United only signed him because of the rumors about City, they were never interested in old Ronaldo until Mendes offered him to Abu Dhabi.
There was no plan for Ronaldo, which shows how poorly managed it's United as a club.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Out)
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) look forward to a new life under Ruben Amorim. What system will we be playing? What players will impress? and how will it all go? We also say goodbye to Ruud Van Nistelrooy and review United's 3-0 win at home against Leicester City.
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United only signed him because of the rumors about City, they were never interested in old Ronaldo until Mendes offered him to Abu Dhabi.
There was no plan for Ronaldo, which shows how poorly managed it's United as a club.
Well yes, Ed Woordward and Ole were running the show. That's not to say Ronaldo was a bad idea, as it isn't his fault this club has been run by clowns since 2014.
I agree. Pep saw no value in signing Ronaldo and his squad is walking the league without a top CF. We just jumped at the chance to sign and throw money at him with no vision or planning whatsoever. He's completely unsettled our attack. Fergie shouldn't be allowed to influence transfers because this was pure emotion and commercial gains based
He couldn’t have been allowed to sign for City but the facts are it’s not United aren’t good enough for him it’s more he’s no longer the player we need leading our line.
He just can’t deliver what the club needs from our main striker to win trophies. He’s fine as a backup but we all know he wouldn’t accept that. Haaland or Kane would be a perfect replacement.
Someone younger with more to their game is what we need now especially with Greenwood gone. Kane offers a lot more in the buildup than Ronaldo at this point. It’s night and day really watching him for Tottenham last couple of years.
Nothing against Ronnie either. It’s been fun having him back but his peak was 8 years ago.
He just can’t deliver what the club needs from our main striker to win trophies. He’s fine as a backup but we all know he wouldn’t accept that. Haaland or Kane would be a perfect replacement.
Someone younger with more to their game is what we need now especially with Greenwood gone. Kane offers a lot more in the buildup than Ronaldo at this point. It’s night and day really watching him for Tottenham last couple of years.
Nothing against Ronnie either. It’s been fun having him back but his peak was 8 years ago.
He hasn't actually. Cavani has been injured much of the year. Rashford has been out of form. And Greenwood is obviously out. This has nothing to do with Ronaldo, nor is it his problem that Ole didn't work out and that Ralf has been pretty feckless. We are a club that needs a cultural reboot this summer to build around the few top players we already have. Again, these issues have nothing to do with Ronaldo and everything to do with consistently bad decision making for the better part of a decade now.
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He’s not shite he’s just finishing up. No shame in it. The shame lies at our feet for over investing/relying on someone who was clearly going to start dropping off soon. That’s just how we roll these days. Under Fergie he’d be a squad player mixed in with prime players. Under the glazers he’s the man and he’s clearly not succeeding, in fact he’s struggling. No amount of semi aggressive know it all posts is going to change that.
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RR has walked into a mess created by Solskjaer and he's expected to be a miracle worker within 6 months. The squad is divided, unmotivated and in piss poor physical condition.
It's no wonder they've struggled to handle Ralphs high intensity training sessions and it shows with our depleted levels in the second half of games. It's slowly getting better. Ralph instantly stopped us leaking goals when we were in freefall led by our feckless Captain at the back.
Our attackers are now missing gilt edged chance after gilt edged chance and it's baffling. I think Rangknick has done a good job considering what he's up against and I can only imagine what this squad would look like after a full preseason under his charge. Ronaldo was not needed, he's presenting the same issues a section of Juventus supporters brought up in his time there despite being their top scorer. Ronaldo has done feck all in the league but demands to play 90 minutes every match and demands to take freekicks despite not scoring directly from one for club since 2017.
Part of the ineptitude of this club was signing Ronaldo on a whim and deviating from it's original plan of building for the future. Where was Haaland or any major young CF signing going to fit in with Ronaldo around? What was the plan for Greenwoods development or the likes of Amad and Pellistri? The club simply seeks to buy 'big names' so as to keep the commercial side ticking while neglecting the football side. Now we're slipping behind city in profits because you reap what you sow
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The first paragraph is accurate. The club is a mess. Once you concede that, there’s little point in blaming a player, especially not one who just knocked in 36 goals last year.
