And there are great seasons in individual players’ lives. It would be interesting to note them. Marcus Stewart had one such, as you mention, but Ginola and Asprilla had theirs. Micah Richards looked as though he might have one but then dropped away. The great players have more than one,. But then Ronaldo had a pretty good one last year too, I’d say. I don’t think there has been a more watchable player in England this year or last.

But then I have just watched Theo Walcott beat four men from his own penalty area and lay the ball off for Adebayor to score. And still lose. Walcott’s time may come.

What we now see, therefore, is Ronaldo as the star act of an attacking ensemble.

I’ve never understood the doesn’t-perform-in-big-games thing either. Firstly, because big teams just don’t get devastated in the way Ronaldo and Henry did lesser sides. Secondly, because I think certain commentators want him to compensate for his skill with a yellow streak. Thirdly, because he was brilliant against England in 2006, and - winking apart - won the game through sheer willpower and determination when his teammates were all for throwing in the towel.

That comparison on assists with Henry is telling - I wonder if it will prove to be a matter of inexperience that rights itself as time goes by, or if it will prove a long-term weakness.

Despite this, it would seem that three criticisms are still being levelled at Ronaldo. First, that he does not perform in big games. I’ve never understood this; “Big Games” seem to be a Sky-manufactured myth, and I have no doubt that Ronaldo will go on to refute this. Interestingly, he has only scored 3 goals in 40 games against the other members of the ‘Big Four’. Secondly, some have commented on the detrimental affect of Ronaldo’s goal-scoring on his season’s assists. Looking at the statistics in the league, he has only provided 6 assists all season, roughly equivalent to Fulham’s Simon Davies. This is in stark contrast to Thierry Henry, who provided almost as many assists as goals in his most prolific Arsenal seasons. Finally, the most subtle criticism was made by Brian Glanville this week. Despite my disliking for the man’s ‘good old days’ approach, he did seem to make a good point about Ronaldo’s inability to ‘control’ the game in the manner of a Zidane, a Platini or a Cruyff. This, again, sparks another major debate; whose role in a game is more important, those who score the goals or those who make them?

It means Ronaldo has scored 3.1% of all the goals in the Premiership this season, which Dean only bettered in his 60 goal season (ending 192 when he scored 3.4%. His best other than that was 2.6% in the season ending 1932.

Of course he might have played fewer or more games than Ronaldo, and if you compare his goals per game, which range from 0.62 to 1.54, with an average of 0.94, with Ronaldo’s, which is 0.93, as a % of the average goals per game in the league, then Ronaldo’s is 36% of the average, whilst Dean’s ranged from 17% to 40% (in the 60 goal season), but was only above Ronaldo’s in the 60 goal season and averaged 25%.

In terms of their own teams, Ronaldo’s scored 38% of Man U’s goals, which is exactly the same as Dean’s average in the seasons you list as a % of Everton’s.