LENTY of critics have suggested Cristiano Ronaldo has been part of the problem for Manchester United this season, but Ive never heard so much nonsense.
As he smashed home the 800th and 801st goals of his remarkable career against Arsenal on Wednesday night, the enormity of Ronaldos achievements in the game were highlighted once again.
I did well to make 675 appearances in my career for club and country, yet Ronaldo has scored 126 more goals than games I played in! That is simply remarkable and I have to salute him.
While hes not playing at the peak of his powers at the age of 36, Ronaldo is still a huge asset for United, and Im sure Ralf Rangnick will appreciate that when he takes charge of the team for the first time against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford today.
All teams need a guy who can put the ball in the back of the net, and Ronaldo may well be the best there has ever been at doing that.
There will always be the debate over who is the best from Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with my vote always going to the little Argentinian maestro on that one.
Messi has been a joy to watch over the course of his career and I have not always been a fan of some of Ronaldos antics, as he flicks out at opponents and loses his temper on the pitch at times.
Greatness is not only judged on the number of goals and trophies, as you have to look at the legacy a sports person leaves behind when you are assessing where they deserve to be ranked among the games greats.
Thats why I feel Messi is in a league of his own, as he has poured joy into the game time and again and his seventh Ballon dOr title last Monday highlighted his genius, even in a year when he has not been at his best.
My adoration for Messi doesnt take away anything from what Cristiano has done in the game and he deserves to be right up there as one of the best footballers of all time.
The issue some people have with Ronaldo now is that he doesnt contribute as much to the game as he once did, and wont track back to help the team defensively.
Yet he is far from being the only one guilty of that at United this season, with the statistics confirming they have been one of the worst teams in the Premier League for pressing and putting the effort in.
It may be because Ronaldo is the biggest name that he was getting criticised for failing in his defensive duties, but thats not what I want to see him doing.
You want to get this guy in and around the box doing what he does best, which is sticking the ball in the back of the net.
Id have had nightmares about playing against Ronaldo, because you know he has the ability to stick the ball in the top corner at any moment and will take half a chance if he gets it.
Matt Le Tissier used to be accused of lacking the commitment to chase down balls, but I hated playing against him, as I knew he could make a fool of you when you least expected it.
Players like that are priceless and Id be amazed if Rangnick tries to push Ronaldo aside at United, simply because he doesnt fit into the pressing style the interim United manager is noted for.
Ronaldo is not the problem here and Rangnick needs to sort out the other areas of his team to make sure his goal contributions take United to where they want to be.
While it had to happen, I was sad to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lose his job at United and just two weeks later, the mood has changed dramatically around the club.
They are heading into todays game against Palace at Old Trafford with fourth place in the Premier League very much in their sights and thats amazing when you consider some of the batterings they took in the final weeks of Solskjaers reign as manager.
That 5-0 Liverpool defeat stung and then the horrible performance at Watford proved to be the final straw for Ole. I would ask the United players who have performed so much better since the manager was sacked why this revival has happened.
We have been asking these questions of this United squad for some time, and Rangnick will now be the man looking for answers.
The new United manager has vowed to get the team organised and sort out their defensive problems and if he achieves that aim, there is no reason why they cant rescue this season.
Ronaldo and the galaxy of the attacking players in the United team will score goals every week and if Rangnick can build a team that keeps them out at the other end, the dark clouds that have been hovering over Old Trafford will quickly disperse.
They wont win the league this season, as that dream disappeared over the horizon a long time ago.
The Premier Leagues top three of Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool are in a league of their own right now .
Yet if Rangnick can get United into the Premier Leagues top four and lay a few foundations over the next few months, this traumatic season could still end on a high.
Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices
Read the original post:
Paul McGrath: 'It's total nonsense to suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo is THE problem at United' - Sunday World
- 'Shrinkflation'? Blame the Fed - Newsmax - March 22nd, 2024 [March 22nd, 2024]
- Ron Paul Tells Tucker Carlson the Exact Date There Was a Coup and We Lost Our Government - Mediaite - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Ron Paul: It Dawned On Me That The Republic Was Gone When Allen Dulles Was Appointed To The Warren ... - RealClearPolitics - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- The rise and - possible - fall of David Shafer - The Atlanta Journal Constitution - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Yes, that was Paul Hornung on Packers' sideline in Ice Bowl - Packers.com - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Cap Times Idea Fest 2023 save the dates | Paul Fanlund ... - The Capital Times - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Folks tell Ron Keller his memories of growing up in Naperville could ... - Positively Naperville - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- The Man Who Invented the Trillion-Dollar Coin - New York Magazine - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Opinion | Why Texas Republicans Are Targeting Renewable Energy - The New York Times - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- States that have produced the most NBA Finals champions - MaxPreps - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- All Community Pro-Am starting holes on Saturday, Sunday - McCook Daily Gazette - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- The World and Everything in It: June 2, 2023 - WORLD News Group - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Sen. Rand Paul staffer's parents speak out after he was 'brutally ... - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Rand Paul staff member stabbed in D.C., has life-threatening injuries - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Aide to Senator Rand Paul critically wounded in Washington DC stabbing ... - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- The Antiwar Movement Roars Back to Life | CNSNews - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Ron Pauls Retirement Advice: Do This One Thing ASAP - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : The Antiwar Movement ... - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Feb. 19: Ron Paul, Tulsi Gabbard to Speak at Anti-War Rally ... - February 20th, 2023 [February 20th, 2023]
- 5 Things You May Not Know About Ron Paul : NPR - NPR.org - February 20th, 2023 [February 20th, 2023]
- The Real Disinformation Was The Russia Disinformation Hoax - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : The Real ... - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Paul McCartneys Decade-Long Creative Surge Post-Beatles To Be Explored In Man On The Run From Oscar Winner Morgan Neville - Deadline - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Ron Paul hospitalized after he appears to suffer stroke - New York Post - January 30th, 2023 [January 30th, 2023]
