... but he's not to blame.
A controversial one perhaps, so bear with me. If there is any truth at all in these rumours that a serious rift has developed at United, with some players unhappy about Ronaldo's influence and Ronaldo dissatisfied with their performances and standards, maybe this presents an uncomfortable question that we didn't really ask enough when we signed him: is Ronaldo too good for United?
By this, I mean that Ronaldo, given what he has achieved and the advanced stage of his career, probably needs to be somewhere like PSG - a team that is almost certain to be in the top two of its domestic league and fancied to reach the latter stages of the Champions League. I'm not sure he was ever suited to a 'project' like United, with a fairly young team and a (then) inexperienced manager. He has obviously come in and made his standards and expectations pretty clear. He's not necessarily wrong to do this, which is why I say I don't blame him. The fact that he played in arguably the best United team of the modern age and under Sir Alex would only amplify his frustration. It's annoying to say the least if there's any truth in the rumours that this has upset some players - it's Manchester United and they should feel the same way. But the reality is that some of them just aren't there yet (and may never be). This combination of up-and-coming lads with some potential, solid squad players, and an extremely demanding genuine superstar in the twilight of his career is unlikely to be a winning one.
Ronaldo has obviously been one of our better players this season, scoring vital goals and so on. I am absolutely not criticising him here. It's not performances I am talking about really; it's the effect on the squad. The opening day win against Leeds was only one game, but do we really believe that was an unhappy camp, as it clearly is now? I'm not saying we were going to win the league or anything, but why did things turn so sour so quickly?
I remain a big fan of Ronaldo - he's certainly the best player to play for us in my lifetime. Still, I can't help but feel, as I did at the time, that Sancho, Varane and a midfielder would have been a wiser summer window for us.
Perhaps Ronaldo really IS the problem...
posted on 7/1/22
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I know it is but look at the passing. The OP raises some interesting points but if the players cannot make simple passes like they haven’t been then a. Ronaldo isn’t going to be able to do what he does and b. The results are going to be dire
If the reports of players complaining about getting home in the dark and other complaints are true, then we have much deeper problems than Ronaldo.
He was never going to be a long-term solution, no-one thought that but we needed a goal scorer. We cannot rely on Rashford, Martial nor Greenwood (yet).
Would all of us rather have signed Haaland? Of course but that wasn’t an option and I just don’t think that Ronaldo is anywhere near the top of the list of problems at United.
When rvn was a problem with our play (similar to what some people perceive Ronaldo being now) that was a big problem because our team was so much better then than it is now.
We have McFred & Matic as our midfield, Maguire, AWB and Rashford is in dire form, Bruno in dire form; are we truly saying that Ronaldo is the cause of all of that?
posted on 7/1/22
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know but it seems to me that the issue Man u have is that they need to score 3 or so to win a match, if that is the case, then surely its not your attack that u should be focusing on?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well we’ve conceded 2 or more goals 4 times all season in the league so that statement is incorrect.
The biggest problem with this team is ball retention and midfield. An issue that was ignored by the board by all accounts and not Ole in the summer.
posted on 7/1/22
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know but it seems to me that the issue Man u have is that they need to score 3 or so to win a match, if that is the case, then surely its not your attack that u should be focusing on?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Watching how you guys always used to pass the ball around and have been again recently, it makes me cry inside when I then see our players struggling to make simple forward or even sideways passes.
posted on 7/1/22
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know but it seems to me that the issue Man u have is that they need to score 3 or so to win a match, if that is the case, then surely its not your attack that u should be focusing on?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well we’ve conceded 2 or more goals 4 times all season in the league so that statement is incorrect.
The biggest problem with this team is ball retention and midfield. An issue that was ignored by the board by all accounts and not Ole in the summer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think we should add defence to that too mate. So many horrendous errors and when that happens, confidence drops to the floor and we’re relying on that midfield to help out.
posted on 7/1/22
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I know it is but look at the passing. The OP raises some interesting points but if the players cannot make simple passes like they haven’t been then a. Ronaldo isn’t going to be able to do what he does and b. The results are going to be dire
If the reports of players complaining about getting home in the dark and other complaints are true, then we have much deeper problems than Ronaldo.
He was never going to be a long-term solution, no-one thought that but we needed a goal scorer. We cannot rely on Rashford, Martial nor Greenwood (yet).
Would all of us rather have signed Haaland? Of course but that wasn’t an option and I just don’t think that Ronaldo is anywhere near the top of the list of problems at United.
When rvn was a problem with our play (similar to what some people perceive Ronaldo being now) that was a big problem because our team was so much better then than it is now.
We have McFred & Matic as our midfield, Maguire, AWB and Rashford is in dire form, Bruno in dire form; are we truly saying that Ronaldo is the cause of all of that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree with all of that but then surely you agree bringing in Ronaldo and ignoring other areas was a huge error by the club?
I agree he was never going to be the long term solution but right now he doesn’t look like the short term one either, not in the league anyway.
posted on 7/1/22
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 37 seconds ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know but it seems to me that the issue Man u have is that they need to score 3 or so to win a match, if that is the case, then surely its not your attack that u should be focusing on?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well we’ve conceded 2 or more goals 4 times all season in the league so that statement is incorrect.
