[TempusFugit]

It's true as you say, if he's good, the team benefits. Problem is he's almost never good nowadays. So the team is impacted negatively. He got a goal today so likely in your mind he's good again. Now he'll likely go on to have 5 poor games and we'll keep persistent month on month, year on year, hoping he hits from again. Anyone else would have been dropped and sold long ago.

We don't have enough attacking quality in the team to be selling players like Rashford on a whim. This is a proven goalscorer and by far the best one at the club. Yes he's a streaky player but you don't toss out a player like him, especially when in the current market it'd cost an arm and a leg to replace him. There's alot that's been said about Rashford having a bad season last year, but the entire team was rubbish. I'm starting to think that the minimum expectation is for Rashford to always carry the team no matter what, even when the players around him are bad as well. When Rashford is bad the team is usually complete crap because surprise surprise, he's actually one of our best players.

When was that?

He suddenly looked like he remembered how to dribble again, was actually sprinting while on the break with real intent and again suddenly remembered how to use his very good ball striking? Didn't you notice any improvement in his game after the goal? He hadn't looked that dangerous in a while. He's a very confidence based player and when it's high he's almost unstoppable. We've seen that quite a few times throughout his time here.

 

[Shark]

How many times have we been here in fairness? He gets his goal and you think he'll gain confidence but we all know how it pans out.

 

[The Cat]

How many times have we been here in fairness? He gets his goal and you think he'll gain confidence but we all know how it pans out.

He's on stupid money so we can't cut our losses we have to support him and hope the mojo comes back. There is no other choice.

 

[OmarUnited4ever]

Today it was passable performance, he needs to do a lot more, get isolation with the FB and try to beat his man, help out defensively and track his FB bombing forward, and so on and so forth.

I'd rather him be menace on the LW, even if he does not assist or score, him being able to do a lot more will create another attacking dimension, the team needs him to be at his best every week

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

How many times have we been here in fairness? He gets his goal and you think he'll gain confidence but we all know how it pans out.

We’ve also been here when he’s gotten a goal and gone on an incredible run.
Guess that’s the frustrating thing, there’s such a player in there somewhere but the last 4 years have been amongst the most Jekyll and Hyde you’re ever likely to see.

 

[The Cat]

He does look like he is being more aware of others instead of head down and dribble into a wall so far so I'll take that for now.

 

[statpadder]

He does look like he is being more aware of others instead of head down and dribble into a wall so far so I'll take that for now.

Yes but still far too many shots when others were in better positions. Needs to improve on that more

 

[The Cat]

Yes but still far too many shots when others were in better positions. Needs to improve on that more

Also he doesn't seem as disinterested and sulky or complaining so I do think he is trying his best to get back into shape/form.

 

[Withnail]

Good goal. Positionally poor defensively and kept leaving Dalot exposed.

This is why we need Shaw back asap. They've got a good partnership. He's much more comfortable behind Rashford, their link up play is good and he overlaps beyond him really well.

 

[NZT-One]

He suddenly looked like he remembered how to dribble again, was actually sprinting while on the break with real intent and again suddenly remembered how to use his very good ball striking? Didn't you notice any improvement in his game after the goal? He hadn't looked that dangerous in a while. He's a very confidence based player and when it's high he's almost unstoppable. We've seen that quite a few times throughout his time here.

Did we?

I mean, I am sure you did as you seem to be a big fan. And on paper, he seems like a real good deal, fast, rather strong and tall, good timing for runs, decent finisher. Yet since 4 years or so, he stagnates big time. I have no clue, why you use the term unstoppable for him. Its BS. As soon as you don't leave him space to attack, he is halved as a player. When you put somebody physical on his back, he is frustrated after 30 minutes and then you might as well sub him off. Just look at his output - you think, we couldn't replace him? He is our golden boy and we will never get rid of him. But we got a pretty bad side of the deal - he earns crazy money to give you the occasional hope that his potential might still be as big as everybody thought a couple of years ago. Right now, he is some slightly taller version of Theo Walcott.

Is some of the criticism ott? Definitely. But he just got praised ott as well.

