Cristiano Ronaldo - Random Threads & Discussion

[SALFORD RED]

Message from Jazz 16: Sorry to those that are reading through this thread as its a bit
disjointed. Since there are so many threads on Ronaldo, some good and some not so good,
we have decided to throw most of them in here. Apologies again.
To view a different thread on Ronaldo's stats, videos and articles please click here:

http://www.manutdtalk.com/forums/man-utd-chat/9778-ronaldo-stats-videos-articles.html

If not click to last page for latest talk on Ronaldo.

Sorry, back to you Sal.......


Strange to think that Ronaldo is only 16 games behind Cantona in the all time appearances list.

Seemed like Cantona was with United for a lifetime.

In terms of duration, there isn't a great difference either

Cantona: November '92 - May '97 - 4.5 years

Ronaldo: August '03 - December '07 - 4.4 years

I think, because Cantona was the key influence on United for the duration of his stay made it seem as if he was with United longer than he actually was.

Ronnie has only come into his own in the last 2 years.

Ronaldo has much more ability than Eric ever had but that doesn't mean he's had more impact than Eric. Cantona was made for United and vice versa. He also loved everything about United as well and I'm not sure that Ronaldo will ever feel the same way.

Ronaldo is a much much better player than Eric. No matter how good he gets I can't see him lighting up Old Trafford in the same way though. I don't think any player ever will.

Just feel blessed that both these men have played/play for us.

.

[carlyluvsunited]

I think Ronaldo has the capability to eclipse Cantona, Law, Best and Charlton....

And any other United players for that matter.....

Whether he does or not is up to him.....

But the raw talent is there......

Couple this with the best manager that ever lived too and it all looks good.

[red_devils4life]

The reason why Eric Cantona has a much greater impact on Manchester United is b'coz he played a major talismanic role in the revival of Manchester United as a footballing powerhouse and thus, he enjoys iconic status at the club. United's season had been disappointing up to Cantona's signing. We had major problems scoring goals: Brian McClair and Mark Hughes were off form, and summer signing Dion Dublin had broken his leg early in the season. However, Cantona settled into our team very quickly, not only scoring many goals but also creating huge load of chances for the other players too. Cantona galvanised the United team to greater success with the likes of Ryan Giggs and youngsters David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, Roy Keane and Gary Neville emerging under his major influence.
He was the final piece of Alex Ferguson's jigsaw in creating a team to end United's 26 year wait for a league title.

[SolskjaertheLegend]

The reason why Eric Cantona has a much greater impact on Manchester United is b'coz he played a major talismanic role in the revival of Manchester United as a footballing powerhouse and thus, he enjoys iconic status at the club. United's season had been disappointing up to Cantona's signing. We had major problems scoring goals: Brian McClair and Mark Hughes were off form, and summer signing Dion Dublin had broken his leg early in the season. However, Cantona settled into our team very quickly, not only scoring many goals but also creating huge load of chances for the other players too. Cantona galvanised the United team to greater success with the likes of Ryan Giggs and youngsters David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, Roy Keane and Gary Neville emerging under his major influence.
He was the final piece of Alex Ferguson's jigsaw in creating a team to end United's 26 year wait for a league title.

:eek: and your only 14........im 16 and probably couldnt of said a few of those things! nice post. :)


Ronaldos amazing, he's got everything you look for in an attacking player - pace, skill, dribbling, heading, shooting, passing, two footed - you name it he's got it! This is easy to tell after his performances for us especially in the last 2 seasons! He's also got the confidence/belief in himself you need to suceed aswel as a little bit of arrogance.

One thing i love about Ronaldo is how he bounced back from the World Cup 2006 after his incident with Rooney/England. Loads of England fans (even some Man Utd fans) and the press were calling for him to leave United etc. Then the amount of booing he got every time he touched the ball you would think it would of put him off playing in England but no, he overcame all these factors and showed just how good he can be. Against all the odds, he had the season of his career by far scoring like 23 last season and setting up loads then capping it off by helping Man Utd win the Prem. Aswel as getting these awards:

PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2007
PFA Young Player of the Year: 2007
PFA Fans' Player of the Year: 2007
PFA Premiership Team of the Year: 2006-2007
Football Writers' Association Award: 2007
Portuguese Footballer of the Year: 2007
Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 2006-2007
Manchester United Players' Player of the Year: 2006-2007

Not bad is it? :rolleyes:

Hopefully he does better this season though, he's definatly on the way! But maybe im just being greedy lol

The only thing that worries me about Ronaldo, is i feel one day he will want to move to Spain, maye in like 6 years or something? Hopefully though by that time weve got the best outta him ;)

[carlyluvsunited]

This morning I had to merge 3 Ronaldo threads ...

Into another Ronaldo thread ... :rolleyes:

Now I log in ...

And in the first 19 threads in Man Utd Chat ...

I find .... ?

Guess what ... ?

