Quite a few observers did. I certainly did and I'm just a random guy who watches a lot of football. I remember Ronaldo's first few matches for United like it was yesterday and although his crossing was pretty wild and stepovers a bit cringey, his enormous potential was there for all too see. There was never any doubt Ronaldo that at 18 Ronaldo would become an all-worlder. It was not obvious that Ronaldo would go on to become a GOAT contender, but definitely he was destined to become a Ballon d'Or candidate when he hit his peak.
Greenwood vs Haaland
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Quite a few observers did. I certainly did and I'm just a random guy who watches a lot of football. I remember Ronaldo's first few matches for United like it was yesterday and although his crossing was pretty wild and stepovers a bit cringey, his enormous potential was there for all too see. There was never any doubt Ronaldo that at 18 Ronaldo would become an all-worlder. It was not obvious that Ronaldo would go on to become a GOAT contender, but definitely he was destined to become a Ballon d'Or candidate when he hit his peak.
The best comparison for Mason right now is RVP, stylistically and developmentally.
What Mason is missing is the physical development, which we are waiting to see.
Probably..
If he did, he most likely score more goals than Mason i think. Alot more i guess.
Two very naturally gifted strikers. Having said that, I think Haaland will score the most goals in CL and also throughout his career because of the head start he has and with him probably playing in leagues of different quality, while Greenwood wont be far off his goal tally even when playing in the Premier League forever.
I think Greenwood and Haaland are very different strikers. Haaland for me is younger version of Cavani. Greenwood is a more universal forward that can play in multiple positions in the front line. If we want to be winning trophies I think we could absolutely use both of them in the team and they can even play together. If Haaland will sign with us - it should be an absolute no brainer that we want him.
To be honest I rate Mason very highly and always have since watching him in the academy but Haaland is on another level. Haaland is about as complete as a striker can get and he will only get better. If I could literally pick any player to sign it would be him without a doubt.
You play Greeonwood and Haaland. Haaland goes into Cavani's position.
Haaland is a machine.. tall and strong. So he won't be bullied by defenders. He just scores goals nothing fancy. He'd get you 25 to 30 goals a season.
Cavani is still good to have in the team... even if he is coming 35.
Haaland is a machine.. tall and strong. So he won't be bullied by defenders. He just scores goals nothing fancy. He'd get you 25 to 30 goals a season.
Cavani is still good to have in the team... even if he is coming 35.
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You can easily have both. Like Henry and Van Persie, Rooney and Ronaldo. They compliment each other, not get in each others way.
Put it this way, if both play as first choice CF for their respective teams, Haaland would most likely scored more goals, but Mason would not be that far behind.
The gap of talent, if there's one, is not as big as you think.
Exactly. Greenwood's game is multifaceted. He is an excellent passer. I think this might be the season where he shows the rest of his game if he stays fit.
Ole would have to be ruthless to sign Haaland as that 100% hinders Greenwood’s chances here. Greenwood has improved a lot in terms of he’s off the ball movement as he’s finishing is off the scale anyway. I think we wait till the end of the season, if Greenwood gets around 20 goals then I think we should stick with him as he will improve as he gets more experience. Just for context I’m as biased as they come and have a soft spot for Mason as watched him develop.
That is a very excellent take. If a team has both Haaland and Mason, people would talk of complementarity instead of competition. But of course, what we do with Haaland depends of the available personnel, Mason's progress, and, most importantly, our main tactical approach for most matches. If Ole goes by Fergie's playbook from the last few years, it could go either way as to whether we need an old school centre-forward à la Ruud or we go for something similar to the Rooney/Ronaldo duopoly.
I also agree about Robin van Persie providing a blueprint about how what we can hope Mason to become. Van Persie was not particularly different from Mason at that age, and we have to consider that the former also needed time to adapt to the consistency and the physicality of the Premier League. But from the moment Van Persie found his marks, he was just unstoppable in more ways than one. It would be great if Mason can grow into that kind of player while remaining consistently fit to boot.
I've seen every single game Greenwood has played for the first team and IMO, Sunday, against Leeds, Greenwood had taken a major step in his development. The switching with several players, the link up play, the dribbling, pace, it was all coming together.
I do think that if he shows the same level of development this season, by seasons end we may actually be in a position where we don't need Haaland.
I do think that if he shows the same level of development this season, by seasons end we may actually be in a position where we don't need Haaland.
The plus points for Greenwood are, hes playing in a superior tougher league than the Budesliga.
His progression should be on par with Haalands, on one front, on the other hes younger buy a year or 2, and hes 2 footed . There both very very good players for there ages. If Haaland decides to come to OT, then we should buy him no doubts. Greenwood can play with him easy.
