Ronaldo!

loyatemu

for anyone that hasn't seen this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRbbSyDr9L0

I'm a ManU fan but this had me in in stitches - the build up from Rooney is sublime, the miss from Ronaldo is unreal.

in fairness, he had a good game otherwise.

MrJoeSoap

One of the great misses, he's been taking finishing lessons from John O'Shea.

He could be such a great player but lacks a footballing brain. United should have signed Quaresma instead.

Jivin Turkey

Shocking.

Talented, but incredibly inconsistent, and regularly falling short with his end product. Will always appear to cause problems but it makes no odds if you leave a full back on his arse if you don't find one of your team mates.

Good goals record, but again it could (and perhaps should) be better. Any player that scores that amount for a team is a useful addition.

However, not nearly worth the esteem that some people hold in him. Still very raw despite now being almost 22. He will get better with age but I doubt he will be as good as the superstar he is made out to currently be.

bucks73

TBH I cant see him getting better with age because as MrJoeSoap said he lacks a footballing brain. He also pulled off one of his cross legged crosses too but what was the point? There is absolutely no need for showboating in a tight game.

He will never be in Rooneys class.

Nalz

so you think when Ronaldo is 26/27 he'll still be the same player












rubbish

wheres me jumpa

Ive seen worst. Still have major doubts about Ronaldo but he has been impressing me this year.

Pepe LeFrits

lol, after he missed he tried to spit but messed that up too.

To keep with the spirit of the thread - Van Persie's miss-kick from last season. Always makes me laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGUi4mYDL-s

PHB

Overall, Ronaldo has been better than Rooney this year so far.

justfortherecor

Correct in a sense, but Rooney was off form for a few games following his ridiculous ban for 3 games. He is showing his class now.

Have to agree with previous posts. Still not impressed with Ronaldo. In my opinion he's perennially guilty of slowing up play with trickery, coming inside instead of attacking on the wings and his end-product is still not good enough. How many of his corners fail to beat the defender at the front post? Far too many in my opinion.

He's well regarded by some fans for his trickery and by others for his looks. Not enough to call him a superstar in my opinion.

Rooney is the class act.

Necronomicon

It was a shocking miss but his form has been superb this season.

FatherTed

I've seen all of United's games this season and Ronaldo has been magnificent. It's only in the last few games that Rooney has gotten his form back. I didnt used to like Ronaldo all that much but this season has changed my mind on him.

Sizzler

LOL...pretty poor it has to be said, but the build up was savage and the pass from giggs was pinpoint, the more you watch the more you wonder

To the other end of things, Id say Tugay is nailed on for Goal of the month? Anybody?

Guy:Incognito

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

lol, after he missed he tried to spit but messed that up too.

To keep with the spirit of the thread - Van Persie's miss-kick from last season. Always makes me laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGUi4mYDL-s

It's the fact that he falls on his ass that makes that so good.

c m

bucks73 wrote:

TBH I cant see him getting better with age because as MrJoeSoap said he lacks a footballing brain. He also pulled off one of his cross legged crosses too but what was the point? There is absolutely no need for showboating in a tight game.

He will never be in Rooneys class.

as far as i can see he is imoroving ie 2006>2005>2004. thats a trend noticed in strike rate as well as by his manager and pundits. dont see why he wont improve at all. its a rediculous comment really. as for "he lacks a footballing brain" that's clichéd rubish. you don't know what your talking about. you obvioulsy have never played against a tricky player like that. he is really unpredictable and leaves defenders guessing. he just doesn't have a british footballing brain and well thank god for that.

kinaldo

c m wrote:

he just doesn't have a british footballing brain and well thank god for that.

Like, say, Ryan Giggs?

s8n

Lads.....can we put this in context please....one bad miss, does not a poor player make.
In fairness to him, he's been top notch this season. Yes, he can be frustrating and showboat, but his end product is getting a lot better, and as someone said previously, he's been more consistent than Rooney this season so far.

Mitch Connor

kinaldo wrote:

Like, say, Ryan Giggs?

there's a good one. Compare Ronaldo to the greatest winger the footballing world has seen over the last 15 years and if he ain't better - he must be crap!

