El Fenomeno

This weekend saw the return of one of the greatest striker of all time. There may not be better sights in current football than Ronaldo in the box. The great man might be in the news for all the wrong reasons like his weight problems and his bust-up with Don-Fabio. But, there are no peers when it comes to a more effective and technically complete Number-9 than Luis Ronaldo. His goal against Bilbao might not even figure in the top-10 goals of the month in La-Liga but it does definitely showcase the ability of The Fenomenon, even when he is going through a lean patch. The goal as it occured in real time involved -An excellent and a well-anticipated diagonal run timed perfectly and then the brilliant first touch and that too on the move which was accompanied by a great positional sense in front of the goal and then the trademark finish. To me wht really seperates R9 from his peers is his finish- head straight, the body in perfect position, and a wonderful awareness of the goal and then a calm roll of the ball to the net.

We are seeing a different R9- a fatter, less mobile R9 in comparison to the skinnier and athletic player of the mid to late 90's. The last couple of years have been a period of transition for R9. He may never be able to play and score goals like he did for PSV in the Ervedivise and later for Barca in La Liga (check out this goal he scored- true to his name) but the finish and the technique will never betray him (A 80 year old R9 will finish better than Crouch at his prime!! ). Early on his career, with a perfectly fit body the world of football was under the feet of R9. But, times has changed and probably R9 has been a bit slow to adapt and realize his limitation i.e., his weary and rugged body. My main concern with R9 over the last year or so has been the lack of mobility- I dont remember even a single diagonal run of R9 or a dummy run in the entire WC. Also, when the game was not going in favour of Brazil esp against France one would normally expect the strikers to drop deep and try to create magic. This strangely did not happen and watching Brazil play in the WC was like watching a still image. (All the attacking players of Brazil were silent and static spectators to a Zidane-act.).


I guess R9 has realized this (his lack of mobility) and has worked hard on his fitness and was very active with some wonderful movement in the game against Bilbao. R9 did put a very strong display (and to me he was the MOTM against Bilbao) but there are more sterner tests for Madrid and R9 than a relegation threatened team with one of the most porous defense in La-Liga. R9 will have to fight for a starting XI in Madrid esp considering the form of RvN and Raul, though the latter has been playing more as an attacking midfielder than a striker. The coach will have to show a lot of confidence in R9 and give him more starting XI place, a pre-requisite for any striker. Capello knows it all too well- he was the manager of AC-Milan when the legendary Dutch striker Van-Basten was at his peak and later was injured badly. If Capello does show enough confidence then we might very well be witness to a new R9- The phenomenon who took Belo Horizonte by storm just at a young age might very well light up and indeed prove true to his name as the real phenomenon.

PS: I hope to write a post which does not have pheonomenon in the title!!!!