[DFreshKing]

Never seemed to make any striker runs until Greenwood came on. Was so slow and doesn't seem to understand a striker should be trying to get in front of defender to get the ball first instead of hovering behind hoping for a mistake. Needs a break, needs to get back to basics of energy and movement.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

He has gone from a potentially world class player, to a good player, to an average player, to a horrific player.

What has happened?

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

He has gone from a potentially world class player, to a good player, to an average player, to a horrific player.

What has happened?

Over reliance and over use. He's being run into the ground due to lack of reliable alternatives. It doesn't help that he is also going through a horrible run of form while he's playing with no respite.

 

[2mufc0]

Over reliance and over use. He's being run into the ground due to lack of reliable alternatives. It doesn't help that he is also going through a horrible run of form while he's playing with no respite.

When will the excuses stop?

He’s only played 10 games (2 of those playing 27 and 61 mins). He’s simply not good enough to be a starter for us and it’s partly Ole’s fault for putting so much trust in him.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

When will the excuses stop?

He’s only played 10 games (2 of those playing 27 and 61 mins). He’s simply not good enough to be a starter for us and it’s partly Ole’s fault for putting so much trust in him.

He is clearly playing with a hamstring problem which is why he hasn't featured more than he already has.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Over reliance and over use. He's being run into the ground due to lack of reliable alternatives. It doesn't help that he is also going through a horrible run of form while he's playing with no respite.

Dude, it's early October. He just had 3 months off. This sounds like an excuse man. The guy is 21 years old. Tammy Abraham doesn't seem very knackered, he's playing just as much as Rashford, and played more than him last season.

 

[balaks]

He has gone from a potentially world class player, to a good player, to an average player, to a horrific player.

What has happened?

Looks like his confidence is utterly shot - he is a good player and has talent but he is not ready (or good enough perhaps) to be Utd's number 1 striker at the moment. The guy looks a shadow of his former self and needs out of the team for a few weeks. The problem you have is that you don't really have anybody to replace him with.

I did think it was a huge risk to have him as your main striker given that he has never been a prolific goal scorer - why put him under pressure to score +20 goals in a season when he has never done it before.

 

[2mufc0]

He is clearly playing with a hamstring problem which is why he hasn't featured more than he already has.

so it’s not fatigue, people act like we are 30 games in and he’s been playing every minute. The likes of Kane and Auba have played similar amounts no one is claiming they are being run into the ground , they are also much older too.

And again that’s Ole’s fault for playing him, we can’t complain about injuries when we sold off 2 first team attackers and not replace them.

 

[NewMember]

You nailed it. The English ex players and fans making excuses for him weekly are embarrassing.

When he's on the wing and sucking with no ability to take on his man once they account for his speed, people scream he's a striker, sell Lukaku and play him up front.

When he's upfront and scoring once in 18, people say he should be on the wing.

Some poster was saying hes's the second best young player behind Mbappe just a few weeks ago, and people are still banging on about being 21/22 and his non existent talent.
Another guy was saying he's living his dream and other nonsensical stuff.

He is a terrible footballer, fit to play in the championship.

Couldn’t agree more. And you only need to look 3 posts down from your post to see someone saying “he’s not a striker, play him on the wings.”

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Dude, it's early October. He just had 3 months off. This sounds like an excuse man. The guy is 21 years old. Tammy Abraham doesn't seem very knackered, he's playing just as much as Rashford, and played more than him last season.

Sure, he's 21 but that doesn't change the fact that he's been one of the most played outfield players since he came onto the first team and that he is playing through injury now which doesn't seem to be helping his cause while he is out of form. Hamstring injuries don't go away without rest and rehab.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Looks like his confidence is utterly shot - he is a good player and has talent but he is not ready (or good enough perhaps) to be Utd's number 1 striker at the moment. The guy looks a shadow of his former self and needs out of the team for a few weeks. The problem you have is that you don't really have anybody to replace him with.

I did think it was a huge risk to have him as your main striker given that he has never been a prolific goal scorer - why put him under pressure to score +20 goals in a season when he has never done it before.

More as a wide forward to me.

Rashford is more suitable to be striker against defender who give him more space.

He doesn’t have enough tools to be a striker at top club. Martial has higher ceiling to be a striker. Never mind about goal instinct, a striker who can’t shoot with their weak foot & bad in header won’t make it to top club striker expectation.

 

[balaks]

More as a wide forward to me.

Rashford is more suitable to be striker against defender who give him more space.

He doesn’t have enough tools to be a striker at top club. Martial has higher ceiling to be a striker. Never mind about goal instinct, a striker who can’t shoot with their weak foot & bad in header won’t make it to top club striker expectation.

