[Lee565]

I hope to god he us gone come the summer otherwise don't expect anything good happening next season either

 

[AndySmith1990]

I'm looking forward to the next time he scores a tap in and we have a barrage of posts reminding us how great he

 

[OrcaFat]

It could have. At this age it's a risk. When regression hits you, it hits you hard but the way Ronaldo was going when he was like 35, it seemed like he could have played till 40.

Yeah, until it hits there’s no limit but the first things to go are pace and power and probably stamina soon after. Without those he really is diminished. Aged 36, it’s not a great bet that he had many years left; the backers at the top level would understandably be dwindling. 37 seems to be the end of the road. Or this particular road. I just think most people (Pep included) would be thinking the same way, even if the idea Ronaldo can keep defying is age is romantic and alluring.

 

[Josh 76]

I'm looking forward to the next time he scores a tap in and we have a barrage of posts reminding us how great he

I’m not looking forward to that!

 

[Josh 76]

Are there any Ronaldo fans who were celebrating when he signed and now have come to their senses ?

 

[onemufc]

Where is Sonya Cross today? Sonya is Ronaldo.

Probably preparing an owen-esque pamphlet as we speak

 

[Red Shorts]

We brought this upon ourselves tbh. Hes played the 4th most amount of minutes out of our players at the age of 36/37. It was inevitable he was going to burn out very quickly, and time would catch up with him.

 

[OmarUnited4ever]

We brought this upon ourselves tbh. Hes played the 4th most amount of minutes out of our players at the age of 36/37. It was inevitable he was going to burn out very quickly, and time would catch up with him.

I think him playing every min of every game took a toll on him, he should be smart enough to manage his playing time.

I remember he was benched twice only, and missed 2 games only through injury, and basically played as much as DDG, his body can't handle the rigorous of the PL.

He should've been benched in the league games and preserved for CL games

 

[steffyr2]

I hope to god he us gone come the summer otherwise don't expect anything good happening next season either

Do Utd fans have anyone/anything else to talk about?
After every game, the Ronaldo thread is sitting at the top of the forum.
Says something.

 

[Josh 76]

I think him playing every min of every game took a toll on him, he should be smart enough to manage his playing time.

I remember he was benched twice only, and missed 2 games only through injury, and basically played as much as DDG, his body can't handle the rigorous of the PL.

He should've been benched in the league games and preserved for CL games

Easier said than done. The media and fans reaction after the Everton game was horrendous!

 

[DWelbz19]

Best we can try is a 2 man forward line along with Cavani. But Cavani is nowhere to be seen.

Nightmare fuel

 

[Sultan]

Age has caught up and is the wrong time to be playing in the Premiership. He'd be fine in the US League or playing in Saudi or Qatar. Just don't have the energy and playing from memory. There's no excuse be should be afforded an excuse to him playing in a poor side. He's been getting plenty of chances.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Him coming off the bench is surely a far better option than starting virtually every game, and the way to go for next season aswell.

He might start offering something again with a shorter shift.

 

[Jericho]

Do Utd fans have anyone/anything else to talk about?
After every game, the Ronaldo thread is sitting at the top of the forum.
Says something.

What does it say?

 

[Dirty Schwein]

If Mason didn't do you know what, this would have been his chance to cement himself as a striker. Ronaldo looks done and Cavani is out there somewhere, staring at the ocean and wondering when he can go on holiday.

We don't have anyone to play up front.

Bad situation to be in.

 

[youngrell]

Pretty much kills every attack, sadly. Needs to be used more sparingly for the good of the team, but unfortunately the alternatives aren’t very enticing either.

Think it’s time for Bruno behind or in between Rashford and Sancho. At least he will hold the ball and play them in. Everything is either bouncing off Ronaldo or he’s a step away from it.

 

[Mickeza]

Pretty much kills every attack, sadly. Needs to be used more sparingly for the good of the team, but unfortunately the alternatives aren’t very enticing either.