We have deep cultural problems that require new executive leadership and a fresh managerial approach. Once that happens, the perceived shortcomings of individual players will be less of a concern because the squad as a whole will begin punching above its collective weight .
its a a pure nonsense that he is struggling. Its United that struggling. The desire to lay it at all at CR7s feet and turn it into some "big decline" of his is just stupid. Period.
Ronaldo is finished, united are disjointed, the two are not mutually exclusive
Nuance isn't needed at all. Its just fallacious thinking hiding such semtiment.
He has been doing his job as a 36/ 37, year old. He has has easily been our best forward. He was brought to not only give the club a lift in quality, he was seen as one to aid a cultural reset and to give Rashford, Martial and especially Greenwood, in concert with Cavani that last bit of guidance to be truly world class attackers as hopefully he plays out his final days with us. People have gleefully forgotten he joined a United that finished 2nd last season, strengthened by the arrival of Varane in defence and Sancho in attack, that no one would have seen the shocking collapse we witnessed from it first part of the season. Not even Ole's biggest critics and haters.
Its even worse to see people try to imply Ragnick is a "weak manager" for playing CR7 all the time. Like its his fault Martial switched off and logged off so much that he had to be loaned. Cavani's body finally succumbed to age. Rashford's form dropped off to the earth's core. Whilst Greenwood got himself in serious legal jeopardy stalling his career. Living CR7 at 37 as the only consistently fit, reliable and senior striker available for every game. Alongside the emerging Elanga
Tasked with leading the attack alongside Sancho who has taken more than half the season to arrive. A Bruno Fernandes who has been below par all season. A midfield that missed Pogba's talents half a season. Plus a forced manager change because the collective form of the team outside CR7, De Gea, Greenwood and the injury absent Pogba + Varane fell of a cliff. People are acting like he is the reason we have dropped behind and haven't challenged for anything. Yet he is infact a big part of the reason we still have hope of rescuing anything from the season.
Well you are the numpty who thinks my opinion has changed on the matter has been changed let alone disproved. Who also believes that has any relevance to this debate about CR7. Saying all there is to be said about you
So all the goals he's missed, or worse, the fact that he turned over so many of the balls passed to him in the 2nd half in critical moments of our last game (not for the first time btw) has nothing to do with the actual player?
He loses every physical duel, can't make runs to stretch any defence, can't outrun defenders, can't hold the ball up, can't press, isn't particularly creative, and right now, is missing a lot of chances. How is that not struggling?
All this in a team that's being accused of being profligate in front of goal.
You clearly watched some other game. Because the only thing our entire attack save for the our of sorts Rashford did the entire game was not score. They were utterly dominant and none of them was ineffective. They spent the game carving open watford for fun.
This is statistically and objectively false. If it were any where near reality CR7 would be our most dispossessed player in our squad (that's bruno fernandes and harry maguire. He isn't even in the top 10), have the most dispossession after a tackle (thats both bruno and Sancho), have the lowest pass completion of forwards in our team ( he is number 1 in passing), have the worst forward progression pass of our entire squad (he is 3rd in our attack behind Sancho and greenwood, plus 5th in the entire team) Would not have any assists (he is 3rd in our team) Wouldn't have any chances created ( he is third in our team, the only attacker on 5). He is third on shot creation actions. He comfortably has the highest XGA and XA which he wouldn't if he was as ineffective as you just described. He wouldn't even be our top scorer both in the league and other competitions. Aged 36-37.
The only thing he can be accused of is missing 13 big chances. But so what? Salah has missed 15? Difference is he is not in a team where he is literally doing it all alone upfront.
I love how this place invents myth just push a narrative they prefer......
In this case they 100 percent are
If this isn't Ronaldo struggling, I wonder what it will take for you to see it. I mean its incredibly obvious that he's struggling and the big decline has been there for us all to see.
How you label it pure nonsense and stupid is beyond me. He obviously doesn't take all the blame but he has a big enough portion of it.
