[Adisa]

He's only a viable option wide if it's the right wing; he's terrible at inverting from the left.

Now Pogba is out, Jose should show some balls and sit Herrera deep next to Matic, and unleash Rashford, Martial and Lukaku as a front 3 with Mkhitaryan (or Lingard if he wants the additional legs) behind them.

I agree that we have to see if we can make it work for him on the right.
He just doesn't shift the ball fast enough for me.. ANother option is to see him through the middle behind Lukaku. But I'm not sure Martial on the left and Rashford in the middle is a good idea. Both will restrict each other.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

If Guardiola managed Rashford , Rashford would be playing as a striker day in day out.

No he wouldn't he would be playing at Leicester City.

 

[prtk0811]

Disagree on both fronts.
Don't think he's as good as Jesus.

Agree to disagree here. Rashford is no less.

 

[prtk0811]

No he wouldn't he would be playing at Leicester City.

He is playing at united. Do you mean Leicester are better?

 

[Tom Van Persie]

He is playing at united. Do you mean Leicester are better?

I mean look how good Pep is at managing home grown strikers. The young lad Iheanacho who City thought was better than Rashford is playing his football at Leicester. But Pep is such a maestro at managing young players, right?

The truth is Rashford is seen more as a winger and he's not good enough yet to be starting as our main striker when we have Lukaku or Zlatan at the club. He's progressing nicely under Mourinho getting the right amount of game time and his overall play has improved a lot over the last year. That's because he's been playing on the wing seeing plenty of the ball and getting the opportunities to run at defenders.

 

[Rozay]

I think you should re read the post, i called Lingard championship quality and Rashford an upgrade. I do not regard him as atop talent or even a potential starting talent for united. He will always be john o shea/ Wes brown bracket. Substitute quality.

Still an absurd statement. Firstly, even Jesse is much better than Championship quality, and secondly - at the very least, Rashford is one of the best few talents in England, and is far above Championship quality. He just won the national team their last game with a goal and an assist. He was also England's best forward player at the Euros last year.

 

[haram]

I want him to succeed but he is only starting cause he is a youth product and works hard. Talent wise, he is two levels below martial. I d always say him and lingard are championship quality, i d still say he has improved but he should never be first choice at any position at united. He just does not have the technique or skill. Lingard remains championship quality and his major quality is running around a lot, while rashford does a bit more, i dont think he does anywhere close to what is required of a united player.

I don't think you even know what 'championship quality' is. Yes, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is starting a championship footballer week in week out. A 19 year old Championship footballer has won England an International game a week ago.

He's only a viable option wide if it's the right wing; he's terrible at inverting from the left.

Complete bollox tbh. The only 'viable' option for him is playing off the right. Meanwhile our very decorated manager plays him on the left.

All of this knee jerk bullshit after a 19 year old has had a bad game is ludicrous. The whole team was woeful.

 

[pacifictheme]

I agree that we have to see if we can make it work for him on the right.
He just doesn't shift the ball fast enough for me.. ANother option is to see him through the middle behind Lukaku. But I'm not sure Martial on the left and Rashford in the middle is a good idea. Both will restrict each other.

Plus miki has been quality there so putting rashford in ahead of him would be bizarre.

 

[Player Red]

His skill set and playstyle actually reminds me much more of a younger Bale than Ronaldo. Doesn't have good close control, but can beat people with electrifying pace and can score goals from different positions. Who knows if he'll ever get close to Bale's top levels but if he does we will have a hell of a player.

I think you are right here. What we want is defenders to commit to him higher up the pitch so that he has space in behind to work with. What would help is a consistent pairing with a LB. Bale had great success playing deep with his back to goal, committing his opposition full-back the laying off to his own full-back and hitting the space in behind.

 

[KM]

I think you should re read the post, i called Lingard championship quality and Rashford an upgrade. I do not regard him as atop talent or even a potential starting talent for united. He will always be john o shea/ Wes brown bracket. Substitute quality.

