Like I have said and mentioned many times in others threads. The collective performance has a lot say about the individual performance. Manchester United were at that time really poor collective. Last season. And not only Rashford. Because of that. Bruno and even Ronaldo were underperforming and struggling too.
Now, we take a look back in time. When the individual performance was affect by a struggling collective.
The example and comparison is the when United bought Angel Di Maria season 2014 -15 under Louis Van Gaal leadership, a really good attacking player at that time. Di Maria was named man of the match by UEFA in the Champion league Final against A Madrid in 2014. The last match for Real Madrid before he joined Manchester United later.
And not long time ago. Angel Di Maria became world champion with Argentina in World cup Qatar 2022. Which we can see. With a stronger and more solid collective team like Real Madrid, PSG and Argentina it will affect Di Maria performance to the better and more positive individual performance. Angel Di Maria did played his part to helped Argentina to won the Qatar world cup 2022.
Not only Di Maria. At same season. 2014/15. Another really good attacking football player was joining Manchester United. The name was Radamel Falcao. One of the most clinical and sharpest CF at that time playing for Monaco.
Falcao scoring stats before joining United :
For Atletico Madrid, from 2011 -2013 = 68 matches and 52 goals.
For Monaco 2013 , from 2013 – and after United period to 2019 = 108 matches and 65. In others words. Falcao found his scoring form after he rejoin Monaco from a season loan spell at United. Where he.
For a struggling United, from 2014 – 2015 = 26 matches and only 4 goals.
And not only with Angel Di Maria and Falcao. There were others examples of really good attacking football players. That were really good before they joined United. But struggled to keep the same level of performance.
Like Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Player of the year in Bundesliga the season before he joined United. But was struggling in most of the matches under Jose Mourinho leadership.
That are examples of the collective performance do affect the individual performance. And there are others factors and reasons that affect the individual performance. But I only focus on one of the main and biggest reason = the collective performance. How solid, strong, steady and dominate a collective are.
With those experiences. I experience and saw how it affect players confidence, mood and motivation. We turn back to Rashford. Like I said above. It wasn’t only Rashford that was struggling. Bruno, Ronaldo and many others current United players too.
And the rumour, speculation and something start to mention to selling Rashford. Because he was underperforming wasn’t a really smart idea at all.
We all know how good and how his performance was. The level before his long time back injury.
Right, Rashford did miss chances here and there. But not only him. Even with Bruno and Ronaldo. A GOAT and a really good and consistent football player in Bruno couldn’t help United to achieved top 4 and lost to middle table and bottom teams really often last season. Then with those clear signs. It got to be the collective performance that were the main and biggest reason and factors behind United poor last season. In others words I would use. Playing for a struggling team, not a consistent dominating, solid, consistent winning team.
And other reason and factor behind a individual performance is how the head coach and his team is managing and handle theirs players.
Like the last head coach before Ten Hag. Ralf Rangnick. I know Elanga was really good at working hard and run a lot. But to be honest and objective. Rashford have and had a max football level higher than Elanga. The max level of Elanga can only reach max 90 % of Rashfoord football level. From what I have seen and experienced of Rashford, before his serious and long time back injury.
And like I said. When Rangnick was starting and line up with a midfield of Fred and Matic as the cm duo and Pogba not in his best position as left winger and Elanga as RW. Like against Watford like this:
https://www.altomfotball.no/element...ournamentId=230&seasonId=343&useFullUrl=false
The match against Watford at Old Trafford ended 0 – 0 . Later Watford got relegated. Even with Bruno, Pogba and the Goat Ronaldo couldn’t help United to win against Watford at Old Trafford.
And later Rangnick keep starting with a cm duo in Fred and Matic against Everton away. When he could start with a more offensive team with Pogba and Fred.
https://www.altomfotball.no/element...ournamentId=230&seasonId=343&useFullUrl=false
United ending that match loosing 1-0. So the point is. A individual poor performance or a player missing chances here and there. Are not the main and only reason why a team is winning or not. It start earlier by a head coach decision on which XI he picked and decide to start with. Then later a player missing chance or mistake that lead to conceding a goal has something to say. But again, the collective and starting line up. The XI have a lot to say. And if a manager keep picking Elanga as an example ahead of Rashford. It does affect Rashford confidence and mentality.
Top hard works don’t always win you matches. You got to have the top tools and skills to score and make it. To help United to achieved top 4. If you put and line a team with only hard top worker/workhorse. But without ability, skill and tools to score more goals than opposition teams. Then you will struggle really hard to win the matches.