Another 7 Ronaldo threads.

This is really becoming annoying !

Only 2 of these have been written by members.

So ... unless someone actually writes a thread
themselves, asking questions or expressing their
personal opinions on Ronaldo ... please post them
in this thread.

All news items etc etc can be held here in one place
where people can find them easily.

It will also keep the forum a lot more tidy (tidier ?)

If you wish to discuss one particular piece of news
within this thread then use the quote button and post away.
This way people know what you are referring to.

Now I have to merge all the threads into this one ... :rolleyes:

[carlyluvsunited]

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first hatrick for Manchester United yesterday as we
cruised to a 6-0 victory over Newcastle. He’s now got sixteen in the league and a
total of twenty two goals in all competitions. Last season, when he collected a
clean sweep of the domestic individual awards, he scored a total of twenty three
goals. With four months of the season to go, it brings about frightening
possibilities over what Ronaldo can and will achieve.

Sir Alex Ferguson has held an annual bet with Ronaldo over how many goals he
can score. This season however Ferguson said there would be no bet unless it
was for fifty goals, something which Ronaldo did not take him up on. “We
wondered at the start of last season whether he could match last season’s tally
of 23. You had to say ‘why not?’ I expected him to score more this season
because he works so hard. That’s why there were no bets this season, all bets
are off with Ronaldo,” Ferguson joked. “[His first hat-trick] was always coming.
He’s been close on a number of occasions but today he capped a really fine
display with the hat-trick. We’re all delighted for him.”

Twenty goals in twenty four games is a pretty unbelievable statistic and certainly
proves that Ronaldo is not just a one season wonder. Whilst I can look to
Cantona and Keane as hugely influential players over the past fifteen years, I
struggle to think of a player who has been more effective for us than Ronaldo.
Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a hell of a lot of goals, his best season coming in
2002-2003 where he scored 44 goals in 50 games, 25 of those in the league.
However, he contributed little else to anyone else’s game. Our tactics were
rather rigid when Ruud was in our team. They were essentially ‘give the ball to
Ruud in the box’ and whilst simple, it was bloody effective for the most part, if not
a little one dimensional.

In contrast, Ronaldo brings so much to our game, and does not rely on the
service of others. He had more assists than anyone in the league last season,
and whilst this number has decreased this season, there is no doubt that he
contributes massively to our team. He is just as able at starting attacks as he is
finishing them, charging down the wings or the centre of the park, passing the
ball on to the full backs or other attackers to provide the goals. Ronaldo doesn’t
need other players to set up his goals, he can make them for himself. He can
create room for other players to score by taking two defenders out of the action
with a simple run.

With all he is bringing to United at the moment, what would you like to see him
improve on? Can Ronaldo get any better?

[yangch0000]

Firstly, he is already the best player in england, if not europe currently. If there is anything to pick to make him perfect, i got to say is the decision making, his ability to find his teammates who are in better position than he is, although he is improving in this area. Also, I havent seen alot of good crosses in from wings for players to attack, but that can be forgiven given that the players are not the best in terms of aerial ability, considering the height of tevez and rooney, and also the fact that he is more threatening when cutting inside the box then going byline. I look forward to a fully-fit saha playing with ronaldo, also the newly signed african player(still not sure about his name, Manucho isit?)

Well, i am having a hard time trying to pick on him, maybe somebody can help me out here

[mulletsneverdie]

he's young and learnin, he can only get better, scarey

[Jazz 16]

I wrote this post last June and got a bit of stick for it but I still stand by MOST of what I wrote. Obviously since then he has improved a lot and is having a great season thus far with 22 goals to his name.
This is where I think he could improve:

(Written 7 months ago)
It may sound critical but I think he needs to improve quite a few features of his game. As a pro I think he is always looking to improve things, thats why he trains so hard. Anyway he needs to improve his:

1. Free kick taking-he misses so many. When his unique style works it really works but he blasts most of them in the stands or the wall.

2. Defensive side of his game needs much improving. He does so much going forward and he thinks he has a right not to bother tracking back. You rarely see Ronnie making a tackle. Do you?

3. Attitude. He has improved on this massively this season, especially after the world cup episode, but sometimes he goes missing in games and seems like he is uninterested or ****ed off with his team mates.

4. Shooting- Just like fat frank lamps he shoots as soon as he gets a sniff of goal. Its probably why they score so many but he still misses the target too much for my liking.

5. Big game temperament- Against Milan, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool he went a bit missing this year. We know ronnie is class, he does it against most teams but when we really need him to come up trumps when it counts (EC semi vs Milan and FA cup final in particular) he doesnt deliver. I know Im sounding like a critical ******* but its what I believe.

6. Crossing- Not that he is bad at crossing but he is no Beckham. He is a good crosser but there is still improvement to be made.