I think it's telling that you didn't post much in this thread after the last three games. You and whatever that Irish Fan username is on here have such a weird agenda against Rashford that it's almost you guys are waiting for him to have a bad match to post on here.

Embarrassing posts as per usual in this thread too.

 

[MadMike]

As a pure CF Rashford is quite a bit behind Jesus, let's be honest it's hardly a subject for debate. If you look at Jesus' goalscoring record and compare it to Rashford, it's all laid bare. It's not a favourable comparison.

Personally, I still can't make my mind up what his best position is. He needs to improve many aspects of his game to become a CF. I don't think I've seen him win a header for a example or score a headed goal. He often drops deep to pick up and carry the ball, so he doesn't show the movement in the box that gets him ahead of a defender for a simple tap-in or a poacher's goal, like Aguero and Jesus do. Both his decision making and finishing would need a lot of improving. These weaknesses are less obvious on the wing where his speed, energy and directness cover some of his flaws.

He's still got plenty of time. If he keeps working and improving who knows how far he'll go. But he's at no position to challenge Lukaku for the #9 spot and he can't quite nail the LW either with fierce competition from Martial. I don't see the point in comparing that much with other players especially more accomplished ones, just let him develop at his own pace. We all know he's got talent.

 

[Maradona10]

Still an absurd statement. Firstly, even Jesse is much better than Championship quality, and secondly - at the very least, Rashford is one of the best few talents in England, and is far above Championship quality. He just won the national team their last game with a goal and an assist. He was also England's best forward player at the Euros last year.

I stand by it, i do not think Rashford is a special few talent in england. I think there are potentially better players in our academy than him. Being England's best player means feck all these days. Its like signing denmark' s best player. Lingard has no technical quality and is not a intellegent player and he is not a young player anymore, he is fecking as old as Pogba.
On rashford's(20 in a months time) case here are some of the best talents in england aged 19-21

• Dele ali
• Gab jesus
• Ryan sessegnon
• Davinson sanchez
• Sane
• Martial
• Ilhenacho

And i would take all of them ahead of rashford. If we go to the world level he wont make it anywhere near.
Why si it so hard for people to accept rashford isnt as good as they think he is. If he were at west ham his best move would be to stoke/everton where he might have been a decent striker but thats it. Just like jhon o shea, wes brown. He is not a potential gary neville or a beckham standard player.

 

[Maradona10]

I think it's telling that you didn't post much in this thread after the last three games. You and whatever that Irish Fan username is on here have such a weird agenda against Rashford that it's almost you guys are waiting for him to have a bad match to post on here.

Embarrassing posts as per usual in this thread too.

I dint post on redcafe at all. I have posted after he has scored many times. I have admitted he has improved with his hard work. His natural talent and ceiling is what i doubt.

 

[Rozay]

I stand by it, i do not think Rashford is a special few talent in england. I think there are potentially better players in our academy than him. Being England's best player means feck all these days. Its like signing denmark' s best player. Lingard has no technical quality and is not a intellegent player and he is not a young player anymore, he is fecking as old as Pogba.
On rashford's(20 in a months time) case here are some of the best talents in england aged 19-21

• Dele ali
• Gab jesus
• Ryan sessegnon
• Davinson sanchez
• Sane
• Martial
• Ilhenacho

And i would take all of them ahead of rashford. If we go to the world level he wont make it anywhere near.
Why si it so hard for people to accept rashford isnt as good as they think he is. If he were at west ham his best move would be to stoke/everton where he might have been a decent striker but thats it. Just like jhon o shea, wes brown. He is not a potential gary neville or a beckham standard player.

When I said 'in this country', I meant English talent in particular. He's certainly in the best few, if not the best, and as a result is definitely a PL player.

A lot of your list are better and older than him, although Sanchez and definitely Sessegnon are far fetched claims. And England are far better than Denmark, have a top league, and produce many more players who have an impact at CL level. Being the best is worth something.

 

[Sammyjunn]

When I said 'in this country', I meant English talent in particular. He's certainly in the best few, if not the best, and as a result is definitely a PL player.

