Gents: I've watch the last coule of matchs and am interested in your thoughts on #7. Quick feet certainly, but do you think he's getting knocked off the ball easily? He seems to hit the turf easily - do you share the same impression? I know he's young and looks a little light up top. I have to admit the ol' d-i-v-e entered my mind as if he's testing the waters, but I thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. What say you?
Young. Raw. Talented. Inexperienced. Potential. And sometimes looks our most dangerous player. Gets knocked off the ball alot, and does get fouled alot which is typical of the type of player he is at this point in his career.
Incredible ball handler, really good at the fundamental level, not just flashy. I think he could stand to work on his crosses, but if he gets that right, he could truly be worthy of taking the #7. Seems like his experience in Portugal has helped him control the ball well, but he's taking a bit of time to adjust to the speed of the English game. This season and the next are very crucial for him.
Amazing skills Ronaldo is just amazing. He plays more like Denilson from Brazil. This kid has amazing potential. It is sure fun to watch him play a la futebol arte.
Ronaldo has been pretty impressive thus far. He has been playing out of position on the right wing, I think, so we haven't seen his true potential yet. He has some dazzling plays and has created some pretty good chances. Decision making a bit iffy at times but you would expect that at this point. Once we get a solid right winger and can play him up front in attack, watch out.
He has the best footwork of any player in the premiership, on the ball. I'm dead serious. Nobody - not Henry, Okocha, Kewell, Cole... whatever (although I haven't seen much of Mutu) is as good on the ball as Ronaldo. Unfortunately, there's not the best end-play as of yet. His crossing is decent, but by no means special. He's not really that great yet at putting in through balls. His free kicks are above-average, but unexceptional. And he seems to lack the ability to know when to pass and when to dribble. But he's also 18. And if he improves just a bit at each of those problems, he'll be truly magnificent.
I agree. I'd like to see him fight though some of the challenges instead of going down so easily though. I think this comes from coaching and frustration. What's your best technique when you're getting fouled like crazy yet the ref won't call anything? Start going down... The problem is that this sort of mentality gets ingraned and becomes a habit and I think that's what's happened to him. Freddy Adu is going through the same thing right now (at 14). I'd imagine neither one of them will get on with it overnight but soon...
Ronaldo falling over Yes he hit's the turf a lot. As an 18 year old with quick feet and little experience it isn't difficult for a good defender to knock him over. But when he reaches 20 - 21 and he is still as quick but with bit more muscle he will be a different prospect. Giggsy was mostly on his backside at 18. But it doesn't look like we'll miss Beckham and his new haircut much huh?
My first instinct is that he needs to add a little weight. But that might takes away from his moves. In that case, he'll just have to learn how to make that final move better, be it a cross, through ball, or shot. It seems to be the only thing he's lacking.
and there's that... "Nah, looks like we'll have to settle for Cristiano's, um, color highlights." I wouldn't mind seing Giggs, Keane, and perhaps a few others meet him in the dressing room with a set of clippers... "C'mere rookie..." bzzzzzzz
Re: Re: Ronaldo falling over The highlights are a bit naff but the player is sensational. I'm in the USA for the next 2 seasons but I can't wait to get home and see him play live.
Christiano Ronaldo I went to Old Trafford at least 15 times alst season and each time was surprised at how little David Beckham gave to the United cause. This kid might be the finished article but he appears to be aware of what is expected of him. Pleanty of room to improve but how many players have as much talent as him at 18? We got a bargain there for 12m, it was Real Madrid who got a bum deal.
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very tricky, the fans love him, needs to work on final ball and decision making(comes with experience) could add weight as he keeps maturing. excellent feet - horrible hairstyle credit SAF for the buy.
Really? You think that if Arsenal, Newcastle, Inter, and any other # of clubs would not have bought Ronaldo had they the money? It's not like SAF bought some unknown diamond in the rough and brought out his true ability. Ronaldinho was widely considered one of the top 3-4 prospects in Europe (and maybe the best). He cost 12m pounds. He'd damned well better be terrific. Solksjaer... now that was a buy. I just wish SAF had seen the potential of Jermaine Jenas.
potomac - he's not playing out of position. one of the reasons we bought him is that he's as comfortable on either wing, or in the middle. incredibly rare to find a player of his ability who can play anywhere like that. and he's getting knocked off the ball so much because a) he's just so quick, so it doesn't take much for him to be knocked down, and 2) he's only young. he'll get stronger over the next couple of years, and he'll be properly frightening.
He is a great talent, but he likes to show off too much IMO. I recently saw him play against the turkish U21 team and his step overs were succesful the first few times he did it, but the turkish defenders figured him out quickly and Ronaldo did nothing for the rest of the game. Great players like Zidane knows when to do the flashy dribbles and when to pass the ball. Ronaldo often makes the wrong decisions IMO.
It seems obvious He gets knocked off the ball because his physique isn't developed, he needs a bit more bulk. Nothing that the fried foods and Guinness diet can't sort out. He plays all the tricky stuff because he is anxious to impress. 18 year old kid in a foreign country - knows no one, doesn't speak the language - course he wants everyone to love him. Haven - we wanted to give him another year in Portugal, the deal we have with Sporting Lisbon as one of our 'feeder' clubs, is that we get first refusal on players. Other clubs, notably Arsenal, Real Madrid, and if memory serves, Juve, all expressed interest, forcing our hand into the deal. We had been watching him for some time, and a verbal arrangement had been made some time ago. Ronaldo himself wanted to go to (choke) Liverpool, apparently he has followed them all his life. It's called football