The date will be etched in the memories of Manchester United fans around the world. It was on September 11 that Cristiano Ronaldo stepped inside Old Trafford, once again wearing the famous red shirt of the 20-time English champions.
The frenzy and hubbub surrounding the match was akin to a cup final and the big man put on a show for the ages. It seemed that the club’s decision to bring back their former superstar was just what the team needed at the time.
The return of CR7
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was doing a great job as a manager, managing to crack the top four two seasons in a row along with regular deep runs in knockout competitions.
The Norwegian believed that the club needed a midfielder to turn the club’s fortunes around and secure a first title in nearly a decade.
But the club’s hierarchy vetoed his initial call-up and was forced to bring the Portuguese back once news broke of Manchester City’s interest in his former talisman.
The start could hardly have gone better, as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner scored twice and broke the hearts of the Magpies. Newcastle went to the knife and ended up losing 4-1.
It was the perfect second homecoming and fans began to believe that their beloved club was close to achieving greatness once again and the return of their prodigal son was about to herald that very change.
But unfortunately, things fell apart pretty quickly as the Red Devils had to hire three different coaches over the course of the season. They failed to post a consistent grade after that promising start.
United’s number 7 kept scoring and hoping things would get better, but they never did. And despite his personal achievements, his team-mates could not conjure up anything special as United finished a disappointing sixth place.
Ronaldo disrupting the team’s growth?
The Portuguese international was not going to be exonerated completely. A reoccurring pattern emerged of players desperately trying to find him when Ronaldo, with his typical single-minded approach to scoring, failed to make a change like everyone else.
I really despise how all the creators except Sancho shoot everything at Ronaldo. You could make a 10 minute clip of players making incorrect final ball/pass choices in favor of Ronaldo.
— Adroit Cadet (@Adroit_Cadet) October 16, 2022
There were murmurs of discontent in the locker room, and at times his petulant acts on the pitch didn’t help. But given that his goal tally remained high, not many accusing fingers were pointed in his direction.
Now, a season after that fateful day, it seems life has come full circle for the 37-year-old. He was desperate to leave United for a Champions League club but no one came to his rescue despite the best efforts of agent Jorge Mendes.
And under Erik ten Hag, the striker is expected to take a turn like everyone else. The greatest goalscorer of all time is not exactly known for that and, unsurprisingly, he has seen his chances limited for the first time in his illustrious career.
With his goals running out, coupled with a lack of effort, the former Real Madrid player is finally showing his age. Against Newcastle, Ronaldo was the shadow of the player who swept them away just a season ago.
He huffed and puffed, but couldn’t even get a shot on target. His contribution was two disallowed goals and a yellow card when Marcus Rashford was substituted for bad weather.
His angry demeanor at being kicked out couldn’t hide the fact that he was completely toothless and his overall game was just as bad. He completed just 11 of 19 passes for 58 percent passing accuracy. He also lost possession eight times.
CR7 does not have the same strength as before
Too many times Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot and Antony tried to find it instead of passing to the best option, completely killing the momentum of the play.
Ronaldo’s habit of dropping deep to link play also complicated matters, as the team’s focal point disappeared several times.
Rashford even had a chance to vindicate his manager’s trust, but it didn’t pay off in the end. However, he made things happen during his brief cameo that his senior teammate hadn’t been able to do for most of the game.
Ten Hag seems to prefer Anthony Martial and Rashford as his forwards and it’s no surprise why. Ronaldo is losing touch with him and his teammates are desperately trying to force him when better options are available, to the detriment of the team.
United would do well to recruit a striker in January and let the Ronaldo circus run out of town if they really want to finish in the top four. For all of his grit and displays over the years, not many will bet on the aging superstar right now.
