Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea bailed out Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in Man United’s Champions League win over Villarreal.
Ronaldo won it
Cristiano Ronaldo had the first and last word at Old Trafford, or words: Viva Ronaldo. That’s how it started and how it ended, with Ronaldo bookending an uproarious first European night at the 111-year-old ground this season.
Ronaldo retrieved the ball quickly after Paco Alcacer put Villarreal ahead. Diogo Dalot’s head dropped while Ronaldo looked to the heavens. It was always curious that a player who once monopolised the Champions League returned to a club that has progressed to the quarter-finals twice in the last 10 years.
That seemed to dawn on Ronaldo as he digested Villarreal’s goal, who then reminded his followers why he had returned. For the second time this month, and the first for his new club, he whipped his shirt off in added time to leave opponents on their knees.
It had not been vintage Ronaldo. He was starved of service and often immobile. There is only so long he can be repressed, though, and when the roar greeted the 95th-minute winner, one did not need to peer through the rain to identify the matchwinner.
Ronaldo’s first appearance for United after the victorious 2008 Champions League final was against Villarreal and this was a warmer occasion. Back then, the ovation was lukewarm, chiefly due to his failed attempt to engineer a transfer to Spain.
Now Ronaldo is, as his football father Sir Alex Ferguson put it, like a conquering Caesar returning to Rome. Those in the colosseum stayed long after full-time in the hope Ronaldo would re-emerge. “Bring on Ronaldo,” they chorused.
Ronaldo was the sole survivor from United’s first meeting with Villarreal in September 2005 and plundered 13 goals against them for Real Madrid. They had contained him with relative ease until he knocked down Fred’s cross, sparking a scramble he soon capitalised on.
A Moldovan team upset Real Madrid and Benfica battered Barcelona this week. Villarreal, Spain’s seventh-placed side last season, left Manchester with nothing and will lament not winning.
United were a minute away from two defeats, a draw and one goal – via a full-back – in three home games. Little wonder Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked like he had got away with one as he turned to the dugout, his eyes alight and with a smile as wide as a Cheshire Cat’s and clenched his fists in ‘Fergie time’.
Solskjaer had effected the outcome with his substitutions. Edinson Cavani squandered a free header on an open goal before Fred and Lingard sparked the late melee. Solskjaer insisted it was not a ‘must-win game’ and he may think differently now following the late euphoria.
This was still not the cogent response United desperately needed. David de Gea, the standout performer again, implored his teammates to ‘come on’ with seconds left and they heard him. De Gea and Ronaldo have staved off the vultures for now.
For a fixture that had produced two goals in six hours of football, its latest instalment was not in keeping with the pattern. Villarreal had six excellent chances before Paco Alcacer’s breakthrough. United responded swiftly through Alex Telles’s pure volley and, as celebrated as that technique was, it was also reflective of United’s problems: the reliance on moments.
Peculiarly, Solskjaer was hardly present on the touchline as the pressure valve tightened. Mike Phelan, Solskjaer’s assistant, patrolled the technical area for most of the second-half. United’s improvement was minimal.
United delayed their first substitutions until the 74th minute and the second batch included Lingard and Fred but not Donny van de Beek. The unused Dutchman headed back to the dugout from his warm-up and threw his bib to the floor. Solskjaer will have no sympathy after the aforementioned duo’s parts in the winning goal.
Solskjaer’s selections were purposeful but the balance of the front six jarred with Villarreal’s 4-3-3 formation and there was a dependence on either individual brilliance or the counter-attack. United were blunt through both means until Telles was the unlikely source of inspiration.
Contrary to their obdurate reputation, Villarreal were enterprising and dominant, with only a combination of their profligacy and De Gea’s agility preventing them from breaking the fixture’s Champions League duck, a resistance that lasted eight minutes into the second-half. Pau Torres, still in situ after United’s interest, embarked on a more captivating run than any of the United forwards.
The flags that fly atop the north stand signal the countries represented by United players and the Portugal flag should possibly be more prominent, such is the reverence for Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, United’s captain in the absence of the injured Harry Maguire. Maguire eschewed the comfort of a hospitality box to watch on adjacent to the bench.
Solskjaer may have considered consulting him, such was the ease with which Arnaut Danjuma was serviced down United’s right-hand side. His first attempt was in keeping with the fixture’s history of goalless games and his second drew a superb save from David de Gea.
Dalot was rinsed by Danjuma, signed by Bournemouth for £13.7million in 2019 before leaving after a year in the Championship. Victor Lindelof was about as secure as a sieve and Raphael Varane was afflicted by the defensivitis when he erred to gift Paco Alcacer a free hit. Alex Telles was porous but, mercifully for the Brazilian, Villarreal targeted United’s right-hand side.
United attempted to incorporate a back three whenever they had the ball and the unthinkable switch would have been to introduce Eric Bailly. One can imagine how the Old Trafford crowd would have responded to a defender’s arrival with the game goalless after United lost their opening group game.
Dalot’s role was so baffling he moved into midfield regularly when United had the ball and Solskjaer twice emerged from the dugout to issue instructions. De Gea made four saves alone in the first-half and Alcacer and Alberto Moreno squandered glaring openings.
Villarreal punished Solskjaer’s failure to change the formation or personnel by pitting Danjuma against Dalot and his cross was craftily converted by Alcacer. That stiired United, and then Ronaldo stirred the crowd.
Source:Operanewsapp.com