RedsUnite: a man utd blog

There is no need for great analysis. By any conceivable metric Manchester United were the superior side today. Outclassing Pompey from the start, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United sealed the victory after only 13 minutes of play and the remaining 77 minutes were a mere formality. One could analyze the minutes that came after Cristiano Ronaldo’s absolutely sublime free-kick, but that goal displayed everything that separates Manchester United from Portsmouth; nothing further needed to be proven. The exhibition that followed featured a free-flowing United side whose dynamic play was labeled as “breathtaking” by Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp. United’s failure to score beyond the early period of the match could be viewed with some concern, but both sides seemed to accept the match was decided.

If anyone had any doubts about the tone of the match, Wayne Rooney, who’s countenance usually bears the frustrations he experiences, was all smiles despite a disappointing evening. He knew, as everyone involved knew, that the match was long over when Cristiano Ronaldo stepped on the pitch. Watching Cristiano Ronaldo play football is a gift. The truly enthralling aspect to his play is that he doesn’t seem to be approaching the ceiling of his potential. He is improving in every fixture, a juggernaut of insuppressible force, scoring at will and single-handedly dominating oppositions. He is the complete footballer. There is no aspect to his game that is in need of improvement, yet all aspects of his game are in constant evolution and advancement. I watch his play with my mouth agape, wondering if there is anything in football that is unachievable for him. For every goal he scores there is an opportunity narrowly missed. For every free kick that squeezes into the upper 90 there is one that barely scrapes wide. He has yet to play his perfect game. He is the beneficiary of a wealth of chances, both provided and self-made, and while he is clinical in taking advantage of the opportunities provided to him, he is still wasteful at times.

I just wonder what will happen that majestic day when it all clicks. When those outstretched fingers that so often frustrate him are just late in their arrival. When his first touch never fails him and the ball always presents itself for striking in rhythm. When he contacts his free-kicks with the precision that makes them dip just under the crossbar, as it did tonight, not just over it. Maybe such a day will never happen. Maybe it is the nature of the game that not all chances are well taken. But when you watch him play as he did in the first 13 minutes of today’s match, you see a footballer for whom the game is different and you must wonder: What will happen on that day?