Ronaldo hero worship does not mask Manchester United’s flaws
They had come to see Cristiano Ronaldo, and they got exactly what they wanted: not one, but two occasions to cry “Si!” as he celebrated goals with that signature spread of arms and crotch thrust, a manly version of Lionel Blair miming the title of a song. For the time being, everything else can take a back seat: the king has returned.
A huge shout greeted the announcement of Ronaldo's name when the teams were given out at around 2.25 pm. There was another visceral cheer when he jogged out to warm up, skillfully maximizing his visibility by positioned himself behind Donny van de Beek, a player of transparent appearance and renown. With applause and a raised thumb, he reacted with practiced casualness, acknowledging the two long sides of the ground. Ronaldo was the last player out of the tunnel before kick-off, so the clamor grew louder and louder as he appeared behind Paul Pogba.
The atmosphere at Old Trafford before kick-off was incredible, far louder than any league game in recent memory, and certainly not for a regular match against lower mid-table opponents. Engagement on social media, presumably, was at an all-time high. After a two-year absence, even executive co-chairman Avram Glazer showed up to witness it.
But there's an abnormality here, a strange sense of appreciation that Ronaldo chose to return after reportedly being eager to join Manchester City. A self-assured club, for example, would not feel the need to re-enact prior triumphs.
Ed Woodward, in the directors' box, glanced out, no likely congratulating himself on a job well done. Any questions about why United has gone eight seasons without a league title despite spending half a billion pounds net over the last five years can be postponed for a few months, deflected by the same nostalgic wishful thinking that softens criticism of Ole Gunnar Solskjr, despite the fact that he is United's longest-serving manager without a trophy since Dave Sexton.
Without a question, this was a memorable day. This was a day to be adored. Ronaldo walked amid his supporters, who greeted him with fervent enthusiasm. This is modern fandom: tribal, unflinching, incapable of anything else than amazing veneration for their heroes.
There were no awkward questions here about what happened that night in Las Vegas 12 years ago, except that a banner hung behind a jet, though Ronaldo denies all the charges.
There were also no qualms about paying a 36-year-old £500,000 a week when there appeared to be insufficient funds to improve a midfield that is looking more drab in comparison to the glamor elsewhere in the squad. Is it possible that this will stifle Mason Greenwood's growth? Is Ronaldo's presence likely to stifle the ingenuity of Bruno Fernandes, who has been so important for United recently but has yet to prove he can play for Portugal? Could his hesitation to press expose the midfield's frailty against stronger opponents?
Ronaldo was excellent. Or, to put it another way, he was good at what he does well. As Freddie Woodman, befuddled by a tiny deflection, mishandled Greenwood's shot in first-half injury time, he was attentive to the opportunity. The way he hesitated and swept by Isaac Hayden before driving his second through Woodman's legs had a grandeur to it. He's still one of the best goal scorers in the game.
Last season, though, United's issue was their inability to score goals. They were the second-highest scorers in the Premier League and, despite having 15 points in the group, they were eliminated from the Champions League. Their issue was the clumsiness of their midfield, which allowed them to be foiled by good but unspectacular clubs such as Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Villarreal…
In the first half, there were warning signals that Ronaldo could aggravate the problem. It's early days, and relationships may develop, but when he burst into the left side of the box after 20 minutes and slammed a shot into the side netting from a tight angle, there was nobody in the middle for a cross: Greenwood, Jadon Sancho, and Fernandes were essentially standing back and watching.
And if Ronaldo's arrival, as well as the need to accommodate the stars, if Pogba is forced to play more games in midfield, United will be especially exposed to counter-attacks. Newcastle equalized on a breakaway, and a more composed team could have easily added a couple more.
But now was not the day to be concerned. It was a day to reminisce about United's previous triumphs and, hopefully, future triumphs, as United fans hope and believe. However, it's difficult to see how Ronaldo would address the most pressing issue, the aspect of the team that has been preventing United from making a title challenge: midfield organization.
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