Ronaldo's arrival has knocked Manchester United's pressing game out of kilter and it has given Solskjaer headaches in terms of team selection too. "Manchester United ended up with a disconnected, non-compact unit which Leicester found it really comfortable to play against." Ronaldo knock-on effects
"You ended up with two teams: the front five - the egos, the great players, the world-class ones - and the back five," added Neville of their performance against Leicester on Monday Night Football. Structure was badly lacking and while the drop in pressing intensity may, to some extent, be a deliberate response to Ronaldo's arrival, it is far from clear what Solskjaer wants to see in its place. Gary Neville says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is having to manage 'hand grenades' in the Man Utd dressing room The Portuguese has never offered much in the way of defensive work-rate - as pointed out by his former team-mate Neville recently - and that rings truer than ever at this stage of his career, when the need to conserve energy for what he does best is greater. Ronaldo is already winning United points - both domestically and in Europe - but at the same time his deployment up front is limiting the way in which the team can play. Three of them - against West Ham, Villarreal and now Atalanta - have been vital in turning draws into victories. His total stands at six goals in nine games so far. Ronaldo is already fulfilling that guarantee. Aside from the obvious romantic pull, and the irresistible urge to snatch him from under the noses of rivals Manchester City, there was the guarantee of goals he still brings at 36.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Cristiano Ronaldo contributed in all areas of the pitch after he scored the winner in Manchester United's comeback win against Atalantaīringing him back was in many respects an easy decision for the club.
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