Yup. I know RW is probably the best position for him for the team's sake considering his inexperience but for the long term if we don't start working on him as a CF giving him opportunities whenever possible in that role there's the danger of him never developing the skills needed to play that role. Right now he's similar to Martial in his play given he links popping it about and getting the ball to feet. Which is fine of course but you ideally you want your CF to also be able to be a target and have that nose /movement for lose balls in the box.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 52
- Goals
- 12
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
I've seen him beat his fullback almost every game only to not be able to hit the target or find his teammates.
His awareness is arguably his biggest weakness. He doesn't need to play centrally to develop it when it's also what's holding him back on the wing. Let him develop his awareness on the wing, where everything is in your field of vision. Let's worry about later, later.
I just find the notion of him playing out wide hampering his development laughable. Even it were true (which it's not), Man utd first XI isn't a learning school. The wing is his best position currently and it isn't the reason why he's not scoring.
He started off weakly yesterday, anonymously and with few initiatives as has been usual with him playing striker in the league. This time was different, though, as after 20 mins or so he started more and more moving out to the sides, to make our best chances in the first half. In the second half, he played mostly very well when we got more space to attack in, and he had two shots in the metal. I think he needs time in different positions, to learn how many movement patterns are possible. But most of all he needs to do what he did yesterday - chin up and go for it even more when things don’t don’t pan out the first ten times.
Aktinson's such a moron.
Not sure if out and out CF is his position. Should play him in a similar role as Kane has for Spurs. CF with freedom to wander and make assists!
I don't mind our strikers dropping deep to help with general play but they need to be savvy enough to know when to poach at the front or back post.
I really despair when balls from the wing fizz across the goal and the striker is outside of the penalty area.
I really despair when balls from the wing fizz across the goal and the striker is outside of the penalty area.
Very good display, worked very hard and deserved a goal, if he can keep this form up he’ll make it very difficult for Martial to be starting ahead of him.
Seems a strange statement to make given that 2 of the best goal scorers of all time play LW (Ronaldo) and RW(Messi).
Well I didn't want to rely on him being one of the greatest players of all time...
If you read my post without being deliberately obtuse you must understand what I'm saying. He's clinical and direct. His strength is his finishing, and his play in tight spaces. He isn't a natural dribbler. He has the perfect profile for a centre-forward or support striker. As I said, there's no rush, but that's 100% where he should end up playing eventually.
What the feck he's been called up to the latest England under 21's side
Grealish, Haaland, Rashford, Diallo, Greenwood, Bruno.
Make it happen Woody.
Make it happen Woody.
I literally said 'the wing is the right place for him now, there's no rush' in the post you replied to. I agree it's doing him no harm at all playing there. He's got huge all-round quality, so he can dribble at his man and hit the byline sometimes. My only point was that in the next few seasons he will move central because it's the position that will suit him best.
They're very different. Greenwood doesn't have the flair or quick burst to consistently beat his man on the flanks. He can at times, but him playing centrally as a goal scorer allows him to use more of his skillset closer to goal.
I can't imagine there is any benefit for him playing at that level now.
There are several young but established Prem players playing - also this is the actual Euro U21 Championship finals, not qualifiers or anything. I hadn't realised this until now. Group stages are played in this international break, QFs onwards are played after the domestic season ends. Surely it's good to give the current crop of young players, who may only be squad players (or not picked at all) for the senior Euros, a taste of proper knockout international competition. Bit difficult to complain if our senior players fluff their lines in subsequent Euros/WCs if we miss the chance to actually test them in that format beforehand.
That said I think he'd be a decent shout as a back-up forward for England this summer, he's definitely got something special about him. Kane, Rashford, Sterling, Sancho, Calvert Lewin, plus Greenwood perhaps. Although I'm sure I'm missing someone obvious!
Sounds great on paper, lets hope your right.
He's not had such a brilliant season as last but has still been pretty good. Seems to me that he as grown and bulked out a lot this year which surely must have some kind of effect on his coordination. I'm sure he'll be back to his very best once he's fully developed.
It’s not bad. Unless there are a few injuries he is not getting ahead of Kane/Rashford/Grealish/Sancho/Sterling/DCL, etc. in the Senior squad.
