Reward him with a start after that performance?
10
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- Appearances
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- 5
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- 2
- Yellow cards
- 3
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Be prepared for him to be offside almost every time he gets the ball if this happens.
Not in a million years.
There was one point early in the first half, near the opposition right-side corner flag - where he picked up the ball and decided to take on 5/6 Atletico players all crowded together and he couldn't even beat the first man. Wish someone had a clip of it - what is he thinking?
His decision making is every bit as bad on the left. His form won't come back until he plays/learns a more intelligent skillset....
I mean, he isn’t doing the business on the wings and is lacking confidence. I’m getting a bit fed up of a static Ronaldo just waving his arms but not contributing much, and Cavani is unreliable. So is it worth a punt? I think so.
The worst part is, we are often making Sancho move to the right hand side to accommodate Rashford, who is just so poor now.
Rashford is not good on the left either.
So the question is what does our little star want? Please say it so the manager can accommodate the team according to your wishes mr. Rashford, cause your wish is ManUtd command.
Interesting quote from Rangnick. What really baffles me is that Rashford should really be relishing the opportunity to play in a tactical system like the one RR is trying to implement. When you look at it, he doesn't really possess that many arrows in his quiver: He's not good in tight areas, he can't play with his back to goal or turn his man, his dribbling is always suspicious, and he is neither a natural forward nor a creator.
What he does have though in abundance, is pace off the ball. And you can see that he is constantly looking to be aggressive with early vertical runs down the channels. But when these don't come off, he slowly fades out of the game. But putting the effort in regaining possession/collecting second balls in the middle of the park is actually the best way to create opportunities for himself to receive the ball into space. And with his pace, Rashford can afford to start his run 3-4 steps behind his marker. It's that simple, really: Play with intensity and get rewarded. Just like Elanga does.
There was something Keane said the other day, when he and Gary were discussing Cantona, that rang very true. Roy argued that the best thing about king Eric was that he would always show up for the ball. It didn't matter if he was way outside the box or if he had two bulky centre-halves breathing down his neck, he would always try to provide the deeper players with a passing option. And, Roy added, he did that with conviction, not like "i'm making the obligatory movement, but please don't pass it to me" or "give me the ball, but i'll pass it right back to you because i don't know what to do with it". Keane mentioned how important this was for SAF's plan to work. This, of course, points to a problem that concerns most of our attacking options and not just Rashford. I just think that RR comment alludes to what Keane said.
I am not using this as an excuse, but i believe that, unfortunately for us, the game didn't go as we had planned it. We expected Atleti to concede possession, but they actually achieved to control the proceedings with their off the ball tactical choices. Rashford doesn't get "stuck in" in the midfield battle and his influence wanes dramatically the farther away from goal he has to get on the ball against organized defences. Not the kind of game, against rough defenders and low-blocks, he usually thrives in. Thank God for the 5 changes (and Simeone's reluctance to affect the game proactively when we had Fred as the lone DM and both Pogba/Bruno pushing forward at the start of the second half), because Rahford is rarely the answer when things aren't working well for us.
And that's probably the deeper issue. That we expect him to become a player for us that he can not. We'll see.
What he does have though in abundance, is pace off the ball. And you can see that he is constantly looking to be aggressive with early vertical runs down the channels. But when these don't come off, he slowly fades out of the game. But putting the effort in regaining possession/collecting second balls in the middle of the park is actually the best way to create opportunities for himself to receive the ball into space. And with his pace, Rashford can afford to start his run 3-4 steps behind his marker. It's that simple, really: Play with intensity and get rewarded. Just like Elanga does.
There was something Keane said the other day, when he and Gary were discussing Cantona, that rang very true. Roy argued that the best thing about king Eric was that he would always show up for the ball. It didn't matter if he was way outside the box or if he had two bulky centre-halves breathing down his neck, he would always try to provide the deeper players with a passing option. And, Roy added, he did that with conviction, not like "i'm making the obligatory movement, but please don't pass it to me" or "give me the ball, but i'll pass it right back to you because i don't know what to do with it". Keane mentioned how important this was for SAF's plan to work. This, of course, points to a problem that concerns most of our attacking options and not just Rashford. I just think that RR comment alludes to what Keane said.
I am not using this as an excuse, but i believe that, unfortunately for us, the game didn't go as we had planned it. We expected Atleti to concede possession, but they actually achieved to control the proceedings with their off the ball tactical choices. Rashford doesn't get "stuck in" in the midfield battle and his influence wanes dramatically the farther away from goal he has to get on the ball against organized defences. Not the kind of game, against rough defenders and low-blocks, he usually thrives in. Thank God for the 5 changes (and Simeone's reluctance to affect the game proactively when we had Fred as the lone DM and both Pogba/Bruno pushing forward at the start of the second half), because Rahford is rarely the answer when things aren't working well for us.
