Qwiss
It’s not a new manager bounce. There is a clear change in how well this team plays. Agree with you that releasing Ronaldo was transformational. I can’t speak to the emotional burden he placed on the squad, but certainly they progress and press better without him. They have a very strong overall net xG along with real goal difference they’re producing, which shows a team in flow.
Casemiro is an all-rounder but is off the charts on defensive metrics. Fred can cover some of these duties but Odegaard, Partey and Zinchenko should have a bit of freedom in midfield today