I could probably go on and pick at every aspect of his game. We all know ronnie is class and at 22 is one of the best in world football. He still frustrates sometimes but not half as much as he excites. Even Giggs and Scholes state that they are still improving and looking to improve. No one is perfect and everyone has many aspects that need improving. That is my point really.
He is going to be THE best one day and in the mean time he will have us all on the edge of our seats.



Obviously my attitude has changed somewhat but not much. His free kicks have improved massively along with his shooting.
Im a big fan of Ronnie and its scary to think how great he WILL become.

[Jazz 16]

Apparently Ronnie is 23 today...Time flies so quickly. and its Tevez's birthday as well I believe. So happy Birthday Lads :-)

[donthered]

He is the best in the world. I have said it for a long time. They dont like giving it to someone who plays in the English leauge. Kaka is playing for a team that is midtable. If ronaldo played for them i beleive they would be doing a lot better.

[red_devils4life]

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson says beating Manchester United is simple - just make sure you take Ronaldo out of the game. The whole game.

Manchester City completed a famous league double of Manchester United on Sunday after shocking many to claim a 2-1 win at Old Trafford.

Following August's 1-0 win over the Red Devils at Eastlands, Sven-Goran Eriksson has marched into a 2-0 lead over Sir Alex Ferguson since taking the City hotseat last summer.

Asked what the secret to beating United was, the Swede said it's simple: stop Cristiano Ronaldo from playing. "There’s no trick to beating United," he explained. "You just have to work hard.

"You know when you meet teams like this you have to have legs, track them down and not let them play football. If you let players like Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal and Ronaldo have the ball . . . they are too good.

"You have to be aggressive and keep the team very compact. That is the secret — but keep it a secret, OK!”

The result leaves Manchester United five points off the pace in the league title race, also ensuring that City remain in contention for the fourth Champions League spot.

[United_OG]

i think in a poor match where united had great possession but little in creativity its usually the best players who provide that moment of magic or greatness which in the end seperates the teams...Ronaldo did that, he had one chance and took it, only world class players do that. Rooney should have scored again today but for some reason decided to chip the ball when he had time. Ronaldo was frustating at times but he like messi are like that, all the best players can be frustating but there is no doubt he is one of the top 3 players in the world. Kaka couldnt do anything for milan and messi spends half the season in the treatment room so it looks like at the moment ronaldhinio and ronaldo are the 2 great world players who are going to be playing in the next round! I love the champions league!

[United_OG]

we have been without rooney for large parts of this season and we were still challenging on fronts so i think that notion is pretty much dismissed. Luckily for us ronaldo does not get injured that much so we cannot really say whether he would be missed or not but i think he would be a huge miss myself. Especially in the CL...i do not think we would have a chance of winning it without him however if he was to get injured now till the end of the season in the premier league i think we can still win it with giggs and nani on the wings and since we are already in a great great position so i do not think it would hamper us too much in the PL now till the end but it'd hurt us in europe imo.

However if ronaldo was injured as much as rooney has been this season i doubt we would be where we are, he has been immense for us

[derka-derka]

Ronaldo missing is gonna hurt...but realli depends on the whole squad...some games ronaldo couldnt even make more than 2 appearences on my tv where as some games hes almost hogging the ball and scoring...
for rooney, he has been pretty unlucky with goals..but games without him, i see the team playing pretty bad...in this season when roony was out for 6 weeks, we played like ****..then the games we lost against west ham and man city, rooney werent there, and the attack werent as strong..and prbly the spirit isnt there too....

[Mancunian Red]

His record in big games is poor.

I do think at the moment he is overrated, his goalscoring is superb but his final ball is poor and needs to stand up and be counted in the games which count.

Hopefully he can become a great player but at the moment I think rooney is a better player.

[Keano4taoiseach]

Ronaldo: Another decisive double

Cristiano Ronaldo set a new landmark as Manchester United moved three points clear at the top of the table with a 2-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers.


The Portuguese winger, who was captain for the night in the absence of several senior players, struck twice in the opening 20 minutes at Old Trafford.

He put United in front on nine minutes when scuffing home a shot to equal George Best's record of 32 goals in a season for a winger.

And on 20 minutes he surpassed the Red Devils legend when he hit a stunning free-kick for his 33rd goal of a remarkable campaign.

In between, Kevin Davies was denied by a smart stop from Tomasz Kuszczak, but the result leaves Bolton deep in the relegation mire.

Bolton manager Gary Megson's tactic of packing defence and midfield was hardly unexpected, but it took less than nine minutes for United to nullify them.


Crucial

Carlos Tevez threatened to score only for Ricardo Gardner to whip the ball off his toe, but from the resulting corner Ronaldo struck.

It was not the most beautiful of Ronaldo's many goals but it was crucial.

First the winger rose to head back Nani's corner, Tevez missed an overhead kick but Bolton only half-cleared and Ronaldo was swiftly there to strike a shot into the ground and home from 12 yards out.

Nani blazed over after a jinking run, but in the 18th minute Bolton put together a thrilling move that nearly earned them an equaliser.