I think you are right - he has never struck me as a player who would be a main striker - he is more effective coming from wide - same as Martial to be honest. I don't really think either of them have the game to be a 'striker' however if you played like Liverpool for example with 3 attacking players then they might do well as I don't think I would call any of their attackers 'strikers'.

You need a focal point in your attack that the likes of Rashford and Martial can play around.

 

[ottosec]

When he was playing on the left people were defending him by saying that he's not a winger, now he plays through the middle and people are claiming that he is not a striker.

What is he exactly?

 

[Steven-UK]

When he was playing on the left people were defending him by saying that he's not a winger, now he plays through the middle and people are claiming that he is not a striker.

What is he exactly?

Out of his depth.

 

[Still ill]

Too much being asked of him. Chaos behind him, goal-scoring burden squarely on his shoulders, everyone baying for blood. He's 21. A midfield that can pick a forward pass and a striker to share the burden and he'll be fine. I feel sorry for him. I don't think there's anything wrong with his attitude.

 

[DFreshKing]

Too much being asked of him. Chaos behind him, goal-scoring burden squarely on his shoulders, everyone baying for blood. He's 21. A midfield that can pick a forward pass and a striker to share the burden and he'll be fine. I feel sorry for him. I don't think there's anything wrong with his attitude.

This is one mitigation that no one can argue. The midfield yesterday time and again when the clear opportunity was there to play a sharp incisive pass forward would turn and play a sideways nothing pass wide.

Horrible service yesterday but his lack of movement especially first half does him no favours.

 

[Full bodied red]

Out of his depth.

Agreed.

 

[ottosec]

Out of his depth.

No wonder he's Ole's favorite.

 

[Russky14]

Always thought with the move to youth (we are not Ajax) then certain players were either going to step or being exposed. Rashford has been exposed. Yes his confidence is down but come on he is not a striker end of. His movement does not show any instinct of getting into the position where he needs to be. Keown highlighted this 3 times on MoD last night (1 1st half 2 2nd half). A striker even a young one would have made the correct run at least once. This is now highlighting additional issues on top of this poor decision making (free kicks aside, he can't really dribble in the box either). We knew the latter last season.

I am happy in one way that he has been exposed, he got himself a mega pay rise, well now show what you are capable of. Yes its threadbare in midfield creativity but if you are megastar in your head (english press & pundits have not helped) then show some intent. In the first half he gave up on one move because initial play broke down, If he had continued going forward (not dropped his head), he would have 3 seconds later been in the centre of the box unmarked. Show him his pay packet & show him that one piece of lack of professionalism. If there is no reaction to that then he is Welbeck verson 2.

 

[izec]

Started well as a striker for van Gaal, but the few years for Jose on the flank made him suffer in that department. He is quite clearly at his best as a LF currently.

Add to that zero attacking coaching and pattern, relative low quality in the squad and players to look up to in bad times (leadership), low confidence, plus mixed in with some high wages/fame and even injury concerns, you can see why he is utter trash currently.

He wasnt a world class talent, but has potential to become a very good player. At the moment, he is Championship standard. He isnt the only one way below his level.

 

[iKeano]

Let's face it, he burst onto the scene playing with unbridled joy. He swept us all up in a frenzy with his goals, fearlessness and workrate. His attitude over the past few seasons has gone from "I want the ball" to "I want the ball, right here, on a plate & if it's not EXACTLY where I want it, I'll throw my hands up, puff out and strop for the rest of the game". I've seen this unfold week in - week out at OT. IF the first ball doesn't go his way, he fully changes his attitude for the entire game. He never chases down second balls, but is now more akin to chase down the referee petulantly.

In comparison to McTominay who spent the summer training hard and knuckling down, Rashford spent the summer with his 27 year old idiot mate trashing hotel rooms in America and making videos about beans.

He talks the talk, but very much fails to walk the walk.

 

[momo83]

Injured and not allowed to fully recover. We need to remember even Ronaldo didn’t become a prolific scorer until around 22-23.

Mo Salah was around 24 when he had his breakthrough season after joining Liverpool etc just because Rashford been around a long time he’s still 21 and this isn’t the complete player yet.

Also coaching has a lot to do with how players ultimately end up.

 

[Kurton]

He's not even a wide forward, he can barely beat a defender. He is a substitute at a club like Utd. Exactly like how Shakiri is used at Liverpool. He is useful from the bench with his tenacity, speed, and directness. Unbelievable that Ole put his trust in him and Martial (always injured and inconsistent), don't know what he was expecting.

 

[Based Adnan]

His movement in the penalty box certainly dispels the first 5 words in that statement

 

[Pughnichi]

Dan James put 3 crosses in to very dangerous areas at the wknd. Not once was Rashford anywhere near them. He ain’t a striker. He’s a LF...and I’d rather see Dan James get the nod in front of him.

