Cristiano Ronaldo scored first goal of the season but new cameo role is HURTING him and Man United

Cristiano Ronaldo was relieved after breaking his longest drought in 16 years by scoring his first goal of the season in Manchester United’s win over Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League.

But his attack from the penalty spot didn’t tell the full story as it was another disappointing performance in what was a frustrating campaign for the 37-year-old.

The Red Devils have undergone a transformation under Erik ten Hag this season – a transformation that the Portuguese superstar has largely left out.

In eight appearances, he has only started three games, only one of which has been in the Premier League, and has yet to score from open play.

Ronaldo has built a career by being the go-to man at whatever club he plays, and has built a legacy that will see him go down in history as one of the best the sport has ever seen.

Even with United’s disappointing campaign last year, his staggering numbers didn’t slow down. But this year they paint a different picture and are a shadow of the man who is just one goal short of a career total of 700.

So far this season he has had to accept a new reality from the player who couldn’t be dropped to now where United fans have largely accepted his new cameo role.

It was no secret that Ronaldo wanted to leave Old Trafford this summer after failing to qualify for the Champions League, but the list of candidates was not nearly as long as he or his agent Jorge Mendes had hoped.

In the end, no European giant had a strong interest in signing him, possibly up to his age and the huge financial package he would demand.

For United and Ronaldo, it was never the plan to make things as sour as they have been. As the five-time Ballon d’or winner returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in a blaze of glory, after rejecting the advances of rivals Manchester City, the ambition was to drag United out of the mire.

United had a bad season last time under Ole Gunnar Solakjaer and then Ralf Rangnick, and despite Ronaldo scoring 24 goals in all competitions, there were still questions from former professionals and fans whether his signing was a positive for the Red Devils.

The performance with his place on the bench this season, in which they won four out of five games, proved that they can also perform without a man who was the distant top goalscorer last season.

There have been discussions about whether Ronaldo is now a disadvantage to United’s squad, with some suggesting that he is slowing them down and limiting the efficiency of their attack.

By contrast, forwards including Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, as well as playmaker Bruno Fernandes, have thrived under Ten Hag and flipped their form after miserable campaigns in the 2021-22 season.

Ronaldo’s stats after six Premier League appearances this season do not reflect well compared to his figures from last season.

Last year he averaged 80.5 minutes and 40.5 touches per game, which has dropped to 34.5 minutes and 18 touches per game at the same stage this season.

While his shots on target and goals are understandably lower, his off-goal shots are the same as last season (eight) – despite only playing half in the same period last year.

It shows that even when he’s on the pitch, he doesn’t seize his opportunities and fail to find the kind of scoresheet he showed last season, making him their most important player on the pitch.

Ronaldo was also largely wasteful in possession, giving the ball away 28% of the time he took control of the ball.

It can also be pointed out that Ronaldo is aging and that may be why he is visibly struggling to make the impact he is so known for.

He could still have a part to play at United, even if at the moment it seems best for him to come from the bench rather than from the start.

However, being a mentor off the pitch and acting as a substitute to assist his team-mates in leadership and tactical play can still be crucial for United if they are to be successful this season.

Despite the dropping of Ronaldo and the player’s desire to leave the club, Ten Hag insists he is still happy with the player.

After the win on Thursday, the Dutchman said: ‘He (Ronaldo) is fully committed to this project, fully committed to this team, fully involved, he also has connections that come around him and he builds connections, so I’m happy with that. .’

Last season’s goal tally was impressive given United’s circumstances, but well close to what he has delivered in the past.

It was his lowest total since scoring 23 for United during the 2006–07 season as a 22-year-old.

Since then, he has scored just under 30 goals in all competitions in just one campaign last season – the 2018-19 year at Juventus, where he scored 28.

Ronaldo is someone who lives off the star and it will be frustrating for him to be reduced to a supporting actor.

But Ten Hag may find it difficult to adapt his system to Ronaldo, such a great player as he is, as it seemingly takes away the fluency of his forward line.

Further discussion about his future is likely to intensify again closer to the January transfer window and Ronaldo could look elsewhere so he can finish his career on a high.