Everyone is talking about Cristiano Ronaldo’s dip in form.
Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov hit out at critics this week, excusing our number 7’s goal drought (one goal in 10 games), to argue that Ronaldo shouldn’t take all the blame for the poor results we’ve seen this season.
Just like Berbatov, ex-United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel feels Ronaldo’s team-mates are to blame for our poor form over the past few months.
There has been questions over whether Ronaldo fits into the modern system Ralf Rangnick is looking to play at Old Trafford and fans hope the next manager — to be appointed when the current season ends — and the Daily Mail claim the interim boss is losing patience with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
However, Ronaldo remains United’s top scorer this season with 15 goals in all competitions and he is the main reason why we reached the Champions League last-16. I still hope he can lead us to the quarter-finals when Atletico Madrid come to Old Trafford for the second leg in two weeks’ time.
Schmeichel says Ronaldo isn’t to blame, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News: “I really find it difficult to put any blame on his shoulders. He is trying and trying, and he’s trying to build up the other players.
“When you’re at the games, you can see how much he’s trying to help everyone. But he’s a striker, and a striker needs to be in the striker’s position.
“If you create a chance and it’s a great cross in, or it’s an opportunity to put a pass in, and the striker’s not there, you will not get the chance. It’s very, very simple.
“Therefore, he needs to be disciplined and stay up there. That can at times look like Cristiano’s not in the game, and it’s not down to him. It’s the team that needs to bring the play up to him.”