Back up. Squad player. Nothing more.

 

[Pughnichi]

His movement in the penalty box certainly dispels the first 5 words in that statement

We this

We that

We we we we we

Take some ownership.

I need to do better. I haven’t been performing...would make better reading

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

One of my colleagues told me today that, in his opinion, Rashford has been "Januzaj-ed". Overreliance on a talented player who lacks experience and is yet to be the finished article and inflation of his ego because of the "United way" by the manager while the tactics are poor and the whole assessment of the squad's capabilities is wrong. In result, reliance becomes a burden the young player can't carry on his own and the inflation of the ego bursts like a bubble and all confidence is lost. The problem here is that Rashford is clearly more talented than Januzaj and if we "lose" him as a player, it would be an abject failure and a clear sign that this whole "rebuilding process" is nothing more than wishful thinking by some individuals who keep desperately checking "Fergie's handbook" for guidelines on bulletins on how a club should be managed.

 

[KennyBurner]

He was starved for service yesterday to be honest. But then again he never drops deep at the right time like firminho to help when building possession. He loves to make runs which our midfielders never spot consistently but then again most of his runs are never optimal. He is a counter attacking player which isn’t what we need again bottom opposition.

Lukaku was honestly a better player than him which makes it strange how Ole isolated him for rashford. Then again I still wouldn’t want lukaku here. I still prefer rashford as a forward in our ????? System. Whatever system that is someone please let me know. So although it was the right decision letting him go we should have at least bought a backup to cover injuries.

 

[Stacks]

Not playing well, like the rest of the team. Looks under pressure and feeling it.

I do wonder is he fully fit? Doesn't look like he's firing on all cylinders.

Still he's a talented player and we've less and less of the these days so, you know, let's cut him some slack.

This dates back to last season. Been too many games to be "off form". Utd cannot afford to cut him slack as s-lack of goals is why we have lower down the table and he is our number 10

 

[Vidyoyo]

It's worth remembering that he's not actually our first choice striker - Martial is - so it's not that surprising he's doing badly.

What's jarring though is that the powers that be thought he'd be fine as a backup because it's ended up backfiring on two accounts: 1) he can't score, 2) it means we have no right wing.

Basically, it's appalling mismanagement. I can see why pundits defend him because of that.

 

[shamans]

One of my colleagues told me today that, in his opinion, Rashford has been "Januzaj-ed". Overreliance on a talented player who lacks experience and is yet to be the finished article and inflation of his ego because of the "United way" by the manager while the tactics are poor and the whole assessment of the squad's capabilities is wrong. In result, reliance becomes a burden the young player can't carry on his own and the inflation of the ego bursts like a bubble and all confidence is lost. The problem here is that Rashford is clearly more talented than Januzaj and if we "lose" him as a player, it would be an abject failure and a clear sign that this whole "rebuilding process" is nothing more than wishful thinking by some individuals who keep desperately checking "Fergie's handbook" for guidelines on bulletins on how a club should be managed.

Januzaj was a better talent. He is playing at a better level too right now. A top 4 La Liga club. Rashford, I predict, will be lower Prem or Championship level soon enough.

 

[AlwaysRed66]

There was an interesting stat on Sky which showed he had only one touch of the ball in Newcastle's penalty area the whole game, which was a one two in the corner for a split second. Even Maguire had three touches. That is quite damning. He just stands there waiting for ball to come to him, whereas as quality strikers run onto the ball.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

Januzaj was a better talent. He is playing at a better level too right now. A top 4 La Liga club. Rashford, I predict, will be lower Prem or Championship level soon enough.

Nah, don't think he was. This doesn't mean that there are worlds between them talent-wise. I never believed that Rashford will become a world-class player but he certainly looked like a player who will have a future here. I could certainly see him on the rotation of Fergie's standard four forwards. Not the main man but a good option. Januzaj could also have a role in a well-organized team, run by people who have a clue about what they are doing.

And this was the gist of my post. We have gone from a club that could create roles for players like O'Shea, Phil Neville, Brown or even Butt and Fletcher (higher level but nothing extraordinary) to destroying the best prospects that come through the academy. Januzaj included.

It's a sign of the times, a sad one. When phrases like "give youngsters fair chances", "the United way" etc. are bereft of any meaning and are only used by individuals who aren't good at their respective jobs within the club because they know that the fans will fall for it. Just look at us, Januzaj already lost, Rashford getting abuse, Chong dismissed after two or three bad performances... Greenwood will be next.

 

[Untd55]

Januzaj was a better talent. He is playing at a better level too right now. A top 4 La Liga club. Rashford, I predict, will be lower Prem or Championship level soon enough.