 

[Rozay]

If we are to achieve anything this season it would be very helpful if he can out up the numbers of two seasons ago. Goalscoring is one of our biggest issues, and we don’t have a consistent senior goalscorer in the squad. Rashford is supposed to be that player, so him doing that this season would be huge.

 

[Plant0x84]

Man looks to be building confidence, especially after his goal today. Can only bode well for the season ahead.

Not a fan of the ginger do though.

 

[santeria13]

He seemed sharper today and less afraid to take on his man. I'd start him vs Barnsley in the hope that it triggers a confidence-boosting run of goals in consecutive games.

I think Ten Hag has been taking this approach for 18 months. I really hope he does go on that run, but if he reverts to form over the next couple of games, there's really no excuse for dropping him.

 

[klayton88]

How many times have we been here in fairness? He gets his goal and you think he'll gain confidence but we all know how it pans out.

Seriously. Anybody expecting this to be some turning of a corner are just setting themselves up to be disappointed. Seen enough of this sulky grown man to know he doesn't give half as much of a shit about the club as he claims and he'll never be world class, never was. Short memories in here and the standards expected of a player have dropped massively. He was still nowhere defensively early on.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

I think Ten Hag has been taking this approach for 18 months. I really hope he does go on that run, but if he reverts to form over the next couple of games, there's really no excuse for dropping him.

My point was more about the quality of opposition on Tuesday night. We haven't played many League One teams over the past 18 months.

 

[Bondi77]

How many times have we been here in fairness? He gets his goal and you think he'll gain confidence but we all know how it pans out.

Well if you have not worked it out yet he is not a prolific goalscorer.
What he is if he is playing well is a 20 goal season player and one that can post assists up as well so hopefully if he stays fit this will be one of those seasons.

 

[Shark]

Well if you have not worked it out yet he is not a prolific goalscorer.
What he is if he is playing well is a 20 goal season player and one that can post assists up as well so hopefully if he stays fit this will be one of those seasons.

Well if you haven't worked it out, a starting Manchester United LW shouldn't be allowed to be a ghost for months and months on end, in the hope that he churns out some performances eventually. I ain't buying what you're selling.

 

[wolvored]

Hes scored against the bottom but one club. Lets see if he can score another 3 in the next 5 games, before we go over the top that he is 'back'.

 

[foolsgold]

Better, but not getting carried away. It was really just the minimum expected standard against a team that's almost certainly going to be relegated

 

[Bondi77]

Well if you haven't worked it out, a starting Manchester United LW shouldn't be allowed to be a ghost for months and months on end, in the hope that he churns out some performances eventually. I ain't buying what you're selling.

One thing I am not selling is negativity..I will leave that to others.
He was good against Liverpool and was good today and the season has just started...try and enjoy it.

 

[didz]

We have a level of interconnectivity that no known lifeform has ever reached. We have built structures that even our great great grandparents would dismiss as a fever dream. We have constructed over 7,000 languages, each with a complexity beyond the last.

When I'm worried I might be feeling too good about humanity, the Rashford thread is a good place to level it out.

 

[Herman Toothrot]

Scored one today, set up two sitters in the last game and only made Ten Hag have a "good season" by having the best individual performance of any Manchester United player since Robin Van Persie.

But you hate him because... Something about being the best person to put on a United shirt since Bobby Charlton because something you can't quite articulate.

Alright mate. I know what you are.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Hes scored against the bottom but one club. Lets see if he can score another 3 in the next 5 games, before we go over the top that he is 'back'.

Has anyone on here said that he's back to his best? I've not read every post-match comment but the positive ones seem to be more along the lines of "hopefully this will be a springboard for him to kick on" rather than anything over the top.

 

[Herman Toothrot]

Has anyone on here said that he's back to his best? I've not read every post-match comment but the positive ones seem to be more along the lines of "hopefully this will be a springboard for him to kick on" rather than anything over the top.

He scored against the bottom but one club mate. Let's ignore our goal of the season against City last year, his debut league goal against Arsenal and the PHENOMENAL record he has of scoring against big teams.... You know. Because of something.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

He scored against the bottom but one club mate. Let's ignore our goal of the season against City last year, his debut league goal against Arsenal and the PHENOMENAL record he has of scoring against big teams.... You know. Because of something.

Garnacho might want to have a word with you.

