[In Rainbows]

Martial scored 17 as a teenager in his debut season here. Remember?

Martial was 19, and turned 20 mid season. Greenwood is 17 to start, and turned 18 in October. Martial had his aged 17/18 season in 2013/14 where he scored 2 goals in 15 appearances for Monaco. You would be right that he was still a teenager, but it's rare for someone Greenwood's age to score that much in his age 17/18 season.

 

[Sayros]

Martial was 19, and turned 20 mid season. Greenwood is 17 to start, and turned 18 in October.

That's really not that important, it's about the performances, regardless of whether it's someone who's 18 or 19-20. Martial was dancing around Van Dijk, scoring against Liverpool off the bench, and genuinely winning this club games. Look how that turned out. He's coming along well now, but there has been serious road bumps. The age difference is kind of meaningless until we see how Greenwood performs over the coming seasons, especially when defenses start focusing on him more, if they're not already as he's been fantastic so far.

 

[E-mal]

That's really not that important, it's about the performances, regardless of whether it's someone who's 18 or 19-20. Martial was dancing around Van Dijk, scoring against Liverpool off the bench, and genuinely winning this club games. Look how that turned out. He's coming along well now, but there has been serious road bumps. The age difference is kind of meaningless until we see how Greenwood performs over the coming seasons, especially when defenses start focusing on him more, if they're not already as he's been fantastic so far.

Greenwood had the luck that he is playing alongside Rashford and Martial, this will lessen the attention on him

 

[roonster09]

Honestly, his striking technique is Messi-like. I really think that he should start on the right side of our attack and we should focus on building a midfield of perfect servants. Rashford, Martial and Greenwood can be trusted to score goals and they compliment each others.

This is what i said in one of WhatsApp group. I'll just paste it here
"Greenwood is like Messi. You think GK might have done better but placement and disguise is so good"

You will always have that feeling GK might hace done it better but the placement is so good it's hard to blame them.

 

[yumtum]

Heinry once scored a free kick with one foot, got ordered to retake the free kick, switched legs and still score!

I'll YouTube that now, I'm not surprised that it's happened before, but it's still a rare feat! Thanks for letting me know who's done it before though.

 

[Thiagoal]

Hmm, we’ll have to see I guess. I share the view that we have some real talent at the moment, but we’ve been here many times before, with a ‘best generation since...’. You mention Pearson who I recall a massive Redcafe campaign to get into the team and had declared him all sorts, meanwhile McTominay was a nothing player in the academy and look at him now.

Personally, I think Laird and Greenwood are the only real top top level talent we have, we probably have a couple of others who can go on to play at PL level and beyond that we’ll see. That’s of the 23s anyway, not considering the likes of Mejbri just yet.

James Garner should be put up with Ethan and Mason in my view! Think he’ll establish himself later due to the complexities of playing centre mid but the boy just oozes class!

 

[Deleted 112447]

He's on 9 goals in his first ever real professional season...crazy. Come the end of the season he could be on 15+. We might not have to buy another striker after all. Crazy good talent.

 

[Red_toad]

Especially since Martial is a magnet for criticism no matter how well he plays. Plus Greenwood is coming through at a time when England are stacked with striking talent unlike when Rashford broke through.

Is he though? I’m pretty sure when he plays half arsed he’s called out on it, when he plays well he gets a lot of hype. We all know how good Martial can be, but his attitude can let him down. If he’s not trying then he’s rightfully held to account by the fans. But we do have this thing where everyone else can be blamed for his performances by a selection of fans who seem to prefer him to anyone else in the squad.

 

[Red_toad]

He's on 9 goals in his first ever real professional season...crazy. Come the end of the season he could be on 15+. We might not have to buy another striker after all. Crazy good talent.

He’s not yet ready to lead the line for United, we need someone who can play as a 9. Rashford is best facing goal and Greenwood isn’t physically ready, so it’s Martial every game. Unless we purchase some cover for him.

 

[Deleted 112447]

He’s not yet ready to lead the line for United, we need someone who can play as a 9. Rashford is best facing goal and Greenwood isn’t physically ready, so it’s Martial every game. Unless we purchase some cover for him.

At this moment i agree, but come next season i don't know. I would like to see a striker in but one that is ok with playing a part time role.

 

[Rozay]

James Garner should be put up with Ethan and Mason in my view! Think he’ll establish himself later due to the complexities of playing centre mid but the boy just oozes class!