By observing United closely from the outside. From the 90’s when United were a solid, dominate and consistent winning team, trough the season with 2014-15 and to last season. Season 2021-22.
When a individual player is struggling in a winning dominating team. Then we can say and state and player is not up to the level of the team and collective or that player and individual might not suit the football style of a team. We can questioned that player. But judging and only blame on one person and start to thinking of selling a specific player like Rashford. You are might not United fan and try to stir in the porridge of United to make the situations worse. Its ok if Rashford’s previous max level was average and he only score average 5 goals each season. But Rashford had 17 goals 2 seasons ago and 11 goals the season after. You are not selling this kind of player only after 1 or ½ season. When we knew the level of Manchester United as a collective and team. Always struggling against parking bus team with tight defending.
And in some other thread on Redcafe. I did post my opinion about Rashford considering his United future. I did mentioned some of the reasons above. And why I was against selling Rashford.
Sum up and conclusion. I knew Rashford max level and max potential and the biggest and main reasons behind his and others United players poor/average and not up to theirs max level potential. So I would be really angry. If someone with the power and decision maker. Decide to sell Marcus Rashford. First that person don’t see the whole bigger picture and all the reason, factors and ingredients behind a struggling collective and individual performance. A player is a part and unit of a collective, but they are not the main reason behind a collective struggling period.
Here is the link to the post I put on the Rashford considering his future thread. Just reading Rashford consider to leave or someone suggested to selling Rashford. I decided to shared my opinion to avoid to see a player of Rashford was leaving United. And why he should stay at Manchester United.
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/rashford-considering-his-future.469236/post-28645295
If Rashford was struggling. Lead by many factors and reasons like the head coach starting playing like Elanga over him. And because of a struggling and inconsistent collective. It affect a lot on his head and mind and doesn’t make him to have a clear view of the whole situations.
Then zero your minds after the season, come back with a refresh mind. Be patient. With a better head coach and more consistent creative nr.8 and collective. It will affect your individual performance.
United got a new better head coach who see the level and potential of Rashford. Using and pushing him regular. With a better cm duo in Casemiro and Eriksen.
When the main ingredients and factors that lead to a result have been different , change to the better. The result will be better too. And it will affect all the units that are playing theirs parts in shaping the collective result.
And here is the link to the post where I know Rashford max potential. Better head coach and with better service, collective and that time United were trying to get Frenkie De Jong. I knew what Rashford could achieve, with those reasons and factors that will affect his performance if they are changing to the better level. United didn’t get De Jong. But instead Casemiro and Eriksen. Not good enough to win premier this season, but in a good way to achieve top 4 this season.
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/fantasy-premier-league-22-23.471080/post-29085420
In fantasy premier league with a starting price at 6.5 for Rashford midfield player was way too low. I knew it was based on his last season performance. But like I said above. The main reason behind this low price in that game was a struggling United struggling team.
In the end. Even a head coach pick and choose a another player over you. It doesn’t mean he is 100 % sure he is better or has a higher level than you. It might affect your confidence. You shall reflect first over your own performances, but you always shall look at the bigger picture. Take all the reasons behind your performance. Like the collective performance.
So the collective performance do affect your individual performance a lot. But at the same time. The players get to know. From promising talents to GOAT of football. If some players achieved and win a lot in theirs career. To not lost the feet from the ground and get carried away about the fame, success and all that stuff. Without a strong, dominating and winning collective and unit. No players will achieve what theirs had achieving.
In other words. A collective do both affect a individual performance both way. Negative and positive way. How to not totally low your down and mislead you and how not get to high and lost yours feet from the ground.
The main reasons behind a strong, dominating and winning collective are always more WE than I.
WE = many units and factors that lead to a positive result collective.
I = because of only myself = that is not in common with a team sport like football. Even in Tennis or Skiing. You need someone and others units to produce tennis racket, ball and ski for you.
So before judging a individual performance. The collective performance have to take into counting and analysis. In Rashford case. His last or 1-2 season was that. And other United players. Like Wan Bissaka too. United collective performances did play big part.
Sorry for long post. But like I said. Things and case related to many others factors and long back in time. We get to take every factors and reasons that lead to some situations. So not only about Rashford. But to youngster that are promising and will face famous and stardom. If ours I and ego lead and make us lost ours feet on the ground and get carried aways by those things. This is how you can reflect and solve it.
A football team is like a car. Consist of different important units. It relate and affect each others. Like if you are taking all the credit alone in a team sport. You know you are on the wrong path. Same as get low and has low confidence. It’s might not you are the only one to blame. Look at the bigger picture. Every puzzles and reasons has to take into counting
P.S I am not into discussion = will not reply back
️