No
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/wat...h-of-the-pitch-in-/14m5msd0impl915qx4fchf252v
He's still pretty fast
Unpopular opinion: Ronaldo will be a huge miss
- Thread starter Rajma
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No
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/wat...h-of-the-pitch-in-/14m5msd0impl915qx4fchf252v
He's still pretty fast
It is possible to be emotionally excited to see him but also have rational thoughts and scepticism too. Humans are complex and the mind is an amazing thing.
It doesn't really matter tbh - his previous contribution is already so huge and this return repairs a lot of the damage that was done by how he left; everything else at this point is just gravy.
But regardless - I think it's going to be a huge success
But regardless - I think it's going to be a huge success
i mean, 100 meters in 14 seconds isnt saying much. I am however more concerned about his acceleration. He used to be really quick off the mark, now it looks like defenders can deal with him.
For starters, it's silly to compare a guy running on grass in football boots, to actual sprinters in spikes on rubber surfaces.
For seconds, nothing says it was him going flat out anyway!
Sell him!
1. This would be possible if it wasn't for the fact that his wages isn't anywhere near as high as people think. He's reportedly being paid £385k a week. Which is just about 10k more than the second highest earner (DeGea). He probably gets a bunch of performance based bonuses as well to ensure that he's paid quite a lot more, but his standard wage is not a lot higher than our current wage structure. You also have the fact that he's Ronaldo and has 5 Ballon d'Or to his name, so I'm not sure any player could realistically argue wage parity in any event.
2. He's there to score goals. If we need to defend from the front in a game we still have Cavani. It's not like we haven't had this problem before. We played Rooney and Tevez out wide to make up for his lack of defensive contribution back then - I'm sure we could find a combination to work out now. It's a shame we couldn't bring in a midfielder in this window as someone like Rice would probably have given us the solidity needed to make up for the lack of defensive contribution, but it is what it is. I don't think you could realistically argue that Ronaldo makes us a worse team given we haven't really sold anyone significant (sorry James) and have added three world class players in this window.
3. You are right that he does not play a lot with his back to the goal, but that is because he doesn't need to. His exceptional on the ball ability enables him to hold up play while facing the goal - either by running out wide with the ball, beating a man off the dribble to turn, or simply by standing still. Defenders tend to wait to engage him because they know that he can beat them on the dribble if they commit too early. He is one of a handful of players who can cause disruption in the opposition defence simply by not moving. He's arguably more efficient at hold up play than a traditional #9 because he'll often find himself in a better position to pass or move forward as he's constantly facing the opposition goal and tends to draw defenders out of position as they try to deal with him.
4. Ronaldo plays whenever he's fit I'd imagine. Nothing in the past few years suggests he shouldn't though. Whether or not Ole would be reluctant to take him off if he's performing badly is at this point pure speculation. He's done fairly well with the egos already at the club though.
Nope plenty of videos from last season of him flying past defenders 10 years his juniors
The Portugal manager is a feckwit. Bernardo stays on the pitch no matter what despite the fact he doesn't really score and can't cross for shit.
First, obviously ecstatic Ronaldo is back. His impact on the mindset of the team will be just as valuable as his goals.
However, having him lead the line for the next two years does not come without its problems in terms of developing our style and patterns of play. It’s interesting that a lot of posters who are understandably delighted about Ronaldo returning are also those clamouring for Utd to develop their own style of play like City or Pool and slam Solksjaer for not having a more distinct footballing identity, with identifiable patterns of attacking (see match day thread post Southampton game) Solksjaer and the coaching staff are often accused of being amateurish...with the style of play describe as being l “pass forward, run forward and hope one of the boys turns on the magic”. We have gotten by on individual brilliance for a while now and as I see it, Ronaldo is another magician that may just help to better cover up the real issue which is a lack of top level coaching at the club. He is a short term injection of quality that might get a few trophy’s over the line. Using him in every big game over the next two years gets us no closer to the playing style Solkjaer seemed to be building toward - developing a fluid front 3, interchanging and attacking at pace. This is why he always insists Greenwood should not being pidgeoned into a number 9 role or why he bought Sancho or why we see Pogba, when deployed out left interchanging with Bruno and roaming, given a more free role.