The inspiration was Danny Guthrie, the midfielder on loan from Liverpool and Bolton's best player of the night, surging out of midfield and then down the right where he sent over a searching cross.

Davies' movement had seen him shake off Gerard Pique and he slid in at the far post only to see Kuszczak make an excellent stop.

The costliness of that miss was hammered home as Ronaldo made it 33 goals for the season, and 24 in the league, after being fouled by Abdoulaye Meite.

It was another of those tremendous Ronaldo free-kicks which rose, dipped and swerved from 30 yards out over a six-man wall to leave Ali Al Habsi clutching thin air.

Gretar Steinsson tried to get Bolton back into it but failed with a wild drive, before Tevez curled a left-footed shot into Al Habsi's arms after a scintillating dribble.

United nearly made it three in first-half injury-time as first Darren Fletcher's low drive was blocked and then John O'Shea blasted wide.

Immediately after the break Steinsson, moved to centre-back, played Bolton into further trouble by chopping down Tevez on the edge of the box.

Old Trafford awaited Ronaldo, but he was the decoy and instead Nani took the free-kick and only a sprawling dive by Al Habsi kept the ball out.


Spell of pressure

But then followed Bolton's spell of pressure and United had cause to thank their keeper.

First Davies' threatened but shot low and straight at Kuszczak, then Diouf did have the ball in the net with a quickly-taken free-kick but referee Alan Wiley ruled it out on the grounds he had not whistled for him to strike it.

Bolton did not complain too much, but when Diouf put the re-taken kick in the same spot Kuszczak was waiting for it.

The Polish keeper then performed heroics to tip over after Nicky Hunt caught a volley perfectly from 30 yards out and the ball looked destined for the top corner.

Gavin McCann was next to find Kuszczak impregnable as the keeper turned aside his low strike.

United responded to end the revival and the Ronaldo hat-trick looked odds on when he ran at the Bolton defence, performed a couple of step-overs and sent in a fierce shot but Al Habsi was able to parry his effort.

Louis Saha should have sealed matters after a neat side-step but lost his cool and found the stands instead.

As United poured forward for a third, Nani had three decent chances in quick succession, two missed and one saved. The home fans were left cursing they had not fallen to his captain.

http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_2962838,00.html

[Ben.A]

I don't know ho he does it to be honest,it's a technique i've never seen before,it's a technique that certainley works,it's very consistent.

[Fergaiste]

whether he is the best player in the world or not, he is by far our best and most complete player. He was one of the best three players in the world last season and this season he has played better than anyone in the world.

There seems to be loads of rooney bias on this site and sometimes i get the feeling people on here do not want ronaldo to be the best player in the world or something but really, he has been the difference for us this season so many times i find it difficult to believe people still doubt him. Infact it makes me laugh. Even if he doesnt have a good game on sunday he is so consistant and when on top of his game he is more often than not the difference. Brilliant and most complete player at united.

Pleasure to have watched him at old trafford and i hope he continues to entertain and delight fans and the world for many years to come


Howya again seems such a long time since we debated lol!!!

again I respect every word of your posts but I think I need to clarify a couple of things youve mentioned. firstly there is NO Rooney bias in terms of we want to have his children. What people recognise is wazza's all round unselfish team ethic that rubs off on all his teammates. Ronaldo is recognised like last night as a goal machine who excels against all the mediocre teams who make up the vast majority of the premiership . Great players though are measured in how they perform against the big teams or the knockout stages of the champions league.

I have repeated the above points to you a few times but nothing personal but you dont seem to take on board what I or others have been saying. I like all true united fans hope he replicates last nights performance on sunday and later on vs L'arse and the renties + the champions league. Then I might be able to listen to Jamie redknapp(all bow!) drooling over Ronny and coming out with wildly exagerrated drivel like he is the tiger woods of football.:eek:

Peace mate and Happy easter!!

[sparkic]

I love Ronaldo!

[hafiz_shukri00391]

this is from eurosport

Manchester United's goalscoring sensation Cristiano Ronaldo wants to write his name in the Old Trafford history books.

The Portugal star broke George Best's record of goals for a United winger with his 32nd and 33rd of the season in Wednesday night's 2-0 victory over Bolton.

Ronaldo is in the form of his life and although he is already approaching legendary status with the club's fans, the 23-year-old believes he still has a way to go before his name can sit comfortably alongside the likes of Best, Eric Cantona and Sir Bobby Charlton.

"I am in great form and I want to keep going. I want to be part of the story of this club and if I keep going like that then why not?" he said.

Ronaldo now has scored 33 goals in all competitions this season but it was the passing of Best's mark which grabbed the headlines.

However, the Portuguese felt he was not worthy of being spoken about in similar terms to the late Northern Ireland international.

"It is fantastic for me (to break the record)," he added.