Still unsure on just how good Garner is personally. I mean, I know he’s good, and has a chance of making it. He’s easily better than McTominay was in the academy, and Scott has made the step up - but I just think with young players, especially ones we ‘like’, it’s hard to distinguish the line of ‘good’ and ‘good enough’.

Like, us having a player in the academy who is good enough to have a career as an Everton regular for example. It’s so hard at 17/18 to tell the difference between a future Everton regular and Manchester United one. These players are playing with and against a bunch of players who will not even end up at PL level. If you are good enough for Everton, you may well stand out and impress. I mean, a future Championship player or future United regular, the line is much thicker. Garner is good, I’m just not sure he’s better than West Ham or Everton good just yet. Mason was always total different class, for instance, or Paul Pogba even. I’ll have to see with Garner this over the next 12-18 months. He’ll probably be good enough to at least be a squad player here, it we have to be very careful about filling the XI with too many ‘good’ players from the academy who should realistically only be Everton players. It’s hard to spot the difference. For me, we need the absolute best ONLY coming into our first XI. I don’t even think Williams is in that category, I think he’s an example of a West Ham-level talent who, because Ole is our coach, will probably get a good career as first-choice at United.

 

[Rozay]

Them making it is a different discussion. I'm only talking talent. Pearson was rightly getting praised. However, Garner is the superior DM talent. I thought my take was pretty measured. Hence why I didn't include all positions for this generation's superiority, and also recalled the 2011 side as they each have their strengths with some high end talent. It's no contest that CB is probably the weakest out of the generations. I regard Tuanzebe as our best CB talent, but he was in the Rashford generation along with TFM, Gribbin, etc... 2011 had Thorpe and Keane. I rated Thorpe > Keane, but as a duo are much more talented than our current crop of Bernard + fill in.

I don't think it's recency bias to conclude that Williams and Laird as being superior to Fryers+Vermijl, or Janko, Varela, CBJ,Love, etc... and that's without including O'Connor as he left.

I also don't think it's recency bias to conclude that Greenwood > Keane, Wilson, or Rashford filling in. I think at youth level Kovar is like Henderson, with the only contender being Pereira. I didn't rate Amos.

I agree with Ethan and Mason, but regarding some of the others, I reckon they are just getting first team football in this current generation due to the regime - everyone’s getting a crack. I don’t think Williams is all that personally, not better than Varela in my opinion, who I was quite a fan of. I don’t think Tuanzebe is all that either, and he’d do well to have a better career than Michael Keane I think. I mean, I think he was better than him in the academy, but anything above that level, he’s not been that special to me. I think Mengi looks a bigger talent to Bernard from what I’ve seen too, and I’ll give you Garner, although I’m still trying to work out just how good he is too.

I think the group is better than some of the others overall, but I still see only two that are clearly good enough, which has been about the average over the years.

 

[Lee565]

What's crazy is not only does it seem like he scores nearly everytime he is on the pitch but the accuracy he has had from scoring from outside the box.

 

[ash_86]

 

[AltiUn]

He's on 9 goals in his first ever real professional season...crazy. Come the end of the season he could be on 15+. We might not have to buy another striker after all. Crazy good talent.

What's impressive to me that he's been scoring more regularly in the PL too, just under half of the goals he's scored have been against PL opposition.

 

[Stacks]

He may get 15-20 goals which is astonishing. You have many young talents who are immense in the younger teams but you don't know They can step it up into senior level until they do. He reminds me a bit of Rossi with his left ping, although I am a Rossi famboy

 

[AlexUTD]

What a gem Greenwood is,hoping for great things from him!

 

[In Rainbows]

He may get 15-20 goals which is astonishing. You have many young talents who are immense in the younger teams but you don't know They can step it up into senior level until they do. He reminds me a bit of Rossi with his left ping, although I am a Rossi famboy

I didn't get to see Rossi play at youth level. I started watching after that period. Based on statistics, Greenwood was scoring at Rossi's level for the youth team, which was above Keane, Wilson, and Rashford's (when he did play there in that brief period) goal scoring records.

 

[Bebestation]

Whilst he was always capable of playing on the RF, ST or LF - the way he has started to score some of these goals from deep makes me think that we can even see him in first team as a CAM lining up shots like Lampard did behind a striker like Drogba.

Guy is a versatile as f.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He’s not yet ready to lead the line for United, we need someone who can play as a 9. Rashford is best facing goal and Greenwood isn’t physically ready, so it’s Martial every game. Unless we purchase some cover for him.