He is finished, but we are shit also, not just on the pitch, but off it too. It's not like we were going to sign another striker and suddenly dropped that for Ronaldo. Cavani is injured all the time, Rashford is an unmitigated disaster of a footballer (and it's not like that happened overnight), Martial had checked out some time ago, and Greenwood...yeah. It's just bad planning and bad luck finally coming to a head after so many years of the former.
I think he can be an excellent sub next season, but he will never agree to that, so it's better to just part ways. A 38-year-old in the starting XI is just madness in a league like this. As it stands, I'll put Nunez or David in his place any time.
I think he can be an excellent sub next season, but he will never agree to that, so it's better to just part ways. A 38-year-old in the starting XI is just madness in a league like this. As it stands, I'll put Nunez or David in his place any time.
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My point exactly. Clearly your opinions are ageing like CR7.
You can’t deal with the physicality, your tired.
You are right about United struggling - but so is Ronaldo. Look at the number of chances the man has wasted - and the size of some of those chances, the last 6-7 games. It's crystal clear he's not in shape - or maybe it is the decline. But he's definitely struggling.
Pretending Ronaldo isn't a part of the problem and on the decline is stupid. He's 37, he's no longer one of the worlds best players, just accept it.
You have to actually be able to control and carry a ball to be tackled.
Not sure why you feel the need to bring in Bruno and Sancho but let's take a look at the stats of all the starting forwards shall we?
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| Player | Min | Sh | SoT | Touches | Press | Tkl | Int | Blocks | xG | npxG | xA | SCA | Pass Cmp | Pass Att | Pass Cmp% | Pass Prog | Carries | Prog Carries | Dribble Succ | Dribble Att |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 90 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5 | 18 | 19 | 94.7 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Anthony Elanga | 90 | 3 | 0 | 61 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1 | 35 | 45 | 77.8 | 3 | 46 | 13 | 3 | 6 |
| Bruno Fernandes | 90 | 8 | 2 | 94 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 7 | 65 | 82 | 79.3 | 4 | 73 | 11 | 2 | 3 |
Add Pogba in for laughs and it's the same story by the way. His fellow starting attacking players outperform him heavily in just about every stat bar pass % which he attempted by far the fewest (just about half of Elanga's and in comparison to Bruno, it's just laughable).
The only other stat is shot creation actions, where he only outperforms Elanga.
In regards to taking care of the ball, he mis-controlled passes into him, particularly in the second half, and things didn't even get to the point at which he could pass it.
And as I said, and insist, he does lose almost all duels. Not because he gets tackled, but he's unable to gain possession of the ball in the first place as he gets easily outfought.
One could backtrack and say he isn't there to be a specialist in creation but in scoring, but he aint doing that is he? And you talk about folks inventing myths? The irony!
And that's supposed to be his specialism. How anyone can argue that he isn't struggling with a clear head is beyond belief. He's missing chances left, right, and centre, and we know he's nothing special in the build up any way
Praying he fecks off in summer.
I love how you gleefully ignored all the stastics I provided that are for the season per 90 minutes. Yet you dare talk of irony. Its no surprise though. The likes of you prefer myth to reality. I wont waste another mommt discussing this with youYou have to actually be able to control and carry a ball to be tackled.
Not sure why you feel the need to bring in Bruno and Sancho but let's take a look at the stats of all the starting forwards shall we?
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Player Cristiano Ronaldo Anthony Elanga Bruno Fernandes
Add Pogba in for laughs and it's the same story by the way. His fellow starting attacking players outperform him heavily in just about every stat bar pass % which he attempted by far the fewest (just about half of Elanga's and in comparison to Bruno, it's just laughable).
The only other stat is shot creation actions, where he only outperforms Elanga.
In regards to taking care of the ball, he mis-controlled passes into him, particularly in the second half, and things didn't even get to the point at which he could pass it.
And as I said, and insist, he does lose almost all duels. Not because he gets tackled, but he's unable to gain possession of the ball in the first place as he gets easily outfought.
