Manchester United face Real Madrid in the Champions League tomorrow night, and I'm sure most Liverpool fans hope that Ronaldo and co put Alex Ferguson's team to the sword. Defensively, United are vulnerable this season, and Reds legend Alan Hansen has highlighted a major weak-spot in the club's back four, which - hopefully - Madrid will exploit.
In his column for The Telegraph today, Hansen urged Cristiano Ronaldo to target 'weak spots' in United's defence, and he singled out Brazilian defender Rafael da Silva - who cost United €3m - as a major defensive 'frailty' in the Old Trafford club's back line. He observed:
"Rafael has yet to overcome [defensive frailties] at the highest level. He is still rash, impatient and impetuous...and you always feel that there is a mistake in there somewhere.
"Neither of United’s full-backs – Rafael and Patrice Evra – are strong in the air. In the Bernabéu, he had a really tough half-hour, during which Ronaldo, Ozil and Di María tormented him...and he will be under the microscope tomorrow"
Ronaldo will inevitably be a major threat for Madrid, and Hansen believes there's only one way to stop one of the world's best players. He explained:
"The only way to reduce the threat posed by Ronaldo is to make him face his own goal, get tight to him before he receives the ball and ensure that when he gets the ball, it is with his back to the goal you are defending"
I agree with Hansen here. Ronaldo doesn't have the dribbling skill of Leo Messi, or his innate ability to regularly manufacture goals out of nothing with pure skill; he needs service in the sense that he has to be played into space/set-up etc. Most of his goals come as a result of other players creating space for him and/or playing him into space, so if United can block that off, then it will go a long way to rendering the Portuguese (comparatively) ineffective.
Of course, let's hope that doesn't happen. Hopefully, Ronaldo will follow Luis Suarez's example and bang in a hat-trick to send Ferguson's team crashing out of the competition :-)
Come on, Real: Spank the Mancs and make us all happy :-)
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
In his column for The Telegraph today, Hansen urged Cristiano Ronaldo to target 'weak spots' in United's defence, and he singled out Brazilian defender Rafael da Silva - who cost United €3m - as a major defensive 'frailty' in the Old Trafford club's back line. He observed:
"Rafael has yet to overcome [defensive frailties] at the highest level. He is still rash, impatient and impetuous...and you always feel that there is a mistake in there somewhere.
"Neither of United’s full-backs – Rafael and Patrice Evra – are strong in the air. In the Bernabéu, he had a really tough half-hour, during which Ronaldo, Ozil and Di María tormented him...and he will be under the microscope tomorrow"
Ronaldo will inevitably be a major threat for Madrid, and Hansen believes there's only one way to stop one of the world's best players. He explained:
"The only way to reduce the threat posed by Ronaldo is to make him face his own goal, get tight to him before he receives the ball and ensure that when he gets the ball, it is with his back to the goal you are defending"
I agree with Hansen here. Ronaldo doesn't have the dribbling skill of Leo Messi, or his innate ability to regularly manufacture goals out of nothing with pure skill; he needs service in the sense that he has to be played into space/set-up etc. Most of his goals come as a result of other players creating space for him and/or playing him into space, so if United can block that off, then it will go a long way to rendering the Portuguese (comparatively) ineffective.
Of course, let's hope that doesn't happen. Hopefully, Ronaldo will follow Luis Suarez's example and bang in a hat-trick to send Ferguson's team crashing out of the competition :-)
Come on, Real: Spank the Mancs and make us all happy :-)
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
hope madrid beat them prefere also to get a hatrick than that ex manure player ,now that would be great
ReplyDeleteWho are Liverpoo playing this midweek in Europe then?
ReplyDeleteHansen's a cunt
ReplyDeleteIndeed. And soon to be 20!
ReplyDeleteAaaaahahahahaha, you say Ronaldo "doesn't have the ability to manufacture goals out of nothing with pure skill"........thats the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard anyone say EVER lol!!!
ReplyDelete@19 and counting and HerneTheHunter, You know that CL you won in the Nou Camp in 99....anytime you want to see it in person call down to Anfield....that's where it resides...Permanently. Fergie still trying to equal Paisley with Three Big Ears...it's only taken him three times as long and still not there..eh !!!
ReplyDeleteWe've a night off on account of winning the champions league 5 times, you can see the trophy at anfield because you get to keep it when you win it 5 times.