Personally I think a playmaking wideman is more important. Everyone is our front line is pace, dribbling and goals. Martial is the best of the lot in terms of buildup play and he plays as a 9. Hence nothing from out wide. Ideally we'd have a Hazard /Ribery type figure who can both link up well and score. Which is why for me Sancho has always been the number 1 target. He's one of the best young attackers in the game and also very good in the buildup which will compliment Rashford, Greenwood and James (wingers for now) who don't excel in that area.

Edit - i know Sancho can also be summed up by pace dribbling and goals but I believe his all round play and ability to link up and pick a pass is better than what we have. Rashford is a forward in every way really. Greenwood is the same. James is a bullet but limited.

 

[Strelok]

He needs to get stronger and faster. He's 18 and usually he can get much stronger with age, of course given he'd hit the gyms. However not the pace, from what I've seen with countless young players most get around 90 % of their max pace/acceleration at 18-19 years old and their pace or acceleration won't develop much later.

I haven't seen such talent in any of our 18 years old lads except Rooney. He'll be a 100 £m player at least imo, but his limited pace/acceleration would stop him from being more than that I'm afraid. Hope I'm wrong though.

 

[suheilsworld]

I am not worried about he being too young. "If you are good enough, you are old enough"

I am glad the way Ole has used him and not made him feel like the pressure is on him. Many a times it is when he is introduced in games where we are down by goals or unable to get a break through. But so far nothing has fazed him.

 

[bosnian_red]

He needs to get stronger and faster. He's 18 and usually he can get much stronger with age, of course given he'd hit the gyms. However not the pace, from what I've seen with countless young players most get around 90 % of their max pace/acceleration at 18-19 years old and their pace or acceleration won't develop much later.

I haven't seen such talent in any of our 18 years old lads except Rooney. He'll be a 100 £m player at least imo, but his limited pace/acceleration would stop him from being more than that I'm afraid. Hope I'm wrong though.

Hes not slow at all. Weird. Sure hes not Rashford fast and explosive, but probably about Van Persie/Suarez fast (to do another comparison to him). Pretty much above average overall speed and that's all he needs if he knows how to play (which he clearly does). Anyway. Being extra pacey isnt a pre requisite for being world class. Look at lewa/suarez/van persie/rooney/ibra and so on. Countless examples.

 

[Ali Dia]

One of our most exciting players.if he can keep improving then his potential is scary. If we can get sancho and Bruno we would instantly transform our attack and make much better chances for our strikers. Mason is clinical. He’ll score loads if he gets the chances.

 

[Strelok]

Hes not slow at all. Weird. Sure hes not Rashford fast and explosive, but probably about Van Persie/Suarez fast (to do another comparison to him). Pretty much above average overall speed and that's all he needs if he knows how to play (which he clearly does). Anyway. Being extra pacey isnt a pre requisite for being world class. Look at lewa/suarez/van persie/rooney/ibra and so on. Countless examples.

If you watch him you'd see atm his pace or acceleration is pretty mediocre. Rooney and Suarez was very fast in their young years. Van Persie was very fast as well when he was playing as a winger. Players tend to get stronger but slower with age after they reach 25-26. I think it's because of their increased body mass, especially upper muscles.

In your example Lewand, Ibra and the current Suarez are a different type of player with Greenwood imo. They're classic #9, a very strong great finisher but not very fast killer in the box. Greenwood won't be that strong to play as such and he's more of a wide player imo.

 

[SteveW]

He may get 15-20 goals which is astonishing. You have many young talents who are immense in the younger teams but you don't know They can step it up into senior level until they do. He reminds me a bit of Rossi with his left ping, although I am a Rossi famboy

I loved Rossi and thought he would make it as a really good squad player at United. I was gutted when we let him go.

Greenwood has been an obvious certainty for years. Too rounded, too complete, too good not to make it. Barring injuries or attitude issues.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Martial scored 17 as a teenager in his debut season here. Remember?

Technically speaking he has turned 20 midway through the season he scored 17 goals for us, although he debut as a teenager in the same season (19). But yeh not much difference there you can also count him in!
For Greenwood it’s a case of 17 year old kid who has turned 18 this season though.

 

[Bebestation]

If you watch him you'd see atm his pace or acceleration is pretty mediocre. Rooney and Suarez was very fast in their young years. Van Persie was very fast as well when he was playing as a winger. Players tend to get stronger but slower with age after they reach 25-26. I think it's because of their increased body mass, especially upper muscles.

