Ronaldo doesn’t press and positions himself wrong to open up the midfield

[Ladron de redcafe]

Blaming Ronaldo for the teams poor performances is a very poor excuse indeed. He says that his job is to score goals and that he has been doing.
The person who is definitely to blame is of course the manager. It is up to him to set his team up to make the best use of the whole squad.

I listened to Tuchal a few days ago. And he said his number 1 job was to find solutions to problems. Because every team has problems.

Unfortunately, Ole doesn't even understand the effect, let alone the cause.
And he is not going to change because he is trying to operate at a level way above his capability.

People blame players for their performances all the time. Why should it be any different with Ronaldo? Orcourse, he's getting blamed.

Moreover, deciding that Solskjaer is the "person to blame" misses the point; no one individual is single handedly responsible for the team struggling. It's a collective. Solskjaer is rightfully being excoriated for his management, and a few players - including, yes, Ronaldo - are getting criticized for their performances.

 

[The Plump Poet]

Pochettino is covering Messi by getting the 3 midfield workhorses in, and the wingers to track back and compress, effectively a 451 when they lose the ball. Just depends if the likes of Neymar, Mbappe and Di Maria eventually throw their toys out the pram, but arguably it’s the correct approach so far.

The interesting thing being that PSG are nowhere near as good a team as they should be.

 

[FattyFooty]

That can't be denied but we all know football is not that simple these days. There's a reason the pure poachers are basically extinct in the modern game.

Anyway I don't think Ole has the time to figure out. The clock is ticking. Let's see with the next manager I think.

Yeah. I do see Ronaldo as far more than a poacher.

But, yeah we will see where this is going.

 

[Trequarista10]

Were shit at pressing anyway and shouldn't bother doing it (unless we get a coach who can drill and organised press). We don't press with any cohesion, it's just individuals at certain points randomly decide to press on their own leaving a huge gap behind them.

Ronaldo isn't a hindrance, it should just make this decision easier. We shouldn't play with a high block and look to press at all, just play a low block/medium block or whatever and press when the opposition get to midfield.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Its quite surprising to know anyone with a brain would blame pure attackers like Ronaldo or Messi for not help his team in defending, I am sure its well documented that they won't contribute much in defending, throughout their 15+ years long career in football. That doesn't stop them winning a combined total of 65+ trophies.

 

[sparx99]

This. 100%

We have been leaking chances for fun forever under Ole. When Ole's key defensive players like Maguire, Shaw, AWB, McFred (McTominay for more specific) struggling for form, it becomes much more obvious since there is no individual excellence to paper over the cracks over flawed system.

It's rich for some posters to keep singling out individual players, but failing to acknowledge that by scapegoating players after player, there is no player left without any fault. So much for overhaul deadwood and squad building if those same posters using that that approach to absolve Ole of his failure as the manager and the coach.

It’s also why De Gea looks better this year. He’s always played better with a higher workload.

 

[Born2Lose]

Ronaldo's never pressed, it's not a revelation to 99% of fans. Ole knows this, so does Guardiola and they know that when you have a player of his quality and pedigree that the other 10 work harder. That's the trade-off for a guy who scores winners like he has for us twice already in the CL this season.

The real problem is adding Ronaldo has exposed even more how little Rashford and Greenwood press or track back as they should. If I was Ole I'd play Cavani from now on and tell the other options they're all fighting for one spot.

 

[Foxbatt]

Ronaldo's never pressed, it's not a revelation to 99% of fans. Ole knows this, so does Guardiola and they know that when you have a player of his quality and pedigree that the other 10 work harder. That's the trade-off for a guy who scores winners like he has for us twice already in the CL this season.

The real problem is adding Ronaldo has exposed even more how little Rashford and Greenwood press or track back as they should. If I was Ole I'd play Cavani from now on and tell the other options they're all fighting for one spot.

Exactly what is the point of one player pressing? I think a lot of people here do not understand what is pressing and why do they press and how to press.

 

[Will Singh]

Ole bought him in knowing full well we have Cavani who’s done a tremendous job and also we was doing a good job with Greenwood’s development but I think that’s now changed.
Question I got asked a few weeks ago was is Ronaldo doing more harm then good?

 

[Ibi Dreams]

Ronaldo's never pressed, it's not a revelation to 99% of fans. Ole knows this, so does Guardiola and they know that when you have a player of his quality and pedigree that the other 10 work harder. That's the trade-off for a guy who scores winners like he has for us twice already in the CL this season.

The real problem is adding Ronaldo has exposed even more how little Rashford and Greenwood press or track back as they should. If I was Ole I'd play Cavani from now on and tell the other options they're all fighting for one spot.

To be fair, Rashford has only played two games this season.

But in general you're right, and there's a horrid lack of pressing in our team. And even when we do try to press, we do it badly. I don't think Ronaldo is the problem, or at least certainly not near the top of the list of problems, but it would be interesting to see Cavani start. We should have been rotating them anyway, Ronaldo is 36

 

[oreon]

Ole bought him in knowing full well we have Cavani who’s done a tremendous job and also we was doing a good job with Greenwood’s development but I think that’s now changed.
Question I got asked a few weeks ago was is Ronaldo doing more harm then good?

C'mon ? We are on our way out of the UCL if not for CR7

Sure he doesn't press but this team doesn't press at all. They didn't press last season or the season before. And there are teams that don't press that are playing kids league football defense. You don't need to press to be competent defensively. The players just need to know what their roles are when the other team has possession and it has to be something they are comfortable in.
Clearly what happened against Pool was they tried to press but the players weren't comfortable doing because it was something they didn't work in training.

 

[RooneyLegend]

When will people realise pressing is more a reflection of coaching than a reflection of individual players.