A lot of your list are better and older than him, although Sanchez and definitely Sessegnon are far fetched claims. And England are far better than Denmark, have a top league, and produce many more players who have an impact at CL level. Being the best is worth something.

Iheanacho has proved nothing as well to suggest he's better.

 

[Rozay]

Iheanacho has proved nothing as well to suggest he's better.

Well he could argue he has. He's basically played very well whenever he's gotten an opportunity. I don't necessarily think he's better, and he's a very different type of player too, far less individual so hard to compare - but I don't think Rashford can 'prove' he isn't at this stage.

 

[Rossa]

Why the need for our own fans to downplay Rashford to such an extent? One would think I was reading a Liverpool forum from the comments on here. It's like people are having a dig at him in case he fails just to be able to tell the world "I told you so" (and absolutely nobody will give a flying feck).

He is a great prospect, an amazing talent with great attributes, and more importantly, he looks to have his head sorted and his priorities right. Sometimes an injury ruin a career, or a little luck can make a star player. Only time will tell, but the negativity amongst our own fans is quite something.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Well he could argue he has. He's basically played very well whenever he's gotten an opportunity. I don't necessarily think he's better, and he's a very different type of player too, far less individual so hard to compare - but I don't think Rashford can 'prove' he isn't at this stage.

He has showed he is a good finisher, good goalscorer and has good positioning as a striker, other than that he hasnt shown a lot of ability. Now playing at a team that wont serve the chances on a plate for him, we'll see how good he really is.

 

[djdhrubs]

Frustrating player, and I guess we can put that down to his age. The simplest way I can describe his defiency is that his timing is off. He'll sometimes very rapidly get into a good position, only to delay the final pass and/ or get tackled just before he needs to make a decisive move. Or, he'll suddenly whip a dangerous ball into the box before anyone has got to that area to make it count.

 

[Rozay]

He has showed he is a good finisher, good goalscorer and has good positioning as a striker, other than that he hasnt shown a lot of ability. Now playing at a team that wont serve the chances on a plate for him, we'll see how good he really is.

That is what he's supposed to show, as he's a centre forward. Harry Kane, who is much lauded on these parts, has shown the same stuff.

I agree we'll see what he does at Leicester, but he hasn't failed there yet just as much as he hasn't succeeded either. As it stands, he's shown himself a big talent at what he does.

 

[Nucks]

Rashford is an athlete. That's what he has shown. He's fast, but not the fastest. I've said it before and I'll say it now. His technical skills will prevent him from attaining world class levels. It's almost certainly too late in his development for him to suddenly develop close ball control skills, and a silky first touch. His footballing sense is also completely lacking. He seems incapable of dribbling with his head up. He finds himself in blind alley after blind alley.

So long as he has his speed, he will always be a danger against slow, or tiring defenders with his directness. However, as it stands right now, he often derails any attack he is involved with when he decides to attack rather than pass. He can improve the decision making part of his game, that comes with age. What I don't think he will be able to improve much, is his tight ball control skills, and his ability to do anything but knock the ball on and try to outrun the defender to it.

He is young and exciting now, and he is getting plenty of opportunity, so we will see. For me, Rashford has the better attitude, but Martial has the better talent. If only we could combine Lingard, Rashford and Martial. We take Lingards head, he's an intelligent, crafty player without much else going for him. We take Rashfords body and athleticism, cause he's a speed demon. We take Martials technique. If we could make one player out of those three, we'd have someone who is legitimately world class.

 

[An Irish Red]

He is a great prospect, an amazing talent with great attributes, and more importantly, he looks to have his head sorted and his priorities right. Sometimes an injury ruin a career, or a little luck can make a star player. Only time will tell, but the negativity amongst our own fans is quite something.

Having a different opinion isn't being negative. You think he's an amazing talent whereas I think he's an athlete with limited ability; a Calvert-Lewin rather than a Martial.

I don't see how that is 'having an agenda' or whatever it's framed as.

 

[Sammyjunn]

That is what he's supposed to show, as he's a centre forward. Harry Kane, who is much lauded on these parts, has shown the same stuff.

