There was a brief period where he looked electric. Very assured, focussed and confident. Right now he looks like a player that isn't interested, and that's a worry, as it goes further than just being back from injury. I don't know if he'll ever get back to that short period, nevermind past it.
Is Rashford better than the likes of Saint Maximin?
- Thread starter pocco
- Start date
In his current form Rashford isn't good enough for Premier League at all, and shouldn't be starting
Never has been.
One of the most overrated players I’ve seen in my lifetime.
One of the most overrated players I’ve seen in my lifetime.
At his best, Rashford is still better too. We are being prisoners of the moment with this thread.
I feel like Rashford's been coddled too much and he's too comfortable now, maybe I'm off but if I'm not, it doesn't surprise me he's not making much progress. He's always going to start, he's in the middle of a team that seems disjointed at best, he's on his fourth manager (soon to have a fifth), and he's dealt with a really bad injury he's never looked right from since. All of these factors coupled with the fact that he's a good, but never felt to me like he was ever going to be great even if everything worked out in his development. He's a good squad player to come off the bench on his best day for a title contender, but he still belongs as a starter on this current United squad, and Sancho is not really doing great in challenging that.
Rashford anyday better than saint maxim for me.
He’s just going through a bad run
He’s just going through a bad run
Currently? Absolutely. Both frustrate in the final third but ASM is an absolute terror on the ball when isolated against a single defender and he'd wreak havoc in our side, while Rashford hasn't shown any sort of ability to beat men consistently since hurting his back. ASM is also just a cleaner dribbler as well which helps.
To be fair I don't mind the question if talking about both players as they are currently. There are serious doubts for me on Rashford because he's never been the same since that back injury, and it's been a long enough time period that he hasn't had that same explosiveness in his game at this point.
Seems to be a caf tradition to make stupid threads and then bump them later for laughs.
Not a single wide player has been good enough for us since we signed Ronaldo.
Ronaldo as a Striker doesn't make sense with players who are inverted forwards that are more likely to score a goal than set up a chance.
Benzema & Rooney was doing the work centrally to set him up when Ronaldo was a LW in his prime - why would Ronaldo as a central striker work with inverted forwards that are not very creative?
This is why Cavani is better than Rashford and Greenwood in a partnership to Ronaldo. Cavani is more similar to Rooney and Benzema than Greenwood and Rashford.
Ronaldo as a Striker doesn't make sense with players who are inverted forwards that are more likely to score a goal than set up a chance.
Benzema & Rooney was doing the work centrally to set him up when Ronaldo was a LW in his prime - why would Ronaldo as a central striker work with inverted forwards that are not very creative?
This is why Cavani is better than Rashford and Greenwood in a partnership to Ronaldo. Cavani is more similar to Rooney and Benzema than Greenwood and Rashford.
Will take I’m time to fully recover, back Injuries are the worst and can take a very long time to recover from.
Do not enjoy seeing the hate for him and people making posts about lesser players being better. Look at their stats, one is exciting with very little end product, one is a player recovering from injury and out of form, but was a very consistent scorer and creator prior to injury. Shame people can’t support the players and new manager, it’ll take time and club actually has a long term plan.
His injury might or might not affect him and tbh it's all speculation on our part. Personally I am disappointed in him when it comes to decisions that could be made with a little bit of common sense on the pitch.
Like not trying to run into blind alleys vs 2 or 3 players, like not refusing to pass for obvious and essy options. These particular instances have little to do with the back injury. It's just poor decision making and it shows me there is something seriously lacking in him.
On current form, Saint-Maximin is way better, yesterday you could see how he was driving the attacks, dribbling past our players, being dangerous, what would you expect from a good forward. Rashford is just off form and still starting for no valid reason, his decision making was and still is awful when it matters the most. I don't know how much that penalty miss in the final messed him up (maybe Carrick-like post Barcelona) but he needs to get his shit together.
Saint-Maximin get criticized for his inconsistency but I think if he played in a bigger club (coached better) or in a better team he would even be better. Rashford has been a starter at a top club for 4 years+ and still has not shown any signs that he will be regular starting forward that we can depend on and that's what frustrates the most as he's the academy boy we all want to see flourishing...
Saint-Maximin get criticized for his inconsistency but I think if he played in a bigger club (coached better) or in a better team he would even be better. Rashford has been a starter at a top club for 4 years+ and still has not shown any signs that he will be regular starting forward that we can depend on and that's what frustrates the most as he's the academy boy we all want to see flourishing...
