Do you believe Ronaldo is finished as a top level player?

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Fortitude

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Today's match day thread basically wrote the player off as a totally spent force. Is it as simple as that?

Having no pre-season at his age is catastrophic. Perhaps that's the reason he looks so poor, or maybe Father Time really is feasting on the biggest - or second biggest *dive for cover - prize active?

Do you believe Ronaldo has one last hurrah in him, or is his goose really cooked this time?
 

OL29

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I think so, he looked like this last season too when he was overplayed. His game just doesn’t have the subtlety to cover for his loss of physical attributes.
 

RedCurry

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I think lack of a pre-season plus him trying to save himself for the World Cup are playing a part here. Either way, doesn’t help our cause.
 

simonhch

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Unequivocally. He might have the odd great game left, most greats do, and that will lead to a few short term knee jerk responses, but his time has resoundingly passed.

At least he’s growing old gracefully though. What? Oh….
 

AgentSmith

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Ronaldo is finished as the player his brain still thinks he is.

Could he still play for a top team as a rotational option who took on a leadership role within the dressing room? Absolutely, but there's no way his ego would entertain it.
 

Smores

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It's a miracle someone having played that many games was still going at 34 never mind 37.

He's probably capable of another purple patch but we can't expect any consistency. Not that we have a choice, manage his decline best we can and hopefully get a striker in January.
 

Theonas

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If you put him close to the box for an entire season, he might still get you something respectable like he did last year or before that with Juve. But that's just not enough overall contribution for a top team nowadays. It would take about 40 goals a season to earn the right to be a passenger in buildup. Perez is many things but he is not stupid.
 

TwoSheds

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Depends what you mean by top level. He's not better than Haaland for example. Can he still contribute for a top team though? I would think so if not starting every game. He got written off very early in one of his Juve seasons too but then started scoring again.
 

Bastian

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I desperately wanted him out in the summer due to his antics coupled with him not being suitable to a high pressing high intensity style of football under ETH.

But no. Said it in his performance thread. He's not as bad as he's been this season. No pre-season and he was - it looked for all to see - trying everything to get out before the window shut. He's neither physically up to speed so far nor is he mentally checked in yet. But he'll go up a few levels in the next 2-3 weeks.

Has he skipped the tell-all episode?
 

Andy_Cole

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I didn’t think so last season he was naive to miss preseason. I think the queen dying may be a blessing for him. Hopefully can get back to form for City away.
 

NewDawnFades

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He's right she really couldn't have passed away at a much better time for Ronaldo, there is nothing odd about mentioning that
 

Aretak

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He's clearly a long way off being one of the best players in the world these days. Can he still do a job as a target man and rotational option in the Premier League? Yes. His ego will never accept that though and I expect the circus to be in town again in January.
 

Irrational.

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100%.

We should never have signed him, let alone on a two year deal. Short term he did well for us by getting us some crucial goals, but his presence has hurt us in the long term.

The romance of the signing and the nostalgia got to Ole.
 

2 man midfield

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Yeah maybe, but he also hasn’t looked fit. He looked like he was carrying something earlier, and as our only fit striker it could be that he’s playing through it.

You’d hope his professionalism would mean he’s in the best head space possible and doing all he can to get back there, but the whole world knows that neither party wants him to even be here. He could well be going through the motions until January.
 

DickDastardly

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His brain is unfit.

His touch is abysmal.

His positioning is off.

Hopefully we win some kind of trophy so he could end his career and save face.
 

2 man midfield

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100%.

We should never have signed him, let alone on a two year deal. Short term he did well for us by getting us some crucial goals, but his presence has hurt us in the long term.

The romance of the signing and the nostalgia got to Ole.
If Ole turns him down last summer, he’s still in a job imo.
 

Judas

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We should never have signed him, let alone on a two year deal. Short term he did well for us by getting us some crucial goals, but his presence has hurt us in the long term.

The romance of the signing and the nostalgia got to Ole.
It got to everyone. Not just Ole. The whole club and fanbase just couldn't face him going to City and winning them the CL.
 

buchansleftleg

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I think he is playing well within himself because he knows he is 3rd choice and he is protecting himself for a last hurrah at the World Cup.

Given how full blooded the Premier league can be, I can see trying to avoid injury is his main concern.

Hopefully he'll be off in January if we get someone else in as a striker.
 

tomaldinho1

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He screwed himself having no pre season. As a 56 year old it was already going to hard enough, plus we are transitioning to a pressing team but to turn up unfit it unforgivable (ignoring the reason he wasn’t there as well!).
 

Chief123

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Today's match day thread basically wrote the player off as a totally spent force. Is it as simple as that?