 

[Malons]

Pleased for the lad. The goal will be good for his development. The nearly assist is pleasing too. You can see why scoring one goal and not quite getting an assist now makes him undroppable. Old timers like Garnacho should take note. He has a goal and an actual assist this season, and wee young Rashford is already halfway there. Garnacho should be paying more attention to this kid if he wants to get back in the starting line-up.

 

[Pronewbie]

He's been ok this season and yesterday's was a decent performance. At least he looks like he gives a toss. Onwards and upwards.

 

[quethenoo]

Pleased for the lad. The goal will be good for his development. The nearly assist is pleasing too. You can see why scoring one goal and not quite getting an assist now makes him undroppable. Old timers like Garnacho should take note. He has a goal and an actual assist this season, and wee young Rashford is already halfway there. Garnacho should be paying more attention to this kid if he wants to get back in the starting line-up.

What an effort to put into a tedious parody of supporting him, how about just being pleased he scored.

 

[Malons]

What an effort to put into a tedious parody of supporting him, how about just being pleased he scored.

I am pleased he scored. I'm also pleased Garnacho scored. I'm pleased Amad played better than both.

I just don't get how due to the above, only one of them is near absolutely certain to have cemented his place in the starting line up for the next few weeks.

 

[KM]

Pleased for the lad. The goal will be good for his development. The nearly assist is pleasing too. You can see why scoring one goal and not quite getting an assist now makes him undroppable. Old timers like Garnacho should take note. He has a goal and an actual assist this season, and wee young Rashford is already halfway there. Garnacho should be paying more attention to this kid if he wants to get back in the starting line-up.

Excellent wit. Moron.

 

[RedRoach]

Improved performance and long may it continue. I think what irks fans more than anything is why Rashford is an automatic starter and players more deserving of a start left on the bench.

Ten Hags lack of rotation and creating effective competition for places in the team is an issue. Nobody should be an automatic starter.

Fergie was masterful at this and keeping standards high. If you weren’t at the races you went to the bench. Rashford has been crap for 2 seasons.

Let’s hope this is turning the corner but I am not holding my breath.

 

[TempusFugit]

Did we?

I mean, I am sure you did as you seem to be a big fan. And on paper, he seems like a real good deal, fast, rather strong and tall, good timing for runs, decent finisher. Yet since 4 years or so, he stagnates big time. I have no clue, why you use the term unstoppable for him. Its BS. As soon as you don't leave him space to attack, he is halved as a player. When you put somebody physical on his back, he is frustrated after 30 minutes and then you might as well sub him off. Just look at his output - you think, we couldn't replace him? He is our golden boy and we will never get rid of him. But we got a pretty bad side of the deal - he earns crazy money to give you the occasional hope that his potential might still be as big as everybody thought a couple of years ago. Right now, he is some slightly taller version of Theo Walcott.

Is some of the criticism ott? Definitely. But he just got praised ott as well.

You make some good points about him stagnating and such, but to be honest how many players have improved here? Especially with the way we've been run over the years. No real plan, awful squad building and being unable to hire good managers who can improve players and the team in general. We've been the exact definition of a yo-yo club post Fergie, one of the good season followed by an awful one and so on. Is it any wonder that our players can't be consistent? With the way this club was being run we'd have managed to make any top player look average. That's the simple truth.

You mentioned Rashford's output and seemed to imply that we can replace him, do you have any names in mind? With the way our attack has set up the onus is basically on Rashford to get the goals because let's be honest we have many players with potential but we haven't got a goal getter here. How many LWs on the market will come into this team and replicate Rashford's output? I can't say that he does it season after season because the team itself is not that consistent. Every good player needs the team around them to perform, even the cyborg at City despite all his goal scoring prowess wouldn't be half as good if he played here. Environnements, player quality and so on have a huge impact on player performance So do you have any names? LWs who can come in and comfortably replace Rashford. Keep in mind that he's scored over 131 goals for us and is only about to turn 27.

 

[NZT-One]

You make some good points about him stagnating and such, but to be honest how many players have improved here? Especially with the way we've been run over the years. No real plan, awful squad building and being unable to hire good managers who can improve players and the team in general. We've been the exact definition of a yo-yo club post Fergie, one of the good season followed by an awful one and so on. Is it any wonder that our players can't be consistent? With the way this club was being run we'd have managed to make any top player look average. That's the simple truth.