While you don’t ever pass up on signing Ronaldo, it’s not all one big happy ending. He is a player that requires a system, not a player that will fit into a system. Did you see how many crosses Portugal aimed toward him before he got his goals last night? With the players they have they could have cut Ireland to pieces with more patient build up play...but that doesn’t play to Ronaldo’s strengths.
Im genuinely giddy to see him in a Utd shirt again but I do feel he gives short term gains at the cost of continuing the overall development of our attacking “philosophy”- if there is one!
However, having him lead the line for the next two years does not come without its problems in terms of developing our style and patterns of play. It’s interesting that a lot of posters who are understandably delighted about Ronaldo returning are also those clamouring for Utd to develop their own style of play like City or Pool and slam Solksjaer for not having a more distinct footballing identity, with identifiable patterns of attacking (see match day thread post Southampton game) Solksjaer and the coaching staff are often accused of being amateurish...with the style of play describe as being l “pass forward, run forward and hope one of the boys turns on the magic”. We have gotten by on individual brilliance for a while now and as I see it, Ronaldo is another magician that may just help to better cover up the real issue which is a lack of top level coaching at the club. He is a short term injection of quality that might get a few trophy’s over the line. Using him in every big game over the next two years gets us no closer to the playing style Solkjaer seemed to be building toward - developing a fluid front 3, interchanging and attacking at pace. This is why he always insists Greenwood should not being pidgeoned into a number 9 role or why he bought Sancho or why we see Pogba, when deployed out left interchanging with Bruno and roaming, given a more free role.
While you don’t ever pass up on signing Ronaldo, it’s not all one big happy ending. He is a player that requires a system, not a player that will fit into a system. Did you see how many crosses Portugal aimed toward him before he got his goals last night? With the players they have they could have cut Ireland to pieces with more patient build up play...but that doesn’t play to Ronaldo’s strengths.
Im genuinely giddy to see him in a Utd shirt again but I do feel he gives short term gains at the cost of continuing the overall development of our attacking “philosophy”- if there is one!
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I'm not saying that Ole should/will play Ronaldo as a false 9 or anything. But that post seemed to belittle the position of the manager. I don't even rate Ole but he is the manger and if Ronaldo has to adapt a teeny bit to a new team, it's not the biggest of deals.
Why do you have to label an opinion unpopular? To cover your ass?
Either way the speed wasn't impressive. His reading of play and desire was way more impressive.
Portugal couldn't have played slow, patient build up play because of their coach. With or without Ronadlo, Portugal are a disjoined team.
Yes that's true but it's rather on the man management perspective.
Tactically many players like Berbatov failed to adapt to his system and he didn't change his system to accommodate them. Only Ronaldo was the exception I think and tbf it was not Ronaldo failed to adapt to his system but SAF changed his system to get the best out of him. And it's not like he could play as he wish, he still had to follow SAF instructions to the words.
Imo Ronaldo is very professional so he shouldn't have any issue to follow Ole's instructions. But as someone has said above, it's not easy to change your playing habit once you're 36 yo. Would be very interesting to see how both Ole and Ronaldo handle this I think.
I agree. I’m sure Cristiano will be a huge miss when he’s not on the pitch.
SAF also pushed 2 of our central attacking players to wide areas to cover Ronaldo's lack of defensive contribution/work rate. Those are minor adjustments we made to improve our team.
Managers always do that, obviously they won't throw everything away just to accommodate one player but there will be adjustments all the time to make the team better. Even now, Ronaldo won't be playing as he wish, I don't think there is any player who does that.