I agree we'll see what he does at Leicester, but he hasn't failed there yet just as much as he hasn't succeeded either. As it stands, he's shown himself a big talent at what he does.

Kane creates a lot more chances for himself, has a very big range of finishing and has a very mature all-round game and hold-up play. His sample size of games is also quite a lot bigger.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

It never ceases to amaze me the way people seem to so often struggle with the idea that young players are inconsistent and just because a teenager plays badly in a specific game this doesn't mean they're a bad player. Marcus was absolutely crap yesterday. But he's already given us more than enough evidence (for club and country) that he has the makings of being a top top player. Having a crap game yesterday doesn't change this.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

As a pure CF Rashford is quite a bit behind Jesus, let's be honest it's hardly a subject for debate. If you look at Jesus' goalscoring record and compare it to Rashford, it's all laid bare. It's not a favourable comparison.

Personally, I still can't make my mind up what his best position is. He needs to improve many aspects of his game to become a CF. I don't think I've seen him win a header for a example or score a headed goal. He often drops deep to pick up and carry the ball, so he doesn't show the movement in the box that gets him ahead of a defender for a simple tap-in or a poacher's goal, like Aguero and Jesus do. Both his decision making and finishing would need a lot of improving. These weaknesses are less obvious on the wing where his speed, energy and directness cover some of his flaws.

He's still got plenty of time. If he keeps working and improving who knows how far he'll go. But he's at no position to challenge Lukaku for the #9 spot and he can't quite nail the LW either with fierce competition from Martial. I don't see the point in comparing that much with other players especially more accomplished ones, just let him develop at his own pace. We all know he's got talent.

Scored a header against Arsenal. Think it was his second first-team appearance?

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

It never ceases to amaze me the way people seem to so often struggle with the idea that young players are inconsistent and just because a teenager plays badly in a specific game this doesn't mean they're a bad player. Marcus was absolutely crap yesterday. But he's already given us more than enough evidence (for club and country) that he has the makings of being a top top player. Having a crap game yesterday doesn't change this.

I've frankly been surprised by how consistent he has been even if playing out of position for his age until yesterday, so in a way he is a victim of his own class so far that the expectation for him is so high. Not a bad thing in any way.

 

[I Believe]

Marcus Rashford is a great kid, who yesterday had perhaps his poorest first team performance since he was promoted into the first team squad.

My view watching him was he was 'over thinking' things, consequently this produce hesitation at crucial times, lost control and lost the ball (and the plot). Actually perverse as it may seem it will probably do him good, a chance to 're-set' himself. He received lot's of praise, heaped on from England as well as United, maybe raised his own expectations as well as everyone else's. Its at such times as these people like Marcus, capable and willing to learn, willing to be taught, need their manager, don't let him down Jose!

 

[ZDwyr]

He wasn't very good but I thought his pace still made him a threat on a few occasions. Just some bad decision making and sloppiness.

 

[roonster09]

Don't know why people keep on comparing him with Gabriel Jesus. G.Jesus is playing as a striker whereas Rashford is playing as a winger. If anything he should be compared with Sterling and Sane.

 

[Aza Boy]

Yeahh right...Rashford shite, Lingard shite...let them be, cause they are my beloved shite United player.

And no, he wont play for Leicester. If there is any chance of him being sold, clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, even Spurs will be happy to have him.

 

[pocco]

And how did you reach that conclusion? He was doing everything under LVG. His link up play as also top class during his tenure. Even his finishing was top class under lvg. The boy can do it all but he is a striker, not a winger.

I would have no hesitation in putting him as a striker in a 2 up front system, he'll be very successfull in that as well.

Obviously I'm talking as a lone striker as we currently play. He's doesn't have the instincts to play that role; to be a success in that position in the PL you need to have a rugged determination to battle with the CBs. Rashfords natural instinct is to run in behind, he literally backs out of any arial ball if there is a CB in the vicinity and will run behind them on the off chance they mess up. That doesn't happen much at this level.