ReplyDeleteWe don't live in the past! We aim for the future. Say, how long have you been living off of Paisley?
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's it.
ReplyDeletenonsense. ronaldo has scored many goals out of nothing, the guy can shoot with full power from 40 yards and not just once, over 50 times he's done it. if real madrid were set up like barcelona ronaldo will do plenty more dribbles than he does but there not, and even though there not ronaldo still completes many dribbles and scores. ronaldo is the complete football (everything you want to learn in football he can show you to do it wih PERFECTION, free kicks, every skill, long range shots, headers, both feet shooting and from range, control, pace, intelligence) hes got it all and for me he is better than leonel messi because hes played in the toughest league in the world, the BPL, and absolutely tormented. hes gone to the la liga and scored more times than he has appeared. Best player in the world, however messi is just behind him.
ReplyDeleteand the scores will be 4-1 real madrid win. ronaldo will score a free kick and one more or hattrick .i say this because man united will be attacking because their at homee, but what man united will find out is that the team their playing wont be arsenal, norwich or southampton. its real madrid, and the counter attack they launch after winning back possession with ronaldo di maria and benzema is ridiculous. normally the one to win back possession is alonso and the passes he will launch over the top for ronaldo are not going to suprise me as i see it everytime they play. plus ronaldo will be itching and he loves those old trafford nets. expect a hattrick and a 4-1 for madrid. but if man united score early it could be different. if real madrid score early expect fireworks
Just want to point out that 'naldo has scored fewer free kicks than Pistolero this season...
ReplyDeleteHe is a great player yes, but I would not put him above Messi - Messi has a better attitude, "never say die!" Although Ronaldo has picked up his BMT in recent times, I still think he goes quiet in games when losing - great winner, bad loser.Messi has many more goals than Ronaldo, Ronaldo is a poster boy with a weaker mentality. Just measure their stats: successful dribbles, free kicks, passes, pass accuracy, successful tackles, goals, assists - Messi will top Ronaldo on just about every one of them in all and any given season.
With regards to team set up, Real Madrid is arguably the most quality team in the world, they have the most valuable players and a deep squad! Arguing about the team set ups is a fallacy as Madrid have shown they can Match Barca over the last 3 season. THey have different strengths and play to those...
Messi gets more goals from a deeper position!
Ronaldo can see Messi, but he is still significantly behind Messi... the scariest thing is that Ronaldo will probably be retiring before Messi.
But no doubt, these guys are of the greatest footballers of our tme!
at home or not. united do not need to attack. We can be thru to next round with a 0-0.
ReplyDeletei think fergie will play a very tactical game. the team will be set up to play on the counter. real will have to attack as they need a goal. for once, they will get a bitter taste of their own medicine. united are not a bad team on the counter by any accounts...
4-3 to united (a historic repeat of that great game many many years ago). A certain Ronaldo was great in that as well...
What a saddo, coming on a lfc website
ReplyDeleteActually, this site pops up on fourfourtwo/manchester united when ever United player or something like that is mentioned on this site. And this happens often! Hmmm...?!
ReplyDeleteWith themselves just like you.
ReplyDeleteBy manipulating the system with your race horses. The officials and the FA should be ashamed. Keep on. We will see for how long this will be.
ReplyDeleteRolldownjo learnt his trade at Manchester. Hope he dives and gets a penalty, and scores against his mentor who nurtured and tutored him in the fine arts.
ReplyDeleteWould love to see Maurinhio doing another sliding celebration. classic.
ReplyDelete4-0 madrid
ReplyDeleteyes and u will not add to your 4 european trophys this season like we wont add to our 8. 20? it could be another one horse race that u come 2 nd again ! be very cafefull yaya is back
ReplyDeletewon in the nou camp !!f"ckin stole it more like it. bayern murdered them. come to think so did barca twice .even moscow chealsea were the far better team. they are the 13 amp plug of football fuckin useless in europe.
ReplyDeleteand also when the INBREEDS WORD is mentioned i can assume it pops up
ReplyDeleteI f**king hate Rafael. Hansen is absolutely right. Does any body remember when he did that really bad tackle against Skrtel in our 3-1 win? He's a bloody idiot. By the way here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1lhha9SQNk
ReplyDeleteHave to disagree with Hansen, Evra's really quite good in the air. Hate Rafael though.
ReplyDeleteRafael's a better player than he's given credit for.
ReplyDelete