Should We Believe this?

I've been reading all day on various football sites that Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has said that the pursuit of Christiano Ronaldo is over "forever". This should signal the end to this saga right? I do not think so. The simple fact is that elite European clubs should not be trusted with their words because one day their presidents or directors say the chase is over and then when reelection comes along they promise their fans that big-name signings like Ronaldo will be theirs. So I find it very hard to trust any of these guys. That being said, it may be possible that the chase is over on Real's side of things, but do you think that it is over for Ronaldo? I doubt it.

Even though I think that Manchester United is a better side than Real Madrid at the current moment. I believe that Ronaldo's heart is not totally in Manchester. His goal celebrations have been more subdued and he does not seem his old self on the field. I have been starting to wonder when is he going to start sabotaging his stay in Manchester. I believe that he is one of those types that could possibly do something like that. He can start getting underneath players skins and more importantly Sir Alex's. I do think that some of his teammates already do not trust him. Alex doesn't really care about that but once he starts undermining the captain of the ship, it's something the legendary manager will not take too kindly to. Ask Ruud Van Nistlerooy and Roy Keane about that. So I have been wondering, when is he going to start doing the Manny Ramirez? Will he start complaining about his knees being hurt in the middle of winter? Or going half-speed in important games? I do not know, but I can certainly see it.

So do I believe that this saga is completely over? Absolutely not, because C. Ronaldo still (in my opinion) has his heart set on going to Real Madrid and by all means he will do whatever he can to get there.

Don't Get Excited Yet

I admit that last year I didn't expect Manchester United to achieve the success they did. Honestly, who could have predicted that Cristiano Ronaldo, the dive queen of England would be able to perform the way he did? He was finally able to use his ridiculously flamboyant dribbling skill, mercurial pace and deceptive aerial ability to devastating effect, learning how to combine them into the final product. Over 40 goals in all competitions is not a figure I was expecting.

However, this year, I'm remaining pessimistic about the Red Devils' chances. While they have added a key piece in Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov and promoted some brilliant young talent (see Rafael), they haven't really strengthened their depth in the centre of midfield, an area that caused them problems last year. With Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves (perpetually) hurt, United look dangerously thin through the middle. While John O'Shea is a decent enough deputy, he hardly inspires confidence in the centre of the park. Darren Fletcher is a good player, but he's not quality enough to deserve a starting spot at Manchester United. The one bright spot for me is Anderson, but he is still relatively young and learning his trade.

I also feel like the addition of Dimitar Berbatov to the United ranks is one that could eventually upset the balance of the normally tight-knit squad. One of the trademarks of Alex Ferguson's United teams has been the rabid ferocity the whole team possesses when not in custody of the ball, and their sheer determination to win it back at all costs. Every member of the team (with the exception of Ronaldo at times) works together and there is no slacking off.

Dimitar Berbatov is not one to toil without immediate payoff: "Sometimes people would say that I am lazy but it's not true. My body language can be confusing. I may not need to run non-stop, because there is no need to chase unreachable balls... I like to play with my head. It's not about laziness, it's about the cleverness of the player. Real quality doesn't need to show effort." This precise attitude is why I feel he doesn't fit in with the Manchester United mentality. In their Champions League match with Aalborg, Berbatov frequently walked around the pitch when United wasn't in possession, hands on his hips, waiting for his teammates to win it back for him.

While this attitude may pass when times are good and the goals are flowing, it will most certainly not be tolerated in the United camp when matches are tight and hard work is needed to bring results. One of the reasons Carlos Tevez was able to so quickly ingratiate himself to United supporters was his excellent workrate as well as his commendable goalscoring record. Should Berbatov not adjust his attitude, he could well find himself warming the bench when Ferguson tires of his lackadaisical mindset and the team needs hard work.

If Berbatov and co. are able to successfully gel and the centre of midfield can stay out of harm's way, I may be forced to eat my words. However, if they cannot achieve the Manchester United style of constant pressure and hard work, I feel their chances are diminished greatly.