RONALDO RIDDLE
He’s one of the greats, but superstar is a pressing problem for Ole
MANCHESTER UNITED re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo was romantic. After all that time apart, the heart-throb was back where he belonged. But it’s been looking less Sleepless in Seattle and more Meandering in Manchester. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said after Wednesday’s win over Atalanta that anyone questioning Ronaldo’s work-rate should watch the performance he’d just put in. Sorry, I’m not buying it and you shouldn’t, either. I, like any Premier League fan, was excited by the return of Ronaldo. But I had my reservations about how it would work. I wrote a column in this newspaper on August 28 saying it would either be a success or a sideshow, and that Solskjaer would struggle to handle his new signing’s ego. No one can doubt his ability. No one can dispute his numbers. Ronaldo equals goals and he’s popped up with a couple of important ones. But the game has evolved in the sense that the world’s top coaches do not tolerate carrying luxury players. If you don’t run, you don’t play for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City or Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea or Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. This was a signing forced on United’s manager and, behind all those smiles for the cameras, he must have been thinking, ‘How the hell am I going to handle him?’ Would Solskjaer dare sit
Ronaldo down in his office at Carrington and tell him, in no uncertain terms, ‘If you don’t press, you don’t play?’ I’d be surprised. Once Ronaldo gets going in a full sprint, he’s a blur. It’s like he’s got itching powder in his boots. Despite his defence of his striker in public, I’m willing to bet Solskjaer would love it if his 36-year-old forward applied some of that rapidness into pressuring opposing players. But the statistics show he doesn’t do that. He’s in light jog mode more often than not. Of the 50 forwards who have played 360-plus minutes in the Premier League this season, Ronaldo averages the fewest pressures per 90. He’s at the bottom of the pile. United made a major signing in the summer. Commercially, it was monumental, considering this is the planet’s most
followed person on social media. But on the pitch, United are still playing catch-up to their Premier League rivals. In possession they’re excellent. They have so many matchwinners who can score a belter out of the blue, like Mason Greenwood did against Leicester, or produce an awesome assist, like Bruno Fernandes did for Marcus Rashford against Atalanta. But out of possession, United are a man down. Ronaldo doesn’t press, and that means Solskjaer’s side cannot go into games with a plan to press. Not a proper plan, anyway. If you don’t press as a unit, it doesn’t work because the opposition spend all week on the training ground practising how to use those gaps you’re leaving to their advantage. Juventus signed Ronaldo because they wanted to win the Champions League. Then they finished fourth in Serie A. I’d be amazed if United finished higher than of any City, Chelsea or Liverpool this season. Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time. There is no doubting that. He loves to win and if he isn’t happy, he’ll let the world know about it — like he did after the draw with Everton by stomping off the field at Old Trafford. He’s a glorious goalscorer. But a presser and a workhorse he is not. City were linked with Ronaldo but he dismissed the advances of that love rival next door and instead came home. Like I said: romantic. But it feels as if this five-time Ballon d’Or winner is not what Solskjaer needs right now. United need a team full of running and fight for the full 90 minutes. You aren’t guaranteed that from Ronaldo.