Charlie McNeill | on loan to Stevenage

This is the kind of time in the past where we threw someone in (Macheda Rashford) and they either take their chance and steal a march on their equally talented peers or they go back to the youth setup possibly ending up going the loan route. No harm done. Most of the youth won’t make it here anyway through lack of genuine opportunities in the first team beyond the odd cup game when we field a weakened side and nobody looks great or in an injury crisis We clearly need the numbers unless we are going to name 3 keepers on the bench. It’s not like Rashford was primed and slowly being blooded in like Greenwood is it? He looked like a skinny talented kid too and then just like that he was a skinny kid banging then in for United. Sometimes you are just forced to take a risk. Keane and Wilson looked far more ready than Rashford when he got his shot. Where are they now? At this level it’s about taking your chances when they arise. It’s a home game. Stranger things have happened but I don’t really see Ole taking the chance. I reckon Amad is almost a cert to get minutes this weekend though
 
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Hattrick vs Middlesbrough today. He's got some seriously impressive numbers this season. 25 goals and 6 assists in 24 games.

Curious why he's only played the one game for the U23s so far?
 
Based Adnan said:
Hattrick vs Middlesbrough today. He's got some seriously impressive numbers this season. 25 goals and 6 assists in 24 games.

Curious why he's only played the one game for the U23s so far?
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We bought Hugill first and hes a little more physically developed. I imagine McNeill will be breathing down his neck all next year
 
He may have scored more goals than Mason. But based on my eye test, Mason's got more in his locker.
 
It’s a poor level and we have a class team. Heaven for a good striker. It looks to me like Mason had more about his game. If McNeil is the real deal with those numbers he should be u23s and pushing on next year. I have a nagging feeling he’s going to be a youth legend. Like another James Wilson maybe but I obviously hope I’m wrong!
 
Ali Dia said:
It’s a poor level and we have a class team. Heaven for a good striker. It looks to me like Mason had more about his game. If McNeil is the real deal with those numbers he should be u23s and pushing on next year. I have a nagging feeling he’s going to be a youth legend. Like another James Wilson maybe but I obviously hope I’m wrong!
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It's more because we already had Hugill in the 23s and no other striker left in the 18s, someone needs to play there to strike a balance.

So far doesn't look like him and Hugill together as a striker partner works well so quite curious how will we handle it next season.
 
Ali Dia said:
It’s a poor level and we have a class team. Heaven for a good striker. It looks to me like Mason had more about his game. If McNeil is the real deal with those numbers he should be u23s and pushing on next year. I have a nagging feeling he’s going to be a youth legend. Like another James Wilson maybe but I obviously hope I’m wrong!
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He’s far better than Wilson was. His finishing is unreal. My bet is he’ll have a good PL career. Not sure it’ll be with us, but he’s a natural born striker and has a hunger for goals that will serve him well. He’ll definitely be playing U23 games next season.
 
khoazany said:
It's more because we already had Hugill in the 23s and no other striker left in the 18s, someone needs to play there to strike a balance.

So far doesn't look like him and Hugill together as a striker partner works well so quite curious how will we handle it next season.
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If I was to try one in and around the first team next year it probably would be Hugil mainly due to his size but he seems to have decent finishing too. I know he could easily be another one that could end up playing championship and looking average but he could still fill a role here in the meantime. He could also go on to be class if he fills out and keeps improving at the same rate.

McNeil might well be a better player in a year or two but he’s going to have to be some player to really make it here as a centre forward without any loans or a bit of luck with injuries in the first team. I love that he’s a Manchester lad and one of the best young forwards in the city at every age group, he’s two footed and he comes from footballing stock supposedly. I really hope he makes it here but I’m still not sure what his level is. Is he the next Mason Greenwood? We have so many good young players brought in on decent money these days that it’s harder than ever to know who is going to make it. Not the worst problem to have :)
 
sglowrider said:
He may have scored more goals than Mason. But based on my eye test, Mason's got more in his locker.
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Definitely. Mason is one of the best players I've seen at youth level (together with the likes of Morrison, Pogba) and McNeill isn't at that level. He's a great goalscorer though and often he's clinical enough. Haven't seen much in the open play to suggest he'll be a United striker, it's just a stomach feeling too. He needs to be so, so, so good to make it.
 
Both are 17, and not 18 until the next season starts.

I would imagine both will stay and rotate in the u23s, with the possibility of one going on loan from January onwards?
 
He'll definitely have a good career as a striker, you don't score that many goals by accident. But I'm not yet seeing a special edge with him. Technique, pace, intelligence - decent but nothing amazing. Certainly not near Mason's level at that age.

What he is is a cold finisher who knows where to be in the box. Let's see if he rounds out his game over the next season or two.
 