And that's probably the deeper issue. That we expect him to become a player for us that he can not. We'll see.
That's the one - thanks for posting. I hope someone shows this to him - horrendous decision making.
Was listening to a fan forum on YT earlier and a guy made a great point that Rashford's played around so many great players now from Rooney to Ibrahimovic to Ronaldo and his game really hasn't developed at all in spite of being surrounded by so much top level experience.
He has generally looked better coming off the bench this season (apart from that one stinker a couple of games back) so maybe that's what we should keep doing?
I think..Rashford just isn't that great a player. He's way out of form at the moment, but his top level is not going to be great. He can probably be a serviceable squad player, but I don't think he'll ever be a player whose name should be one of the first on the sheet, which is a pity. He seems a good lad.
But his decision making is just beyond appalling. Last night, 40 yards from goal, he elects to shoot. 5 minutes later, about 22 yards from goal .. he tries to thread a through pass into the box between 4 Athletico players. It's just dismally stupid. And it's repeated. This dip in form has been going on for far too long. So while I don't believe he's this bad, in reality. He's also just not amazing I'm afraid.
I really hope I'm wrong.
But his decision making is just beyond appalling. Last night, 40 yards from goal, he elects to shoot. 5 minutes later, about 22 yards from goal .. he tries to thread a through pass into the box between 4 Athletico players. It's just dismally stupid. And it's repeated. This dip in form has been going on for far too long. So while I don't believe he's this bad, in reality. He's also just not amazing I'm afraid.
I really hope I'm wrong.
There isn't any easy games for the next month so Rashford needs to sit it out.
This part of the season is far to important to keep trying to 'play him into form', just give his minutes to Elanga and hope Cavani can play a few minutes when Ronaldo needs a break.
This part of the season is far to important to keep trying to 'play him into form', just give his minutes to Elanga and hope Cavani can play a few minutes when Ronaldo needs a break.
I think Marcus is at a bit of a crossroads and his performances are showing it.
I don't think he's become a bad player. However, I feel like he's kind of lost his way at Man Utd. I don't know if he really wants to be at United anymore. Andy Mitten has hinted there's been discussions and he's not the only one. I think people know, off the record, that people in the Rashford 'camp' are putting to the kid that he needs to move on. Maybe he's starting to believe it? Maybe he's got into his mind that Man Utd won't get back and he won't get back if he stays at Man Utd.
When I see Marcus I see a player who's not settled, not at ease, not 100% there. He's going to work, he's turning up but he's not 100% present. Until he sorts out what he wants for his future, whether that's going to be here or elsewhere, I dunno if we'll see him perform the way we'd all like him to.
I don't think he's become a bad player. However, I feel like he's kind of lost his way at Man Utd. I don't know if he really wants to be at United anymore. Andy Mitten has hinted there's been discussions and he's not the only one. I think people know, off the record, that people in the Rashford 'camp' are putting to the kid that he needs to move on. Maybe he's starting to believe it? Maybe he's got into his mind that Man Utd won't get back and he won't get back if he stays at Man Utd.
When I see Marcus I see a player who's not settled, not at ease, not 100% there. He's going to work, he's turning up but he's not 100% present. Until he sorts out what he wants for his future, whether that's going to be here or elsewhere, I dunno if we'll see him perform the way we'd all like him to.
Major risk giving him what he’ll want to stay on all known form. We could end up paying a Martial type (his actual impact and squad role) Sanchez money if we are not careful. He needs to show he’s worth it again until we can sort out his future in such a way that both parties are satisfied. Currently in a catch 22.
That video’s pretty stupid. In the first clip it was a terrible decision to dribble into a cluster of defenders but the better decision was an early ball inside, not the one they seem to suggest. The second clip was the correct decision, badly executed.
To be fair to Marcus I don't think its a question of money. As I've said before, when Macmanaman and Owen left Liverpool it was not because they didn't love Liverpool. It was because they felt, for their careers, staying at Liverpool was a road to nowhere.
I don't know Marcus, I don't know anyone close to Marcus, its fully likely that I'm putting 2+2 together and getting 15,000. However, there has been chat for awhile that he's thinking about his future. Supposedly Barcelona came in for him not so long ago. Supposedly PSG have indicated they'd want to do something. I think, maybe, his head has been turned a bit. I also think he's suffering a little from how this season went south. I also think some of the criticism has burned him. Its easy to forget he is a young man, these boys grew up online and they take all these social media digs to heart.