I've like most watched this kid develop, Greenwood is a finisher, top class one now, at 19 what's he going to be by 25? His heading ability has to improve , saying that most top class teams dont realy cross now unless it's a set piece then the usuall suspects head it. Love this kid hope he becomes what hes showing.
His progression should be on par with Haalands, on one front, on the other hes younger buy a year or 2, and hes 2 footed . There both very very good players for there ages. If Haaland decides to come to OT, then we should buy him no doubts. Greenwood can play with him easy.
I've like most watched this kid develop, Greenwood is a finisher, top class one now, at 19 what's he going to be by 25? His heading ability has to improve , saying that most top class teams dont realy cross now unless it's a set piece then the usuall suspects head it. Love this kid hope he becomes what hes showing.
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So the question here is which is better- champagne or caviar? Or like if I already own a Veyron should I go for a Chiron?
Id like to see Greenwood score a double or a hattrick once in a while before we say that Haaland is not necessary.
You mean, it's been a month already?
Haha! This thread.
Greenwood is a great talent for sure, and I think he will have a great career in this club, but not wanting Haaland here next summer and doubting his quality would be like not wanting R9 and doubting his quality back in 97/98. I've watched almost every minute Haaland has played the last three years and he is different to anything else you have seen. Flawed, but still what every club with ambition to be the best in the world should want to lead their line. If injury free he guarantees you 40-60 goals per season anywhere. You can quote me on that.
Where does this 1M a week demand come from? It's just fake news.
Greenwood is a great talent for sure, and I think he will have a great career in this club, but not wanting Haaland here next summer and doubting his quality would be like not wanting R9 and doubting his quality back in 97/98. I've watched almost every minute Haaland has played the last three years and he is different to anything else you have seen. Flawed, but still what every club with ambition to be the best in the world should want to lead their line. If injury free he guarantees you 40-60 goals per season anywhere. You can quote me on that.
Where does this 1M a week demand come from? It's just fake news.
This is not a debate that's happening on a single other website in the world.
If Haaland is available you get him if you can. The rest will sort itself out.
If Dortmund gets their defence sorted out, he might trump it all and stay in black and yellow, as Marco Rose hinted. But he also said "It's up to him".
Someone already mentioned the club and OGS really have to bleeding ruthless to bring haaland while we have greenwood elango martial and so on. That will firmly put us few steps ahead of even the oil clubs for the next few years. It will be a dream move. One that i believe will remain just that. We have too many other gaping holes all over the pitch currently for us to go for him.
Imagine having Sancho, Rashford, Greenwood, Haaland and Fernandes play for the same team. Potentially Pogba too. Would be unfair towards the other 19 teams 
Greenwood's biggest problem is his lack of vision at times and selfishness. Before anyone says that all strikers have to be selfish, yes but Mason often does not pass when it is a way better option. In the first game, there was a massive improvement in that part of his game.
Haaland is a better player at the moment but Mason can get there if he keeps working hard on improving his weaknesses.
Haaland is a better player at the moment but Mason can get there if he keeps working hard on improving his weaknesses.
Haaland has that overpowered aura over him, Greenwood doesn't. However, I somehow I feel like Greenwood is the more special talent, based on his types of skills. But, there have been various special talents in history and many have been forgotten, simply because it didn't develop as was hoped. So if you want certainty, Haaland is already at a high level, if you want hope, Greenwood might end up the even better player. But is hope really the best deal in football?
If the deal won't happen before next year, the coming season will tell us if Greenwood matures to the right of the hope-certainty spectrum, though, so might not have to decide so soon, yet. Also, if a 4-4-2ish formation makes a comeback as tactically sound, they could (hope again) also turn into a great duo up front! For Man Utd that probably means a post-Bruno era though, unless he morphs into someone who rotates with the Rashfords, Sanchos and Amad(hope)s on the wing/AM positions.
If the deal won't happen before next year, the coming season will tell us if Greenwood matures to the right of the hope-certainty spectrum, though, so might not have to decide so soon, yet. Also, if a 4-4-2ish formation makes a comeback as tactically sound, they could (hope again) also turn into a great duo up front! For Man Utd that probably means a post-Bruno era though, unless he morphs into someone who rotates with the Rashfords, Sanchos and Amad(hope)s on the wing/AM positions.
If you're thinking Varane or Sancho, no they don't fall under that category.
Totally agree with Greenwood's assessment. Although he hasn't proved he's physically ready to take on the strongest defenders yet. His overall game has improved a lot. Last season was all about learning his trade as CF and he had good performances there whenever he was deployed at the top. At the end of the campaign he started scoring and looks like he's getting in form again.
Haaland's physical advantage over Greenwood and the fact he played in less demanding leagues helped him gain game time as a centre forward and progress really quick. Hence being so efficient in front of goal at such a young age. He's a powerhouse. Even if all of the players you mentioned (Pogba, Martial, Rashford, Sancho) are firing on all cylinders, going after Haaland makes perfect sense. You want the best team possible.
