Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was simultaneously toasting Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance while admitting the club’s current formula was unsustainable after another get out of jail Champions League result this morning.
Ronaldo scored both goals in United’s 2-2 draw with Atalanta in Bergamo, the second in stoppage time to keep the Red Devils on top of Group F after four games.
But the 36-year-old legend’s muted embrace of under-pressure manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at fulltime told the story: how long can this keep on happening?
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“Viva Ronaldo,” Bosnich said on Stan Sport’s Champions League coverage.
“One of the greatest of all-time. All my bias aside, an ex-teammate of mine, I want him (Solskjaer) to do so well, but this type of thing is unsustainable. There’s no doubt about that, long-term, relying on this brilliance from Ronaldo against better teams.
“The improvement has got to come quick smart. I really can’t see them winning the Champions League or the Premier League.”
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The Stan Sport panel was joined by British football journalist Jonathan Wilson, who compared Ronaldo to an “incredible, luxurious wallpaper” who was papering over United’s cracks while also being partly responsible for the fissures in the first place.
“And so eventually this beautiful wallpaper becomes a toxic wallpaper and it eats through the wall,” Wilson argued, drawing interest from Bosnich.
“He’s scoring the goals so what are you insinuating, what cracks?” Bosnich asked.
“Football has changed,” Wilson responded, pointing to Ronaldo’s lack of defensive workrate at his advanced age.
“The game at the very highest level – (fellow Premier League managers Thomas) Tuchel, (Jurgen) Klopp, (Pep) Guardiola – it’s so much about those pressing shapes and being able to make minor adjustments to that game to game.
“And if you’re not able to do that then you’re not playing at the top level.
“So yes he’s scoring goals but he’s affecting the whole structure of the rest of the team.
“So although he’s got these 11 goals in nine games, do you actually think United are better now than they were last season when they finished second in the Premier League, because I think they’re worse despite those goals.”
Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster was not convinced by the argument that United were a lesser side with Ronaldo in their ranks.
“My question is whether Solskjaer’s capable of building a team around him,” Foster said.
“The way that it (the draw) occurred demonstrates that there’s huge problems.
“You’ve been outplayed for significant parts of both games (against Atalanta).”
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British football journalist Mark Pougatch, sideline in Bergamo for Stan Sport, likened the United experience to watching the same film over and over again.
“Let’s be blunt guys, this is a group of disparate individuals being rescued time and time again by a genius,” Pougatch said.
“It’s almost like a glorified school team. He’ll get us out of jail, the rest of us, we’re good on our day and maybe if he doesn’t, one of us will do it instead.
“But more often that not it’s him. It is completely unsustainable.
“I mean surely the noise you can hear is laughter coming from north London that they got in there before everyone else did with Antonio Conte (the new Tottenham manager).
“You just wonder how long it can go on for before something breaks.”