His decision making excels anything St Maximin has produced in his career. Lad hasn’t recovered work rate or form since his injury and doesn’t look right. Speculation is what drives discussion forums, looking from the outside in he’s not physically or mentally right. He certainly has the talent.
I wasn't comparing him to St Maximin. I rate Rashford higher and that's why what I described about his play frustrates me highly. I have watched Saint Maximin most of his career. He will never play better than he is now and it's not really that impressive tbh consistency wise.
Like I said concerning Rashford, I don't see what refusing to make a simple and obvious pass has to do with a back injury. I don't see why he'd still force dribble against multiple opponents if he hasn't fully recovered.
Rashford seems to not challenge for the ball and doenst give 100%. I think that the injuries made him more cautious, which is understandable. However, if his is true, then he is finished as top player.
Rashford was in brilliant form in 19/20 and looked on the verge of stepping up to the 'world class' bracket. Obviously far better than ASM has ever been. Then he injured his back and he's never been remotely close to that level again.
Sure he's still had the odd good game, but for most of the time since the injury he's been poor but managing to still get the goals and assists to hide it. On the one hand it's great to be able to get the final product even when not playing well, but long term it's not really sustainable. EIther you kick back into form, or the poor form continues and the goals and assists eventually dry up. Unfortunately it's looking like the latter scenario at the moment.
Was it the back injury that is still impacting him (either physically or mentally)? Is it his off-field duties and political stuff? Has he got overly confident and arrogant, which has led to selfishness? Is he struggling with a lack of confidence and trying to force things? A combination of a few of these? Who knows, but the impact on his game has been noticeable.
Sure he's still had the odd good game, but for most of the time since the injury he's been poor but managing to still get the goals and assists to hide it. On the one hand it's great to be able to get the final product even when not playing well, but long term it's not really sustainable. EIther you kick back into form, or the poor form continues and the goals and assists eventually dry up. Unfortunately it's looking like the latter scenario at the moment.
Was it the back injury that is still impacting him (either physically or mentally)? Is it his off-field duties and political stuff? Has he got overly confident and arrogant, which has led to selfishness? Is he struggling with a lack of confidence and trying to force things? A combination of a few of these? Who knows, but the impact on his game has been noticeable.
Was it the first months of 19/20 of 20/21 when he was responsible for most of United's goal output? Can that Rashford come back? 
That's my gut feeling too with him.
He had that youthful unpredictability and fearlessness, which has now gone.
A combination of age, the world cup and food poverty campaigning has dampened him.
A combination of age, the world cup and food poverty campaigning has dampened him.
At his best Rashford is a more cynical player, he doesn't have a lot of tools but know how to use the ones he has with a high success rate. Saint Maximin has lots of tools but more often than note it leads to nothing because he doesn't have a working formula, he is erratic.
We’re becoming specialists in turning good players into below average ones. Just look at how Lukaku is performing at Chelsea now
Rashford for me has always been a player I like just because of his athletiscm. You need those kind of players and we have none at United other than him and Martial. However he is lacking technically and mentally.
He is a player that can be great given the current team setup and unfortunately we are lacking that at United given our midfield and striking options. We have opted for a player like Ronaldo who isn't involved in any phase of play and cant hold up the ball or dribble it with his back to goal. This affects Rashford and his duties in the team. Rashford has to take on the burden of creating from deep when that isn't his strength. Its no surprise that Rashford was amazing when he was paired with a direct selfless individual like Martial who was also a threat on his own. Ronaldo is showing how inept Rashford is when he doesnt have the luxury of just running and attacking in quick transitions. Its so embarrassing having to watch him think of where to pass the ball because he doesnt have any tactical understanding of where it should go. He has also adopted that nonsense from bruno where he tries to make the direct pass to the striker immediately without considering any other options or pace of the game.
He is a player that can be great given the current team setup and unfortunately we are lacking that at United given our midfield and striking options. We have opted for a player like Ronaldo who isn't involved in any phase of play and cant hold up the ball or dribble it with his back to goal. This affects Rashford and his duties in the team. Rashford has to take on the burden of creating from deep when that isn't his strength. Its no surprise that Rashford was amazing when he was paired with a direct selfless individual like Martial who was also a threat on his own. Ronaldo is showing how inept Rashford is when he doesnt have the luxury of just running and attacking in quick transitions. Its so embarrassing having to watch him think of where to pass the ball because he doesnt have any tactical understanding of where it should go. He has also adopted that nonsense from bruno where he tries to make the direct pass to the striker immediately without considering any other options or pace of the game.
Dont get your point because lukaku is also average for chelsea?