 

[Jericho]

Its quite surprising to know anyone with a brain would blame pure attackers like Ronaldo or Messi for not help his team in defending, I am sure its well documented that they won't contribute much in defending, throughout their 15+ years long career in football. That doesn't stop them winning a combined total of 65+ trophies.

People don't tend to blame Messi for this, presumably because he contributes a lot more to the build up play.

Given that we all knew what Ronaldo's game is about now I wouldn't place much blame on him either. The one thing that's weird to me though is this idea that he's some kind of superhuman and that, as he said himself, he's "different". But his minutes have been managed over the years, and he's stripped most of the running out of his game. His play is very narrowly focused now compared to what it was. He's aging just like any other player.

 

[ExoduS]

Ronaldo is there to score goals, not to press. He never pressed, he was never a great team player. He scores goals. Defend well and he will score 1 or 2 and games will be won. I do think that he hates and undermines him, which even further damaged Ole's weak grasp on rest of the players.

 

[RedRonaldo]

People don't tend to blame Messi for this, presumably because he contributes a lot more to the build up play.

Given that we all knew what Ronaldo's game is about now I wouldn't place much blame on him either. The one thing that's weird to me though is this idea that he's some kind of superhuman and that, as he said himself, he's "different". But his minutes have been managed over the years, and he's stripped most of the running out of his game. He's play is very narrowly focused now compared to what it was. He's aging just like any other player.

The problem with United is, the whole team just doesn’t do any build up play anymore, as there is no such structure under current coaching which allows the team to do so, hence players who thrives on building up play, such as VDB or Sancho, have all been performing very poorly in this team, it’s all about getting individual to do their own individual thing here now. And it has been the case for several years already, or more.

Hence the main criticism of Ronaldo now, as CF, is more about his lack of pressing, as direct comparison to Cavani who always press. But the thing is, pure attacking players like Ronaldo or Messi rarely press or do any defensive work throughout majority of their career, it’s just not part of their game which earns them GOAT status and won then so many trophies, why people should now suddenly be expecting them to do so? It’s all written in their user manual, really, teams should have know better how to use them before buying them, rather than asking them to press or do the defensive work and blaming them when they don’t. It’s like you bought a cat and ask her to bark the strangers, it just never works that way. But she would catch the mice for you for sure.

 

[steffyr2]

Ole bought him in knowing full well we have Cavani who’s done a tremendous job and also we was doing a good job with Greenwood’s development but I think that’s now changed.
Question I got asked a few weeks ago was is Ronaldo doing more harm then good?

I'm really amazed at all the love for Cavani.

Ronaldo is there to score goals, not to press. He never pressed, he was never a great team player. He scores goals. Defend well and he will score 1 or 2 and games will be won. I do think that he hates and undermines him, which even further damaged Ole's weak grasp on rest of the players.

What is your definition for a great team player exactly? Also, who hates who and who undermines who?

 

[Hoof the ball]

A pressing system is a collective effort. Can you have an effective press with a CF barely engaging the press? Somewhat, but you must understand that the press will not be functioning optimally. Pressing works in waves. If Ronaldo doesn't press, then someone else deeper or wider has to compensate for that, which in turn opens up that position which they have to vacate. Now, I know that these videos can be a bit self-indulgent, but just because that's the case, doesn't mean they're wrong.......they're not. At least, not on this occasion.

Liverpool as an example. It's more than whether Firmino presses at CF, though. He needs Salah and Mane to press simultaneously, which in turn triggers the 2nd wave of the CM's behind to shift up and close the next passing options, followed by the 3rd wave of defenders pushing up and covering another set of potential passing outlets. It works because they all engage. It's just common sense. If Firmino doesn't press, much like how they're pointing out that Ronaldo doesn't, then Liverpool's super-effective high-press doesn't work the way we know it.

Our issue is that we are not committed to the tactical concept of the high press. With Klopp, it is an ingrained collective instruction; with Ole, it is a temporary solution on a match-per-match basis, which results in a lack of cohesion. Greenwood pressing one minute, Bruno the next, Rashford the next, but somehow never simultaneously.

 

[R'hllor]

Ah yes, if he wasnt there, damn we would be pressing teams like we have 15 players on the pitch, just how we did last few years. Not to mention our performances.

Wish he went to City, he would ruin them, their pressing game would be destroyed. Christ, some are really desperate to find an excuse.

 

[captaincantona]

.

Ah yes, if he wasnt there, damn we would be pressing teams like we have 15 players on the pitch, just how we did last few years. Not to mention our performances.

Wish he went to City, he would ruin them, their pressing game would be destroyed. Christ, some are really desperate to find an excuse.

smart arse nothing comment...who is saying we were great at pressing? Who is saying we pressed well before Ronaldo? Who is saying without him we would press better? Engage with the arguement- for whatever fuking reason we tried to press Liverpool high..we also tried to press Leicester second half and Atlanta first half...and it was abysmal and we got shredded. So the argument is the main reason pressing high doesn’t work is because with Ronaldo, you are already one man down out of possession if you try to press. It’s not fuking rocket science...

think of it this way - so simple you can’t possibly twist it - does Ronaldo press at all? Answer no. So let’s pretend, out of possession, we basically have 10 men ( because remember we just accepted that Ronaldo doesn’t press) if you have ten men on the pitch...do you EVER send three of them deep into the other teams half to press? No!!!! You stay compact because you’re a man down!!!!

it’s not fuking Ronaldo’s fault...it’s fuking Ole and it’s that simple...if one of your players can’t press...DONT try to press!!! Ole did!!! Fuking calamity. And if Ronaldo went to city his limitations would be much less evident cause the fukers have 65-70% possession every game! You can’t press when you have the fuking ball!!!!!!! Although don’t put it past Ole trying it!!!!!
rant over...these Ronaldo threads are killing me...I’m off to bed.