Ronaldo Thread

Oh that video was hilarious!! I reckon Ronaldo was avoiding any kind of eye contact with Ibra as he was uncomfortable with Ibra staring at him.

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

He is cuptied Debs, having played for Real Madrid earlier in the UCL season.

Thank you! I thought that applied to all CL games for the remainder of the season!

I have to side with Jamie about the fitness issue. A player who is not fit, and that includes being overweight, is far more prone to injuries. Obviously an onjured player will not do us alot of good, even if he is a goal scorer...or should I say ESPECIALLY if he's a goal scorer. To be honest, I was surprised that Ron didn't arrive to us already injured, and I'm holding my breath as to how soon he'll pick up an injury. All I can think of is his disaterous last season or 2 with Inter, when he was "returning" from injury only to injure himself b/c of his weight and level of fitness. Hopefully the trainers at Milan can get him whipped into shape. If you ask me, he could stand to drop a few kilos, b/c that would improve his speed and agility. He can have muscle and NOT look the way he does--just look at the rest of our team.

Just noticed the drucurl posted the Ron weights 100 kilos. Maldini weights 85 K, so far the heaviest that I've spotted on the squad, but it's all solid muscle. And btw, I see Ron is listed at 90....and is only 3 cm shorter than Maldini. Sorry, the man just looks plump...plain and simple...

So drucurl now is in serious command of this match! A magic shot via pic and video, has left Jim_UK coughing up dust, and looking bewildered.

Scores:
drucurl: 6 points
Jim_UK: 4 points..but wait, Debs, has joined forces with Jim, and now with her latest post, has given him a much needed point!

But is it over?

Jim:5 points
dru:6 points

Oh, and by the way drucurl, the West Indies beat Pakistan in Jamaica not T&T...and again, I am just an observer/score-keeper in this match.

Originally Posted by drucurl

Top level performances are based more heavily on talent level and motivation than on anything else, fitness helps with consistency. Some of the best games ever by legends in any sport took place when these players were most unfit e.g. Pele's scoring with a supposedly broken foot, Michael Jordan defeating the Jazz with a stomach flu, Isiah Thomas leading his team to the championship with ankle tape etc etc

Top performances do rely on talent, obviously. However, for a top athlete to accomplish difficult tasks while ill or injured, they need to have that basis of fitness to help carry them thru it.

Case in point--a very dear friend of mine, the woman I assist with costuming plays, is in very poor health. Any small additional ailment sets her back drastically. She has no fitness--she has NO RESERVES whatsoever to help her overcome any additional taxing of her system. She doesn't work out, she can barely walk so that's out of the question for her. I'm no athlete but in comparison I do have the reserves I've needed in the past 4 months to overcome or avoid several colds, the flu, and the viruses going around school. I can feel "off" but I can function and teach.

I can acknowledge that Ron has given the team a lift. I happen to think if he'd drop 5-7 kilos, HE would notice the difference and his performance on the field would improve as well. It would certainly take the stress off of his knees and enable him to run after passes more effectively. The talent may be there still, the dropping of some poundage would allow it to actually show. I feel that right now, he's living dangerously, and one bad tackle will take him out. If he has reserves--as in hidden fitness--is it enough to allow him to shake off even minor injuries? We don't know that and have no way of knowing it until something happens to him.

Warro mon' yuh sayin dat yuh go let ah brethren get double teamed an' aaaaal' yuh ah go do is keep score? bloodclaaaaaaaart!! Fire ah go bun de ronaldo 'aters dem! Bless!

If he can produce for us, I won't continue to hate him as I have for the past 9 years....however I don't think I need a gun held to my head forcing me to like someone who sets my teeth on edge and has since the first time I saw him.

drucurl, mi neva doubt fi a minute seh you couldn hangle all a di "ronaldo hata dem" pan yuh own...an I seh fyah, judgement an justice fi dem!! BLAAZE! RED HAAAAAAT!

Debs...poor anology, and this has cost team Jim_UK 0.5 points!

Score:

drucurl: 6
Jim_UK: 4

Poor understanding. As with the topic of Gila, we all have our own opinions. Keeping score isn't going to help any.