- Ron Paul Issues an Urgent Warning to Retirement Savers - January 30th, 2023 [January 30th, 2023]
- The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : Zelenskyy Regime to ... - January 30th, 2023 [January 30th, 2023]
- XPONENTIAL FITNESS, INC. : Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement, Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance... - January 15th, 2023 [January 15th, 2023]
- Ron Paul: 'Twitter Files' Make It Clear, We Must Abolish The FBI - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- Ron Paul: A Tale Of Two Midterms | ZeroHedge - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- Retiring History Theatre artistic director Ron Peluso looks back at fond moments from his 27 years on the job - St. Paul Pioneer Press - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Ron Paul | Biography, Education, Books, & Facts | Britannica - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : Is Washingtons ... - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : Europe Commits ... - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign - Wikipedia - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Nevada's micronation of Molossia has a sounder currency than the dollar - Washington Times - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Dune Sound Team on Finding "The Voice," Using "Fake Documentary Realism" & the Rescue of Paul Atreides - Below the Line |... - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Paul LePage has softened his stance on immigration. Or has he? - Bangor Daily News - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 38 Celeb Couples Who Have Been Together More Than 20 Years, Which Is Like, 150 Years In Normal People Time - BuzzFeed - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Ron Paul: It's Time To Tell Biden We Say 'No!' To Nuclear War OpEd - Eurasia Review - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- The Moment the Republican Party Lost Control - The New Republic - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Paul Ryan: Trumps unelectability will be palpable by 2024 - The Hill - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Fourteen to the Florida Rehabilitation Council for the Blind - Governor Ron DeSantis - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Paul Newman recalls losing his only son Scott to addiction in memoir: I never thought it would be fatal - Fox News - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- How To Resist CBDCs5 Ways You Can Opt Out of This Dystopian Future - International Man - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Bob Doucette: 2022 campaign a Wild West of ideas of how to govern Oklahoma - Tulsa World - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Warm start to the week, then chilly temps later; thunderstorm chance Tuesday evening - MPR News - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Ron Paul: Will Italys Election Foreshadow US Midterms? - Libertarian Party - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- With POTUS non-endorsement endorsement of Ron DeSantis, the race for Florida Governor is over - Florida Politics - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Miranda Webb: Trauma, anarchy and perilous life on the run from Northeast Ohio to Mexico - Akron Beacon Journal - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Ben Sasse and the battle over what kind of conservative leads the GOP - Washington Examiner - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Slayden carries Wood River past Freeburg and back into the playoffs - St. Louis Post-Dispatch - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- 'The water came up so fast': The heroes of Tonya Court and Wisconsin Street - Naples Daily News - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Wisconsin Republicans still fixated on 2020 election in 2022 - PBS Wisconsin - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : School Shutdowns ... - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Fans Discover Ron Paul Delivered Late Pop Icon Selena - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Flashback: Ron Paul Railed Against the FBI in 1988 - NOQ Report - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Paul Sullivan: Chicago White Sox need to shake up their clubhouse culture by dealing 1 or more of their core players this offseason - The Killeen... - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Tim Ryan Says Americans Need To Give Up Gas Cars as He Drives Around Ohio in Gas Guzzlers - Washington Free Beacon - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Pianist Paul Barnes and Native flutist Ron Warren to premiere piece Monday in Lincoln - Lincoln Journal Star - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- POLITICO Playbook PM: Mitch McConnell and the tale of two moderate Dems - POLITICO - POLITICO - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Cam'ron and A-Trak 'U Wasn't There' Review - slantmagazine - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- As the Economy Collapsed, Why Were Economists Silent? - The Epoch Times - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- CBDCs, SDRs, and the Re-Monetization of Gold Here's What Happens Next - International Man - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Lessons Learned: Ron Paul's Warnings Against the War on Terror Stand True - Libertarian Party - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- KRULL COLUMN: Maybe it's an oath they don't understand - Evening News and Tribune - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- 9 Tips to Tackle Your Financial Goals and Still Have Fun - Money Talks News - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- 10 States With the Most Homes at Risk of Wildfire - Money Talks News - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- 5 Handy Keyboard Shortcuts That Make Internet Life Easier - Money Talks News - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- What we know about Texas and Florida's transport of migrants - Axios - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- 15 States With the Highest Union Participation Rates - Money Talks News - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- Winter is Coming But the 2022 Ram 1500 Isn't Worried - MotorBiscuit - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- '8 Simple Rules' Turns 20: 10 Big Names Who Appeared on the Sitcom - TV Insider - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- Tech and finance moguls are putting money and weight behind Trump with a brain Ron DeSantis - Fortune - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- What Is Peter Thiel Thinking? - The New Republic - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- 7 of the Most Beautiful Places to Retire in America - Money Talks News - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- 3 Ways to Lower the Rising Risk of Electrical Fires - Money Talks News - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Inflation Is State-Sponsored Terrorism - SchiffGold - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Quick hits: Pujols clouts 696th homer to tie for fourth all-time as Cardinals rally to win - St. Louis Post-Dispatch - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- It's no coincidence that the most successful democracies are constitutional monarchies - The Telegraph - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- "Distinguished," "loyal," "failure": Denver reflects on the retirement of Chief Paul Pazen and its hopes for new Chief... - September 6th, 2022 [September 6th, 2022]