Elanga has no fear and was scheduled to go on loan till Ralf came in and exposed him to high intensity training and his game went up a level. I remember watching Henry when Arsenal bought him and wondering what the big deal was as I could not see much technical ability. Dude was pretty quick though and that took him quite far. Elanga would be a huge threat behind with Pogba/Brumo quality passes from midfield.
36
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 27
- Goals
- 3
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 0
- Status
Good to see him being given a chance, but for what I have seen of him so far, he has a very long road ahead of him.
He has talent for sure, but it's just another example of how some pundits and some fans, overhype our academy graduates.
Most of the youngster's coming through the first team wont make it, at the very top level.
He has talent for sure, but it's just another example of how some pundits and some fans, overhype our academy graduates.
Most of the youngster's coming through the first team wont make it, at the very top level.
You have to take into consideration that some of these players have played a lot of international matches too. And Ronaldo's age and the fact he plays up top.
Statistically yes Elanga runs more. For good reasons imo. Maybe Rashford could run more, but besides that I think the stat just shows that everybody is trying their best and is playing to the capacity their body (and back to back games) allows them.
I'm not denying he runs a lot. I'm saying he runs a lot for good reasons. Hasn't featured back to back in matches and had a Euro and internationals like the key players have. Only a little surprised by Rashford doesn't run more.
The stat is pr 90. so if Elanga comes on at 60 minutes, he has 30 minutes to run around like a rocket. And that is what is thrown into this stat. A key player has to be economic about his running for 90 minutes every game.
He simply has nothing on young Rashford or Greenwood. Not even half as talented Greenwood at the same age.
Another reason not to get too exited about a young player seemingly looking extra hard working is that eventually they slow down a bit which is natural because players can't always play at 100 miles an hour every game, every time. It wasn't that long when the likes of Lingard and Rashford were hard workers, could run through brick walls and chase the ball all day. These days they are called lazy and strollers and that's because they were never going to keep the same energy they showcased when they'd just started out with the senior team.
A player need more than simply hard work to succeed, let alone become a top player.
Young players putting in mediocre performances doesn't interest me, it comes with the inexperience. Young players ought to show something special about them in the mix of their uneven performances, flashes and talent to be properly rated as elite prospect. Rashford had insane pace, Greenwood showed ridiculous and clinical finishing, Januzaj and Amad showed superb technical abilities. These are tools a young guy can lean on and improve as he gains more experience and comfort. Elanga not lighting up the league game after game shouldn't matter right now, he's 19 year old so consistency nor great performances shouldn't be expected of him. But problem with him is that he hasn't shown anything special about him, he's just a hard worker and that's about that. He has some pace, moves around, works hard and all that yet those aren't what makes a talent special.
A player need more than simply hard work to succeed, let alone become a top player.
Young players putting in mediocre performances doesn't interest me, it comes with the inexperience. Young players ought to show something special about them in the mix of their uneven performances, flashes and talent to be properly rated as elite prospect. Rashford had insane pace, Greenwood showed ridiculous and clinical finishing, Januzaj and Amad showed superb technical abilities. These are tools a young guy can lean on and improve as he gains more experience and comfort. Elanga not lighting up the league game after game shouldn't matter right now, he's 19 year old so consistency nor great performances shouldn't be expected of him. But problem with him is that he hasn't shown anything special about him, he's just a hard worker and that's about that. He has some pace, moves around, works hard and all that yet those aren't what makes a talent special.
?? Nothing to do with their previous energy. It's because they're lazy compare to majority of other PL players.
Looks nowhere near good enough to be starting matches for us, somehow our best option right now unless we completely change formation.
I like him, as he will give 110% when he plays.
I'm still not seeing much talent-wise, but he doe put a lot of effort in. The state of this club at the moment means that is easily enough for him to start ahead of others. Hard work trumps talent when talent doesn't work hard.
The ideal scenario in the summer is to get proper grafters who are also really good at football.
The ideal scenario in the summer is to get proper grafters who are also really good at football.
Rubbish. Where is Januzaj now? If anything it shows that attitude matters more than talent as all of these players have had disappointing careers so far in one way or another. And Elanga has done plenty of brilliant things in the reserves, it's not like he's just a donkey who runs, he's a very good dribbler and finisher, he just hasn't shown it yet in the first team.
The issue so often with our fanbase is every youngster is judged using the measure of whether they're the next world class talent.
He's playing better than his competition that's all that matters right now. We'll see how he develops as he goes along, people aren't the talent scouts they think they are.
He's playing better than his competition that's all that matters right now. We'll see how he develops as he goes along, people aren't the talent scouts they think they are.
