Ronaldo On The Verge Of Greatness

The crown for the best player in the world is always a hotly disputed accolade which rarely unites football supporters, but the large majority of the football world appear to be in agreement that on current form, few can touch Cristiano Ronaldo.

After another immaculate performance against Aston Villa which left journalists scurrying through their thesauruses looking for that one superlative that hasn't been used to describe the Portuguese winger this season, you couldn't blame Ronaldo for already picking out which designer suit he'll be wearing at the FIFA World Player of the Year ceremony in December.

Last season he was pipped to the post by AC Milan's Kaka and Barcelona's Lionel Messi but a drop in form and injury problems respectively appear to have paved the way for Ronaldo to already think about claiming the esteemed trophy. A little too hasty to suggest the 23-year-old already has one hand on the award perhaps, but as we approach April, there's only one player's name on everybody's lips around Europe at present.

This summer's Euro 2008 tournament will, of course, play a part in who becomes the coveted World Player of the Year, but few would bet against Ronaldo taking the competition by the scruff of the neck, making his mark in Austria and Switzerland and possibly even putting the ghosts of Euro 2004 to rest by leading Portugal to victory.

So, is Ronaldo a worthy heir of the unofficial Greatest Player in the World title? Like Zinedine Zidane before him, if the Portuguese winger is to become known as the best player of his generation, he will need to be the key man in the biggest games he plays in. Zidane was a master of this. His two headed goals in the 1998 World Cup final, his glorious volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final and his majestic penalty in the infamous 2006 World Cup final are just some of the moments in history which the great man will be remembered for - and of course the headbutt on Marco Materazzi, though purists will always remember the football first.

With Manchester United facing Roma tonight at the Stadio Olimpico, another big game is upon the Portugal captain, and Ronaldo has another great chance to further cement his status as the finest footballer around. Critics have been quick to point at Ronaldo's lack of goals against the biggest teams during his career, but his 35 goals this season in all competition cannot be argued with, and his six goals in Europe puts him as joint top scorer in the Champions League. If Ronaldo can finish this European campaign as the top goalscorer come May, the bookies may as well pay out to those people who placed a wager on him earlier on in the year to claim FIFA's most prestigious individual award.

His main rival is likely to be Lionel Messi - the one player who can stop Ronaldo in his tracks to becoming the best player in the world. Sadly for the Argentine, injury has hampered his season, but there's a strong possibility that Barcelona will face Manchester United in the semi-finals of this year's Champions League competition, and the target for Messi is to play in both games. The stage will be set, two magnificent venues in Old Trafford and the Camp Nou to host a colossal battle between two of the finest sides in European football and the two finest players in world football. Although both Roma and Schalke will have distinctly differing ideas.

Ronaldo has been on the verge of greatness for a little while now. But he must showcase his brilliance on the most important nights of his career. The greatest footballers in history are often transformed into legend after winning silverware for club and country. And as Manchester United gear up to face their quarter-final opponents tonight, all eyes will be on Ronaldo to once again be the difference in class between the two sides and to put his team within touching distance of the Champions League semi-finals.

Do United Have Enough Fire Power Or Are Reinforcements Needed?

As the top scorers in the Premiership you may well wonder why Manchester United's first priority will be to bring in a new striker this summer.

But when you consider that Cristiano Ronaldo has more league goals to his name than Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Louis Saha combined; the fact of the matter is that we've perhaps relied a little too much on our Portuguese winger for goals this campaign.

I believe that it will be a nigh on impossible task for Ronaldo to recreate his phenomenal goalscoring form of this season. 25 league goals tallied up by the final week of March is nothing short of sensational, and we simply can't rely on a winger to score that many again going into next year - regardless if it is the seemingly unstoppable United number seven or not.

Both Rooney and Tevez have a tendency to drop deep and to link up play rather than to stay disciplined upfront. Neither could be considered as a traditional center forward or target man; and when they do try to play the role as the lone striker, it doesn't take long for either of them to become isolated or to drift to other areas of the pitch.

Which leaves Saha, who although a threat when fit, unfortunately can never seem to stay injury free for any significant amount of time. The words 'Saha' and 'injured' go hand in hand, just as annoyingly as 'trains' and 'late' or 'Ashley' and 'Cole'.

This leaves Ferguson with a few decisions to make over the coming months. Will it be the right time to bring in a new striker? Should we offload the injury prone Frenchman? Or will we keep things as they are - after all, why change a winning formula?

