Manchester United

Birdy

Birdy

Senior Member
Jenks said:
Honestly I think Ronaldo is the biggest problem with the team. You just can't press when he's on the pitch. You have 10 players off the ball. I have no idea what the plan was against City, because the only way Ronaldo scores is with controlled possession and balls into the box, and United were not set up to offer that. The midfield is weak so you either need to find a way to get more bodies in the middle, or just bypass it entirely, but they did neither. I would have benched Ronaldo and moved to a front three of Rashford, Greenwood and Sancho. It probably wouldn't have been enough but at least you could press from the front, and when possession was turned over you'd be able to get straight at City's back four with pace. That's how they've hurt them in the past.
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Welcome to how Barca was pressing under Messi
 
Jenks

Jenks

Senior Member
Morten said:
Ronaldo was never much of a presser, but overnight it turned into the biggest problem on the pitch, right...
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Mate have you seen him now? He does basically nothing off the ball. He can't even offer a threat in behind. All he can do is wander about until there's a chance for him to get on the end of a ball in or around the box. No, this didn't happen overnight. He's 36 and has been deteriorating for years. He would be much more effective at City where they can control possession and create endless crossing opportunities, but United can hardly retain possession against average sides, let alone the top teams.
 
O

OGbarca

Banned
Birdy said:
Welcome to how Barca was pressing under Messi
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exactly lol


for all ur whining about ronaldo who cant stop scoring wherever he goes, pls show how messi presses any more? this forum is full of posts in which ppl complain endlessly about messi just walking around with his head down
 
El Gato

El Gato

Villarato!
Jenks said:
He does basically nothing off the ball. He can't even offer a threat in behind. All he can do is wander about until there's a chance for him to get on the end of a ball in or around the box.
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He plays fine off ball when team is attacking and has had plenty chances this season beyond a ball into the box from wide area. Always been good at picking a run when attackers are vulnerable and that hasn't changed into his late 30s. What did change is how clinical he is on the finish. Still gets tonnes of opportunities, but his GPG suffers compared to old times where he'd get similar volume of chances.

He just doesn't work to regain possession like most teams, including United, do which puts pressure on the rest and the manager to make 9 outfield players (sometimes 8 when you consider Cavani doesnt have legs to go 60+ mins per game) look like 10 in defense

[MENTION=18429]Morten[/MENTION]
Even if he wasn't much of a presser, he still did his share.
Remember the meme where he got caught in a rondo vs Barca under Mou who told team to sit but he didn't want to?
 
Mateka

Mateka

New member
He was signed because SAF leaned on Ole. Ole did not want him but soon changed his mind. Place the ball at his feet or on his head, he can finish.
He offers nothing off the ball.
Appears so frustrated in this United team that it is only a matter of time until he gets a red card.
 
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KingLeo10

KingLeo10

Senior Member
OGbarca said:
exactly lol


for all ur whining about ronaldo who cant stop scoring wherever he goes, pls show how messi presses any more? this forum is full of posts in which ppl complain endlessly about messi just walking around with his head down
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Messi not pressing enough is a criticism he gets from a lot of Barca fans, including me.

What the topic at hand is people calling out CR7 for similar weaknesses. No one is saying Messi presses more.
 
O

OGbarca

Banned
KingLeo10 said:
Messi not pressing enough is a criticism he gets from a lot of Barca fans, including me.

What the topic at hand is people calling out CR7 for similar weaknesses. No one is saying Messi presses more.
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well, CR is not a presser and never really has been, at least not for something like 10 years, so that particular criticism is misplaced. CR is there to score goals mostly by dint of his heading ability, penchant for late-game goals, and movement in the box. it is not his job, nor strength, to press

so i dont see what the big deal is. United lack a good defensive midfield to complement Bruno F (pogba is overrated and has been meh for years) and a competent defence (lol @ harry maguire as united captain and broken varane). which is another way of saying that no, it is not CR's fault that united look bad. his critics said the same thing about Juve and look at them without him, struggling and playing just as badly as last year, except without his goals
 
Benzema10

Benzema10

Official Lyon representative
For me Cristiano Ronaldo's time is over, not as a player but in terms of success, wherever he goes they will have problems.
 
Mateka

Mateka

New member
A strange debate has emerged at Old Trafford, between those who see Ronaldo as the problem and those who think he is the solution.

When he scores late winners or equalisers, he is hailed as being the man who is shouldering the burden, heaving an average United side along with him as he tried to stay in the Champions League, or keep pace at the top of the Premier League.

When he doesn’t score, his lack of running and pressing are highlighted, and he is picked out as a major factor in United’s biggest malaise - that they are a collection of individuals, who will almost always be second-best against a true team.

It seems odd that no-one ponders the alternative - that Ronaldo is both problem and solution, like those odd people who set fires and then start putting them out before the fire engines arise, false heroes.
MEN
 
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