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A statistical analysis of Cristiano Ronaldo's games for Juventus last season tells us that in his last 50 matches he equally divided his time between being a left-forward and a centre-forward.
It is a fact well known that Cristiano Ronaldo began his ascent in the world of football as a devastating left-attacker/winger. That was because his skills and speed made him a perfect fit in that position. His great success for Manchester United was achieved primarily by playing in wide positions from where he cut in to wreak havoc or dribbled wide to feed the strikers.
However, with time, Cristiano Ronaldo became more of a central striker and now seems to divide his time between the wing and the centre. In this article, we will put forward the argument that Cristiano Ronaldo should stick to being a centre-forward for Juventus.
5 reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo should play as a striker at Juventus:
#1 Advancing age
Let's not forget that despite being one of the fittest footballers on the planet and taking care of his body obsessively, Cristiano Ronaldo has turned 35, an age in which most top footballers retire or move on to lesser-challenging leagues.
It is a testament to his superhuman abilities that Cristiano Ronaldo is still playing at one of the biggest clubs in the world. However, almost nothing is eternal. He has confessed that he wants to play on till 40 at the top level, but for that to happen, he will require some conservatism.
Cristiano Ronaldo as a winger will have to cover more ground and take on more wear and tear than as a striker where skills and instincts (which he possess in plenty) are the key. His speed will also decrease with time, and Cristiano Ronaldo knows that better than most.
#4 Juventus have options on the wing
Juventus have more wingers than strikers right now. With Douglas Costa, Federico Bernardeschi and Dejan Kulusevski all quite capable of playing wide and contributing to the team's attacks, new coach Andrea Pirlo is spoilt for choice when it comes to wide players.
It is a fact that all of the three wingers mentioned above prefer the right flank, but Costa was often used on the left last season as wingers are typically used to switching flanks in modern football.
#3 Lack of striking options
Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala is the only other recognised striker in the current Juventus squad. Many times last season, the duo bailed Juventus out when the team struggled to get goals.
Andrea Pirlo has been expectedly looking at getting some striking reinforcements, with the likes of Luis Suarez and Olivier Giroud among others being linked with the club, and one can understand the gaffer's logic as he wants to ease the pressure of Ronaldo and Dybala.
Both players had potent seasons last term, but Juventus are genuinely short of options up front as Dybala prefers to operate in a more deep/false 9 kind-of role. In such a situation, Cristiano Ronaldo has to play as the central striker.
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo's prowess as a centre-forward
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 311 times in 292 games in the La Liga. Let that sink in. It is a truly phenomenal record that helped him climb to second spot in the all-time list of goal-scorers in the Spanish league. It is safe to say that Cristiano Ronaldo's goal-per-game ratio in that league won't be overtaken soon.
As the Cristiano Ronaldo-propelled Real Madrid won one Champions League title after the other, the Portuguese maestro showed that he can probably be the best centre-forward in the game when on song. He could be the fulcrum of Juventus' attacks as well if he sticks to being a centre-forward.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo's current attributes suit a striker's role
Cristiano Ronaldo is probably the most potent header of a football. His jump, anticipation and power have seen him score of the best goals of his career with his head. With his speed waning, his efficacy as a winger will decrease, but his ability to find goals will help him stay one of the best goal-scorers in world football for years to come.