Ronaldo is a frustrating player, there is no doubt about that. However, in comparison to previous seasons, he is a far better player now. His decision making has improved a lot this season, and he has created a number of chances for his team mates. Sure, he doesn't find his man with every cross - but NO player does. Yes, he comes inside and attacks players with pace and trickery rather then going down the outside and whipping the cross in - BECAUSE THAT IS WHO HE IS! He is not beckham, if you want your winger to just whip them in whenever he has the chance, buy a winger whose game that is.

patmac

I like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDVSosByMgk

patmac

In fact there is a whole load of them hear which are hilarious, with a nice one from Sally Gunnell at the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I83liQid4-0&NR

loyatemu

Jenas sprints the entire length of the pitch to miss from 2 yards
and then to rub salt into the wound, Liverpool go up the other end and score!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJLRphiSR4E

truly a great miss is a thing of beauty.

PHB

The idea that Ronaldo doesn't have a footballing brain is just stupid. He's not a headless chicken you just does tricks. He makes a lot of great passes and assists, his problem has been with his final ball trying to do what he wants to do, not his inability to see what to do.

cournioni

PHB wrote:

The idea that Ronaldo doesn't have a footballing brain is just stupid. He's not a headless chicken you just does tricks. He makes a lot of great passes and assists, his problem has been with his final ball trying to do what he wants to do, not his inability to see what to do.

Spot on PHB. Lack of a footballing brain certainly wasn't the reason for that miss on saturday. It was just one of those things. Rooney was guilty of a few of them against Blackburn too and I don't hear anyone having a go at him.

Ronaldo has been playing well so far this year, and he can only get better.

Jivin Turkey

PHB wrote:

his problem has been with his final ball trying to do what he wants to do, not his inability to see what to do.

So what are you saying, that he doesn't lack the brain, just the ability to hit his man?

The reality is a bit of both. Regularly he crosses to empty spaces, that is a wrong decision. Regularly he takes too much out of the ball, when an early cross is the right option, that is a wrong decision. Regularly, he hits the first defender, that is a lack of ability.

I don't think this thread is a knee-jerk reaction to the miss on Saturday. Even the very best have been prone to an odd howler in their careers. In fairness to Ronaldo, he is playing well this year, but he is far from the finished article.

patmac

Personally I think Ronaldo has improved a lot this season especially after the English Gutter press tried to make him a scapegoat to try and cover their national teams woeful displays during the WC. OK he can be very infuriating but he plays the game in the traditional United way ala Best, Morgan, Coppell, Kidd and Giggs and is exciting to watch.

PHB

So what are you saying, that he doesn't lack the brain, just the ability to hit his man?

Basically yes. Currently his final ball just isn't there. Whether it's mental in terms of focus, or just plain old doesn't have the technique, he isn't there yet for all situations, but he gets it right for a lot. He is still young, and still has the same problems that young players have.

The reality is a bit of both. Regularly he crosses to empty spaces, that is a wrong decision. Regularly he takes too much out of the ball, when an early cross is the right option, that is a wrong decision. Regularly, he hits the first defender, that is a lack of ability.

So does Rooney, yet nobody attacks him. Ya see, when you're a striker if you score, all is forgiven. When you're a winger though, you have to either score/assist to get great praise. Ronaldo, who scores and assists lots, his general play has been equal, and imo, better than all bar Scholes this season. It's just, with Ronaldo, cause he gets so many chances, gets on the ball so much, that he ****s up more than most people, but not proportionally, just in sheer attempts.

As for the early ball, he is improving at it.

I don't think this thread is a knee-jerk reaction to the miss on Saturday. Even the very best have been prone to an odd howler in their careers. In fairness to Ronaldo, he is playing well this year, but he is far from the finished article.

Perhaps it isn't knee-jerk for you, but it's knee jerk for most. Take for example a couple of weeks ago, when Ronaldo played brilliantly, hit the ball across the goal, to a perfect, and almost indentical chance for Rooney, and he fluffed it. There was no thread there. It's cause Ronaldo is easy to hate and easy to slate (ohhh, catchy).

Far from the finished article indeed, but he is still one of the best players in the premiership.

bucks73

c m wrote:

you don't know what your talking about. you obvioulsy have never played against a tricky player like that. he is really unpredictable and leaves defenders guessing. he just doesn't have a british footballing brain and well thank god for that.

