With Ronaldo now at Real Madrid, Manchester United supporters are looking for a new hero to cheer.
After a delayed start to his Old Trafford career following a cut-price £3million summer move from Bordeaux, Obertan is now showing the Red Devils faithful the skills that made him one of Europe's most sought-after young players before his career was halted by injury.
The 20-year-old went on a few mazy runs last night after making his first Premier League start against Wolves.
And don't be surprised if the stepover routine Ronaldo carried out so mesmerically returns to the United menu in the months ahead.
"I learned to play football in the street with my friends," Obertan said.
"And when you play street football, the things you want to do are all the tricks, like nutmegs. My favourite is probably the stepover.
"I like doing tricks - but only if they are effective.
"There is no point doing it if there is nothing at the end of it."
Obertan has now made nine appearances. Given his ability to get round defenders and force his way into the box, the chances are he will make a lot more before the season is over.
The France Under-21 star is yet to score, having infamously failed to convert a simple tap-in on his debut against Blackburn at the end of October.
"I hope I will score soon," he said.
"It is possible. I had those chances against Blackburn.
"I do have to work more on my finishing but I am confident it will come."
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Kevin Murphy (16/12/2009 at 17:13)
weve got his injury sorted now & he will now force his way in to the 1st team. he will need games to grow though just as ronaldo did. the advantage he has is like when ronaldo joined we are a team in transition.
valencia & giggs 1st choice wingers. obertan should be on the bench or swaping with giggs or valencia although obertan is better on the right.
park, nani & tosic should be shown the exit door as they arent good enough & havent the potential to be good enough.
i think we could do with a natural left winger preferably left footed. my pick would be angel di maria from benfica
Anirudh, Manchester (16/12/2009 at 17:51)
Rooney should practice shooting as he his missing too many chances
Berbatov nice passing but sorry you were bought for goals
Only player who looked doing his best offposition even playing as CB was Micheal carrick truly a team player
Drago 34 (16/12/2009 at 17:52)
boyfromburrenway, exile czech republic (16/12/2009 at 17:58)
and dont forget chase back if you lose it, dont kill youself but a 20 yard run alongside the fella thats took the ball off you will do, try and win it off him him or let him rush into giving it away....
if you have 6 shots a game and 3 end up in the car park but 3 hit the target you will have 76000 chanting your name - go for it
once youve mastered the above , then you ll be ready to call yourself a united winger...good luck, you have the potential.
Sparky was the best ever (16/12/2009 at 18:04)
"There is no point doing it if there is nothing at the end of it."
That's the whole article right there.
Why do gimmicks if you can do the simple stuff with the same result.
The crap Ronaldo did was mostly showboating, as it didn't get the ball where it needed to be, any better than a good pass or cross.
The real skill is in the ball control and balance, at speed, like Giggs does. Anything else is glitter. A bit of eye candy for exhibition games.
You don't see an professional basketball team spinning the ball on their fingers like the Harlem globetrotters do, because they want to be champions, not a a circus act.
bobbydazzler (16/12/2009 at 20:25)
you say park nani and tosic should be shown the door because they are not good enough?
nani is on his way out no doubt about it, he has not done the buisness but i am somewhat sad to see him going for the simple reason he has never ever been given a run in the team in his best position RIGHT WING instead we shell out 18m for another right winger when we have a crying need for a left winger who can pass the ball with his left foot to a very good standard NANI CANNOT do the left wing thing to a good enough standard.
park who you may know i have never rated as either a right or left winger was bought by the club because he was starring in the psv team as an exciting attacking midfield player. he had NEVER EVER been given the chance to show what he can do there.
tosic has just never been given a chance . i watch the reserves and there is no doubt about it he appears to lack the physical strength to compete in the premier league. but anyone watching park being bundled off the ball time and time again last saturday would conclude that this is also a major failing of the korean. on the other hand tosic does posses some genuine footballing ability that we have yet to see from park. he can dribble beat a man cross shoot has an eye for goal and takes a mean free kick
SQUARE PEGS ROUND HOLES we have an history at this.
DUB RED, CLONDALKIN (16/12/2009 at 21:24)
Eric Le God, Manchester (16/12/2009 at 22:13)
But if he shows some dazzling displays, scores important goals and thrill the crowd as Ronaldo did, then those are the qualities I hope Obertan takes into consideration.
neal 07, south stand lower (16/12/2009 at 22:38)
I could not agree more with your comments, 100% accurate and for me this is a sad failing of the football management at the club!!