Think it’s time for Bruno behind or in between Rashford and Sancho. At least he will hold the ball and play them in. Everything is either bouncing off Ronaldo or he’s a step away from it.

Yeah I think it’s Bruno false 9 with Pogba given a free role as an attacking 8 time. I’ve thought that all season though - but now I just don’t see any alternative.

 

[AndyMUFC]

He's contributing absolutely nothing, has never been an out and out centre forward anyway and it's becoming even more apparent now he's losing his legs. The initial signing and single handedly getting us through to the Champions League knockouts were great but we can't be doing this again next year.

 

[Kopral Jono]

Are there any Ronaldo fans who were celebrating when he signed and now have come to their senses ?

No, not really, given the impact he made in the first half of our season. The number one problem with him is he's lost that extra half yard of pace, very important in the English game, and is absolutely knackered from all the football he's played this season considering his age. Combine those two factors together and utter dross is what you get. And on this, I also refuse to rule out the possibility of issues behind the scenes which may have affected him that go beyond age and being knackered.

Use him wisely and I still think we'll reap the rewards, but we don't have too many options now.

 

[Thiagoal]

I was in the Stretty end today and must admit - as the rain was lashing down- I felt sorry for Ronnie. One of the best (if not the best) players to ever grace the game is clearly no longer suited to such a competitive and physical league. He could be scoring for fun in the Miami sun rather than scrapping for long balls against brute defenders.
I hope he sees sense at the end of this season.

 

[Toblerone92]

If he had been able to handle not starting every game then he may have had more success and although I admire his desire to play every game it seems strange to not realise this would burn him out.

 

[shamans]

Are there any Ronaldo fans who were celebrating when he signed and now have come to their senses ?

I don't think it's about coming to senses. I was celebrating, am a huge fan and now I'm obviously sad and dissapointed about it.

I think in the beginning he had some really good games for us and won us some games by himself. Since then, he has regressed really fast and I think he has lost the little bit of potency he had to make use of his movement. Time has caught up with him. It's not about coming to senses. We all knew this would happen. Some of, like myself, thought it would happen after a few seasons though and not so soon.

 

[Wolf1992]

Juve didn't improve this season without CR, they're worse and you can't deny that.

They aren't, they are in a bettter position now.

21 years old Vlahović > Grandpa Ronaldo

 

[AndySmith1990]

I was in the Stretty end today and must admit - as the rain was lashing down- I felt sorry for Ronnie. One of the best (if not the best) players to ever grace the game is clearly no longer suited to such a competitive and physical league. He could be scoring for fun in the Miami sun rather than scrapping for long balls against brute defenders.
I hope he sees sense at the end of this season.

Why would you feel sorry for a 37 year old who has made hundreds of millions of pounds from a long and successful career in football? The end comes for everyone. It's fine, it's not something to be sad about

 

[shamans]

If he had been able to handle not starting every game then he may have had more success and although I admire his desire to play every game it seems strange to not realise this would burn him out.

Yeah I am frustrated at this. Like I said, he was good during the start of the season but it always seemed ridiculous for a 37 year old to play so much. People talk about Giggs and how he took care of his body but he never played this much.

The guy is playing 120 mins in FA cup games. That's stupid for many 28 year olds let alone a 37 year old. If indeed Ronaldo still has a chance to get back to effectiveness he needs to go back to being an experienced player of the bench as a supplemental attacking player.

 

[Thiagoal]

Why would you feel sorry for a 37 year old who has made hundreds of millions of pounds from a long and successful career in football? The end comes for everyone. It's fine, it's not something to be sad about

Oh it was very sad watching him today! Money doesn’t give you happiness my friend

 

[shamans]

Why would you feel sorry for a 37 year old who has made hundreds of millions of pounds from a long and successful career in football? The end comes for everyone. It's fine, it's not something to be sad about

That fall from grace must feel really hard. Having so much power on the pitch and ability with the ball and then watching that fade away from you. Players who weren't worthy to be on the same pitch as you outpacing you. Honestly, it must be tough.