Of course I didnt play against anything like him...what a stupid thing to ask. I never played top flight football. I did however play years at junior level and am now a successful coach so I am probably more qualified than you to make a judgement on a player.

If you check my posts I have never slated any other player or Fergie when others on here have. Have never slated O'Shea or Fletcher even though they are not good enough. Ronaldo however does infuriate me and I have never been a fan of his thanks to his showboating, poor crossing, over-reactions, laziness and poor free kicks. He may be getting more goals this season and more assists but IMO he still wastes a lot of good possession and doesnt work hard enough.

I am quite entitled to have an opinion on a player of the club I support but before you start forming opinions on me make sure you know what you are talking about.

Mitch Connor

Giggs' one against arsenal in the FA Cup a few seasons back was funny ( though not at the time) skips away from Keown and Seaman wonderfully, then lobs it over.

Jivin Turkey

PHB wrote:

Basically yes. Currently his final ball just isn't there. Whether it's mental in terms of focus, or just plain old doesn't have the technique, he isn't there yet for all situations, but he gets it right for a lot. He is still young, and still has the same problems that young players have.

So we are in agreement that he is lacking in ability.

It may be your opinion that very little is down to his decision making but I disagree. If you watch him in any game you will say to yourself "Why the hell did he do that?" quite a few times.

PHB wrote:

It's just, with Ronaldo, cause he gets so many chances, gets on the ball so much, that he ****s up more than most people, but not proportionally, just in sheer attempts.

I'm sure you've looked all these facts and statistics up, but again my instinct would be to disagree.

He's scored four goals and about three assists this season. For a winger whos game it is to beat his man and whip a cross in that's good but not that great (in terms of assists). Plenty of his time his crossing is miles off, it's not like he's hitting them on the money and the forwards are missing.

His scoring record is good, but he also shoots and wastes tonnes of chances. I can't believe he is allowed near a free kick, particularly when you have Scholes, Giggs, or Rooney in the team. Most of his long range shooting is hit and hope, and invariably ends in the stands.

PHB wrote:

Perhaps it isn't knee-jerk for you, but it's knee jerk for most. Take for example a couple of weeks ago, when Ronaldo played brilliantly, hit the ball across the goal, to a perfect, and almost indentical chance for Rooney, and he fluffed it. There was no thread there. It's cause Ronaldo is easy to hate and easy to slate (ohhh, catchy).

A couple of weeks ago we had a "Is Rooney overrated thread?". I'm sure you remember it.

PHB wrote:

Far from the finished article indeed, but he is still one of the best players in the premiership.

And what do you define as "one of"? How could a player be, in your own words, "far from the finished article", but still be one of the best in the league, when some of the current best footballers on the planet play in England?

Ronaldo is a good player, at times a very effective player, who could get better, but at the moment he is definitely not "one of the best in the league".

He should concentrate on trying to outscore Luis Garcia before he considers going for that.

MrJoeSoap

Jivin Turkey wrote:

If you watch him in any game you will say to yourself "Why the hell did he do that?" quite a few times.

Exactly, you'll say "Why the hell did he do that?" equally as much as "How the hell did he do that?"

Jivin Turkey wrote:

He's scored four goals and about three assists this season. For a winger whos game it is to beat his man and whip a cross in that's good but not that great (in terms of assists). Plenty of his time his crossing is miles off, it's not like he's hitting them on the money and the forwards are missing.

Just the two assists I think, which is, as you say, a very poor return for a winger who can beat people for fun.

Jivin Turkey wrote:

His scoring record is good, but he also shoots and wastes tonnes of chances. I can't believe he is allowed near a free kick, particularly when you have Scholes, Giggs, or Rooney in the team. Most of his long range shooting is hit and hope, and invariably ends in the stands.

Again, spot on. I'd love to see a statistic for the % of free-kicks he scores. Or the % that even hit the target.

PHB wrote:

Far from the finished article indeed, but he is still one of the best players in the premiership.

Probably the most skillful, but any number of players would get United a better return from that position. Look at Ashley Young, three goals and four assists in a side that is second from bottom of the league.

bucks73 wrote:

I did however play years at junior level and am now a successful coach so I am probably more qualified than you to make a judgement on a player.

c m wrote:

you don't know what your talking about. you obvioulsy have never played against a tricky player like that.

