Opinion: The fact that we’re even questioning whether or not Cristiano Ronaldo should start for Manchester United seems a little strange.
But maybe not that strange… Last season’s top scorer and best performer has been labeled ‘the problem’ at United for months. Even when he was scoring last minute winners to drag us through the Champions League group stage, many would still find fault.
Winner after winner in the Premier League. Two hat-tricks. Player of the Month awards - at the club and in the league. Cristiano Ronaldo was United’s Player of the Year and it wasn’t even close.
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All of this came during United’s worst ever Premier League season, and whilst operating under two different managers who struggled to define any kind of sustained style or method.
Instead of putting that down to the managers who were clearly never good enough to be at the club or the countless players who severely underperformed, why would the logical thing to do would be to pick out the best player and blame him?
Cristiano Ronaldo was playing as a lone striker last season, which was unfamiliar territory for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, in a team filled with attackers who would look for goal rather than to create.
United’s No.7 was a victim of the system, the managers and his teammates, yet he’s painted as the villain by many. Even still, he managed to score 24 goals which is more than Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial have ever managed in a single season. Last season only two players outscored ‘the problem’ in the Premier League and only six in the Champions League despite a last 16 exit.
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After an impressive first season back at the club – on a personal level at least – it’s no secret that Ronaldo has been trying to engineer an exit this summer. In what appears to be a power struggle at the club, Ronaldo may have accepted his fate to return for what could be one final season at the club where he turned from prodigy to genius.
The saga around Cristiano Ronaldo this summer has complicated matters. If he’d attended the pre-season tour and expressed his desire to stay, it’s likely this wouldn’t be a debate right now.
Aside from the usual noise on social media and those who would find a way to blame Cristiano Ronaldo for Brexit, COVID-19 and the queues at Manchester Airport, the rest of us would be in agreement he’d be leading the line against Brighton next week.
Anthony Martial has enjoyed a brilliant pre-season and has done more than enough for a place in Ten Hag’s first competitive selection. Arguably, so has Ronaldo. Whilst Martial was struggling on loan at Sevilla after forcing his own move in January, Ronaldo was here scoring goals and playing every single week, barely missing a minute.
Pre-season isn’t the be all and end all. Manchester United fans have seen Gabriel Obertan and Mame Biram Diouf look like world beaters on tour. Martial’s performances have been promising and whilst he deserves the chance to prove himself once the season starts, the hype isn’t quite justified… yet.
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The focus is on ‘Martial or Ronaldo’ but it doesn’t have to be one or the other, there’s no real reason why both couldn’t start. Going under the radar is Marcus Rashford, who hasn’t done anything to prove himself worthy of a starting spot for over a year – and arguably not even on tour.
There have been many claims that Ronaldo won’t work in a Ten Hag team. His age and pressing statistics are tagged on the end of countless disparaging tweets. However, context is always key and something that is lacking in the online bubble of football discussion.
Manchester United haven’t been a pressing team whilst Ronaldo has been here – So why would one single out a player for not pressing in said system?
Would a fan be confident in saying that Rashford or Martial can press, and have they ever demonstrated they can?
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Pressing requires structure, instruction and is more about intelligence than running yourself into the ground. Instruction and structure in particular have been absent for the last few years at United. Of course, stamina is required but Ronaldo isn’t a normal 37-year-old; he’s a freak of nature. If his games are managed and limited to playing once a week, you will see a different player and one that is capable of doing anything that Ten Hag asks of him.
Another thing to make a point of is Ronaldo made the transition to a new league and into a new role last season without any pre-season, after competing at the Euros with Portugal and joining United once the season was already underway. Ronaldo took on the challenge as the lone striker and improved his game significantly as the season wore on.
Erik ten Hag quite clearly has a plan for Ronaldo and views him as a big part of his Manchester United revolution.
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The new United boss has remained insistent that Ronaldo has an important part to play at the club, recently stating whilst on tour: “I think Cristiano is capable of pressing. In his career, he has shown everything. I have set my demand. We want to play in a certain way. A top player can contribute, and Ronaldo is an absolute top player in our squad.”
“The players dictate the way you play,” Ten Hag continued, “Especially players who score goals because they are extremely important for a team. You construct your team around them. We have to win from the start.
“So, I don’t look that far ahead. I have a strategy, it’s a process. It takes time but, in the end, we have to make sure that from the outset, there is a winning team.”
Erik ten Hag is acutely aware that Manchester United have one of the best goal scorers in the game at their disposal – someone who is guaranteed to score you goals. There isn’t anyone else at the club who does that and very few, if any, available in the market.
Outside of his on-pitch talent, Ronaldo brings a wealth of experience and leadership that could prove to be invaluable in the early stages of Ten Hag’s rebuild. Again, despite the noise, Ronaldo has had a positive impact on the younger players at the club with the likes of Garnacho and Elanga speaking highly of his presence.
In an interview with the club, Elanga said “He is someone I look up to and speak to and ask for advice and stuff. He is a special player to work with.”
This isn’t a one-off. Many players speak about their desire to learn from arguably the greatest player to ever kick a ball. Ronaldo’s influence is a positive and if there are any players in the dressing room who feel otherwise, maybe the problem isn’t the man who has won everything there is to win at a club and personal level.
The Brighton game may come too early for Ronaldo, who has returned to training this week with talks expected between the manager and his No.7. Everyone at the club will be keen to draw a line under this summer’s saga.
Should he stay, Ronaldo’s place in the team won’t be under threat longer-term. That’s not just because of his name or stature, Ronaldo simply possesses too many qualities that the team is currently short of.
Sebastien Haller netted 34 goals last season in a Ten Hag team, including 11 in the Champions League. If you think Cristiano Ronaldo would struggle, I really don’t know what to tell you.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erik Ten Hag, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Premier League