He didn't improve Juventus. Got himself a very tidy goal tally but the team as a whole regressed with him in it.
I can see him being an amazing option off the bench for City (until he throws his toys at that), but he would completely ruin their pressing game if he was a starter for them.
I can see him being an amazing option off the bench for City (until he throws his toys at that), but he would completely ruin their pressing game if he was a starter for them.
He was the Serie A golden boot, of course he improved them. The team regressed because of a coach who couldn't manage multiple large personalities (something which Ole has excelled at, btw) not because of their best player scoring too many goals.
Your biggest criticism is that a 36 year old striker doesn't press. But, like, no shark? We didn't buy him to press, we bought him to score 30 goals a season, so we can put away the little teams that we've dropped stupid points to in previous seasons and to lead the way in the big games that he's experienced more than the rest of our side put together.
When he arrived at Juve they had won the league for seven straight seasons and made two Champions League finals in four years. With him they won the league two more times, but then lost it, and got knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 twice and the quarterfinals once. That was under three different managers. Fair enough if you think they were a better team with him, but I think they were better before he arrived.
My biggest criticism of him isn't that he doesn't press (I wouldn't expect any 36 year old to be much of a presser), it's this - https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/cristiano-ronaldo-new-documents-emerge-in-rape-allegations-a-1241349.html
His lack of pressing wouldn't fit in at City, likewise it was a major issue for Juventus in big games over the last three years. I don't think it's as much of an issue for United because we play much more passively. I also don't think our style of football (and in particular our midfield) is going to win us the league or the Champions League, even if Ronaldo is up there in the golden boot race.
Maybe we will win the PL & CL, maybe we won't. All I know is that we have a better chance with Ronaldo than without him and based on that alone I really don't see why you're choosing to come at this negatively when the only evidence (1 game, so not a definitive sample size)so far suggests he's revitalising the team and the fanbase. You still haven't sighted a single drawback to his game other than pressing, and you agree that we don't press heavily. Until I see anything to the contrary, I'm gonna remain excited as fudge for this season.
The rape case is another conversation and is problematic for sure. I do think we shouldn't forget about it, much the same as Scott Kuggeleijn should never play for the Black Caps without people being reminded that they are actively supporting a rapist. Much like Giggs, you try to separate the person from the player but there's definitely conflicting emotions underlying it all. It has no bearing at all on whether he improves the team or not though, of course.