In your example Lewand, Ibra and the current Suarez are a different type of player with Greenwood imo. They're classic #9, a very strong great finisher but not very fast killer in the box. Greenwood won't be that strong to play as such and he's more of a wide player imo.

His pace is not a problem - if he ends up lacking it (which I don't think will be the case) he ends up playing more centrally rather than wider.

Even Rashford now plays as a LF rather than a LM or a LW & when Greenwood plays on the right - he too plays as a RF, usually with the sole intention of cutting in by taking a single touch before shooting.

When we perfect our tactics I have a feeling that Rashford & Greenwood get more narrow & closer together to form a strikers partnership whilst Martial gets deeper - the more older they get. Drifting wider when in need to receive the ball for the counter, playing close together when attacking.

Even if Greenwood turns old and slow as I said a couple posts back, I think the lad is already a quite versatile player & it wouldn't even surprise me to see him drop back & be deadly from the CAM the way he is already scoring goals against Newcastle & Norwich with absolute ease.

 

[Strelok]

His pace is not a problem - if he ends up lacking it (which I don't think will be the case) he ends up playing more centrally rather than wider.

Even Rashford now plays as a LF rather than a LM or a LW & when Greenwood plays on the right - he too plays as a RF, usually with the sole intention of cutting in by taking a single touch before shooting.

When we perfect our tactics I have a feeling that Rashford & Greenwood get more narrow & closer together to form a strikers partnership whilst Martial gets deeper - the more older they get. Drifting wider when in need to receive the ball for the counter, playing close together when attacking.

Even if Greenwood turns old and slow as I said a couple posts back, I think the lad is already a quite versatile player & it wouldn't even surprise me to see him drop back & be deadly from the CAM the way he is already scoring goals against Newcastle & Norwich with absolute ease.

I didn't say his pace/acceleration is an issue big enough to stop him from being a great player, but for more than that it would be imo.

I haven't seen such talent in any of our 18 years old lads except Rooney. He'll be a 100 £m player at least imo, but his limited pace/acceleration would stop him from being more than that I'm afraid. Hope I'm wrong though.

Edit: the term "talent" maybe a bit too wide thus not very accurate.

I've seen none of our players having that kind of touch, composure, passing, finishing, both feet and football brain at 18 years old except Rooney.

 

[Paxi]

What's his heading like? He could be the complete package if he's got good heading ability.

 

[In Rainbows]

Personally I think a playmaking wideman is more important. Everyone is our front line is pace, dribbling and goals. Martial is the best of the lot in terms of buildup play and he plays as a 9. Hence nothing from out wide. Ideally we'd have a Hazard /Ribery type figure who can both link up well and score. Which is why for me Sancho has always been the number 1 target. He's one of the best young attackers in the game and also very good in the buildup which will compliment Rashford, Greenwood and James (wingers for now) who don't excel in that area.

Edit - i know Sancho can also be summed up by pace dribbling and goals but I believe his all round play and ability to link up and pick a pass is better than what we have. Rashford is a forward in every way really. Greenwood is the same. James is a bullet but limited.

Pretty much echoes my thoughts. If we had Sancho, he would be our best dribbler by far. He's averaging 3 dribbles a game, while Rashford averages 2 a game. Sancho's tricky feet is something Martial has, but Sancho has managed to turn it into a much more lethal dribbling game. Therefore, in packed boxes, Sancho would be our best weapon. It is for this reason that Sancho would also be our best creative player to get assists. Technically Pogba would be, but he's in a deeper position compared to one of the front 3.

Rashford, Martial, and Greenwood are all forwards/strikers. Sancho is more of a winger/forward. It's a clear deficiency in our side.

After Sancho, we're missing a dominant midfielder who is a constant presence in offering himself to receive a pass, to distribute the ball, to and to resist a press. We're essentially missing a Scholes, Modric, or Xavi. Doesn't have to be as good as those players, but we're lacking that type of midfielder.

Two glaring deficiencies to make us practically complete, but not the finished article in terms of quality.

What's his heading like? He could be the complete package if he's got good heading ability.

Don't think he's great at it. Think that's something that develops at first team level because there are more chances to head at first team level. Possibly due to the passing not being up to par, or because strikers focus on other types of goal scoring at a young age.

 

[Icemav]

Very pleased for him. Being managed very well and is performing exceptionally. Not just developing but contributing too with top class goals.

 

[Icemav]

I see no one is getting carried away, which is good.

I don't think he's ready either physically or with enough all round game atm.