 

[Josh 76]

I don't think it's about coming to senses. I was celebrating, am a huge fan and now I'm obviously sad and dissapointed about it.

I think in the beginning he had some really good games for us and won us some games by himself. Since then, he has regressed really fast and I think he has lost the little bit of potency he had to make use of his movement. Time has caught up with him. It's not about coming to senses. We all knew this would happen. Some of, like myself, thought it would happen after a few seasons though and not so soon.

A few seasons ? That would take him to his 40s! The writing has been on the wall last couple of seasons. I watched him in the Euros and he was shocking. His goals papered over the cracks big time. (Think 3 of his 5 goals were pens)

 

[spiriticon]

If you start him only once every two or three weeks, he could still be very good but playing him nearly every game is madness.

Giggs was not starting every game at age 37.

 

[AndySmith1990]

If you start him only once every two or three weeks, he could still be very good but playing him nearly every game is madness.

Giggs was not starting every game at age 37.

Giggs shouldn't have been here at 37 either. But if nothing else it's a good example of how United have repeated the same mistakes over the past decade.

 

[kouroux]

Yeah, until it hits there’s no limit but the first things to go are pace and power and probably stamina soon after. Without those he really is diminished. Aged 36, it’s not a great bet that he had many years left; the backers at the top level would understandably be dwindling. 37 seems to be the end of the road. Or this particular road. I just think most people (Pep included) would be thinking the same way, even if the idea Ronaldo can keep defying is age is romantic and alluring.

For me, the worst aspect of his game is his touch on the ball. He cannot control a ball under pressure and his shooting has gone down 2-3 level

 

[SeanyC]

First and foremost this is not a go at Ronaldo as there are many problems from board to dressing room in our club. But watching Ronnie now is so painful, watching him 10/15 years ago when he was in his prime was just pure gold, he will always go down as a United and global football legend but based on what I’m seeing lately I think at 37 now he’s just not the same, that 1sec, that extra touch, that extra yard he just doesn’t seem to have anymore

I would put about 40% of this down to the rest of the players in how bad they have been but 60% is down to Ronnie, he would be better off going to LA and banging in the goals there and a huge payday for the pension, it seems on evidence lately the rigures of the PL are getting to him.
God damn I hate saying this because he is one of the best players ever but he’s not a machine as some point out.
Say I’m wrong all you want, just my opinion and just feel it’s time for fresh young blood in there, especially now a certain MG is gone.

 

[Kopral Jono]

That fall from grace must feel really hard. Having so much power on the pitch and ability with the ball and then watching that fade away from you. Players who weren't worthy to be on the same pitch as you outpacing you. Honestly, it must be tough.

The whole pace thing is also weird, I feel. I knew very well he's lost at least a half yard of pace even before he came back, but early on in the season I remember feeling pleasantly surprised a good number of times at how rapid he still was. Time catching up with him and being utterly spent, this goes without saying, but it's almost as if someone turned off a switch.

 

[TMDaines]

Zlatan will be the same in the PL as we saw in his last year. Ronaldo would look better back in Italy as well.

Zlatan had a really good season here. He just had a very bad injury, potentially career-ending injury, and it was very difficult for him to rehab it here in the PL.

I still think labelling him finished is oversimplifying it. He scored more than 35 goals in each of his last two seasons and was the top scorer in Serie A last year. I don’t think you go from that, to making a good start here, to suddenly being finished.

It’s not pretty watching him right now for sure though. It’s like watching someone who hasn’t quite appreciated the latest limitations of his body. Now he’s starting to doubt himself too.

 

[OrcaFat]

For me, the worst aspect of his game is his touch on the ball. He cannot control a ball under pressure and his shooting has gone down 2-3 level

So true. The root of it is probably physical decline though. He can no longer use his pace and power to create space and time for himself.

