Ronaldo the fall guy??

[Dark Savante]

I'm sure anyone who watched the game was/is dumbfounded by the decision to take off Ronaldo - the one player on our team who was making headway into vital areas and scaring Milan.

I'm a staunch Giggs supporter myself and usually end up defending him on here, but this time it was clear to anyone with eyes that Ronaldo should've stayed on and Giggsy offed.

It all seems quite contradictory from Fergie to say before the game 'although we have player for the future it doesn't mean that they shouldn't stand and be counted now' (or words to that affect) and then when Ronaldo performs like that and does 'stand up to be counted' is subbed off.

The kid looked as perplexed as the fans of course with hindsight it easy to say Fegie screwed up. Although, many thought that at the time and not just in hindsight.

Anyways, is anyone beginning to see a pattern here? Ronaldo offed around the 60-70 mark irrespective of performance? Ronaldo leaving this club prematurely is something I've made threads on before and even when everything is just dandy there is still the 'i'll believe he'll be here for 10+years when I see it' train of thought in my mind..yesterday may well be the biggest game Ronaldo has ever played in during his time as a club-pro and if we get knocked out in 2weeks time you have to wonder what'll happen next.

Recently the kid has come on in huge strides with both his performance and his chemistry/understanding with team-mates and to that end, there isn't much else he can do but just keep improving as a 20yr old player will. But is anyone else having that feeling that soon the kid is going to feel like a spare part..if say, he puts another performance like yesterday's and is still subbed out in a 0-0 game?

There is no question about it, he should not have been subbed out yesterday..but my question is: Is the kid becoming the fall guy, regardless of the situation?

[John L]

He didnt look all that dangerous and critical to ManU's game - Only incidental contributions to Attack, nothing in Possession and didn't help with absorbing pressure on Defense - If Ruud and/or Saha goes in, someone has to come out - Sorta the logical choice given what was going on

[Motterman]

Sir Alex gave the keys to the veterans to pull out a result and it didn't come off this time. Maybe a "new" manager wouldn't show the same faith in Ryan Giggs to make something special happen. Ronaldo's future is years out in front of him, he'll be fine. It's not like Fergie subbed him off for David Bellion people...

[REMOVED]

I agree with you. Ferguson erred tactically in this one. Ronaldo created an exceptional opportunity for Fortune and was really their only threat. I love Giggs-but he still looks injured. Fortune should have been subbed in the first half- he is the WORST ManU player I have ever seen. His passing is extraordinarily poor for an EPL player. And why didnt Maestre start? You will not defeat a class team like Milan with a second string line-up. This is not the FA Cup. The whole team looked hung-over. ManU has to bring their A game with their A players. Ferguson should have acknowledged Rooneys jittery performance and subbed him out instead of Ronaldo. I also wonder if the response he received at Everton disturbed him. i am praying that Fergie puts it together in Italy. Manu fans deserve better. And is it time for Howard to return?

[Dark Savante]

He didnt look all that dangerous and critical to ManU's game - Only incidental contributions to Attack, nothing in Possession and didn't help with absorbing pressure on Defense - If Ruud and/or Saha goes in, someone has to come out - Sorta the logical choice given what was going on
You couldn't have watched the game! He was our most penatrative player and the one Milan backed off the most.

My point with this thread is that it is almost inevitable, regardless of the situation that if an attacking player is going to come off, it will always be Ronaldo no matter what his performance was like. Why is that?

[johno]

Might it be that like Giggs he was injured 2 matches ago, but unlike Giggs he started the match before this one? I think SAF was protecting him.

[Motterman]

You couldn't have watched the game! He was our most penatrative player and the one Milan backed off the most.

My point with this thread is that it is almost inevitable, regardless of the situation that if an attacking player is going to come off, it will always be Ronaldo no matter what his performance was like. Why is that?

Ronaldo is not as committed to defending as a general rule. Also, when bringing on another forward, it makes sense to sacrifice one of your attack minded mifielders and your putting on a goal scoring threat anyways. Why it was Ronaldo and not Giggs, is that Giggs has more experience and generally tracks back better.

[Dark Savante]

Ronaldo is not as committed to defending as a general rule. Also, when bringing on another forward, it makes sense to sacrifice one of your attack minded mifielders and your putting on a goal scoring threat anyways. Why it was Ronaldo and not Giggs, is that Giggs has more experience and generally tracks back better.
Usually I'd agree witht his 100% but yesterday was a role-reversal almost. Giggs looked rusty and unfit and was a bit toothless both ways. Ronaldo was the effective one who most looked like making something of the game. When he was taken off I immediately thought about the expereince issue, but was still perplexed. Fergie said before the game time for the young ones to step up...Ronaldo did just that..and was still taken off it must surely baffle him.

It seems a little too easy for him to be subbed out imo. Form or fatigue should surely decide it in a game like that in particular? I was disappointed for the kid. He looked gutted also.

[Dark Savante]

Might it be that like Giggs he was injured 2 matches ago, but unlike Giggs he started the match before this one? I think SAF was protecting him.
I Dunno. To me it looked more like Giggs was not 100% out there. Ronaldo looked pumped and ready for the remaining 30. *shrugs

[cdotronaldo]

I predict Ronaldo will ask for a transfer this summer ... if United won't win the CL or Premiership.

[haven]

I predict Ronaldo will ask for a transfer this summer ... if United won't win the CL or Premiership.

Quite frankly, transferring in those circumstances would be absurd beyond measure. You can't leave a club that plays quite well and has substantial prospects for the immediate future because they fail to win one of two major trophies.

New dynasties would never be formed. And...ermm...quite frankly, the teams that were winning the elite trophies wouldn't have room for all the new, elite players.

If Ronaldo leaves, I sincerely hope it's for cultural or play-style reasons. Leaving because United aren't winning enough would be...ermm...bizarre.

[johno]

I'm not sure that is all he meant... i think he meant that those things would appease him and that generally Ronaldo is not happy here... anyway...

I agree he was our best attacker last night, but enough about the negatives coming out of this match... we did well... I don't care what anywone says, we played a good game and should have/could have won or drawn the match... also, I don't feel that the effort was not there...

As for Ronaldo, I honestly think that move was not a horrid move... I disagreed with it, but I don't see it as a blunder, just a difference in opinions... also remember that when Silvestre came on for Gary it gave us 4 players who have played at CB in Heinze, Rio, Wes and Silvestre on the field... which allowed Rio to join the attack... he had bags of energy so he was able to play both sides of the field...