Well Debs, this "match" and the "scoring", is all in jest, sorry if you were unable to see that.

I fail to see though, in defense of my position, how one can realistically compare a professional footballer, with a lady who has probably never done any fitness training in her entire life....just to me, not really relevant.

But I dont have the strength to discuss this side issue, and, the match may have to be declared for dru, as Jim seems to have thrown in the towel.

I am just being facetious with this scoring, and as Zlat, Tony, and others have found it amusing, and actually bought into the "match", I am surprised you havent seen the humor at all...even my point deduction was off!!

Points standing:
(Final??)
drucurl: 6
Jim_UK: 4.5

I'm going to have the scorekeeper investigated--I think, mon, he was paid off!!

Originally Posted by Debs

If he can produce for us, I won't continue to hate him as I have for the past 9 years....however I don't think I need a gun held to my head forcing me to like someone who sets my teeth on edge and has since the first time I saw him.

Why do you hate him so much Debs?

I mean, after all, he is a footballer...and does his job, arguably, among the best who have ever played the game, as his world cup tally suggests.

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

drucurl, mi neva doubt fi a minute seh you couldn hangle all a di "ronaldo hata dem" pan yuh own...an I seh fyah, judgement an justice fi dem!! BLAAZE! RED HAAAAAAT!

Debs...poor anology, and this has cost team Jim_UK 0.5 points!

Score:

drucurl: 6
Jim_UK: 4

FFFFFIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRREEEEEE!!!!!!
Shizzle mi' nizzle'
Shankle meh ankle
Sidney mi kidney!!
Blessings in de name ah de most high!!
Me ah bun dong de ronaldo 'aters like de herbs
thanks for de point shaving mi brethren!
Mi nah 'orry mi know yuh ahffi slew dem!!
++++++++

drucurl, I am being as impartial as I possibly can in this....

Oh, and I had to take the "Buju Bantan line" out of ur post, as (mayb u didnt kno, not speaking Jamaican patois) but many people could possibly have taken offense to that line.

And Debs, betandwin has already investigated me, and found me totally impartial!

..sigh...what is the world comming to when a Jamaican edits a classic Buju Banton lyric
Understand though
but I speak very fluent Jamaican ...spent four years in UWI with them

hmm, I think both sides are wrong and right here. Firstly to say one is more important than the other seems a little wrong really, as to most players to attempt to maintain high levels in both should be key priorities.

Ronaldo at this point hasn't got great fitness, but his talent has been making up for it, as his statistics show. However, there is clear potential for us to get more out of him, as right now though he can perform, he seems to still be lacking some sharpness, agility and stamina. For a player of his stature, who will be expected to perform regularly at a high level with the ability to play a full 90 minutes in most matches, his fitness simply isn't good enough right now.

On the other hand, we cannot reject his claims for a spot on the team purely based on fitness. Though he may not be our fittest forward, he is by far our most talented (not including Kaka in the forwards group), and since his arrival has been far more influential on and off the field than either Pippo, Gila or Oliveira have all season. So to disregard his achievements due to fitness wouldn't be correct.

It also depends on the individual and their style of play. For example, a player of Kaka's or Gattuso's qualities, where an extensive amount of running throughout the match is key to their game, fitness is a massive issue. However, a player like Pirlo or Gila, where the amount of movement is reduced on the field, fitness isn't relied on as much as Kaka and Rino do. However, that is not to say Pirlo and Gila can be lazy, and Rino and Kaka shouldn't work on technique. The best players usually find a reasonable balance. Gattuso is often complained at about his ability on the ball, but over the past couple of years and during the last World Cup, he was competent on the ball at the least. Pirlo has often been criticised for lacklustre performances, and there's no coincidence his improvement of late and under Lippi happends to have resulted from greater freedom, and the chance to run forward more.

Ronaldo is a top class player, and right now due to fitness isn't as mobile as he can be. However, his ability on the ball, and his greater strength have made him a greater target man up front (closer in mould to Gila), though it is not his ideal role, as it is not his natural position. Currently, we have to rely on his technique, and that is more than adequate for the time being. However, we have much more potential to utilise with him and if his fitness doesn't improve further, then we won't maximise returns from him, which is our minimum target.