There are several forwards already on the books at Manchester United who Ferguson may be looking to draft into the squad for next season.

Our new Angolan striker, Manucho Goncalves, was signed just before this year's African Cup of Nations in Ghana and is currently on loan to Panathanaikos. At 25-years-old, he impressed in his home nation before being recommended to Ferguson by Carlos Quieroz. Under the watchful eye of the expectant media, Manucho didn't disappoint, scoring four goals in what was regarded as a successful tournament for the African minnows. However, whether or not he can replicate the same goalscoring exploits in arguably the toughest league in Europe is an entirely different matter, and I'm not holding my breath with this particular signing.

Other options involve looking towards younger members of the squad in the reserve and youth teams. The likes of Danny Welbeck, Fraizer Campbell and Fabian Brandy are all considered to have bright futures ahead of them, but are unlikely to make a serious challenge for the center forward position going into next season.

If you were thinking: what about Dong Fangzhuo? It's almost certain that we'll see him in his number 21 shirt again in pre-season. The Chinese international will make his annual appearance before disappearing off the face of the planet for yet another year. Who whispered shirt sales at the back there?

It's far more likely that an established name will be brought in to solve United's potential center forward dilemma. Dimitar Berbatov, Karim Benzema and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar have all been mentioned in the media as potential transfer targets and either one of them would suit the role perfectly.

Whether or not Ferguson will have the funds to prize away one of these top players will be up to our estranged owners, the Glazer family. But what is clear is that if United keep things the way they are, and Cristiano Ronaldo - God forbid - gets injured, it'll leave a task too great for our current batch of strikers to achieve. 30-goal a season players are extremely hard to come by, but a new high calibre out-and-out striker would be a welcome addition to our table-topping side this summer.

The big question is, who is the ideal man for the job?

Nani Following In Ronaldo's Footsteps

It appears that history is repeating itself.

For the majority of the season the jury has been out amongst United fans over our latest Portuguese winger signed from Sporting Lisbon. Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani's first season in England has seen moments of occasional brilliance marred by inconsistency and the repeated failure to choose the right option.

However, on Easter Sunday, the 21-year-old came off the bench to put the final nail in Liverpool's coffin by slamming home a superb strike past Pepe Reina.

The goal will have done wonders for Nani's confidence as well as the confidence of the United faithful in the youngster's ability.

Nani's effective cameo performance was another in a recent string of impressive displays, and it seems that the talent is there for him to complement his international teammate on the opposite wing and to establish himself as United's first choice on the left flank.

With Ryan Giggs once again showing his age against Liverpool - sadly becoming an increasingly peripheral figure in the matches he plays in - Nani's recent rise to prominence is a welcome sight and gives our supporters hope that we have the man to step into the long shadow of the Welshman.

The Portuguese international still has a long way to go before he becomes the finished article. Despite the moments which help to strengthen the comparisons with the best player in the Premiership, Ronaldo; the young pretender still has a frustrating tendency to attempt the audacious or to go for glory rather than play in a teammate.

If there's one lesson that the career of Cristiano Ronaldo has taught United fans, though, it's not to judge a youngster in their first couple of seasons. Nani is on the same learning curve as Ronaldo was four seasons ago but has shown more than enough glimpses of quality to suggest he may one day emulate the successes of his elder compatriot.

This summer could provide a golden opportunity for Nani to make a name for himself on the international scene with the European Championships taking place in Austria and Switzerland. If Scolari opts to play Nani, the chance will be there for the 21-year-old to have a similar impact as what Ronaldo had at Euro 2004 - where he helped to spearhead Portugal's run to the final of the tournament, losing somewhat unfortunately to eventual winners Greece.

It would be perfect if Nani comes back from Euro 2008 as a more mature and well-rounded player. These tournaments are often the making of talented youngsters such as Nani, and is precisely what happened to Ronaldo after the last European Championships. But does Nani really possess the talent to become anywhere near as effective as Ronaldo?

The past couple of months have given our fans a renewed sense of optimism in the search for Giggs' eventual replacement, and if Nani can be half as successful as our current number seven, Old Trafford will once again be graced with two of the finest wingers in world football.

Rooney - The Heartbeat of United

Whilst Cristiano Ronaldo revelled in the limelight of his decisive goal against Derby on Saturday afternoon, celebrating in dramatic fashion by signaling each of his five missed chances on the fingers of his hand, the player who provided the telling cross, Wayne Rooney, lept in the air as if he'd scored the winner himself, as his team finally got the goal they were searching for.

