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Ronaldo must prove it against the big boys


MrJibbles

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IT’S difficult to offer any criticism of the supremely talented Cristiano Ronaldo.Especially in the warm afterglow of last season’s double Footballer of the Year passing George Best’s 40-year-old record of 32 goals from the wing on Wednesday night.A quick glance in the reference books supports the theory the Portuguese trickster is a bit of a flat-track bully.Ronaldo has played 30 Premier League games against Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton. In those 30, he has scored just six goals — three each against Arsenal and Everton — at an average of one every five matches.He has yet to score against Chelsea in seven league games. Against Liverpool, who visit Old Trafford on Sunday, he has yet to find the net in six.His overall Premier League record is 59 goals in 155 matches. Take away the six in 30 against United’s closest rivals and you get 53 in 125 — an average of one every 2.35 games.The conclusion is self-explanatory though you take the point goalscoring is not totally indicative of performing well.Then there is Ronaldo’s playing record in the Champions League. By no stretch of the imagination can his displays in this competition be compared with the mind-boggling performances he is producing in the Premier League.Many will point out that Ronaldo has only just turned 23 and that he still has many years in which to adapt to Champions League football in the spectacular manner in which he has taken to the Premier League.It’s an impressive learning curve which, in terms of league goals, reads four in 29, five in 33, nine in 33, 17 in 34 and, already this season, an astonishing 24 in 26.George Best is bestOthers, though, will claim Ryan Giggs — another similar wonderboy — has never reached the heights in Europe once expected of him. Then we come to all the comparisons with Best.In terms of what the Irishman had to contend with, there IS no comparison.While Ronaldo and his manager may feel he sometimes gets a raw deal from opposition players, just imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth had he had to contend with the sort of serious brutality handed out by the likes of Norman Hunter, Peter Storey and Chopper Harris.But for Best’s extraordinary balance, bravery and awareness of impending danger, he would have suffered career-threatening injury every season.The Belfast boy was also a European Cup-winner and European Footballer of the Year.Ronaldo supporters will again say he is only 23.Yet Best was only 19 when on March 9, 1966, he produced what is still the greatest individual performance in United’s long European history.Protecting a 3-2 lead from the first leg of the European Cup quarter-final against Benfica, United had gone to the Stadium of Light with containment very much the uppermost thought.Best, though, scored twice in the first 10 minutes to inspire United to a sensational 5-1 victory. He was untouchable.As Sir Matt Busby said: “Our plan was to be cautious but somebody must have stuffed cotton wool in George’s ears.”Two years later, just seven days after his 22nd birthday, he enthralled Wembley with the famous run from the centre-circle and shimmy round the Benfica keeper for the pivotal second goal in an ultimate 4-1 victory that earned United their first European Cup.So, in many ways, it’s too late to even attempt any comparisons.Yet there is little doubt Ronaldo has his own special genius in an age when football is played at a pace and level of fitness unrecognisable from the Best era.All the same, Ronaldo has to start producing when it really matters.When better than against Liverpool on Sunday?http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...ticle944737.ece
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I'm never quite sure what to make of these stats - they always come around when someone is quite obviously one of the best players in the league...The thing is, in the really big games, between the big teams, both sides tactics are usually so spot on it's impossible for a player to run wild...I think part of the reason he doesn't score as much in these games is because he has less freedom, and less of a license to roam... Instead he has to do a job defensively more than he is usually asked to.I also don't think the records should be counted since he's been score regulaly either, mainly because he wasn't looked at as a goal scorer in the team back then, and he obviously felt no pressure to come up with the goals in mathces, where as now he does, because he's quite obviously their man goal theat.Usually, well not usually... but more often than usually goals come from unlikely sources in games between the top sides.I mean, a few seasons ago Darren Fletcher got the winner against Chelsea as well as a couple against Arsenal. I think John O'Shea has a few against Liverpool, Gallas got one against United and Chelsea... there was an OG at the Emirates between United and Arsenal.Usually these games are so tight its such a minute detail that settles it, i.e a Tevez deflection on a long range hopeful Rooney shot giving United the 3 points at Anfield.I don't think its fair to label him as a 'big game bottler' in these matches... Usually the top players are so tightly marked in these games (by quality players) it's almost impossible for them to hurt the opposition.I mean, can anyone really remember a stand out performance by a top player in these games over the past few seasons?