I look at the kid and I see a guy with a thousand things in his head, he doesn't look relaxed, he looks like he's enjoying himself. I think, whatever the reason for that, until its sorted he's just going to keep on like this.
Good post!
It’s not much use to United though either way. If he wants to leave sell him this summer. Don’t wait around and let him do another Lingard/Pogba. You just know we will freeze and that’s what will happen
It’s not much use to United though either way. If he wants to leave sell him this summer. Don’t wait around and let him do another Lingard/Pogba. You just know we will freeze and that’s what will happen
Playing number 9 is harder than playing as one of the inside forwards as you can receive the ball at a more favoured angle than you would as a number 9. You can face up your opponent a lot easier and only have pressure from one side as opposed to number 9 who can be pressured from the left, right and behind. Rashford would be even more trash as a number 9 right now. Especially against a team that sits deep. It would be a potential consideration if it was against a team with a high line, but certainly not Watford.
Yes when you look at him you can see someone who looks to not only not be enjoying football but not enjoying life full stop, body language and facial expressions are very telling.
For what its worth i agree with what was said on BT afterwards, if he wants to regain form he needs to go back to basics and keep it very simple in the build up and passing and make runs all this trying to dribble and shoot and be the match winner are not doing him any favours as when they do not come off his head just drops even further, by keeping his game more simple it would likely build confidence by getting the simple things correct.
Its his decision making which is frustrating but then off the ball which is even worse
Things aren't going for him with the ball, fine. You try get into that somehow. But off the ball, fecking work. Run, chase, do something for the team. It's so annoying how it seems football is a burden for him.
I can accept when things are not working but trying. But not the sulking without trying off the ball.
But his decision making wow. Trying to dribble against five players, trying to shoot from 50 yards out and then when he's in a position to shoot he tries to pass and it's to the opposition. Frustrating AF
Things aren't going for him with the ball, fine. You try get into that somehow. But off the ball, fecking work. Run, chase, do something for the team. It's so annoying how it seems football is a burden for him.
I can accept when things are not working but trying. But not the sulking without trying off the ball.
But his decision making wow. Trying to dribble against five players, trying to shoot from 50 yards out and then when he's in a position to shoot he tries to pass and it's to the opposition. Frustrating AF
I spotted that. Crazy stuff. Crazy that he keeps trying stuff multiple times per game that a player can only pull off a handful of times per career.
He’s as big a problem as Maguire and Shaw currently.
He wasn't thinking. The funny thing was, there were 4-5 Atletico players, plus another from a deeper position. He was never going to come out of that.
He wasn't thinking. The funny thing was, there were 4-5 Atletico players, plus another from a deeper position. He was never going to come out of that.
Yeah - its a common problem with Rashford - when he's out of form he overplays even more to compensate. Sign of a poor player who hasn't learned from the experienced players he's played with currently and in the past.
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He is hardwired to play on the left, cut inside and knuckleball a shot. At clubs club like PSG, Barca he would be out of the team in 18 months, they have no emotional attachment to him
I'm still confused at how he was offside the entire time him and Sancho were running at goal against Chelsea when Carrick was the manager. It was so stupid, I genuinely wonder if he understands the offside rule. I could understand if our players just stopped passing it to him.
Next season, he should be our backup striker. Can't cross, can't pass, and can't dribble, shouldn't play wide if you can't do two of those three. All he has on his eye is to shoot. Just learn how to be a striker like Eto'o by simplifying his game styke because he has the asset and gift to be Eto'o rather than be a prime Ronaldo wannabe
He is far from ever being eto’o. But i agree, his role should be limited to a back up player. I don’t know what he offers really. He often seems lost
It's getting a bit frustrating seeing people call this a "recent" phenomenon. We should have been on top of this way earlier. Rashford's general decisionmaking was shocking even on form. One of his last goals came in a game where he got every pass wrong but he scored so it was dubbed a return to form. The phenomenon only really started glaring recently because the shooting on sight or shooting when in doubt policy that bandaided his decisionmaking is no longer how we play. The improvisational aspect is getting phased out and the players with low intelligence are sticking out like sore thumbs.
There is no bail out for lack of IQ, not even motivation will be enough on its own. We have a 24 year old we have to teach the most basic team passing and possession concepts from scratch when there's no guarantee he'll even be able to pick it up or has the aptitude to play that way. Right now he looks to have as much natural learning as a Walcott type.
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He's lost a fraction of pace and work rate (possibly due to injuries unfortunately), but aside from that he was always a bit inconsistent with poor decision making and playing in tight spaces. Alot of his best momments/goal contributions in 2019/2021 were running at defenders/counter attacking in transition as we played pretty compact especially against the top six teams.