"I don't like to say I broke the record of George Best. I have had the opportunity to see a few tapes and he was a magnificent player."

The win over Bolton took United three points clear of nearest rivals Arsenal at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

But with matches still to come against the Gunners and Chelsea - who are just five points behind - and with arch-enemies Liverpool visitors to Old Trafford on Sunday, Ronaldo knows the title race is far from over.

"We don't have a big advantage and we need to think about results but we are playing fantastically and we are in good form," he told MUTV.

"We are three in front of Arsenal and five of Chelsea and we have to keep going like that but we are in a good moment."

Another United great has been welcomed back to Old Trafford in an official capacity, with former captain Bryan Robson appointed as club ambassador on an initial 12-month period.

The ex-England midfielder will help the Red Devils promote their commercial and charitable arms, working alongside United director Charlton.

"I'm delighted to have the chance to work alongside Sir Bobby and to be such a central part of Manchester United's future," said Robson.

"Since signing for the club in 1981, it has always been special to me. I enjoyed the happiest and most memorable times of my career at Old Trafford and it will be great to play a role in making the club even more successful."

United's chief executive David Gill added: "Bryan was the outstanding player of his generation and he remains close to the hearts of everyone that saw him play.

"His relationship with United supporters is second to none and I look forward to working with him for the benefit of the club, the team and the fans."

[sparkic]

Great News! He deserves to be one of the legends.

[akash_reds]

he has a long way to go before he is a legend...he is one of our best in the current team but if he leaves united he will not go down as a legend unless he leaves when he is 35!!!(or older!!!)

[Stephen]

If he stays loyal then why not?

Magnificent player, best in the world.

[Lucky7]

He is doing well here and I hope he remains at OT untill he is 35.

[sparkic]

In his recent autobiography, 'Stand Up Pinocchio', former Liverpool assistant boss Phil Thompson revealed how Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo could so easily have ended up at Anfield - for just 4 million pounds.

"Yes, he was good," Thompson wrote. "Portugal had two starlets, [Ricardo] Quaresma and Ronaldo, who played right and left wing for their under-21s. I watched them play and both were very good. It was a toss-up as to who was the best.

"I was invited to watch Sporting play Porto in the last game of their season. Tony Henry, the former Manchester City player and an agent with Paul Stretford's ProActive agency, was on the phone on a regular basis to see if we would take Ronaldo and asking if he could take us to watch him. I met Tony at the airport and travelled to Oporto. I met the player's Portuguese agent before watching the game.

"Ronaldo was quite good, but not as impressive as the first time I saw him. Tony was pushing the boy and saying he was a talent. He was saying, 'He'll only cost £4 million. It can be paid over the course of his contract at £1 million a year.' He also said the player wanted £1 million [a year] tax free. I said, 'The boy is only 18. That is a massive problem.' We would have had anarchy if the other players had found out how much we were considering paying for an 18-year-old kid in Ronaldo."
It was only months later that Ronaldo was on his way to Old Trafford for £12.24 million, a fee that Thommo described as "astonishing".

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=84352

[Red Devil]

Not so astonishing now is it Thomo? Bargain at £12m!!! Whats he worth now? £100m ??

[Ben.A]

wonder what ronny would've turned out like if he landed at liverpool

[haggler]

is it true that when tommo turns round the crowd duck ?

[Red Devil]

Headlines: LFC could have signed Saha for Nothing!!!

[haggler]

Headlines: LFC could have signed Saha for Nothing!!!
they can have him for less than nothing we will pay half his salary !

[Wazza1989]

bad for them..excellent for us...i realy can't imagine Ronaldo playing for the scousers....beah

[donthered]

He wouldnt have gone there. He would of been better of at Sporting than at the scum. lol

[Ignatius]

But his mother wants him to play for Real Madrid so i dont think he will stay so long :(

[Keano!]

lmao.........they signed Crouch instead! Oh! What a joke!.......lol

Ronny would have left there anyway! ;)

[donthered]

Lets hope he stays He can do the same here as he would in Spain.

[akash_reds]

this is hilarious......just think if they had got him!!!! :eek:

[antdevil78]

Not so astonishing now is it Thomo? Bargain at £12m!!! Whatrs he worth now? £100m ??

much more. think of the shirt revenue and merchandise that must get flogged with his name splashed over.

Could be bigger than even beckham in that sense.

I reckon £100m for the player but £100m again in off-the-pitch stuff

[spellbound]

much more. think of the shirt revenue and merchandise that must get flogged with his name splashed over.

Could be bigger than even beckham in that sense.

I reckon £100m for the player but £100m again in off-the-pitch stuff

A serious injury and maybe we would be pleased if Loserpool dish up £400.000 for Cristiano. :p
A players value is only based on speculations. The market sets the price...supply and demand!