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We talking just Premiership? or all other because 3 just come to mind Kaka against Man Utd and Messi against Real Madrid, even Ronaldinho against Real Madrid the 3-0 which was an utter masterclass!Premiership wise isn't as easy, because the game is normally a midfield battle. I thought Fabregas against Liverpool up at Anfield had a stormer

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I'm never quite sure what to make of these stats - they always come around when someone is quite obviously one of the best players in the league...The thing is, in the really big games, between the big teams, both sides tactics are usually so spot on it's impossible for a player to run wild...I think part of the reason he doesn't score as much in these games is because he has less freedom, and less of a license to roam... Instead he has to do a job defensively more than he is usually asked to.I also don't think the records should be counted since he's been score regulaly either, mainly because he wasn't looked at as a goal scorer in the team back then, and he obviously felt no pressure to come up with the goals in mathces, where as now he does, because he's quite obviously their man goal theat.Usually, well not usually... but more often than usually goals come from unlikely sources in games between the top sides.I mean, a few seasons ago Darren Fletcher got the winner against Chelsea as well as a couple against Arsenal. I think John O'Shea has a few against Liverpool, Gallas got one against United and Chelsea... there was an OG at the Emirates between United and Arsenal.Usually these games are so tight its such a minute detail that settles it, i.e a Tevez deflection on a long range hopeful Rooney shot giving United the 3 points at Anfield.I don't think its fair to label him as a 'big game bottler' in these matches... Usually the top players are so tightly marked in these games (by quality players) it's almost impossible for them to hurt the opposition.I mean, can anyone really remember a stand out performance by a top player in these games over the past few seasons?
ronaldo assists there on the colouredpeople forget he is not a striker so when we do play bigger teams he is usually stuck out wide for the majority of games playing a disciplined rolealso hes only young so them 30 games id say the majority of them he was still the kid in the united side with the fancy footworkwhy dont they try see what hes done last 2/3 seasons
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exactlywhat stupid journalism, its lazy to say he doesnt score against the big teams now1. He is not a striker, so why should he?2. Big games, are usually decided by tactical decisions by managers, as ice said hes either on the wing, disciplined and tracking back alot, so he cant roam and have the freedom he will have in the less important matches.. but even with that said he still will make dangerous runs, score or even come up with an assist E.G. John O'Shea..3. How many of them 30 games can you say Ronaldo has had a terrible game? (not many, i bet you)4. He has also started scoring prolifically over the last 2 seasons, so how are you gonna compare that with hes first 2-3 seasons when he was what 18/19/20/21, just bussing tricks and scoring the odd goalThis article is utter sh*t, and if you believe this bollocks aswell, you are an arse

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LOL.They gotta fill the papers somehow.Bless 'em.*Remembers FA Cup final 05 when Ronaldo was by far best player on the pitch*
*Remembers Champions League Semi Final 1st & 2nd Legs*
Argh, Ronaldo had a sick game in the 1st leg anddddddddddHE SCORED IN THE f*ck*ng FIRST LEG U ARSEHOLEget these clueless fans out of the room
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I think the main point of it is in big games he is anonymous and the best players werent. Quaresma does the exact same, when hes at his best, sick but when he isnt performing as well its like he isnt even on the field. There just saying he scores against all the small sides who get shook of him before they even play and you got fergie sayin ronaldo never ever dives its always the tackles to blame so dat just makes it worse its like they aint allowed to tackle him or summin.I know ronaldo is his fave player but why chat sh*t when he knows ronaldo has dived numerous times, its like he sees ronaldo on the floor and coz its ronaldo he got fouled. He is the best in the world without doubt hes been unbelievably good this season but he does seem to go missin in the big games. Dont see why it annoys people to hear it coz theres so many players that do its not like he has become a target or summin. The same papers this shits in are the ones praisin him like he is actually god. But he does vanish in the big games as do other players. Its true he scores against all the sh*t sides but its sick goals he scores rather than the 'ricochet' goals lampard always scores.

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LOL.They gotta fill the papers somehow.Bless 'em.*Remembers FA Cup final 05 when Ronaldo was by far best player on the pitch*
*Remembers Champions League Semi Final 1st & 2nd Legs*
Argh, Ronaldo had a sick game in the 1st leg anddddddddddHE SCORED IN THE f*ck*ng FIRST LEG U ARSEHOLEget these clueless fans out of the room
nerves have been hit
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Guest haze-e
How many goals has Adesamson got against the big 4 then....?You know when Johnathan Woodgate has more goals against the 'big 4' than your no.1 striker, you cant say sh*t about a player who is undoubtably in the top 3 in the world at the moment.
Lol. Which is fair enough.
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How many goals has Adesamson got against the big 4 then....?You know when Johnathan Woodgate has more goals against the 'big 4' than your no.1 striker, you cant say sh*t about a player who is undoubtably in the top 3 in the world at the moment.
what has this thread got to do with adebayor?
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