I personally feel like while he had a potentially high ceiling, there was a bit of additional fan hype that overstated his ability. Where he is at now in is career is not as surprising/mysterious as its being made out to be.
I personally feel like while he had a potentially high ceiling, there was a bit of additional fan hype that overstated his ability. Where he is at now in is career is not as surprising/mysterious as its being made out to be.
He isn’t off form, he’s a poor player. At least in terms of the level of performances a club looking to make headway domestically and in Europe should expect. It hasn’t been a sudden dip in competence. It’s been coming for at least the last two years.
Even when he was stat-padding, 9 times out of 10 he was playing with and demonstrating the same abysmal vision, judgement, work rate and overall level of play but nicking a goal. Teletext fans who literally form no opinion of their own other than “54%, 6 in 11, eleventy billion goal contributions” (a stat that seems so vague that everyone seems to look good using that I’m genuinely wondering if it just means: ‘saw a goal’) have been desperately trying to muddy the waters for years when it has come to Rashford and his performances.
To top it all off the selective impact of injuries as an excuse for his work rate is something we’d never accept from anyone five years ago. Rashford only seems to remember he’s in pain when the opposition has the ball. That’s why he can’t track back most of the time - injured. Fit enough to play, too injured to put in a shift.
His academy and local roots is the ONLY reason he still gets away with this shit. That and his ‘depression’ that noticeably only kicks in when he’s expecting to do anything other than run forward aimlessly with the ball. When the pass is made to him and he’s on a surging run he’s fine, but when the flag goes up he’s sad and injured again.
Being a player who isn’t that good compared to others in the team isn’t always a problem. If you work hard, are disciplined, then you can contribute. Rashford doesn’t give a feck and it isn’t because when our defence is under siege he suddenly remembers he’s injured. It’s because it’s all gone to his head and as much as his early charity work was admirable the impact it’s had on his ego has been toxic to what he does on the pitch.
Even when he was stat-padding, 9 times out of 10 he was playing with and demonstrating the same abysmal vision, judgement, work rate and overall level of play but nicking a goal. Teletext fans who literally form no opinion of their own other than “54%, 6 in 11, eleventy billion goal contributions” (a stat that seems so vague that everyone seems to look good using that I’m genuinely wondering if it just means: ‘saw a goal’) have been desperately trying to muddy the waters for years when it has come to Rashford and his performances.
To top it all off the selective impact of injuries as an excuse for his work rate is something we’d never accept from anyone five years ago. Rashford only seems to remember he’s in pain when the opposition has the ball. That’s why he can’t track back most of the time - injured. Fit enough to play, too injured to put in a shift.
His academy and local roots is the ONLY reason he still gets away with this shit. That and his ‘depression’ that noticeably only kicks in when he’s expecting to do anything other than run forward aimlessly with the ball. When the pass is made to him and he’s on a surging run he’s fine, but when the flag goes up he’s sad and injured again.
Being a player who isn’t that good compared to others in the team isn’t always a problem. If you work hard, are disciplined, then you can contribute. Rashford doesn’t give a feck and it isn’t because when our defence is under siege he suddenly remembers he’s injured. It’s because it’s all gone to his head and as much as his early charity work was admirable the impact it’s had on his ego has been toxic to what he does on the pitch.
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He wasn't thinking. The funny thing was, there were 4-5 Atletico players, plus another from a deeper position. He was never going to come out of that.
I wonder if he does look at the ball rather than the opposition when dribbling? I remember someone doing that but I think it was James.
Could be true or more likely it could be a ploy to actually bring United on the table for contract renewal with better terms as he would only have year on his Contract with additional option for another year with the Club .
Saw a comment a few days ago that said something like the criticism was unfair because he wasn’t the worst player on the pitch. Even if he wasn’t he’s consistently one of them
Rubbish player. Danny welbeck 2.0. Being only able to sprint fast and kick the ball hard is not good enough for any club with ambition. Bin him
The thing with Rashford is he is never one of the good players. Even if the rest of the team is performing, he is average at best. Never brings anything worth mentioning. And when the entire team puts out a stinker, he is always especially bad.
He was pretty good for a short time, but has been like this for 2 years. And the excuses are all spent by this point.
I think it’s about time we conceded that he is simply a mediocre player at best, and he isn’t going to suddenly come back into form and play brilliantly.
What we are seeing right now is his form. He has little to no footballing intelligence and consistently makes stupid decisions which hinders the team in every match he plays.
What we are seeing right now is his form. He has little to no footballing intelligence and consistently makes stupid decisions which hinders the team in every match he plays.
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