And about this story. As you read daily in newspapers Manchester United and the other bigger clubs are linked with all sorts of players. So there's always someone who talked with someone about someone. So if you want to be in the spotlight you go out telling this old song"I could have signed xxxx xxxx for x million punds!". So this kinds of stories is very uninteresting unless there's been some money on the table and a there's been a sudden change of will like the Nigerian in Chelsea.

[chapperz]

Headlines: LFC could have signed Saha for Nothing!!!

still too much though!:D

[fazman]

lets face facts we often see young players and think they may not make it look at frank lampard but until they mature into men u never no whether there gonna be what you want them to be.

[red_devils4life]

Imagine if Jermaine Pennant & Cristiano Ronaldo swop places?! :eek:
An offensive trio consisting of Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard & Cristiano Ronaldo would be unimaginable for the bloody Scousers'! :D :p

[sparkic]

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has likened Cristiano Ronaldo to Argie legend Diego Maradona.

He said: "I'm not setting targets for the lad. But the boy's form demands attention and he's getting plenty of that. His form has been fantastic. There is no end to where we think he can go.


"He has the world in front of him. He's so quick. His speed with the ball is the real asset he has. He's probably just as quick running with the ball as without it.
"There have been a few players like that in the past. Maradona, for example. Ronaldo is similar."

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=84318

[CarlitoTevez]

I think He is a VERY good player, but still has a LONG way to go to compete with the Likes of Best and Maradona.. Dont forget, he is ONLY 22? :D

[-zuco-]

I think He is a VERY good player, but still has a LONG way to go to compete with the Likes of Best and Maradona.. Dont forget, he is ONLY 22? :D

Or more accurately....23 ;)

[Grif SA]

"Wenger nearly signs George Best as a fetus, but declines saying it would be to expensive!"

"Roto Rafa almost signs Vidic, Evra, Anderson, Nani, and Hargreaves, but says Gerrard is better than all of them!"

More plain stupidity. We could have signed Torres, but didn't. Who cares? Honestly. Wow, Liverpool and Le Arse almost had the best player in the world. Almost.

[sphinx]

What's the criteria for becoming a legend? I mean we've had great players who have stayed at the club for 5 years or less though... Is Van Nistelrooy a legend because of his prolific goalscoring? He left after 5 years. Kanchelskis is one of United's most famous wingers, is he a legend? He lasted 4 years. Teddy Sheringham, who also was at United for 4 years, contributed a few important goals in his time at the club, especially in the CL final. So does that make Teddy legendary?

[sphinx]

wonder what ronny would've turned out like if he landed at liverpool

hehehe...he would've played like crap...that club is a curse!

[ManUtd08]

But his mother wants him to play for Real Madrid so i dont think he will stay so long :(
hey dude how u noe his mother wan him 2 play 4 real madrid?

[ManUtd08]

there no way liverpool can have man utd's ronaldo (deleted)


Edit: First warning for swearing on forum - RD

[Nemanjaaa]

Hopefully we can keep him long enough for him to become one :p !

[GeordieMancunian]

United without Ronaldo, is like a fish without a bicycle :D

[yangch0000]

We can only hope

[yangch0000]

how lucky was ronaldo to escape the claws of liverpool

[NateR]

They also had the chance to sign Cantona before SAF got a hold of him. Both went on to become our great No.7's. They can only wonder what would have been if they had signed Eric and then Ronnie all those years ago.

[RedDevil4]

Well its a good job he didn't go towards the dark side lol

[RedDevil4]

Hopefully we can keep him long enough for him to become one :p !

I agree, but its good that he is feeling this way.

[sparkic]

Yeah it seems like a good idea. Maybe SAF should try it soon with all these big games comming up. And I would also like to add that Ronaldo was a striker for Sporting and SAF made him into a winger so basically he would be returning to his old natural position which also suggests he is not out of position. Some people will argue Ronaldo is most effective on the wings BUT as K4 said his ineffective there because of man marking tactics by the opposition. We have Park, Nani and Giggs which are all quality on the wings so saying we will lose quality on the wings once Ronaldo is gone is not the case. It is much better than playing a 4-5-1 in Europe with 3 central midfielders trying to dictate the game and watching Rooney run around trying to score. Instead of droping the tevez for a central midfielder we should like K4 said move Ronaldo up and still play with a 4-4-2.

[RedForceRising]

............................................

So, why not play Ronaldo as the target man upfront in big games. If he were upfront on his own with Rooney playing in the hole just behind, it would definitely take pressure of the midfield and back four as all defences would first of all be very weary of Ronny and second of all he would be everywhere.

He is tall, built like a horse and possesses amazing speed, not to mention his dribbling abilities and his finishing abilities.

We often see Ronaldo go missing in Europe against defensive teams, e.g. Milan last season and Lyon to an extent this season.
Also, against Arsenal, he is always man-marked.

So, Ronaldo as the target man upfront and Rooney in the hole with perhaps Park on the right to swing in balls which Ronaldo could compete for.
He is proven in the air and has scored countless headers for United already.

What do you guys think?