Although Ronaldo was understandably overjoyed to have been the man to brake the deadlock, Rooney's delight at the team scoring was also evident - and was another clear sign of just how much the Croxteth born striker loves playing for the Manchester based club.

And it's not just his passion which makes Rooney indispensable to the team - the statistics also showcase the Scouser's positive influence on the team. For each of United's four losses in the Premiership during this campaign, Rooney's name did not featured on any of the team sheets.

His winning mentality and aggression always seems to give United an added edge when he's in the team. Critics may point to the number of goals he's scored during this campaign and assess his season's performance as average at best; but the 22-year-old's work rate has once again been unrivalled, whilst his link-up play with Carlos Tevez and the free-scoring Ronaldo has also been a joy to watch and is a major factor as to why United currently sit at the top of the Premiership.

Rooney possesses all of the hallmarks of being a future United captain. A leader on the field, there also appears to have been a transformation in his ability to channel his aggression in the right manner. He has matured a lot since his early days at Old Trafford, when his indiscipline appeared to get the better of him on more than one occasion, letting not only himself down but the club as well.

This welcome change can be largely credited to the influence Sir Alex Ferguson has had on the England striker. The pair have struck up a great professional relationship as a result of the personality traits they share. Both have an insatiable desire to keep winning, and a fiery determination to ensure the team doesn't go down without a fight. It's often noted that a player can imitate their manager's personality on the pitch, and there is no truer an example than in this particular case.

However the Manchester United manager knew the youngster had to curb his temper to a degree, to stop the tally of needless bookings and reckless sendings off - and the zero red cards to Rooney's name this season suggests Ferguson is well on his way to succeeding.

Despite being overshadowed by the imperious form of his Portuguese teammate, Rooney has still managed to chip in with 15 goals this season. He has also tallied up more assists than anyone else in the Manchester United squad, once again detailing his ability to observe the game and his willingness to put his teammates before himself if they're in a better position to score.

This unselfishness could be the reason why Rooney has not hit more than 20 goals so far this season, but although he may come under the category of 'striker', Rooney could never be considered to be your traditional English center-forward. After all, which other striker in the country so often pops up at left-back to cover the absent full-back or runs the length of the pitch to win back the ball he'd just conceded?

This appetite to work hard for the team seems to give each of his teammates a mental boost and is a reason why the former Everton striker should be a front runner for the captain's armband once Gary Neville ends his playing days in the not too distant future.

In spite of Ronaldo's heroics this season, without Wayne Rooney the United engine is without its key component. Ronaldo may be the face of much of United's successes this season and rightly so, but Rooney has been the heartbeat.

Paul Scholes - The Consummate Professional

Has there ever been a player quite like Paul Scholes? A footballer held in the highest regard by his fellow professionals yet never fully appreciated by certain sections of the media. Admired by his own fans, but often overlooked by others.

To some, Scholes is the finest English midfielder of his generation. Over the years his impeccable touch on the ball, his ability to float an immaculate pass to perfection inside the opposition half and his lethal eye for goal has seen the man dubbed the 'Ginger Prince' win fans from football's highest echelon including Pavel Nedved, Cesc Fabregas and Zinedine Zidane.

Like Zidane, Paul Scholes is one of only a select few with the ability to transform the game into an artform. To make football appear so simple is a tell-tale sign of a footballing genius, and Scholes undoubtedly fits comfortably into this category. When he receives the ball it's often noted the amount of time and space he has to look up and pick a pass, even in the middle of a frenetic Premiership match. And that's the beauty of Paul Scholes - he's a master of his trade. For everything he does is uncomplicated but effective, simplified but ultimately, class.

Yet despite an illustrous career spanning 14 seasons, it's always felt like something's been missing, as if the world doesn't know how good a player Scholes has been. Under-appreicated would probably be a more accurate assessment, although not amongst the Manchester United support, who have been fortunate enough to witness Scholes' artistry and genius season after season.

So just why is one of the most technically gifted footballers this country has ever produced still not lauded in the way he should be?

One possible answer is his failure to truly inspire at international level. Scholes ended his England career somewhat prematurely by most people's reckoning, in the aftermath of Euro 2004. At the time, 29-year-old Scholes said that he would be retiring as he felt it was the best decision for himself and his family. No fuss, no bitterness, this was Paul Scholes in a nutshell.

