¿Viva Ronaldo?

By Taylor Fisher | 15th December 2008

¿Viva Ronaldo? | read this item

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Cristiano Ronaldo What is wrong with Ronaldo? He scored 42 goals last season. He won the Ballon d’Or. He’ll probably win Footballer of the Year. So why is Ronaldo suddenly off his game this season?

After watching most of the Manchester United games this season, I still haven’t figured it out. He is certainly not playing the Cristiano Ronaldo that we came to know and love (or hate depending on who you support) last season. He’s got the moves. He has the vicious shot. So why isn’t he using all of his weapons?

Granted he does have 8 league goals this season, 3rd in the Premier League, but that is just not where he should be almost halfway through the season. When he’s getting the ball out on the wing, he does attempt some of his brilliant moves, but they have not really led to anything. What would have been assists and goals last season, are now turnovers. It’s disappointing for some, wonderful for others.

The excitement of any Premier League match is being able to watch beautiful football. Sometimes it is whole teams that are capable of creating beautiful football, such as Arsenal (I’m not saying it’s always effective). Other times it is single players that can take over a game and create a spectacle that nobody wants to miss. Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, and Robinho have the ability to do that.

Ronaldo needs to do it soon. Although United have been doing well and find themselves in 3rd with a game in hand, they could be doing better. Ronaldo can fix the situation. He can make United’s season that much more exciting. The strike trio of Rooney, Berbatov, and Tevez have not been performing. It’s time to turn things around, and it all starts with Ronaldo. Hopefully it will happen sooner rather than later.

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Check out what Brian and I had to say about Ronaldo in the Premiership Talk Podcast!

Brian Lofrumento says:

December 15, 2008 at 12:54 pm

The difference between years past and this year is that Ronaldo is now playing as a more traditional winger. He isn’t playing to his own strengths or to United’s. No one is in the box to finish off crosses, so Ronaldo should be cutting inside and shooting. He’s a deadly finisher with both feet, and he needs to start creating more chances for himself.

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