Compare him to Lukaku at the same age and it's night and day. Even Calvert Lewin, who is only 1 year older, is showing all the instincts and traits of a striker.

As I said, he'd maybe get away with it if we went 2 up front and paired him with Lukaku, but I can't see that happening at all.

 

[Aza Boy]

Kane creates a lot more chances for himself, has a very big range of finishing and has a very mature all-round game and hold-up play. His sample size of games is also quite a lot bigger.

Kane was shite at 19...he is still...sometimes...

 

[pascell]

Rather he has those types of games when winning at home to add to his learning curve. He'll come good in the big games, he has that mentality about him and he'll put in a better performance in his next game.

 

[Rossa]

Having a different opinion isn't being negative. You think he's an amazing talent whereas I think he's an athlete with limited ability; a Calvert-Lewin rather than a Martial.

I don't see how that is 'having an agenda' or whatever it's framed as.

He's scoring goals, he's going past players

Having a different opinion isn't being negative. You think he's an amazing talent whereas I think he's an athlete with limited ability; a Calvert-Lewin rather than a Martial.

I don't see how that is 'having an agenda' or whatever it's framed as.

What is limited ability then? Nani became twice the player the season he realized it was more effective just running past players instead of trying to dribble past them. Martial has better technique and close control than Rashford, but Rashford's movement is much better, especially in behind the defense. Lampard was probably a more limited footballer than Carrick, but one might argue he became a more influential player.

I never said people were having an agenda. I said I can't understand why people seem to enjoy him having poor matches only to be able to say I told you so. He's still a work in progress. He also looks to be adding elements to his game. His passing and vision seems to have improved a fair bit as of late.

To me, it seems that pace is actually used as a stick to beat players with, instead of saying it is a great asset. If you are faster you can sometimes just run past and create havoc. If you are not, then you need to do things differently. Rashford is faster than pretty much any defender in the league - why should he not exploit that?

 

[dichinero]

I think it's a case of too much too soon for for Rashford. If not for the overall lack of quality, a solid season on loan playing upfront could work wonders for him and us

 

[spiriticon]

I think it's time for Martial to start a few league games and let Rashford be the super-sub. Rashford's been starting most games since the season started.

 

[Icemav]

He is basically just a kid doing his developing under the bright lights. For me its clear he wont be a Cristiano level player but that aside I have no idea. Often times he looks like bambi on ice and other a real flier. Whats his upisde? No idea. Cristiano when young never gave the impression he would become a freaky goal machine..... then suddenly it clicks. Rashford needs to improve and finishing is a key area, but I would rather be optimistic at this stage as he has shown some brilliant moments.

 

[el3mel]

Nah. he is a striker and a center forward, his future is not as a winger but as a striker only.

We lack quality wingers at the moment so in that sense he's doing a great job out wide, but his long term future is being a striker.

Would not mind if he develops a player like a muller who can do it all.

I'm struggling to understand that, though, based on what ? He doesn't have the finishing nor the holding up of the ball that a striker needs. He will never be able to replace what is Lukaku doing now for a long term. On the contrary on the wing he can use his pace, dribbling and crossing abilities.

I have seen all the qualities that I need from a winger, or more accurately as someone said before, a wide forward. Not the same for the striker, though.

 

[Sylar]

TBH, not many of our players score headed goals from open play. Weve done so more last few games, but before that? I wouldnt expect it given the way we cross into the box.

I dont agree hes a winger. Hes more pace than trickery. Id rather he works on finishing and being ice cold in front of goal with both feet. And making runs to stretch play, etc.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Just looked a bit too greedy yesterday and as the game went on I wasn't expecting anything worthwhile to come from him. If he wants to make that position his own over martial, he really needs to start making better decisions.

I think he's destined to be a world class player as there's been enough glimpses of him doing things most others don't. It's all down to his application in training now, if I was him I'd be spending the next month doing extra work on my left foot because at the moment, right backs are reading the cut inside and the centre backs are moving to cover quickly if he knocks the ball on the left side and tries to use his pace. More close control with the left foot, better delivery from either foot and he'll slot much better into that role.