2021/2022 Premier League Discussion

I understand that Ole is a useless and all that, but can someone please explain to me how CR7 is supposedly dragging this team? What am I missing?

They predictably lose against Man City, a team that has looked like the much better one between the two since the start of the year, Arsenal are about to climb above them on the table, and the conclusion still seems to be that CR7 is performing miracles against the odds.

Man United had respectable head-to-head stats against Man City last year. If I remember correctly, it was a draw, a loss and two wins against one of the strongest teams in the league. The matches against Liverpool didn't look this one-sided either. Add some quality to that team, and it would be a step in the right direction. But they didn't add just anyone, they added Cristiano Ronaldo.

The pre- CR7 football wasn't always fun to watch, but it's a team that excels at counter attacking and little else, and so it makes sense for that to be their default playing style. What this team spearheaded by CR7 is doing, is anyone's guess. If CR7 doesn't perform, they're just a team that doesn't play to their most apparent strength and they look like a mess.

I have a ton of respect for CR7's ability and professionalism, I don't think that needs to be mentioned, but it genuinely doesn't make sense to me that he's saving anyone when the overall performance level and cohesiveness of the team has regressed in order to complement his inclusion. Clutch, injury time goals are always exciting to witness, but it's the bigger picture that matters, isn't it?