Nani...we buy him as a right footed, right winger...we play him time after time on the left wing???wtf?
Anderson...we buy him as an exciting attacking midfielder, who can dribble and score goals...we play him as an aggresive holding midfielder???wtf?
Park...I will only ask why we ever bought him for football reasons? He offers nothing!
Tosic...we buy a genuine left footed winger, with a high reputation for set pieces and beating defenders...we treat the kid with disdain and in a manner which as a regular reserve game attendee, disgusts me! ffs Luke Chadwick got more games in the first team...give the kid a chance, he has all the potential to make it!
Baffling?
george best_68 (16/12/2009 at 23:05)
giggs will retire - silva valencia on the wings with obertan as an option, if he's doing his job well
rooney - villa up front
hello champ'sleague title
Brora boy, Highlands (16/12/2009 at 23:07)
Mitch van Biljon (17/12/2009 at 00:19)
I would like to see what another manager could do with the same resources (funds, following and players) that Ferguson has available to him. A Mourinho (manager)/Cantona (coach) combination could be truly great. Give me Cantona any day over the average Phelan.
Red Culture (17/12/2009 at 00:33)
Gilly, Belgium (17/12/2009 at 04:40)
Serge, Europe (17/12/2009 at 05:33)
The crap Ronaldo did? Wow, like winning us the champions league, the prem and a few others along the way, becoming the best player in the world and pretty much carrying the team when we had too many passengers?
Ive known about Obertan from his playing in France and always thought he was a raw talent whod turn into a superstar in the right setting, United is that environment and Blanc will look like an idiot...who will he replace him with for 3million hahaha
But Id like to see Obertan play on the right, so he doesnt need to do an ashley young and compose himself and turn before he crosses, just snap them in the box immediately. Lets hope that left winger is Silva and that he is coming in January. A midfield general added to that and we are almost set.
Redarmy11 (17/12/2009 at 05:58)
outstation, perth, australia (17/12/2009 at 09:32)
And he's nothing on what Ronaldo was at 17-18 ... no shame in that, Ronaldo was a freak that you could appreciate from day one (ignoring a mere handful of games in first couple of seasons).
daryl t (17/12/2009 at 09:48)
Park contribution to the game is questionable too, he's not good enough technique wise.
However Obertan and Valencia looks like they have a future with us. Obertan seems to be able to get into good postions
Gerry, Glastonbury (17/12/2009 at 09:52)
I don't agree that Nani will go - what if Valencia got injured? Giggs is already out???
Only Fergie knows why Tosic is not playing but I would think some of these will get a run in the Carling Cup semi's & the Leeds game so there will be opportunities.
We paid a lot of money for Nani & Anderson so I see no problem in giving them both an extended chance. I suppose it's a question of when to sell them in terms of guaranteeing a fee?
With the club still in four comp's it won't be this season for sure.
Duncan, London (17/12/2009 at 09:56)
It must work then BD!
I personally don't think its as simple a picture as you paint. For me Ronaldo did most of his best work coming in off the left wing. When he played on the right last season I didn't think he was as effective.
I believe the key for our play on the left wing is having a back up for Evra if that is possible as his overlapping runs are vital for penetration along the left. However, for me I don't care whether a winger is left or right footed so long as they have the quality - I would rather have a good right footed winger playing on the left than an average winger like Tosic just because they are left footed.
Anyway we still have Giggs - God knows when he is going to retire. If we bought a left winger we can look forward to seeing Giggs shoved back in midfield or worse as a second striker.
Sparky was the best ever (17/12/2009 at 16:46)
"The crap Ronaldo did was mostly showboating"
Yes. When he could have put through a simple 3 yard pass, he would instead do a dozen step overs, a couple of pirouettes and quite often, a swan dive.
He scored a lot of goals, but he could have done that with out the circus act.
bobbydazzler (18/12/2009 at 12:13)
if we have a right footed left full back it is essential that the winger is left footed.
i would accept a great right footed left winger over an average left footed winger anyday of the week agreed 100%.
what i am unable to accept is a totally useless right footed winger playing left side PARK or for that matter a less than convincing nani. we simply do not have the right option out there. tosic has never been given a chance out there are you honestly suggesting he could do any worse than park.
Duncan, London (18/12/2009 at 12:48)
bobbydazzler (18/12/2009 at 15:23)