That is not a bad idea at all and something which was experimented on during pre-season in the far east and on a couple of ocassions in league this season.

I think it's a great idea and the only con I can see is that he has so much pace that it is a bit of a waste not to use him on the wings.

Having said that, he doesn't really create a lot of chances for others as a winger usually is supposed to, so I think that playing Ronaldo as a striker is a very good idea. His is more clinical at finishing than Rooney or Tevez, so he actually should be playing as a striker. Not to mention than Ronnie's a realy good header of the ball.

Maybe we've been barking up the wrong tree with our Benzema vs Berbatov vs Huntelaar debates and Fergie will be shopping for a right winger in the summer instead of a striker!

Then again, Anderson has played on the left before and Nani is right-footed.
Possible Man Utd formation next season:
Rooney Ronaldo

Anderson Carrick Hargreaves Nani

or

Tevez Ronaldo

Rooney Anderson Carrick Nani

or : )

Rooney Ronaldo

Nani Anderson Hargreaves New Signing

In the last scenario, who would be a suitable candidate? How about David Bentley, he Looks pretty good to me.

[akash_reds]

dunno actually...he might do well.....he is a winger and i think he will be great for us......but i dont think SAF will play him as a striker when he has tevez and rooney....and we are also looking for another striker.....so highly unlikely he will play striker unless SAF rests tevez,like in the derby game and when injured....

[akash_reds]

long way to go before he can be likened to maradona...but he is a good player...we just have to hope he improves and improves till he is at his peak!!

[Red Devil]

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has likened Cristiano Ronaldo to Argie legend Diego Maradona.

He said: "I'm not setting targets for the lad. But the boy's form demands attention and he's getting plenty of that. His form has been fantastic. There is no end to where we think he can go.


"He has the world in front of him. He's so quick. His speed with the ball is the real asset he has. He's probably just as quick running with the ball as without it.
"There have been a few players like that in the past. Maradona, for example. Ronaldo is similar."

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=84318

Thats rubbish, to compare him with a cheating junkie. :mad:

[eoininho]

delighted he scored today!! finally the tripe about people sayin he cant do it in big games is over!!!

in the last calender year he's scored in the CL quarter and semi finals, against Arsenal and now Liverpool! when he scores against chelsea ill gladly never have to hear that junk again...


and where was torres today?

[Ignatius]

Ronaldo was great today but it wasnt the best performence by him

[RussianArmy]

Keano I have been saying for absolutely ages that of the forwards we currently have at the club Ronaldo is the one best suited to playing as our main striker. He is great in the air and offers a target for the wingers to cross to, unlike tevez or rooney who do not offer an aerial threat. He is also the best finisher we have at the club. We saw today that when Rooney is given freedom to drift around the pitch and play his natural game you see his real quality, with his great passing and creativity. Rooney looks restricted when he plays as our main striker, he is much better playing behind a main striker.

[Fergaiste]

delighted he scored today!! finally the tripe about people sayin he cant do it in big games is over!!!

in the last calender year he's scored in the CL quarter and semi finals, against Arsenal and now Liverpool! when he scores against chelsea ill gladly never have to hear that junk again...


and where was torres today?

He was ok today no more. At least he scored today and showed his class with that goal after missing a sitter (thinking he was offside). I am not being a perfectionist but i am still a doubting thomas with cristiano in terms of his overall impression and contribution in the big games. to be called a great player or best in the world you should be imposing yourself on these games. in that respect scholes and Rooney were much more influential.

aS for torres i was praying Ferdinand would start today as I knew he would have him in his pocket.torres is another one with a question mark over his big match temperament- he doesnt like being bullied and being marked by a quick sharp centre half. Methinks he is overhyped by the likes of Andy gray and crapologists like him

P.s can you get rid of that photo of you as it just looks silly showing the middle finger?:confused:

[versa]

K4t, you have never failed to amaze me. Metamorphosising from a cheeky boy to a serious football pundit. :eek: :)

Excellent fresh thread. [Thumbs up.]

Think it has fast become a cliche that Rooney is not an outright striker and should not be employed as one. No need to repeat the reasons here. This simply translates into putting some outright striker ahead of him and a good candidate could well be Ronaldo indeed.

This mouth-watering prospect instantly reminds me of Henry, a winger more than successsfully converted to a full-fledge striker, blossoming into one of the best in the business.

Yes, why not? Ronaldo is good in the air, skillful, lightning quick and our top scorer in all competitions. Besides, he has been deemed less effective on the wings these days because it is so plain to see that whenever he has the ball on the wings, 2 or even 3 players are always near him just to contain him and to nullify his impact. And also, it is still better for him to be on the receiving end of any crosses than say, Rooney or Tevez, lol.

And yes, I am game for it. But is Fergie listening?

[hafiz_shukri00391]

from thesun.co.uk

CRISTIANO RONALDO broke his duck against Liverpool as his incredible season rolled on.

