Last Wednesday, Manchester United beat Brentford 1: 3, on the face of it an unsurprising result, but in a season like going through the Red Devils, who have won less than half of their league games this season, any such result should be welcomed. But in the end, the headlines were mostly about one man. Cristiano Ronaldo, and the buzz around the team’s locker room.
The Portuguese, whose winemaking and desire to score in every game can not be denied, got off the bench nervously in the 70th minute, and reacted coldly to his coach Ralph Rangnik. Ronaldo, perhaps the greatest conqueror of modern times, has scored a total of two goals in the last eight games. This situation is looking at him and according to reports in the kingdom, he is not the only player frustrated on the red side of Manchester.
Last summer, United believed it was going to be their season. After Ola Gunnar Solskjaer managed to build a band that reached second place in the Premier League, the Red Devils opened their pockets. They added Jaydon Sancho and Rafael Varane, two who were supposed to add on the one hand brilliance and sophistication to the attack, and on the other hand experience and toughness on defense. But then came the crazy days of the end of August, and changed everything.
The 27.8. Cristiano Ronaldo, who had announced a few days earlier that he was leaving Juventus, was on the safe path to Manchester City, or so we were told. It was supposed to be a move that would shake up English football, an almost inconceivable move. But if we thought it was inconceivable, at the last minute a reversal came in his decision. There are those who claim that everything was planned, not sure we will know. Cristiano Ronaldo completed a comeback for Manchester United, the team he broke out with and was so identified with.
The reaction was of course complete hysteria. The club’s website collapsed, the shirts were snatched from the shelves. But professionally, this transition has been problematic from the beginning. Ronaldo is still a gifted conqueror and perhaps the biggest winner in world football, but his career is on a downward trend, and he is certainly not the player United needed at this point. On the other hand, who can refuse such an opportunity?
What happened next, a promising opening and a subsequent collapse under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer everyone knows, the Norwegian, who was also a former teammate of Ronaldo Potter, and after rumors of Zinedine Zidane, Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino and even Lauren Blanc, United went on a surprising move. Appointment of Ralph Rangnick, the 63-year-old German, as interim coach until the end of the season and later on as a professional consultant.
The transition was very puzzling from the first moment. While there is no doubt about the ‘professional’ vast knowledge of the ‘professor’, who is considered a man who has ‘raised’ coaches like Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, it was not clear how United’s squad should deal with a coach of his kind. Rangnick, the father of the ‘genepressing’ method, has been given a squad that in no way fits his style of play, even before we mention the fact that he has never faced stars of the caliber that Manchester United have. And we’ll focus on that point.
According to all reports coming in the last month from the kingdom, United’s dressing room is simply dismantled, no less. About two weeks ago it was claimed that no less than ten players on the team are not interested in continuing under the German coach, while another report from last week speaks of real camping, in part because of an interview Ronaldo gave to the Sky network.
In an interview, the Portuguese said, among other things: “I remember when I was 19, 20, there were players older than me who talked to me, and I realized that meant I needed to get better. They knew more than me and were more experienced than me. They went through difficult moments in their careers “They do not accept it, they are not ready for you to criticize them.” According to Athletic, although he claimed in an interview that he was not talking about United players, in the dressing room of the team they received the interview in a very bad way, claiming that the Portuguese is too hard with them and far from the team.
Since being appointed coach of the team, United have played nine games under Rangnik. She won five of them, finished three in a draw and recorded one loss, to Wolves, in one of the Red Devils’ worst games in recent years. The balance on the face of it is certainly reasonable, but the ability is far from impressive.
After that game against Wolves, Rangnick came out to the media with an interesting statement when he said: “We have players who are interested in leaving, even though they are under contract until the summer. They have to deal with it professionally.” The hint was clear – players did not make enough effort, and the arrows in the English media were aimed at Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba.
In England, the Red Devils’ “spoiled” squad was attacked: “Players who have not won almost any important titles since 2013 and are responsible for the worst period at Manchester United in the last 30 years. They have the same attitude as Neymar, but without his talent and achievements. Why are they Do you think they are allowed not to run on the field? “
Manchester United is facing another crossroads. Ralph Rangnik has no chance of assimilating his pressure game method with players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, Martial and Lingard. Not only that, the mismatch also creates complete frustration in the club. Of course all reports have to be taken with a limited guarantee, but with almost every media outlet in England in the last month reporting real camping in the locker room and visible disregard for the coach, there is no doubt that the area is bubbling.
The German will try to disconnect himself from the noise, as much as possible, and try to save what is left of the season. United are completely in the fight for the top 4, and although winning the Champions League sounds like an illusory scenario, it should be remembered that this is a knockout factory, and with Cristiano Ronaldo on the squad, miracles can also happen.
But all this will not be a solution to the real problems. The United management needs to decide what its next step is. Does she give the coach a chance to build the squad according to his eyesight and his method of play, or does she decide to go with the existing squad, and maybe spend one more big season from Ronaldo. Past experience shows that the management of the Red Devils will probably be able to make the least correct decision for the club.