Rashford has been badly coached/advised.
I am one of his biggest critics, but he definitely has some standout attributes...the trouble is we have ruined him by indulging his ego with this "wonderkid" nonsense and not just playing to his strengths.
The main problem, in my opinion, is that he constantly stops with the ball, or tries to get on the ball in deeper positions. Every time I have seen Rashford play well or do something good, it's when he is direct. He is incredibly quick and has some skills, plus he can finish.
If I was his coach, I would take the approach Lombardi (supposedly) took with Bart Starr. I'd say Marcus, you're an awful footballer, but if you do what I say, and only what I say, you can become one of the most effective in the world. I would say never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, do I want you showing infront of an opposition player for the ball. Every single run he makes should be forward, every time. Constantly be on the shoulder, constantly be running in behind. When you do receive it, your job is to head directly for goal. No stopping. No stupid flicks. No "flip-flaps". Just engage a defender, drop your shoulder, move the ball and run with purpose.
All I see now is a player who is constantly walking on the ball, trying to play a controlled, technical game that he does not possess.
I am one of his biggest critics, but he definitely has some standout attributes...the trouble is we have ruined him by indulging his ego with this "wonderkid" nonsense and not just playing to his strengths.
The main problem, in my opinion, is that he constantly stops with the ball, or tries to get on the ball in deeper positions. Every time I have seen Rashford play well or do something good, it's when he is direct. He is incredibly quick and has some skills, plus he can finish.
If I was his coach, I would take the approach Lombardi (supposedly) took with Bart Starr. I'd say Marcus, you're an awful footballer, but if you do what I say, and only what I say, you can become one of the most effective in the world. I would say never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, do I want you showing infront of an opposition player for the ball. Every single run he makes should be forward, every time. Constantly be on the shoulder, constantly be running in behind. When you do receive it, your job is to head directly for goal. No stopping. No stupid flicks. No "flip-flaps". Just engage a defender, drop your shoulder, move the ball and run with purpose.
All I see now is a player who is constantly walking on the ball, trying to play a controlled, technical game that he does not possess.
I’d say is performing way better than Rashford is at the moment
What do you mean? Lukaku's tearing it up with his one league goal since September.
I’ve said this before, and, more recently, not just about Rashford!!
Massively over-rated and always has been.
Now he’s getting worse and people and losing their shit with him.
As football/United fans, we have a tendency to put players like this on a massive pedestal and worship them before they have proven anything.
In the context of this thread, I said during the game last night that I’d swap him for ASM in a heartbeat and I stand by that opinion.
Massively over-rated and always has been.
Now he’s getting worse and people and losing their shit with him.
As football/United fans, we have a tendency to put players like this on a massive pedestal and worship them before they have proven anything.
In the context of this thread, I said during the game last night that I’d swap him for ASM in a heartbeat and I stand by that opinion.
Reactionary post. ASM is just as frustrating. He messed up a lot of attacks last night for Newcastle despite his goal and he does that in plenty of other games.
He won’t score 20 goals anywhere.
He really is not.
Exactly this, ASM is a great game highlights player but over the course of watching a full game it’s clear where his problems are. He often makes the wrong choice and fails to see the obvious and while DDG made a top save he really should have put his second chance away.
I'm extremely critical of Rashford and he's regressing from what he's shown us previously, but even then I'd pick him over Maximin every day of the week.
Completely different players imo. ASM is one of those guys who can unsettle defenses with dribblings and trickery, Rashford for me is still simply a striker, the problem is we try to use him like ASM, which in return makes Rashford look worse than he is, yeah, and he is woefully out of form right now.
Spot on.
Rashford doesn't have to attack against our shit defenders who make everyone look great.
Mourinho wanted to get rid of pogba, martial and rashford. He wanted to replace them with players who are technical and put in a shift.
In terms of talent, yes, but he hasn't shown it in well over a year. Rashford has been so disappointing in almost every game since he returned but never gets dropped for poor performances.
All I know is that he’s not as good as Greenwood but gets more minutes than him.
Imo Rashford is in football purely for the fame and money to continue his political stuff. He has no desire to give even 10% in a match, it is clear to see. I would have Traore over him easily.
I don't think ASM's issue is a lack of talent tbf.
Consistency
Been saying it for years, him and Martial have never and will never be consistent for united. We just too obsessed with keeping players with 'talent' who barely do much in long periods of time.
Been saying it for years, him and Martial have never and will never be consistent for united. We just too obsessed with keeping players with 'talent' who barely do much in long periods of time.