SmashedHombre said:
He’s far better than Wilson was. His finishing is unreal. My bet is he’ll have a good PL career. Not sure it’ll be with us, but he’s a natural born striker and has a hunger for goals that will serve him well. He’ll definitely be playing U23 games next season.
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I think you may have forgotten the hype on here for Wilson back in the day
 
sglowrider said:
He may have scored more goals than Mason. But based on my eye test, Mason's got more in his locker.
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They are very different. Mason is quicker, better on the ball and has a better shot. McNeill has improved a lot in terms of work-rate, but he is a much better goalpoacher - and his ability to convert chances is probably even better than Greenwoods.
 
Just a prediction, but I can see him developing into a really useful backup striker for us. I'm not sure he possesses enough to justify being our first choice striker, but his desire to score goals is something that is worth it's weight in gold. If he could reach a Danny Ings type of level, how good would that be!
 
lysglimt said:
McNeill has improved a lot in terms of work-rate,
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I think this will be key for him. The difference between playing in the Championship and the Champions League.

Cavani is not the most gifted striker in the world on the ball. Probably not the most gifted striker at Man Utd, on the ball. But as a striker you spend 95 % of the time off the ball. And Cavani is world class off the ball. Not just because he is hard working, but because he is intelligent aswell in how he moves.

If McNeill take care of his body/physique as well as Cavani, and shows similar dedication on the pitch, his ability to finish chances will take him far. If not, he might be another great youth striker who failed to make the most of his talent.
 
Ali Dia said:
It’s a poor level and we have a class team. Heaven for a good striker. It looks to me like Mason had more about his game. If McNeil is the real deal with those numbers he should be u23s and pushing on next year. I have a nagging feeling he’s going to be a youth legend. Like another James Wilson maybe but I obviously hope I’m wrong!
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I always find this argument interesting. If we have a poor season then we aren't good enough. If we have a good season then it's a poor league.

You can only beat what is in front of you and for the most part we have an excellent youth team. They have unfortunately under-performed in a couple of critical games that has cost us a place in the FA Youth Cup latter stages and probably the league.
 
sglowrider said:
He may have scored more goals than Mason. But based on my eye test, Mason's got more in his locker.
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He only scored 2 more goals than Mason while playing 100+ more minutes, and most of those happened in the u18 league compared to Mason who had also had a share of those minutes in the UEFA Youth League, which is a tougher competition to score goals based on what scoring rates I've seen. Which isn't really McNeill's fault as he can only play what's in front of him, but based on that I can't say he's a better goal scorer or better player.

His scoring record is more impressive than Wilson's though.
 
Drizzle said:
He'll definitely have a good career as a striker, you don't score that many goals by accident. But I'm not yet seeing a special edge with him. Technique, pace, intelligence - decent but nothing amazing. Certainly not near Mason's level at that age.

What he is is a cold finisher who knows where to be in the box. Let's see if he rounds out his game over the next season or two.
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It's unfair to compare anyone with Mason though, he's a completed footballer not just a striker. Even if you compare most of current world's best strikers when they were at current McNeil's age to Mason at the same age they will fall short as well (maybe Haaland can edge it idk).
 
Get him promoted. Can't be that much worse than our current forward options.
 
I'll be honest, I'm not sure he's got enough to his game (although he has massively improved in that aspect) to make it here, he's still very green. He's a good player though, if he keeps up how he's playing then he'll deserve chances in the first team, at the very least.
 
Just watched the Dortmund highlights and he's twice the size he was when i last saw him a year or two ago.

I'm still not sure if he has the stand out attribute or two that he'll need to make it at the top level but he does have that instinct of where to be in the box. You can't coach that.
 
11101 said:
Just watched the Dortmund highlights and he's twice the size he was when i last saw him a year or two ago.

I'm still not sure if he has the stand out attribute or two that he'll need to make it at the top level but he does have that instinct of where to be in the box. You can't coach that.
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agree on your last point, goalscorers come in all shapes and sizes to an extent as it’s impossible to teach others the killer instinct. Still plenty of work to do, but he’s got time.
 
Adnan said:
Give him another two years at least, lads..
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This is more the relevant timeline.

His goal yesterday was very well taken, cold and quick. He also worked well off the ball, I thought His diligence seemed to earn us the decisive penalty in injury time, but for the blind referee. Shame about the penalty miss, which really means nothing.
 
He isn't ready and too much, too soon could impede his development.

But now is definitely the best time to be a striker bagging in goals for the youth teams.
 
11101 said:
Just watched the Dortmund highlights and he's twice the size he was when i last saw him a year or two ago.

I'm still not sure if he has the stand out attribute or two that he'll need to make it at the top level but he does have that instinct of where to be in the box. You can't coach that.
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Frannie Jeffers' fox in the box role?

In theory, he needs to fill out more. But does he body frame that can add a few more kgs without making him less of twinkle toes and agility?
 
I'll be honest I haven't really seen that much of him. However from my very limited knowledge and such, could people see him as as a Ruud type striker for us? Ruud being more limited than say Saha and Rooney was but absolutely knows where to find the goal
 
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