I can’t say Erik Ten Hag has handled the whole Ronaldo situation well – the decision by the club to keep him if the manager wasn’t going to play him was only going to end in tears – but I also understand, as a manager, he’s making his mark on the club now and has to take action.
They’re different situations, obviously, but you could compare it to Arteta with Aubameyang last season. He dealt with that well, stuck to his guns and now Arsenal are seeing the benefits.
Manchester United’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after missing a chance during the UEFA Europa League group E football match between Sheriff and Manchester United at Zimbru stadium in Chisinau on September 15, 2022. (Photo by Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP via Getty Images)
With Ronaldo, after the summer, you knew every time he was left out of the team there’d be loads of questions, and if they lost games people will say he should be back in the team. No team needs that.
But take the Ronaldo situation out of the equation and Ten Hag is doing a really good job with a side that was struggling last year.
This circus takes away from the team doing really well.
There are always players complaining at every club. Anyone who’s not getting picked, especially if they’re high profile, there’ll be negative things said about the manager, but everyone else just gets on with it.
If you’re not playing, you’re not going to be happy. with the manager That’s part and parcel of the game.
If you are playing you think he’s great!
It’s just highlighted even more when one of the best players that has ever lived is involved.
Never Say Never
You’d never say never with him because he’s so talented, but the way it’s going I can’t really see a way back for him at United if he’s refused to go on.
Of course, you could look at Granit Xhaka or someone like that who has turned it around after some incidents, but it looks unlikely.
It’s good for United that the team is playing well despite whatever’s going on with Ronaldo though. It was one of their best games of the season on Wednesday night.
No one’s going to be worried about players who haven’t played when you win like that. That’s the last thing I’d think about after I’ve won, no matter who it is.
Blunt Spurs
Spurs were disappointing too.
They had an off day. Lloris was in good form and Untied peppered the goal with shots.
Tottenham were disappointing – but I’ve seen them be disappointing in lots of games and win this season.
It’s the way they’re set-up in many ways.
When you win games playing like that – they beat City last season playing similarly – it looks like a masterstroke.
But if you’re very defensive and lose, it looks bad. You can only be this negative so much when you’ve so many fantastic forward-thinking players.
When it doesn’t come off it looks bad.
Sometimes you think “just go out and beat them” when they play weaker teams, because you’ve got better players. It’s very pragmatic.
Conte will always want more players and I could see him wanting to strengthen defensively in January,
Steven Gerrard was doing a good job at Villa last season and was fantastic at Rangers. Unfortunately, the players weren’t producing and Steven’s been in the game long enough to know that can’t continue.
But I can see him back in football, no doubt. He’s got too much to give to not be.
It’s hard to know who will come. Sean Dyche would be a contender for me.
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The fans might want the sexier names of Pochettino or Tuchel but I’ve worked with Sean Dyche and I know he would be a good choice for them.
There are definitely worse teams than Villa in the league so I think once someone goes in there, galvanises them, gets that new manager buzz going around the place, they’ll be fine.