Rofl.

kinaldo

Tauren wrote:

there's a good one. Compare Ronaldo to the greatest winger the footballing world has seen over the last 15 years and if he ain't better - he must be crap!

I think you'll find I was only comparing him with Giggs' "British" footballing brain, as c m put it, so please don't put words in my mouth.

Mitch Connor

Jivin Turkey wrote:

So we are in agreement that he is lacking in ability.
He's scored four goals and about three assists this season. For a winger whos game it is to beat his man and whip a cross in that's good but not that great (in terms of assists).

Personally, i think this is part of the problem. It is not his job to beat his man and whip the cross in - at united he is given a free role and told to attack. Therefor, his job is to run at players and try to create openings. Personally, i think he is doing a lot better at this, this season, but there is still obvious room for improvement. Basically, Ronaldo is not a tradional winger, and to expect him to play like one is not fair to him. If you want a tradional winger, get MGP.

Ronaldo does need to improve his scoring and assisting - i will no deny that, but he is improving, and his performances for united this season are much improved, including better decsion making (earlier crosses, better passes - his pass success rate is up there with any attacking player in the league)

Mitch Connor

kinaldo wrote:

I think you'll find I was only comparing him with Giggs' "British" footballing brain, as c m put it, so please don't put words in my mouth.

I appologize.

In comparrison to Giggs though, Ronaldo isn't too far behind in terms of end product, though i also feel Giggs disappoints in this regard too often.

PHB

So we are in agreement that he is lacking in ability.

Yep, but so is every player on the planet.

It may be your opinion that very little is down to his decision making but I disagree. If you

watch him in any game you will say to yourself "Why the hell did he do that?" quite a few

times.

Indeed, but I'll also say, how the hell did he do that? Most things in football we don't understand at that high a level, and while he still hasn't gotten it down completely, a lot of the time he does the right thing perfectly.

He's scored four goals and about three assists this season. For a winger whos game it is to

beat his man and whip a cross in that's good but not that great (in terms of assists). Plenty

of his time his crossing is miles off, it's not like he's hitting them on the money and the

forwards are missing.

Actually Rooney missed a dead sitter when Ronaldo set him up.
Ronaldo is more a forward than a winger, whose game it is to beat players and then create things, which he has done fantastically this year.

I can't believe he is allowed near a free kick, particularly when you have Scholes, Giggs, or

Rooney in the team. Most of his long range shooting is hit and hope, and invariably ends in the

stands.

Well that's just utter crap. Aside from his free kicks becoming much better and more on target this year, he scored an absolute screamer against Portsmouth. You might wonder why it is that he is allowed take the shots ahead of Scholes, Giggs, and Rooney. It's cause he is more likely to get the goal, either by direct strike, or by the goalie unable to parry properly, than they are.

A couple of weeks ago we had a "Is Rooney overrated thread?". I'm sure you remember it.

That was about his general form, not a specific miss. Ronaldo's general form has been great.

And what do you define as "one of"? How could a player be, in your own words, "far from the

finished article", but still be one of the best in the league, when some of the current best

footballers on the planet play in England?

Ronaldo is a good player, at times a very effective player, who could get better, but at the

moment he is definitely not "one of the best in the league".

Really? In the league, there is no winger which outscores him.
Young has 3 goals and 4 assist - playing a fantastic season
Giggs has 2 goals and 4 assists
Ronaldo has 4 goals and 2 assists

Let's look at the other 'best' players:
Robben 0 goals and 2 assists
Hleb 1 goal and 2 assist
Garcia 1 goal and 3 asssits
MPG 1 goal and 2 assists

This is all while he is playing 'without a footballing brain'. He is far from the finished article, without a doubt, but that's just because of his potential.
Compared to most wingers in the premiership, he is streaks ahead of them, while still being 21.

Mitch Connor

I would have Rooney and Giggs take free's ahead of him - he is generally rubbish at them. Scholes....no - he is a hit and hope striker of a free so may as well let ronnie hit 'em.

MrJoeSoap

PHB wrote:

Ronaldo is more a forward than a winger

PHB wrote:

Really? In the league, there is no winger which outscores him.

So is he a winger or not?

Tauren wrote:

I would have Rooney and Giggs take free's ahead of him - he is generally rubbish at them. Scholes....no - he is a hit and hope striker of a free so may as well let ronnie hit 'em.