The number of players that haven't improved is indeed very problematic but they don't change the fact that he stagnated. It is just context. I can understand what happens and still consider it a problem. And observing what is coming out in terms of sm posts or opinion pieces, it creates a picture that Rashford is surrounded by a group that manifest a wrong self image. In the footballing sense of course. His fans and most importantly himself seem to think, he is a 92 rating player (using a FIFA metaphor) when in reality, he is closer to an 82. And as he delivers what an 82 delivers, conflict is only logical.

You mentioned Rashford's output and seemed to imply that we can replace him, do you have any names in mind? With the way our attack has set up the onus is basically on Rashford to get the goals because let's be honest we have many players with potential but we haven't got a goal getter here. How many LWs on the market will come into this team and replicate Rashford's output?

We have to look where we are as a team and where we stand compared to other teams in the league. The notion that somebody is irreplacable is unhealthy as it is and in case of Rashford it seems very wrong. Do we think, we would be so much worse off with Sane? Gnabry? Leao? Raphinha? Bailey? Gordon? On paper Rashford is up there, but he doesn't deliver and it seems he thinks this is down to outside factors. When in reality (at least in my view) he changed as a player - thinking he is so good to be that Ronaldo like figure that is above defensive work. But for this to the case, he'd have to have way way bigger output.

I can't say that he does it season after season because the team itself is not that consistent. Every good player needs the team around them to perform, even the cyborg at City despite all his goal scoring prowess wouldn't be half as good if he played here. Environnements, player quality and so on have a huge impact on player performance So do you have any names? LWs who can come in and comfortably replace Rashford. Keep in mind that he's scored over 131 goals for us and is only about to turn 27.

I think this kind of thinking is preventing necessary change. A bit similar to the Bruno situation where people cling on players that have something going for them even though when in the grand scheme of things those deeds have not the greatest of magnitudes. The team isn't consistent, I agree. And there are so so many reasons for that to be the case, but one of those reasons is that our last two managers pinned all their hope on the axis Bruno-Rashford to generate output. And while there is a reasoning to made for it, in the grand scheme of things the upsides of that are probably not even outweighing the negatives. And it seems as if we are chaining ourselves onto certain conditions and playstyles that are not ideal and maybe, just maybe, aren't the best parts of the rest of the team.

Long story short - the notion that he is irreplacable is wrong. That doesn't make Rashford a bad player and I think, he may be able to turn it around, but there is also a good chance that he peaked early and will never be the player we all hoped he would be. Which, as well, isn't even criticizing him - it is just the reasoning for finally taking some of the aura away, that surrounds him and that seems to make him undroppable.

 

[surf]

Strange goal he scored yesterday. Ramsdale should have saved it but dived much too late. Was he unsighted or expecting the defenders to block it?

 

[cj_sparky]

Strange goal he scored yesterday. Ramsdale should have saved it but dived much too late. Was he unsighted or expecting the defenders to block it?

From memory De Ligt was obscuring Ramsdale and pulled himself out the way of Rashford's shot.

 

[The Boy]

Rashford is always so much better with Shaw behind him.

 

[Gavinb33]

I only saw MoTD but it looked like him and Zirkzee have built a little bit ot rapport with each other already some neat touches between them, got a goal and looked very lively putting Ramsdale to work on 2 other occasions decent performance

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Strange goal he scored yesterday. Ramsdale should have saved it but dived much too late. Was he unsighted or expecting the defenders to block it?

I mean it was perfectly placed, pretty much the inside post of the goal. Let's give him a bit credit?

 

[croadyman]

I only saw MoTD but it looked like him and Zirkzee have built a little bit ot rapport with each other already some neat touches between them, got a goal and looked very lively putting Ramsdale to work on 2 other occasions decent performance

Will reserve judgment until I see it against a team who aren't the worst in the Premier League

 

[Isotope]

Got that Rashford - Martial vibe between him and Zirkzee. But as everyone has predicted, Zirkzee is the type of striker/forward that could bring the best of Rashford.