Allegri and Sarri conundrum with Ronaldo not the same. In his first season, Allegri wanted Ronaldo as a #9 but the latter stuck to LW, coming inside, where he excelled.
Sarri, again, wanted him as a pure #9 but he'd either line up Ronaldo alongside another CF (see Higuain or Dybala) or on the few occasions he did have him as a pure CF, Ronaldo would drift out left.
But in both cases, it wasn't just their tactics vis a vis Ronaldo, the personnel was very poor (by elite club standards) and their system/style of play was very turgid to watch.
One thing is clear, if Ronaldo signs for United, he should be a lone #9/CF with SOME scope to drift out left.
I agree that from a footballing/on the pitch perspective, there're more downsides than upsides to Ronaldo's signing. But, I also understand why the club decided that it couldn't let Ronaldo join City - so it is what it is at this point. I'm definitely not ecstatic about the signing - I'd of much preferred him to go the USA, or return to Sporting - but I am glad he's not going to playing for City. I just hope Ole is strong enough to put the needs of the club and the team above Ronaldo's needs
It looks like he slows up to stay onside too
His pressing is in the bottom level of all strikers in the world, as he is in tackling. We already have an unbalanced squad but do you think it will be fine? I think Ronaldo will score, no doubt, but I think he will be a passenger in some games and I'm not sure United will be a better team with him in it. He just doesn't influence the game or contribute in open play. We don't create enough chances, that's our main problem and Ronaldo will not really help in that department. But I think Ronaldo could bail us out as Greenwood did against Wolves. Btw, every time someone has an opinion, they got slaughter with arguments like "troll", "WUM", "negative". If he's so wrong, it should be no problem explaining why he is wrong.
That part is true, people is super naive to think a manager doesn't have a system or doesn't give instructions to his players. Any manager does, even the manager of your Sunday team. Whether that system and those instructions working or not is another matter. But there's also players who can't or simply refuse to follow the manager's instructions.
The question here is for example asking Rashford, Sancho, Pogba, Greenwood, Bruno to run more, to cover more defensive duties etc. in order to accommodate Ronaldo; or asking Ronaldo to cover more defensive duties, run more, etc. is actually the better one for the team. That question shouldn't be asked if he's still the old Ronaldo. But now I think it's valid to ask that one. And I do think the latter is the better one. We'll see though.
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We don't press much though.
We've been middle of the pack in regards to pressing since Ole has taken over.
As for the bolded: Ronaldo is no Messi in that regard, but he can still have an influence in open play. People are acting like he's Chicharito
Every time I see this thread title I get moderately triggered
Why the flip would one of the worlds best footballers go to play in Portugal or the States?
We did and we don't have players like them any more. Our wide options are Rashford, Martial, Pogba, Sancho, and Greenwood. All of those guys do very little pressing. Rasford, Martial, and Sancho are in the bottom 10% for pressures per 90. It makes it harder for everybody behind them.
One CDM can't cover for multiple players that aren't doing much running.
I'm excited about seeing him play for us again, whilst also being cautious - if that's possible.
The signing seems to go against what Ole has been trying to build here, and I do worry about the impact on Bruno who seems to relish being the main man, but at the end of the day he's one of the greatest players who ever lived so it was worth the gamble.
The signing seems to go against what Ole has been trying to build here, and I do worry about the impact on Bruno who seems to relish being the main man, but at the end of the day he's one of the greatest players who ever lived so it was worth the gamble.
Tbf with or without Ronaldo, Rashford, Sancho, Greenwood should improve their work rate. They are among the worst (or bottom 10) when it comes to pressing.
It's not only work rate. If you ask a player to do more defensive duties he always has to sacrifice some of his offensive ones.
For example we usually leave Rashford or Greenwood behind and ask Cavani to come back deeper in a defensive phase, typically a set piece one. Because both are super fast and our chances would be better in a counter attack with them than Cavani. Now if Ole ask Rashford and Greenwood to come back deeper to defend and leave Ronaldo behind, is that a better thing to do tactically? If not would Ronaldo agree to or be able to run back to defend as Cavani? Then run forth again to join the attack?