From seeing him come through in both the u18s & u23s I found he also needed quite a few games to really show his best at those levels as well so he seems like the type that needs games to adapt to a new level rather than the type that just bursts on the scene. Some of the comments on here about a lack of ability are ridiculous considering what he's shown over the past year for United & Sweden u21s where he's the top scorer in the u21 Euros qualifying despite being eligible to play again in 2 years time. Apart from that when he's played in the Uefa Youth League he's done very well yet some on here want to act as if he has no talent & has just been thrown in for the sake of it with the claims that he's not fast being a particularly bizarre take.
Wow, impressive. You're able to post a green smiley without using any argument aganst a valid opinion. Can't wait for you to elaborate your opinion with maybe even 2 emojis? Ah, I'm asking for too much now I'm sure.
Mate, it's an utterly ridiculous argument to downplay Elanga (and Cavani's) work rate.
I honestly don’t see the wow factor with him. Don’t think he’ll be a top player.
Doesn’t mean i can’t be wrong though; thought januzaj was the next coming of messi so who knows.
Doesn’t mean i can’t be wrong though; thought januzaj was the next coming of messi so who knows.
If Elanga or Amad were at different clubs now coming up I doubt we’d be in for either. You can produce players like Elanga for cheap in your youth academy. The main point is the manager needs water carriers but with a fair bit of skill and strength. You go to the market for that extra bit of quality you can’t produce or just to buy the finished article. I don’t get fans obsession with slating squad players or players who will become very useful squad players or move on for a decent fee after they get the exposure.
I'm not downplaying it. I'm saying there's good reasons why they are able to run more. They simply get subbed on a lot and often have 30 minutes to play with intensity.
In a stat pr 90 minutes, of course this shows. And it shows like if they're actually run 11-12 km pr game back to back. It's bogus and flawed.
Hard work and intensity can’t be undervalued at the moment at United. He deserves to be starting on merit until someone with more talent is prepared to put in even half the effort that he does.
If you are going with Ronaldo up top, I think Elangas presence offsets that a little and helps us off the ball.
Was anybody else going to work hard enough to force the incident with a really good center back in Dunk, and ultimately, win the game? I don’t think they were.
If you are not prepared to match the intensity of the likes of Southampton and Brighton, you won’t beat them.
Until our more talented forwards decide they fancy it, he should stay in the team.
If you are going with Ronaldo up top, I think Elangas presence offsets that a little and helps us off the ball.
Was anybody else going to work hard enough to force the incident with a really good center back in Dunk, and ultimately, win the game? I don’t think they were.
If you are not prepared to match the intensity of the likes of Southampton and Brighton, you won’t beat them.
Until our more talented forwards decide they fancy it, he should stay in the team.
You actually think Rashford covers as much distance as Elanga when they play the full 90 each?
What do you think happens when Rashford doesn't trackback (and Elanga does) or when Elanga presses and Rashford strolls?
Elanga will be hugely important and you only had to look at Klopps substitutes last night to see why. In game management to perfection. Pool under the cosh all second half...Klopp notices...full backs slow the game down, take slow throw ins, slow corners, he brings off tired legs and on comes Diaz and Henderson like fuking energiser bunnies. He kills Inters momentum and injects his own urgency back into the team.
We have fuking no one on the bench bar Elanga who could give you intensity for 60 minutes solid or who you could bring on for the last 30 and genuinely inject some urgency. We are so light. Sancho would not make that impact, Rashford certainly not.l, Cavani not fit.
He has a real dynamic way of playing and in that sense...he is an asset for sure.
We have fuking no one on the bench bar Elanga who could give you intensity for 60 minutes solid or who you could bring on for the last 30 and genuinely inject some urgency. We are so light. Sancho would not make that impact, Rashford certainly not.l, Cavani not fit.
He has a real dynamic way of playing and in that sense...he is an asset for sure.
You could basically just have read the other posts in this thread posted about 3 and 4 posts beneath my original where i'm pointing out that Rashford is probably the odd one out. No offence, but don't wanna waste my time repeating myself 3 or more times.
Completely agree. Neither Butt, Phil or Gary Neville had particular and outstanding talent. But they had dedication, grit and were always hard-working. It us truely something we miss at the moment.
Ronaldo doesn't cover as much ground as Cavani either. You don't have to be a genius to figure that one out.
You're a lost case for what I'm saying it seems, so not gonna continue to debate with you.
Last words: Ronaldo plays constantly, (and international games) back to back. Cavani plays very rarely, so I'll repeat myself: It's easy to look very lively in a stat pr 90 when you mostly have 30 minutes as a sub, to give your all and you don't play back to back games.
It's not that you are wrong in your statements. Pr 90, yes he runs more. It's just that there might be good reasons why the likes of Cavani and Elanga run more. Quite easy to understand my point really.
Really digging in here
Ronaldo doesn't cover as much ground as Cavani, even when he's had a week off.