He headed Manchester United’s second in the 79th minute but boss Alex Ferguson rapped: “Cristiano could have had a hat-trick and it was disappointing we didn’t finish them off earlier.

"He had two one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper, but when he did get the second goal, it killed the game.”

Ronaldo claimed his 34th goal this season — 25 have come in the league.

It was his first strike against Liverpool, who had midfielder Javier Mascherano sent off just before half-time.

Rocket Ronnie could finish the campaign with a goal against every team in the Premier League except Manchester City — and he was banned for one of the meetings against them this term.

The forward failed to score against Chelsea in September and Middlesbrough last October but United play both sides for a second time in the title run-in.

Wes Brown was on target for only his third goal in 293 games while Ronaldo’s fellow Portugese star Nani completed the romp with nine minutes left.

It leaves United odds-on to retain the Premier League crown they lifted last May and close to within one of Liverpool’s record haul of 18 top-flight triumphs.

Boss Fergie added: “Three-nil against Liverpool, our biggest rivals, is good for the goal difference and we have done our job.

“We were first on the menu and this is a big three points but we won’t get carried away although it is a boost for morale and confidence.

“It was a brave header from Brown for the first one. He doesn’t get many but that was excellent.

“Wayne Rooney could also have had a hat-trick. Once we had the second goal that was it. I feel 3-0 was not a flattering score, we could have got more.”

[spwaff]

to me he looks like a mothers boy,so lets hope that his mum will not have any influence on his destiny.we love him to stay and become one BUT only if he starts perfoming on big occations<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[spwaff]

Ronaldo as a stiker? no way. he perfomes poorly in that role coz he's a guy who looks for space to dazzleeeeeee.the box is too crowded for him to do his trademarks,,,,,,

[Red Devil]

*oh goody, another ronaldo thread* ;)

[Keano4taoiseach]

*oh goody, another ronaldo thread* ;)
Yes, the thread is about Ronaldo, not attention seeking admin, so jog on mate :p

K4t, you have never failed to amaze me. Metamorphosising from a cheeky boy to a serious football pundit. :eek: :)

Excellent fresh thread. [Thumbs up.]

Think it has fast become a cliche that Rooney is not an outright striker and should not be employed as one. No need to repeat the reasons here. This simply translates into putting some outright striker ahead of him and a good candidate could well be Ronaldo indeed.

This mouth-watering prospect instantly reminds me of Henry, a winger more than successsfully converted to a full-fledge striker, blossoming into one of the best in the business.

Yes, why not? Ronaldo is good in the air, skillful, lightning quick and our top scorer in all competitions. Besides, he has been deemed less effective on the wings these days because it is so plain to see that whenever he has the ball on the wings, 2 or even 3 players are always near him just to contain him and to nullify his impact. And also, it is still better for him to be on the receiving end of any crosses than say, Rooney or Tevez, lol.

And yes, I am game for it. But is Fergie listening?

Yeah, exactly mate.

But I am not sure about him becoming a long-term striker, perhaps only in a few games a year. Ronaldo never fails to perform against the weaker teams etc.

It's only when we come up against the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea etc who have very good players and man-markers on him that there is the problem. In those games, I believe he would be more effective upfront on the shoulders of the central defenders.

There he would win high balls from kick-outs with his physique and height and be able to run onto through balls with his pace.

If Ronaldo was up for it, I just know he would thrive in that position.

It would be worth a try next season perhaps, or even this season if he disappears in a match.....

[ManUtd08]

yeh it gd idea

[versa]

What they seem to forget is the fact that he has scored in an
FA Cup final, League Cup final, Champions League quarter final
and semi final, as well as scoring against Arsenal and Liverpool
this season.

They also don't mention that if he can manage to score in the
upcoming games against Chelsea and Middlesbrough, he will
have scored against EVERY Premiership team this season.

That is indeed a new angle to look at things. Pleasantly surprised.:)

[versa]

Good point zucoldo...

However, it isn't only some of the 'biased' tabloids saying he doesn't perform in the big games, many respected sports journalists are saying the same.

Also, I believe there is a difference between scoring 'a goal' in a game and 'performing' in a game.

Ronaldo rarely has even near the same effect in the run of play in big games compered to against weaker teams. Often he finds himself marked out of games and unable to perform his trademark tricks.

But, because he is the player he is, and because our 'team' create so many chances in a game, he usually contributes a goal like against Liverpool at the weekend.

However, I ask you this.

Do you not think any other top player in the world would score a goal in a game against Liverpool where we (United the attacking team) create numerous chances.

And, would they perhaps have more impact on the game, e.g. Messi.

That is the question we should be asking hear. Ronaldo was 'poor' by his standards on Sunday and I believe we are not exploiting his talent in the big games as he is being marked out of games by man-markers out on the wing.

Is that you, K4T? :eek: ;)

Seriously though, good debate material indeed.:)