stupid tactics question

[MannyJello]

alright, here's a stupid tactical suggestion that I don't think I've ever seen tried, but let me float it out anyway. admittedly I'm a bit of a juveline when it comes to football tactics, only really having followed international club football for the past 6 or 7 years, but let me throw this out anyway.

when you watch United play, it seems that Ronaldo is at his best when he gets a full head of steam and is running at the defense. the defender(s) usually give him plenty of space, not wanting to get too close to him because his speed and control are so good he could just run right round them. so how to stop that?

why not prevent Ronaldo from getting the ball in the first place?

My suggestion would be to take one of your players -- not a defender -- and have stuck on Ronaldo's hip from the opening whistle. No matter where Ronaldo goes, the opponent would be right on top of him, between him and the ball. The moment the opening whistle blows, the opponent runs right over to him and sticks to him like glue the entire game. Always. It would prevent those multitude times when Ronaldo gets the ball on the wing and starts attacking the flank.

The problem with this strategy would be that you effectively lose an attacker, since that player would be stuck to Ronaldo even when your team was on a counterattack. But if it was effective in stopping United's attack, wouldn't it be worth it? It would sort of be like a 10 v 10 match with Ronaldo out of the picture.

Again, not a defender, but some other midfielder whose presence in the defense isn't necessary. So for a team like Chelsea, it would be someone like Kalou, someone who is fast and can keep up with Ronaldo. He doesn't have to be a fantastic defender, he just has to be quick enough to stay with him and have good positioning skills.

The other bonus to this tactic is that Ronaldo is so petulant, he would get all worked up and would lose his focus. Think about how annoyed he would get, and how it would affect him mentally.

So, like I side, sort of a stupid idea, but just curious if anyone has any thoughts. Anyone ever see another team ever do this to anyone?

[Tim]

I think there are two main problems with such an approach MJ.

1. Any good team, which Manure are, will wise up to the fact that you are man marking him, and look to exploit the space that this tactic will leave, allowing their many other good players to do their thing.

2. Man marking, effectively, for 90 mins, is an incredibly hard job and only the very best players who have developed this skill, can actually do it effectively. If you switch off for a second, you've lost your man, and that can be fatal. Someone like Kalou who has no experience of doing this, vs a Ronaldo who is used to escaping defenders to find space, would not have much joy I fear.

I prefer the 'kick the crap out of him but in a kinda subtle way so you don't get sent off' approach, although that isn't easy either!

[TheWestwayWonder]

I think Tim's approach is the one most teams opt for: let him get the ball an when he does kick the crap out of him until he is off his game. However, when you do that, odds are good that player isnt going to make it 90 minutes. Thats what Wilkinson did at Stoke, and he was sent off well before the end, though in fairness he is sh*te

Manny, I think your tactic might be very simple, but its in principle, what many other teams do, except with multiple players rather than one. Obviously on the plus side you can get more fouls in but risk losing him.

But yeah, a manager as canny as Ferguson would surely tell him to keep it up, hold the ball when he gets it and just spot the open man for a crossfield pass. Or would get another creative attacker like Scholes or Berbatov to drop back and support every time he had the ball to give him a get-out option.

[PloKoon13]

Well Chris Coleman did that with Makelele a couple of seasons ago when he was still at Fulham.

We lost.

[Ruh Buh Juh]

alright, here's a stupid tactical suggestion that I don't think I've ever seen tried, but let me float it out anyway. admittedly I'm a bit of a juveline when it comes to football tactics, only really having followed international club football for the past 6 or 7 years, but let me throw this out anyway.

when you watch United play, it seems that Ronaldo is at his best when he gets a full head of steam and is running at the defense. the defender(s) usually give him plenty of space, not wanting to get too close to him because his speed and control are so good he could just run right round them. so how to stop that?

why not prevent Ronaldo from getting the ball in the first place?

My suggestion would be to take one of your players -- not a defender -- and have stuck on Ronaldo's hip from the opening whistle. No matter where Ronaldo goes, the opponent would be right on top of him, between him and the ball. The moment the opening whistle blows, the opponent runs right over to him and sticks to him like glue the entire game. Always. It would prevent those multitude times when Ronaldo gets the ball on the wing and starts attacking the flank.

The problem with this strategy would be that you effectively lose an attacker, since that player would be stuck to Ronaldo even when your team was on a counterattack. But if it was effective in stopping United's attack, wouldn't it be worth it? It would sort of be like a 10 v 10 match with Ronaldo out of the picture.

Again, not a defender, but some other midfielder whose presence in the defense isn't necessary. So for a team like Chelsea, it would be someone like Kalou, someone who is fast and can keep up with Ronaldo. He doesn't have to be a fantastic defender, he just has to be quick enough to stay with him and have good positioning skills.

The other bonus to this tactic is that Ronaldo is so petulant, he would get all worked up and would lose his focus. Think about how annoyed he would get, and how it would affect him mentally.

So, like I side, sort of a stupid idea, but just curious if anyone has any thoughts. Anyone ever see another team ever do this to anyone?

That does sound like a good plan, but how many midfielders do you know that can match Ronaldo for pace? 'Cause that's what's needed when he's joining in with an attack...

[mad_mac]

Remember Boulha's game against Barca...about his only good game for us, and how he marked Ronaldinho out of the game....worked well then!

[sweet waffle]

I'm sure Reading man marked Ronaldo out of the game a couple of seasons ago at Old Trafford and came away with a draw.

[yorkleyblue]

Remember Boulha's game against Barca...about his only good game for us, and how he marked Ronaldinho out of the game....worked well then!

That's a good point in bold but total bollox in red <_< ^_^ :)

[coco]

The best tactic against Ronaldo ? Dont give him (or his team) the ball.

Most games they get 66%+ possesion, thats an hour ON the ball, with an hour of possesion Ronaldo ends up with plenty of time and chances to run at the opposition, eventually it will result in goals, just like it did at OT last month (3-0), they had WAY, WAY too much possesion, Ronaldo was allowed to run at our defence time and time again.

Possesion is key.