Having no pre-season at his age is catastrophic. Perhaps that's the reason he looks so poor, or maybe Father Time really is feasting on the biggest - or second biggest *dive for cover - prize active?

Do you believe Ronaldo has one last hurrah in him, or is his goose really cooked this time?
He’s certainly finished at the top level to start most games. He’s still useful as a sub if you want to throw some crosses in.

But fair play to him, he’s had an incredible career. He’s defo showing signs this year and last that he’s close to done at the top.
 

NewDawnFades

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It was a horrible decision by Ronaldo, way more than us. When all is said and done he cares about how his career will look after he retires - stats, trophies, individual honours - more than anything. He was still on top, yet he (or his team ) did not do the right Depay-esque transfer research, or were seduced by the glamour and simplicity of a big money return to United. Surely regrets the decision to come back.
 

Glorio

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I think he was finished at top level in a sense last season.
He came up with some big goals and scored a good few in spurts, however, his overall game was pretty poor for the most part and for many games when he didn't score, I felt he made the team worse.
 

wolvored

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If Ole turns him down last summer, he’s still in a job imo.
I think you are onto something there. I dont see Ronaldo as a Ole signing, it was a Woodward/Fergie signing imo. When he dropped him, Fergie had to pipe up and because Ole hung on his every word, put him back in. Ole wasnt the answer long term, but it did change the dynamic of his team selection.
Now Ronaldo should only play the last 20 mins or so.
 

Ali Dia

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If Ole turns him down last summer, he’s still in a job imo.
Signing Ronaldo and losing Greenwood were the pivotal moments of last season unfortunately

I think we may have got Haaland instead of Ronadlo if Ole was still in the job and Ronadlo wasn’t forced on us. I said this at the start of last season that it was just another short term low cost/high wage stop gap striker and it wouldn’t work out overall. He’s finished for a serious PL team.
 
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Gazza

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I think Ronaldo has entered his prime, just not as a footballer. If you look at it from the perspective of him being processed into glue in some factory somewhere, he is absolutely ripe for it.
 

SAFMUTD

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Absolutely, there's no comming back from this. He looks physically shot and he's not getting any younger. Massive feck up to have missed preseason.
 

Shai-Hulud

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Ronaldo is finished as the player his brain still thinks he is.

Could he still play for a top team as a rotational option who took on a leadership role within the dressing room? Absolutely, but there's no way his ego would entertain it.
How is a complete narcissist going to be a leader for anyone but himself?
 

Gandalf Greyhame

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He's an average to below average Premier League striker now. My FM brain imagines all the physical attributes dropped off leading to a 3 star CF.

Done at the top level? Yes, if top level means consistent top performances. What Ronaldo provides is 6/10s with the occasional worldie displays of finishing, with the latter growing less and less frequent.
 

Irwin99

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EtH said he's getting better fitness wise but he's still not there yet. I wouldn't write him off until he gets more starts under his belt. I wouldn't start him against City though :nervous: Fixtures after that are more likely.
 

Djemba-Djemba

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He’s thirty-fecking-seven years old. Of course he’s finished. Why is this even in doubt?
To be fair he did look fecked last season around the New Year but then he rallied a bit towards the end of the season. He was basically our only scorer for the last 2 months of 21/22. So I can see why some may be holding out hope it happens again.

He looks done to me though, it's like watching the last few years of Rooney all over again. Even down to the dropping way too deep to get a touch of the ball because he's struggling to cope up front.
 
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Dominos

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To be fair he did look fecked last season around the New Year but then he rallied a bit towards the end of the season. He was basically our only scorer for the last 2 months of 21/22. So I can see why some may be holding out hope it happens again.
It's a good point. Obviously he shouldn't be starting for a top side at 37 that much is obvious, but he's not as bad as he looks right now. We're not creating enough clear chances in most games, his finishing is off when he does get a sight of goal but you'd back him to start scoring at some point if we give him the right service.

His touch and passing is poor right now but it's something that can fluctuate widely depending on form. I know it's a different scenario but after Brighton/Brentford the Mctominay thread was full of people saying he's not good enough for a PL side and should be in the championship, now everyone's hugging his nuts. Form can change very quickly.

What I don't understand is why you would keep a player who wants to leave on 400k a week who is likely causing dressing room friction, all so he can play Europa and league cup games. The only reason to keep him is if ETH thinks he's an integral player to his first 11 and too good to leave, and yet he's on the bench for the meaningful games despite our only other striker in Martial being injured. A complete lack of logic and foresight from the club yet again.
 

Foxbatt

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I think he is going to start scoring. He is dropping too deep. I don't think he can play more than one half. He always need the early cross.