Cristiano Ronaldo needs to adjust the target. Even with Opta’s numbers in hand, it looks like he has to find it again after losing it. The Portuguese star no longer manages to be the infallible sniper in the area, despite the accumulated presences. The percentage of conversion to goal has decreased to 5%.
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Numbers have no feelings and leave no room for interpretation. According to statistics, the Manchester United striker has major problems with finishing. With only one goal scored in 9 games from the beginning of the 2022-2023 season, the Portuguese has also fallen from the perspective of appearances. 0.07 goals per shot and 430 minutes to score a goal. A drastic drop compared to last season when in 30 games he passed the opposing goalkeeper 18 times and managed to finish the year as the club’s top scorer despite a not so exciting season at the team level.
Difficulties
What worries, however, beyond just one goal scored, is the difficulty of getting shots on goal. In the 2021-2022 season despite having to readjust to the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo converted 16% of shots on goal with 0.16 goals per shot. Ronaldo found the goal every 137 minutes of play. Figures that have been halved. With these numbers certifying a difficulty that goes beyond the coach’s tastes, it’s not hard to see why Ten Haag can’t find a starting spot for him every week.
Elections
It is no coincidence that the Portuguese star has only started 3 of the 12 games played this season, and in recent weeks Marcus Rashford has been preferred instead. Choice that may make noise from a media perspective, but not from a coach’s point of view. The striker of the English national team has so far scored 4 goals and two assists this season, numbers that currently put him ahead of Ronaldo in the hierarchy of the Dutch coach.