Source: Telegraph
Cristiano Ronaldo void must be filled by goals says United manager Sir Alex Ferguson
United have played six games, travelled more than 16,000 miles and crossed seven time zones over the past fortnight as they have taken their first steps towards adjusting to life without Ronaldo.
The Portuguese forward contributed a staggering 68 goals over his final two seasons at Old Trafford, campaigns in which United scored 119 (2008-09) and 110 (2007-08) goals in all competitions.
Without the 24 year-old, Ferguson concedes that United's tactics must evolve so that the goal scoring burden falls on several shoulders rather than those of just one man.
Despite impressing on the club's tour of the Far East, scoring four goals in four games, the jury is still out on Michael Owen's ability to rediscover his best form.
Dimitar Berbatov is another who must raise his game this season after scoring just 14 goals following his £30.75 million club-record transfer from Tottenham last season.
But while challenging his forwards to increase their goal output, Ferguson admits that there will be a collective responsibility throughout the squad as United aim to become the first club to win four successive league titles.
Ferguson said: "Cristiano is obviously a big loss in terms of the goals he gave us, but we will just have to find the goals from somewhere else and our tactics will adjust accordingly.
"Fans will see us playing a slightly different style of football this season.
"Usually you look to score about 100 goals in all competitions, however, so we're aiming for that again. If we're going to win the league again or do well in Europe, we certainly need players to step up and help fill the gap left by Ronaldo."
A worrying issue for Ferguson will be the lack of pace displayed by Owen and Berbatov during the Audi Cup draw against Bayern Munich on Thursday.
Ronaldo's blistering pace often proved devastating for United, but without him, opposing defenders will quickly learn to sit deep and challenge Owen, Berbatov and Wayne Rooney to get behind them. Bayern adopted that tactic and United struggled to penetrate.
An increase in the goals from midfield would curtail United's front-line deficiencies, however, and Ferguson admits that his midfielders none of whom scored more than four goals last season must aim for double figures.
He said: "Going back a few years, we could always guarantee goals from Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, who pitched in with about 10 a season.
"Those goals from midfield have dried up a little in recent years, so we have to address that.
"I will be looking to Ji-Sung Park, Nani, Antonio Valencia even Danny Welbeck and Kiko Macheda to contribute 40 goals between them. The defenders will contribute a few from set pieces too.
"Wayne is capable of scoring 18 or more and, if Michael [Owen] plays 25 games for me next season, I think he'll get 15 goals."
Owen and Rooney, despite an impressive record of 23 goals in 29 games as a strike-partnership with England, have not played one minute together during United's six pre-season fixtures.
Ferguson is likely to give the pair game-time in next Wednesday's Old Trafford friendly against Valencia, United's final fixture before the Community Shield encounter with Chelsea.