There's maybe more similar questions would be asked as the above is just one situation. Match tactic and player instructions are really complex anyway.
It'll be interesting to see how both Ole and Ronaldo handle this I think.
Pretty much
It totally depends though and I don't think it is belittling the manager saying they need to adapt to a quality player if it means better end product. If anything a good manager would see that himself and plan accordingly instead of being stubborn or thinking 'im the boss' and everyone should just do as I say. That would be a pretty bad manager.
One thing we do have with Ronaldo and Cavani is incredible heading ability. I mean they are arguably the two best in the world at scoring with the nut.
We need to get quality crosses in for them. This is why Sancho needs to be on the right, not the left. AWB's delivery is not good enough. Shaw and Rashford or Pogba from the left should deliver good crosses both inside and outside.
We need to get quality crosses in for them. This is why Sancho needs to be on the right, not the left. AWB's delivery is not good enough. Shaw and Rashford or Pogba from the left should deliver good crosses both inside and outside.
Is Ronaldo any worse than say players like Martial, Lukaku in pressing? There is barely a difference. Cavani? Yes he is much better in that.
Also for defending set pieces, Ronaldo always defends set piece for Portugal, so maybe he will do for us too as he wins lot of headers whereas Rashford/Greenwood are poor at it. Remember Ronaldo was used to defend set pieces when he was at ManUtd.
There will be always a player who does more defensive work than others. For example, why should James work so hard defensively when players like Sancho, Rashford, Greenwood don't? Why should Fred cover so much distance when Pogba doesn't?
I agree on the wider point but that's how it is. You have to make little changes when you sign a player of his quality. Ronaldo won't work like Cavani who was chasing players all the way to the box like young Rooney. Also I would love to see our young players improving their work rate, Cavani with so many injury issues and at his age, works twice as hard as our young players.
The post that did was comparing their stature in football and the point is that the manager is still the boss. He doesn't have to make other adapt for the sake of showing his authority of course. But the authority does exist and that post (not sure you saw it) didn't reflect that.
Personally I think you have adapt the team if your star man is 36. But it's important we continue to get the best out of Bruno too, as well as raising (not maintaining) our quality of football.
Yeah fair enough. That post was disrespectful towards Ole indeed. I guess I was talking more from a bigger picture and how Ole should plan. Having such an effective player should make him ensure the best circumstances for him to score but yeah it would still be his call in the end.
Absolutely. And the club haven't sanctioned such enormous wages for him play decently well either. We need to get the best out of him that we can.
Is it? I remember you saying it was like playing with 10 players when Juventus didn't have possession and then praised Lukaku when their pressing stats is more or less same, work rate is more or less same.
Also I replied saying
All you did was "I know I will get shafted for this post" "I don't know why I bother when it's Ronaldo" when people raised valid points against your post. Apart from couple of posts (maybe add 2-3 more), I didn't see any posts mocking or dismissive.
That’s exactly my thoughts. Following a brief spell of intense giddiness when this was announced anyway!
Yes he is. I saw somewhere here a table that display the pressing percentile of our strikers and Ronaldo. Must say Ronaldo's is super bad. Really really bad I mean.
Anyway I don't say Ronaldo would be a bad signing for us. No way. But the tactical concerns over him as an undisputed starter are valid imo. Would those "little changes" be a good thing or not? No one knows. I'm excited to see him but skeptical at the same time. Again, we'll see once he plays a couple matches for us.
Watching that Ireland game Ronaldo was poor in play and often greedy, shooting from ridiculous positions, but without him Ireland would have hung on. The fact he scored an equaliser and then the fecking winner just shows what he brings. It will be good management to harness it properly without upsetting what balance we have in the squad. Best of luck Ole.
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