 

[kouroux]

So true. The root of it is probably physical decline though. He can no longer use his pace and power to create space and time for himself.

I agree. When he skinned Forster and had the goal open, I wasn't confident he'd have enough strength in him on his left to score before he took shit shot. Now for him to score, everything has to be optimal in terms of time and space.
If he is a little unbalanced or under pressure, it is a miss

 

[bakalhau]

I still think labelling him finished is oversimplifying it. He scored more than 35 goals in each of his last two seasons and was the top scorer in Serie A last year. I don’t think you go from that, to making a good start here, to suddenly being finished.

It’s not pretty watching him right now for sure though. It’s like watching someone who hasn’t quite appreciated the latest limitations of his body. Now he’s starting to doubt himself too.

You took all the words right out of my mouth. I don't believe he's done yet, if he hadn't had the season he had at Juve and the start he had with us this season, it would start being very hard for me not to admit that. As it stands, I'm not yet in the "finished" camp. He's been doubted 100 times before and he's come out of it with his usual decisiveness, so I truly believe the dude. This might be "it", but I rest calmly still, knowing the dude isn't happy with himself surely and working his balls off to start doing better. I believe his hard work and willigness to self improve will come through like his entire career, despite being obvious no matter how hard he tries, he'll never be the 2004-2016 Ronnie again.

The goal he missed today was hard to swallow. He does seem lacking in confidence as it is, as you also said. Usually he'd just strike the ball hard and clean into everywhere except the most obvious place, yet today he conservatively put the ball in the most obvious place and with not too much power., and the end result was the ball went to theonly place where the defender could intercept it. At first I even thought he didn't hit it well, but looking at the replays his intention was clear to have the ball there.

On to the next one.

 

[LDUred]

I don't agree with some of the 'I told you so' comments. He was and still is an asset to the club, but he's been managed poorly and used as a sticking plaster for the lack of progress over the last, what, 10 years?. It could have been a a signing that worked well for everyone but the team has been built around him.

Giggs is an apt comparison because he was brilliant for us throughout his thirties and used in the right way.

However, Ronaldo is ultimately judged on his goalscoring figures so he will have demanded to be playing every game he was fit for, bar the occasional league cup match.

What worked with Giggs does not work with someone who feels that he has to be scoring goals and getting 20 + a season bare minimum.

 

[el3mel]

This signing just proved that the club learned jack shit from Sanchez deal. If anything we're repeating the same mistakes again and again. Again stuck with an over expensive high ego player past his best and whom we'll struggle to move on.

 

[el3mel]

You took all the words right out of my mouth. I don't believe he's done yet, if he hadn't had the season he had at Juve and the start he had with us this season, it would start being very hard for me not to admit that. As it stands, I'm not yet in the "finished" camp. He's been doubted 100 times before and he's come out of it with his usual decisiveness, so I truly believe the dude. This might be "it", but I rest calmly still, knowing the dude isn't happy with himself surely and working his balls off to start doing better. I believe his hard work and willigness to self improve will come through like his entire career, despite being obvious no matter how hard he tries, he'll never be the 2004-2016 Ronnie again.

The goal he missed today was hard to swallow. He does seem lacking in confidence as it is, as you also said. Usually he'd just strike the ball hard and clean into everywhere except the most obvious place, yet today he conservatively put the ball in the most obvious place and with not too much power., and the end result was the ball went to theonly place where the defender could intercept it. At first I even thought he didn't hit it well, but looking at the replays his intention was clear to have the ball there.

On to the next one.

Him being finished now or not isn't the point. The point is at 37 years old, it's only getting worse from here. If he's not finished now, he'll be pretty soon, and with his ridiculous wages and undroppable status thanks to his name and ego, we'll have a huge problem getting rid of him when he's truly finished, which again, going to happen soon as he's 37.