But 2 footed and bloody hell, does he know where the back of the net is. Vast potential but needs looking after.

Spot on.

 

[Paxi]

Pretty much echoes my thoughts. If we had Sancho, he would be our best dribbler by far. He's averaging 3 dribbles a game, while Rashford averages 2 a game. Sancho's tricky feet is something Martial has, but Sancho has managed to turn it into a much more lethal dribbling game. Therefore, in packed boxes, Sancho would be our best weapon. It is for this reason that Sancho would also be our best creative player to get assists. Technically Pogba would be, but he's in a deeper position compared to one of the front 3.

Rashford, Martial, and Greenwood are all forwards/strikers. Sancho is more of a winger/forward. It's a clear deficiency in our side.

After Sancho, we're missing a dominant midfielder who is a constant presence in offering himself to receive a pass, to distribute the ball, to and to resist a press. We're essentially missing a Scholes, Modric, or Xavi. Doesn't have to be as good as those players, but we're lacking that type of midfielder.

Two glaring deficiencies to make us practically complete, but not the finished article in terms of quality.


Don't think he's great at it. Think that's something that develops at first team level because there are more chances to head at first team level. Possibly due to the passing not being up to par, or because strikers focus on other types of goal scoring at a young age.

Fair enough. Thank you.

 

[Thiagoal]

If you watch him you'd see atm his pace or acceleration is pretty mediocre. Rooney and Suarez was very fast in their young years. Van Persie was very fast as well when he was playing as a winger. Players tend to get stronger but slower with age after they reach 25-26. I think it's because of their increased body mass, especially upper muscles.

In your example Lewand, Ibra and the current Suarez are a different type of player with Greenwood imo. They're classic #9, a very strong great finisher but not very fast killer in the box. Greenwood won't be that strong to play as such and he's more of a wide player imo.

What’s with the sudden obsession with pace? Arguably our best ever quartet of strikers in ‘99 were hardly pace merchants! Sherringham was probably the slowest striker in the league yet had an outstanding career!

 

[Member 105568]

A

What’s with the sudden obsession with pace? Arguably our best ever quartet of strikers in ‘99 were hardly pace merchants! Sherringham was probably the slowest striker in the league yet had an outstanding career!

He’s quick enough anyway to get away, isn’t he? I think you can generally trust players to finish better when their game isn’t based around pace

 

[Member 117152]

Pretty much echoes my thoughts. If we had Sancho, he would be our best dribbler by far. He's averaging 3 dribbles a game, while Rashford averages 2 a game. Sancho's tricky feet is something Martial has, but Sancho has managed to turn it into a much more lethal dribbling game. Therefore, in packed boxes, Sancho would be our best weapon. It is for this reason that Sancho would also be our best creative player to get assists. Technically Pogba would be, but he's in a deeper position compared to one of the front 3.

Rashford, Martial, and Greenwood are all forwards/strikers. Sancho is more of a winger/forward. It's a clear deficiency in our side.

After Sancho, we're missing a dominant midfielder who is a constant presence in offering himself to receive a pass, to distribute the ball, to and to resist a press. We're essentially missing a Scholes, Modric, or Xavi. Doesn't have to be as good as those players, but we're lacking that type of midfielder.

Two glaring deficiencies to make us practically complete, but not the finished article in terms of quality.


Don't think he's great at it. Think that's something that develops at first team level because there are more chances to head at first team level. Possibly due to the passing not being up to par, or because strikers focus on other types of goal scoring at a young age.

I agree we need a world class right winger and playmaker to finish our squad. Greenwood isn’t as exciting as a young Messi or Ronaldo because he lacks the freakish athleticism but he’s gonna be deadly in front of goal.

The trend away from playmakers to more physical midfielders is widespread currently but the way Levitt performed against Astana was absolute quality. 96% pass accuracy and over 100 passes.

I’m seriously hoping he makes the grade since he will be a joy to watch.

 

[dabeast]

If Greenwood progresses and all goes well, we are just a Sancho away from having the best attack in the world in a year (if, and a big if, Pogba stays and plays).

 

[SteveW]

Most of these goals would barely be classed as chances. Individual brilliance.

 

[Strelok]

What’s with the sudden obsession with pace? Arguably our best ever quartet of strikers in ‘99 were hardly pace merchants! Sherringham was probably the slowest striker in the league yet had an outstanding career!

Saying a player lacking pace is sudden obsession with pace? Especially that player is a striker ?

What's wrong with you tbh ? You seem to be pretty angry or offended ?