However, had the Manchester United midfielder opted to launch an uncharacteristic attack on the England management, he would have been well within his rights to. Scholes was forced to operate from the left-side of midfield on numerous occasions, a position alien to him. Although hindsight always makes it easier to assess these situations, the England management's unwillingness to deploy Scholes in his natural central midfield role during Euro 2004 was a criminal waste of talent.

His shy and retiring nature could provide the most likely explanation as to why Scholes rarely finds himself propelled into the limelight - he simply doesn't like the attention. In fact, despite almost 15 years playing top-flight football for the most famous football club on the planet, you can probably count the number of television interviews Scholes has been a part of on one hand.

He is the consumate professional. Surrounded by a world of celebrity, Scholes has shown none of that interests him. One T-Shirt sold outside Old Trafford presents an image of the Oldham born United midfielder, next to a motto which encapsulates Scholes' attitude towards what he does perfectly: 'Get up, Go to work, Play the game, Get showered, Go home'.

The way the 33-year-old has always gone about his business bares similarities to another United legend, Bobby Charlton. Regarded as one of the true gentlemen of the game, the World Cup winner has praised the way Scholes acts both on and off the pitch. Although it's now too late for Scholes' to be remembered as an England legend in the same way Charlton is, he will forever be a legend at Manchester United. But there's one major objective Scholes will be desperatly striving to achieve before he finally hangs up his masterful boots - a Champions League final appearance.

With Manchester United safely into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Scholes will be hoping that his team can go two steps further as they did in 1999 and reach the final once more. After missing the famous 1999 Champions League final through suspension, Sir Alex Ferguson has always been sympathetic towards Scholes' unfortunate suspension nine years ago. The United manager recently announced that if the Red Devils manage to reach May's final in Moscow, Scholes' name would be the first on teamsheet.

"I'm not a sentimentalist by any means. My one aim has always been to manage the club in the right way.

"But if we got to the Champions League final again then I'm telling you that I would have to be sentimental when it came to choosing my team for that one. I'd have to pick Paul to play because he deserves it."

And deserve it he most certainly would. If Scholes is to lay his own personal ghosts of '99 to rest by appearing in a Champions League final, perhaps then will the Ginger Prince be truly appreciated by those who continue to overlook him even today.

Ronaldo's Plea For More Protection

The Premiership is famed for its unforgiving nature. Tough tackling by no-nonsense defenders has always been a characteristic trait of English football throughout its history. However, Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has called for more protection from referees and fears that he may even have to change his style of play in order to protect himself from injury.

The Portuguese winger made the comments in the aftermath of United's 1-0 FA Cup exit to Portsmouth on Saturday. Ronaldo was particularly aggrieved after being denied a penalty against Sylvain Distin, who appeared to body-check the 22-year-old with little interest in playing the ball.

"Refs don't protect skillful players. I think about the Arsenal player (Eduardo) and I'm scared sometimes to do skills because some players do unbelievable fouls and the ref protects the defender, not the skilled player! It's very disappointing and I'm thinking a lot about changing my game. When referees don't give penalties, yellow cards or reds, it's difficult to play."

As arguably the most gifted footballer playing in the Premiership today, Ronaldo's contemplation to adjust his game in order to avoid being injured is a disappointing admission and is a thought process which should be unnecessary.

Players such as Ronaldo should not be bullied into changing their natural game; fearing that if they don't then they'll end up on the treatment table like the player the Portuguese international refers to in his rant, Eduardo. After the Croatian's horrific injury was broadcast across the globe two-weeks ago, there have been calls for referees to clamp down on reckless challenges.

However, in light of the current inconsistencies in the English game - with the FA seemingly unable to even establish a set of ground rules when it comes to what constitutes a dangerous challenge - Ronaldo's call for more protection is likely to fall on deaf ears.

It would be a travesty if a player as gifted as Cristiano Ronaldo was forced to curb the fancy footwork as a last resort, to ensure he is never on the reciving end of a career threatening tackle. Although given Ronaldo's
persistent determination to fool the opponent, it would seem more likely that the United winger will leave the Premiership altogether before we see the last of his dazzling array of skills.

Many supporters of other Premiership clubs may well perceive this message from Ronaldo as a whinge and are unlikely to feel too sympathetic towards the Portuguese's plight given the history between the winger and the England national team. A large proportion of the same set of fans still, somewhat sadly, continue to bare a grudge against Ronaldo.

