a reason that as the transfer window went on we kept showing interest in other strikers who could play that target-man role. Ronaldo is better than Rashford at doing it, but neither are very suited.

Correct, but neither are Martial or Rashford. Ronaldo is more competent as a #9, and the pace of the two others is better utilised as wide players.
Martial is a true #9. More so than Ronaldo really, who is obviously capable of scoring the goals expected of a striker but the rest of his game is more suited to being part of a two striker set-up these days. Unfortunately for him not many play with two anymore, and even if we did it would require a partner with a much greater workrate than Martial (think Firmino a couple of years ago).
 
Or maybe not everything is a grand conspiracy and your alternate fantasy of Ronaldo being some backroom prick is false ?
I have better fantasies than that. I'm sure he's not a dressing room parasite. Otherwise ETH would be critical and wouldn't speak about the situation trying to be positive. It can be problematic to have a big name wanting out and who needs to start but does not, of course. That goes without saying.
 
He’s a different option to come off the bench and he’s been decent when he has come on lately.
 
I have better fantasies than that. I'm sure he's not a dressing room parasite. Otherwise ETH would be critical and wouldn't speak about the situation trying to be positive. It can be problematic to have a big name wanting out and who needs to start but does not, of course. That goes without saying.

Well that's all those quotes are saying. Not really spokesperson job but it's pointing out the obvious as some were spreading rumors he's eating lunch alone hissing at the English players
 
Well that's all those quotes are saying. Not really spokesperson job but it's pointing out the obvious as some were spreading rumors he's eating lunch alone hissing at the English players
Don’t mind him mate. He’s not worth it when it comes to Ronaldo. All he does is come to this thread and find a way to say something negative about the man. Guess you can’t be the best player of all time without having a ton of people like him constantly wishing you fail.
 
This post made me laugh.
So when Ronaldo plays crap for 90 mins, but scores, then it’s okay because that’s what his job is.

When Rashford does that, then it’s not good enough. Rashford’s off the ball running alone has made us more of a team than Ronaldo’s static positioning.

I have never been a huge fan of Rashford and still dont think he is a striker, however it is good to see a bit of get up and go back into him and desire and confidence comign back. He has been far from perfect but has been decisive at times and you are making a valid point about him gettign an assist or goal and still criticised when the two seasons before we have seeen simialr from ROnaldo and especially Fernandes too and they have been lauded.

However, I would say when we are playing sides that ar enot so attacking we can hit on the break and when/if we improve our creating chances against more defensively minded teams.......Ronaldo still definately scores goals if you create chances, not sure Rashford does
 
Martial is so important because he's the only one capable of actually playing that role properly. There are absolutely huge question marks on him, and unfortunately I'd say it's more likely than not that he fails either due to injury or form, but when he's actually on form he has aspects of his game than neither Ronaldo or Rashford have. Martial has far superior hold-up play and ability to link with other players, and he has the tendency to make our other players play better as they have that focal point to play around. There's a reason that as the transfer window went on we kept showing interest in other strikers who could play that target-man role. Ronaldo is better than Rashford at doing it, but neither are very suited.
True! All good points.
 
Always forget how explosive he used to be. Some of the stuff in this clip is mind blowing.
 
Martial is so important because he's the only one capable of actually playing that role properly. There are absolutely huge question marks on him, and unfortunately I'd say it's more likely than not that he fails either due to injury or form, but when he's actually on form he has aspects of his game than neither Ronaldo or Rashford have. Martial has far superior hold-up play and ability to link with other players, and he has the tendency to make our other players play better as they have that focal point to play around. There's a reason that as the transfer window went on we kept showing interest in other strikers who could play that target-man role. Ronaldo is better than Rashford at doing it, but neither are very suited.

Martial is a true #9. More so than Ronaldo really, who is obviously capable of scoring the goals expected of a striker but the rest of his game is more suited to being part of a two striker set-up these days. Unfortunately for him not many play with two anymore, and even if we did it would require a partner with a much greater workrate than Martial (think Firmino a couple of years ago).

Cool! I see Martial scored 23 goals in 48 appearances in 2019/2020 (his best year), and then 7 goals in 36 appearances in the next year and 1 in 11 (for Utd) last year. He was born Dec 1995, which means he'll be 27 in a few months. Should be in his prime.

Is there a reason why Martial can't up his work rate?
 
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