I'll repeat myself, Ronnie and Rashford's workrate is lower than Cavani's and Elanga's, even when taking account the fact that they cover more ground per 90 because of sub appearances.
I don't have stats on this, I'm not subscribed to Opta, but it doesn't a take genius to figure out they put in more of a shift.
Also, don't bother responding. I'll have the last word! mwahahahaha.
Really digging in here
Ronaldo doesn't cover as much ground as Cavani, even when he's had a week off.
I'll repeat myself, Ronnie and Rashford's workrate is lower than Cavani's and Elanga's, even when taking account the fact that they cover more ground per 90 because of sub appearances.
I don't have stats on this, I'm not subscribed to Opta, but it doesn't a take genius to figure out they put in more of a shift.
Also, don't bother responding. I'll have the last word! mwahahahaha.
Man Utd forwards' work-rate compared
Premier League, 2021/22 (per 90 minutes)
| Player | Tackles | Interceptions | Recoveries | Sprints | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J Sancho | 0.5 | 0.5 | 4.8 | 21.9 | 10.8km |
| A Elanga | 1.0 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 28.7 | 11.7km |
| M Greenwood | 1.1 | 0.1 | 3.9 | 15.3 | 9.8km |
| M Rashford | 0.4 | 0.1 | 3.4 | 20.7 | 9.9km |
| E Cavani | 0.6 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 13.0 | 11.6km |
| C Ronaldo | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 16.1 | 9.3km |
You can look at these stats in so many different ways. I get that Cristiano is 37, so distance covered isn't his best asset, yet he does more sprints than Cavani and Greenwood, what baffles me is how close the stats of the youngsters/fresher legs are (Rashford/Greenwood) who are normally playing as attacking wingers and should be tracking back more/covering more ground than a striker, yet they are almost the same per 90 as Cristiano and hell Cavani covers more ground than both!.
Rash and Green clearly don't track back consistently to defend. We don't need Opta stats to come to this conclusion.
That’s cause Rashford and Greenwood are both lazy players, not interested in tracking back at all. Shocking really.
Oh comon man you sulking on me like that felt worse than vdb's chewing gum
Indeed! Not to derail the thread, on a positive note it's good to see Elanga putting the effort, played less mins obviously but good energy!
Both of their number are disgusting. Players who achieved nothing in their career but strolling around in the pitch like they are King Eric reincarnate.
That's a good picture which fits my understanding all along:
- Rashford and Greenwood are fecking lazy despite their young age, and they have been fecking wasteful
- Elanga and Sancho are by far our most hardworking wing forward, but also the most unproductive too
- Cavani is our most hardworking CF, no doubt about that, but he was never able to stay fit for long, and rarely score goals
- Ronaldo rarely press, and has slow recoveries and least cover of distance due to his age, we all know that, but he is by far our top goalscorer, and despite being 37 he still sprints more than Greenwood and Cavani
Conclusion: we should mainly play Sancho+Ronaldo+Elanga for reminder of the season. They are our best option.
Last edited:
Its either he's world class talent or he isnt and wont make it at United round here. I mean he could prove to be a solid first team player, its isnt all black and white, either one of the biggest talents we ever had or ending up in a league 3 somewhere in the wilderness. He's giving his all, that's for sure and with the teammates he has and their effort its certainly a big plus.
Most of Ronaldo's sprints are him trying to score. If you look at his actually pressing stats i.e. defensive work then they're the worst in in the league. What he offers the team out of possession is next to nothing.
https://fbref.com/en/players/dea698d9/scout/11160/Cristiano-Ronaldo-Scouting-Report
We have amased a collection of attacking players with weak work rate to our folly. This why Elanga (and James previously) get minutes for us.
Feck the Arse and all that, but come on, Henry was as technical as the best out there during his time, he didn't do well at Juve, but he thrived with Arsenal under Wegner, and yes, he had a blistering pace, but he was also skilled in dribbling, linkup play, had an excellent, and superb shooting technique that relied on placement rather than power, he toyed with PL defenders and made light work of some of the best European defenses back then(Inter and Madrid come to mind).
It would be something if Elanga has the potential to be 1/4 good as Henry in the future.
Henry's technical ability was very evident at Monaco.
Indeed, the thing is, I only watched Henry at Arsenal and onwards (back then I was at Uni and it was 50% Arsenal fans vs 50% United fans so we will watch both games in the tv room unless it was at the same time, that's why I know how good was Henry, back then I watched Arsenal as much as I watched United).
To be fair, Janujaz is 10th in minutes for a team that would also be competing with us for 4th in Sociedad (they're better than West Ham, Wolves or Spurs), so while he's not become a special player he'd get minutes for us at RW now that Greenwood is gone, even if he wouldn't really improve us and would just be a Fred or McTominay level out wide.
- Status