Real Sociedad are not a La Liga top-four club just because they are in that position after six games this season. Rashford is playing poorly at the moment, but he is way better than Januzaj. That guy is just plain average.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rashford is not a striker, which is something I have always thought. I never understood why anyone would think he would be good as a striker. His finishing is far too erratic and his movement is not good enough.

The guy is better as a left-winger as it gives him space to use his pace. Though, an issue with this is the playstyle does not suit him as we do not play at a fast enough tempo to make use of his best assets, which doesn't help.

Being in poor form and having a playstyle that does not make use of him properly is why he is so bad at the moment. He has talent, but we are relying on a 21-year old who really should have been a squad player up to this point. We should have had quality, older players ahead of him which would have benefited his development.

It is the same case with Martial.

Mourinho wanted to bring in this type of players, but people didn't like it. What we are currently seeing is is what happens when you fail to bring in experienced players. It is the main reason why we are in the situation we are in at the moment.

 

[shamans]

Nah, don't think he was. This doesn't mean that there are worlds between them talent-wise. I never believed that Rashford will become a world-class player but he certainly looked like a player who will have a future here. I could certainly see him on the rotation of Fergie's standard four forwards. Not the main man but a good option. Januzaj could also have a role in a well-organized team, run by people who have a clue about what they are doing.

And this was the gist of my post. We have gone from a club that could create roles for players like O'Shea, Phil Neville, Brown or even Butt and Fletcher (higher level but nothing extraordinary) to destroying the best prospects that come through the academy. Januzaj included.

It's a sign of the times, a sad one. When phrases like "give youngsters fair chances", "the United way" etc. are bereft of any meaning and are only used by individuals who aren't good at their respective jobs within the club because they know that the fans will fall for it. Just look at us, Januzaj already lost, Rashford getting abuse, Chong dismissed after two or three bad performances... Greenwood will be next.

I get the gist of your post but I've seen Januzaj do things Rashford could never. I think mentality was where Januzaj fell short but he's enjoying a good career at a top level at La Liga. He may be playing champions league football too next season.

He's a better player than Perreira or James who are currently on our wings.

 

[shamans]

Real Sociedad are not a La Liga top-four club just because they are in that position after six games this season. Rashford is playing poorly at the moment, but he is way better than Januzaj. That guy is just plain average.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rashford is not a striker, which is something I have always thought. I never understood why anyone would think he would be good as a striker. His finishing is far too erratic and his movement is not good enough.

The guy is better as a left-winger as it gives him space to use his pace. Though, an issue with this is the playstyle does not suit him as we do not play at a fast enough tempo to make use of his best assets, which doesn't help.

Being in poor form and having a playstyle that does not make use of him properly is why he is so bad at the moment. He has talent, but we are relying on a 21-year old who really should have been a squad player up to this point. We should have had quality, older players ahead of him which would have benefited his development.

It is the same case with Martial.

Mourinho wanted to bring in this type of players, but people didn't like it. What we are currently seeing is is what happens when you fail to bring in experienced players. It is the main reason why we are in the situation we are in at the moment.

Plain average yet playing at a higher level than Rasfhord? He's a much better player than Rashford and that's not really saying much.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

I get the gist of your post but I've seen Januzaj do things Rashford could never. I think mentality was where Januzaj fell short but he's enjoying a good career at a top level at La Liga. He may be playing champions league football too next season.

He's a better player than Perreira or James who are currently on our wings.

I see your point but we should never underestimate the numbers Rashford got while playing in a very dysfunctional United side. There's a useful player in there but not one who can carry the team on his own.

And you're right that Januzaj isn't worse than Pereira, James or even Lingard and Mata (in his current version). It shows our current state, really.

 

[Untd55]

Plain average yet playing at a higher level than Rasfhord? He's a much better player than Rashford and that's not really saying much.

What makes Januzaj so much better? His stats were awful last season for a winger: 1 goal and 3 assists in 20 games. He is also 24 years old now, so he is getting to mid-career.

Rashford at least had 10 goals and 6 assists in 33 games. Not outstanding, but much better than Januzaj, who wouldn't be much better than Perieria if he was here, in all honesty.

 

[Tapori]

My defence of Rashford is this; if he makes 10 runs no-one from midfield spots him or plays the ball into a good area.
Hence he stops running to stretch and then everything gets messed

 

[WR10]

My defence of Rashford is this; if he makes 10 runs no-one from midfield spots him or plays the ball into a good area.
Hence he stops running to stretch and then everything gets messed

Those runs are great and all, however, he displays no hunger, desire or intelligence with runs inside the box. Those are the runs that matter when you're a striker. He simply just does not make them. He can make all the runs off the ball outside the box, but really, maturity is realizing that your runs need to be focused in the box. Watch Ronaldo. The epitome of energy conservation and decision making.