It's hardly surprising though, many English football fans follow the tabloid's automatic search for a scapegoat as soon as England's failings are cruelly exposed tournament after tournament, and possibly still throw darts at pictures of Diego Maradona, David Beckham, Phil Neville, David Seaman, Urs Meier and so on...

But admirers of beautiful football respect the talent that Ronaldo possesses. As fans of the Premiership, we are fortunate that one of the finest players of the current generation of footballers plys his trade in this country.

So if the FA is to ignore Ronaldo's plea for more protection, what sort of message will this send out to other young world-class players? If a promising youngster witnesses the struggle Ronaldo faces on a weekly basis to avoid being taken out the game, it seems inevitable that Spain or Italy will be their preferred destination.

So, a balance has to be struck somehow. By introducing firmer punishments for dangerous challenges, the Premiership could well lose a hint of its uncompromising nature. It would be a shame it the famous hustle and bustle was squeezed out of the English game and this is not the intention.

But to keep hold of players like Ronaldo and to inspire the next generation of world-class footballers to play in this country, the FA needs to ensure they are not scared off totally by rogue defenders with only one thought on their mind - to eliminate the threat by any means necessary.

Manchester United's right-back dilemma

With Wes Brown's Manchester United future still in severe jeopardy and club captain Gary Neville's seemingly endless struggle to regain match fitness, the Red Devils could well be in danger of starting next season without a right-back. So what options will Ferguson be looking to consider if worse comes to worse?

Ideally, Ferguson will be hoping that Brown's agent, Paul Martin, will take a step back from ensuring his client meets his own excessive wage demands - thought to be in the region of over £50,000 per week. Although a long-term servant of the club, at 28-years-old and having finally established himself as the first choice United right-back in Neville's absence, Brown's failure to sign on the dotted line for another several seasons is a baffling one. With Aston Villa, West Ham and Newcastle United all reportedly interested, the England defender will not be short of takers, but it's also unlikely that he'll enjoy success on the same scale away from Old Trafford.

At 33-years-old, Gary Neville appears to be edging nearer to the winter of his career. After breaking his ankle 11 months ago, his road to recovery has been long and arduous and despite several reserve team outings, there's no guarantee the aging defender will be as reliable as he was pre-injury. There's no questioning the United captain's desire and determination to get back into the fold, but although his heart and mind might feel one way about regaining his place at right back, his body will be telling him differently. Like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it's likely to be that if Neville is ever to properly return, it'd only be a matter of time before another injury finally forces him to hang up his boots.

As a result, Ferguson is likely to be considering his options of bringing new blood into United's defence. After Alan Hutton's move to Tottenham in January, the 66-year-old may have to look further afield if he's to bring in a replacement worthy of the position Gary Neville made his own for club and country for more than a decade.

Such is the success that Patrice Evra has enjoyed since his arrival from AS Monaco two years ago, the Manchester United manager might search for a full-back in a similar mould to the Frenchman. Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm is a player who has reportedly caught the Scot's attention. After being criticised by Franz Beckenbauer for, in his view, failing to emulate the impressive form shown during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Lahm's future with the German giant's has been questioned. However, it's likely that United will face stiff competition from Barcelona who are keeping close tabs on the situation.

Another possibility is 17-year-old Brazilian Rafael. He, along with his his twin brother, Fabio, have been snapped up by Ferguson with high long-term hopes for both of them. The twins who have been labelled 'the new Neville brothers' - solely because they are brothers at Manchester United - are both attack minded full-backs who have shown signs of being blessed with the same Samba flair which catapulted Sevilla's Daniel Alves to stardom and which helped cement Cafu's status as World Cup legend. Both love to fly forward and get at the opposition's defence, but only time will tell how they cope in the Premier League.

Rafael will be eligible to play for United from the start of next season, but is unlikely to cement his place in the first team for at least another couple of seasons yet. However, like his Brazilian compatriot Anderson, success is not beyond the realms of possibility, particularly when the right-back spot is up for grabs.

Elsewhere Danny Simpson is a player who has shown promise. A local lad from Salford, the 21-year-old could feature more in the coming months if Brown is to continue to stall over the offer of a new contract. Ferguson is fully aware of the importance of bringing through local talent who share the same passion and mentality as many of the fans, and Simpson has also been tagged as a potential successor to Neville.

So the coming few months will reveal the answer to many questions. Has Gary Neville has played his final game for the club? Will Brown be plying his trade away from Old Trafford next season? And if the answer to these questions is 'yes', just who will be the man called upon to complement Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra in United's back four?