One could backtrack and say he isn't there to be a specialist in creation but in scoring, but he aint doing that is he? And you talk about folks inventing myths? The irony!
What is stupid rather is pretending he isn't comfortably United's best attacker. In a horribly struggling team at age 37. He is the top scorer both in the league and cups and currently the only reliable and fit striker. The main reason we still have are still in the UCL. Heck if the rest of the side was doing its fecking job you wouldn't be talking. But because he has missed 13 big chances. (A salah in his prime, in the top two teams in the league has missed 15). He is suddenly no long amongst the worlds best players.
The problem with some of you is you have refused to accept he isn't CR7 of 2008. So because he isn't playing that way in your minds he is shit. Its embarrassing.....
He's clearly done at this level, he's off the pace in every game, his touch is loose and his finishing has dropped off, if we fail to get top 4 I think his exit plan will be an issue as no top side in Europe will want to sign him, the MLS is his natural next move. If he stays he needs to discover humility and has to learn to be impactful off the bench instead of demanding to start all of the time
He's shit and sooner he's gone the better.
I don't believe it. He has nowhere else to go.
I have eyes and can see the chances laid onto Ronaldo and he misses them, so how can you say he is not struggling? Its not all him struggling I agree. Bruno is as well, but Ronaldo is still struggling.
Another thing you could level at him was he was going to sign for City, so all you loyalists no matter what to Ronaldo, should think where his loyalty was, before we stepped in.
Of course you won't, you're being shown up
We have to play him to being in form, he can help us massively
Unless you can quote someone who thinks Ronnie is shit because he isn't playing like he was 14 years ago then the only embarrassing part here is your strawmanning.
Most people think he's shit because they watch him play and see that his overall game is shit, the fact that he's missing a lot of chances is only a part of the problem.
He is fine, just not as a guaranteed starter every match.
But the only option Ralf has currently is to play someone else as a false no.9. But we all know the hysteria it would create in the media and on the cafe if he did that and dropped points.
It’s probably not worth the hassle tbh. Just keep playing Ronaldo until Cavani decides to show up.
But the only option Ralf has currently is to play someone else as a false no.9. But we all know the hysteria it would create in the media and on the cafe if he did that and dropped points.
It’s probably not worth the hassle tbh. Just keep playing Ronaldo until Cavani decides to show up.
Tell me you're a fanboy without telling me you're a fanboy.
Dude is 37 years old and has CLEARLY declined. It's not the end of the world, it's expected. In fact it's still quite impressive of him to still have managed to play at this level(as poor as he's been recently, he's still playing in the PL), so there is no need to pretend he's playing at a level he hasn't touched in a minute.
Who's the main reserve striker?
Not even close to being our best player. He can't run or simply refuses to. He can't hold up the ball, gets pushed off the ball and he's not even taking chances anymore like he once did.
I wasn't a huge fan of Martial but I would genuinely rather have Martial as our number 9 as he at least had the ability to run in behind and he could trap a ball and bring others into the game.
Ronaldo owes us nothing. He's done it all and one of the all time greats but right now he's looking washed up.
I think you have a point here. A lot of people won’t necessarily have followed Ronaldo closely after he left United, so won’t be aware how how his game has developed and adapted to his age. He certainly isn’t the same as 2008 - and I don’t think our team/manager have adapted our game to maximise Ronaldos output. If you have CR7, you know he’s going to start most games, you know he can do the business when he is supplied, but we are just not doing it. He has to come too far away from the goal to get a touch and it’s not working for him. He is frustrated and it’s showing.
I don’t believe he is finished, and I don’t think it should be on Ronaldos shoulders to change the way he plays at his age and status. It’s up to the manager and team to play to his strengths and maximise those of the team too.
Bang on.
Some really immature takes have infested the caf in the last couple of months. He was sensational for us in his first month or so as well, and now he’s finished? He’s definitely not the all conquering Balon d’Or version of himself but still undoubtedly our best striker. The pressure that mounted on him is absolutely immense and he’s feeling it perhaps for the first time in his career, but trust he’ll be back to being indispensable soon.
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