The biggest problem with this team is ball retention and midfield. An issue that was ignored by the board by all accounts and not Ole in the summer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think we should add defence to that too mate. So many horrendous errors and when that happens, confidence drops to the floor and we’re relying on that midfield to help out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed but there’s some signs the defence is looking better. No signs of that in midfield. Matic has long outstayed his welcome at the club and Fred and McTominay either need someone far better beside one of them or simply aren’t good enough. I’m not sure on that one.
posted on 7/1/22
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I know it is but look at the passing. The OP raises some interesting points but if the players cannot make simple passes like they haven’t been then a. Ronaldo isn’t going to be able to do what he does and b. The results are going to be dire
If the reports of players complaining about getting home in the dark and other complaints are true, then we have much deeper problems than Ronaldo.
He was never going to be a long-term solution, no-one thought that but we needed a goal scorer. We cannot rely on Rashford, Martial nor Greenwood (yet).
Would all of us rather have signed Haaland? Of course but that wasn’t an option and I just don’t think that Ronaldo is anywhere near the top of the list of problems at United.
When rvn was a problem with our play (similar to what some people perceive Ronaldo being now) that was a big problem because our team was so much better then than it is now.
We have McFred & Matic as our midfield, Maguire, AWB and Rashford is in dire form, Bruno in dire form; are we truly saying that Ronaldo is the cause of all of that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree with all of that but then surely you agree bringing in Ronaldo and ignoring other areas was a huge error by the club?
I agree he was never going to be the long term solution but right now he doesn’t look like the short term one either, not in the league anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah I wanted a RWF and CDM, I wasn’t really thinking about CF too much as at the time we had Bruno scoring plenty and I hoped Rash would come back to his usual form and Greeners grow into the CF role.
I think not being the short term solution is down to our play. Our passing is beyond woeful, he cannot always just pull a winner out of nowhere.
posted on 7/1/22
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 37 seconds ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know but it seems to me that the issue Man u have is that they need to score 3 or so to win a match, if that is the case, then surely its not your attack that u should be focusing on?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well we’ve conceded 2 or more goals 4 times all season in the league so that statement is incorrect.
The biggest problem with this team is ball retention and midfield. An issue that was ignored by the board by all accounts and not Ole in the summer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think we should add defence to that too mate. So many horrendous errors and when that happens, confidence drops to the floor and we’re relying on that midfield to help out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed but there’s some signs the defence is looking better. No signs of that in midfield. Matic has long outstayed his welcome at the club and Fred and McTominay either need someone far better beside one of them or simply aren’t good enough. I’m not sure on that one.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They’re really not good enough. McT as a bench sitter yeah ok but that’s it.
posted on 7/1/22
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 2 minutes ago
Man u have been very inconsistent for a few years now, way before Ronaldo arrived.....again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop talking sense please
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There’s inconsistent and down right poor. League results since Ronaldo joined W7 D3 L6. That’s not inconsistent, that’s mid table form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I know it is but look at the passing. The OP raises some interesting points but if the players cannot make simple passes like they haven’t been then a. Ronaldo isn’t going to be able to do what he does and b. The results are going to be dire
If the reports of players complaining about getting home in the dark and other complaints are true, then we have much deeper problems than Ronaldo.
He was never going to be a long-term solution, no-one thought that but we needed a goal scorer. We cannot rely on Rashford, Martial nor Greenwood (yet).
Would all of us rather have signed Haaland? Of course but that wasn’t an option and I just don’t think that Ronaldo is anywhere near the top of the list of problems at United.
When rvn was a problem with our play (similar to what some people perceive Ronaldo being now) that was a big problem because our team was so much better then than it is now.
We have McFred & Matic as our midfield, Maguire, AWB and Rashford is in dire form, Bruno in dire form; are we truly saying that Ronaldo is the cause of all of that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree with all of that but then surely you agree bringing in Ronaldo and ignoring other areas was a huge error by the club?
I agree he was never going to be the long term solution but right now he doesn’t look like the short term one either, not in the league anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah I wanted a RWF and CDM, I wasn’t really thinking about CF too much as at the time we had Bruno scoring plenty and I hoped Rash would come back to his usual form and Greeners grow into the CF role.
I think not being the short term solution is down to our play. Our passing is beyond woeful, he cannot always just pull a winner out of nowhere.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It is woeful, I agree but we should have focused on other areas rather than giving him a half a mill a week.
Portugal are struggling with him also it’s not just us. They have the likes of Cancelo, Dias, Jota, Bernardo etc. guys who are amongst the PL’s best players and can’t seem to put in performances either.
I think the modern game has moved on from the big immobile striker which Ronaldo now is.
posted on 8/1/22
I know it is but look at the passing. The OP raises some interesting points but if the players cannot make simple passes like they haven’t been then a. Ronaldo isn’t going to be able to do what he does and b. The results are going to be dire.
—————
Oh, there’s no doubt about this. The players’ ability to get the absolute basics right has been shocking this season. It’s never been great but I’d say there’s been a large backwards step even in that regard since August.