I agree. Off the top of my head, I think Giggs has scored as many free's in the last while as Ronaldo.

Mitch Connor

He is a bit of both!

He is a forward player, pushed on to the wings, like van persie is a lot for arsenal. He prefers the free role, but Rooney has first dibs on that.

justfortherecor

His performance tonight once again made me laugh when people say he is 'World Class'.

When he belted that 40yd free kick straight into the wall in the 92nd minute! I've never wanted to strangle a professional footballer so bad!

John Giles was right, we need a player like Keane to give him a good smack when he acts so stupidly selfish.

Pathetic performance tonight, although not alone.

cardshark202

Some people are stupid. Ronaldo is becoming one of the best wingers in the world.

Pacifico

justfortherecor wrote:

His performance tonight once again made me laugh when people say he is 'World Class'.

When he belted that 40yd free kick straight into the wall in the 92nd minute! I've never wanted to strangle a professional footballer so bad!

John Giles was right, we need a player like Keane to give him a good smack when he acts so stupidly selfish.

Pathetic performance tonight, although not alone.

Yeah that free kick was comical

tardshark202 wrote:

Some people are stupid. Ronaldo is becoming one of the best wingers in the world.

LOL yeah

MrJoeSoap

Nakamura could teach him a thing or two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zAQ-AIL2AI

wheres me jumpa

justfortherecor wrote:

When he belted that 40yd free kick straight into the wall in the 92nd minute! I've never wanted to strangle a professional footballer so bad!

That free kick was about 15 yards from the bench, Fergie could easily have shouted at him to cross it. I honestly believe that this is part of the plan, let Ronaldo drive it as hard as it can at the GK, if he spills it we'll have players there to knock it in.

Does anybody remember Rooneys free kick on his debut for United. He stroked a beauty into the net. Why in gods name is he not taking more free kicks?

Ronaldo carried the ball very well this evening, but his end product was awful.

bucks73

Agreed. Wasted so many good opportunities again tonight.

cardshark202

justfortherecor wrote:

His performance tonight once again made me laugh when people say he is 'World Class'.

When he belted that 40yd free kick straight into the wall in the 92nd minute! I've never wanted to strangle a professional footballer so bad!

John Giles was right, we need a player like Keane to give him a good smack when he acts so stupidly selfish.

Pathetic performance tonight, although not alone.

Regardless of what the RTE panel say, they are somewhat retarded. Dunphy has no clue about football. Giles seems to have lost any brain he once had, or at least ignores it in the presence of daddy Dunphy. And Houghton seems to just love criticising people.

People need to stop making such kneejerk reactions to a few poor performances. Ronaldo has easily been United's best player this season.

cournioni

Whose free kick got United the penalty? Oh yeah...

justfortherecor

Unbelievable, I simply cant believe some people are defending his performance tonight.

My frustration with his performance was simply compounded with that free kick

cournioni

justfortherecor wrote:

Unbelievable, I simply cant believe some people are defending his performance tonight.

My frustration with his performance was simply compounded with that free kick

He was better than any other United player in the second half, easily. He won United a penalty too, if Maloney hadn't stopped it with his hands the ball was flying into the top corner.

c m

wheres me jumpa wrote:

Does anybody remember Rooneys free kick on his debut for United. He stroked a beauty into the net. Why in gods name is he not taking more free kicks?QUOTE]
as far as i can recall(i may be wrong here) that was his last goal from a free kick?? and that game had his first and last cl goal didn't it. god that must have been over two years ago.

c m

justfortherecor wrote:

Unbelievable, I simply cant believe some people are defending his performance tonight.

My frustration with his performance was simply compounded with that free kick

agreed his final delivery was poor tonight but when he ran at them he was absolutely awsome and was one of the only players to make things happen.

c m

cardshark202 wrote:

Some people are stupid. Ronaldo is becoming one of the best wingers in the world.

agree people don't see what that kind of pace and skill he gives. for whoever said lol to that name five better wingers? if you cant then your wrong.

A Dub in Glasgo

PORNAPSTER wrote:

if Maloney hadn't stopped it with his hands the ball was flying into the top corner.

Looked like ball to hand from where I was in the stadium

cournioni

It was very harsh I agree Dub, but there was no doubt that he stopped a possible goal with his hand. Intentional or unintentional.