They both do
Yep, last season eh didn't look quite convincing up top but against Leeds it was different. he held the ball up, kept it and also made intelligent runs.
I really hope he goes onto score 20 goals this season.
He's 19. Messi used to be like that. You learn better movement and when & when not to pass, etc.
I agree. Ronaldo at 18 when he arrived looked like he had the X-factor. But is far from confirming he was going to be world class or multiple Ballon D'or winner. I loved him because he had the flair and unpredictably. However, this did come with a lot of frustration at the time too. I remember some fans questioning whether he was going to make it at Utd because he was just a show pony.
Obviously, what happened with him going forward was incredible and he just got better and better with every season for about 10 years in a row. I actually remember when Ronaldo first joined and in his first season Brondby manager doing an interview and saying Ronaldo was going to be the best player in the world one day. I thought it was a crazy prediction at the time and a bit far fetched. Especially with the amount of great players we had in Europe at the time.
We've seen it many times where we have very talented young players who have the potential to go on and be the best but just don't. Anderson for us springs to mind. He had everything to be one of the best if he wanted it enough.
Anyway, even though Ronaldo was incredible for us I do think his best years were at Real Madrid.
I agree with this. Sunday was the first match Greenwood has played centre forward where he's given genuine hope and signs that he can play that role going forward. There's always been doubts as to whether he would cope playing centrally as opposed to playing facing the goal from the right wing.
Sunday was a huge step forward where he was brilliant, very composed, confident and mature in playing the position. Him bulking up has certainly helped too.
I like Greenwood. There is always the feeling that something will happen when he's in and around the box.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMRdIYBSGxw
In fact this is the season where he will be even better. He may score almost every game.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMRdIYBSGxw
In fact this is the season where he will be even better. He may score almost every game.
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Are you serious? We've just signed 2 players who are one of the best in the world in their respective positions. What more quantifies as a "marquee signing"?
I heard another you say the same things on Rashford.
Haaland has the massive advantage of not been shoved out wide for years on end slowing his development as a center forward. The moment Greenwood broke into the first team we started trying to convert him into a winger.
Yes occasionally it works playing a player out wide in their youth and then moving them inside, RVP is the prime example, but most of the time it hinders players development, as they have to spend years trying to become better wide players and then when they are finally played as center forwards they have never learned or even forgot strikers instincts Players like (Walcott & Rashford are prime examples of this).
For the record, I think we have a very small chance of signing Haaland next summer, as basically every single big club is going to be bidding for him. So really with so few genuine center-forwards out there, we should be doing everything we can to develop Greenwood as a center-forward.
Yes occasionally it works playing a player out wide in their youth and then moving them inside, RVP is the prime example, but most of the time it hinders players development, as they have to spend years trying to become better wide players and then when they are finally played as center forwards they have never learned or even forgot strikers instincts Players like (Walcott & Rashford are prime examples of this).
For the record, I think we have a very small chance of signing Haaland next summer, as basically every single big club is going to be bidding for him. So really with so few genuine center-forwards out there, we should be doing everything we can to develop Greenwood as a center-forward.
Never really understood this belief that Greenwood has been played out of position so far.
Playing up front is one of the hardest roles in the team for young players, and the majority of the ones that can handle it are those whose bodies are fully developed at that age: Haaland and Rooney are the two most obvious examples, and even Rooney wasn't played as a lone striker until he was 24.
Go back and look at the best strikers of the last decade or so and the majority of them played out wide or as second strikers / number tens in their teens and early 20s before moving to center forward: Van Persie, Benzema, Suarez, Zlatan, Rooney, Tevez, Aguero. Not many of them started up front, and the ones that did either didn't play in a top league (Lewandowski, Kane) or become properly prolific (Cavani, Villa, Falcao) until their early 20s.
Walcott is an awful example of a center forward stunted by being played out wide because he looked absolutely clueless whenever he was played in the center at Arsenal, and the only real way to use him at a top side was out wide where he had space to do the one thing he was above average at: run in a straight line and get behind the defence.
Greenwood has been playing exactly where he should be to develop his game and maximize his impact so far. He's only going to get fitter and stronger as he grows, and then we'll see if his long term position is center forward or not.
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This sounds regurgitated from two years ago. He literally bossed Leeds physically
Why does every club bidding for Haaland mean we are out of the running? We aren’t fecking Everton
Even if he does - what kind of ambitious team doesn't need depth? We won't have Cavani next year and Martial is useless. Even if Greenwood were the best CF in the world, you cannot win anything by just having one. The good news is, if we have two CFs (Greenwood and Haaland), Greenwood can play on multiple positions just as well so he won't necessarily be warming the bench.
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