Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@V4yder
Topics: Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo, Premier League, Erik Ten Hag
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo, Premier League, Erik Ten Hag
A compilation that shows Cristiano Ronaldo 'pressing and tracking back' throughout his most recent spell at Manchester United has got people talking.
It has been a far-from-ideal start to the new Premier League campaign for Erik ten Hag and his side.
For the first time in 34 years, United have lost three of their opening five league games, with Saturday's 3-1 loss to Brighton ending a 20-game unbeaten home run in England's top flight.
Advert
Despite bringing in a number of fresh faces this summer, including Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Andre Onana, the club are struggling on all fronts.
Back in July, Ten Hag said he wanted his side to become a "pressing machine" in the coming months but that so-called press has been disjointed and lacking any real urgency.
Take a brilliantly-worked goal from Pascal Grob, for example. Brighton's build-up play from the back was certainly admirable. And they eventually capped off a 30-pass sequence with a well-taken goal.
But a clear lack of urgency from a number of United players in the below clip is evident, with the likes of Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra being given far too much time and space in dangerous areas.
That video in particular has been criticised by many fans. In fact, some have decided to bring Cristiano Ronaldo into the conversation after Marcus Rashford was called out for his level of pressing against Roberto De Zerbi's side.
Advert
Ronaldo, who left United in November following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan, started just four Premier League games under Ten Hag.
He clearly didn't fit into the Dutch manager's philosophy – and the rest is history – but a compilation of him pressing and tracking back suggests he worked harder than many people give him credit for.
After a fan posted a clip of Rashford's display against Brighton, one Twitter user responded with this video of Ronaldo.
Erik ten Hag recently said he inherited a club with "no good culture" after it was confirmed that Jadon Sancho would remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group pending resolution of a squad discipline issue.
Advert
“Strict lines is what the club asked me because there was no good culture before I entered last season, so to set good standards, that is what I did and it is my job to control the standards," he said.
“Of course, it is never someone only makes one mistake, it is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines.
“If staff or players or whoever, there is a structure to cross lines so you have to be strong.”
SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated news channel to send you the latest news, features and plenty more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here HERE for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.