If he is going on international duty then he better play, so being with U21 will be good and it’s not like he has been overplayed this season or would need a rest.
I dont mind if Greenwood does not play at the Euros. With the amount of break and games played in a short period it will be beneficial for us if he gets a month off.
He deserves it. Behaved like an idiot on his first England call-up. It'll be good for him to have to earn his way into the squad
But Foden hasn't received the same treatment? I wonder why...
True, but I'm only concerned about Mason and if this goes a little way towards keeping him humble then I'm all for it. I do hope that he goes to the Euros though
Because Foden has played well all season despite the bad behaviour that weekend.
Greenwood hasn’t.
Do you really think Southgate makes his squad selections based on something more sinister?
There might be several reasons but one main reason is that Foden is having a good season and Greenwood isn’t. If Foden keeps this up then he would have earned his way back into the squad.
Greenwood's form has certainly dropped this season but he's still playing well and doesn't deserve to be cast aside. He remains one of the brightest prospects in the world. The impact of the media coverage between both him and Foden has certainly had an impact too. One has got off without so much as a warning, while the other has been vilified completely to the point you've actually got Utd fans in here saying 'he deserves to drop down to the under 21s' which is pure nonsense.
Greenwood hasn't really had an opportunities to get back into the squad as he hasn't been selected. He's good enough to make an impact for England but he won't with a manager like Southgate sticking to his favourites.
there’s no way that Greenwood deserves an England squad place at the moment.
England have far better options at the moment.
not worries about Greenwood, this is normal development.
That’s not true at all. Last season’s Greenwood would probably be picked but this season he is not scoring for his club and Southgate has many players currently in his position who are more experienced and are having a better season.
He can’t pick Greenwood just because he has talent and leave one of the other players who are having a good season out.
Just a sense, but Mason looks on the cusp of a breakthrough to the next level after a very predictable sophomore slump. Keep playing the boy.
He would get plenty of minutes, he would continue on the right if we don’t sign a RW this summer (not something I’ve been happy with for his development but if we get Haaland it’s acceptable.)
Not to mention he could still rotate with Haaland as the no 9.
If anything that’s probably the best approach for his development, rather than heaping an entire seasons worth of pressure on his shoulders to make us compete for the league (which is what many demand of us next season) as Man Utd’s no 9.
Yeh we simply have to make room for the likes of Abraham, Ings and Calvert-Lewin, they will deliver the big trophies I'm sure...
I'd agree that there's definitely undertones to the way the press treated each player, 100%.
But I think it's unfair to ambiguously extend that criticism to Southgate and his squad selection.
It makes sense for Greenwood to be in the U21s and Foden in the main squad based on their respective seasons and the other options available in their positions.
I think Greenwood will be flying next season for what it’s worth. His main issues this season have been acclimating to his rapid physical development and dealing with 2nd season syndrome. Nothing to do with a lack of ability or poor mentality.
Whereas Greenwood is guaranteed to deliver them ... give me a break and let the kid develop calmly.
And as far as Ings or DCL are concerned, even they will be back-up for Kane.
Frankly, I know whos more likely to deliver and it's not Ings or DCL. Say England make a semi-final and are looking for a goal in the final 10 minutes I know I'd prefer to have Greenwood to call on as he's just got something special in comparison to the others.
To be honest I don't necessarily disagree I just firmly disagree with the poster saying this is what he 'deserves' after the Island incident when the other player involved has got off scot-free.
Oh yeah, Mason Greenwood, the proven goalscorer and performer in semi-finals for major trophies.
Can we appreciate his world class talent without making silly statements like this? The lad has barely started to prove himself and probably wouldn't be starting for us this season if we had an actual RW. England are stacked in terms of attacking options and there is no player that Mason has outperformed in the national team that he can replace. It's OK to say that Greenwood has improved in some aspects, but also regressed, mostly in his finishing which used to be his strongest point.
Love this positivity.
This is madness. Greenwood is great, but the other 2 are proven goalscorers for more than 6 months.
Well, while I commend the kid for trying to get some international play, he did feck up tremendously. With rumors of him being a bit troublesome, he needs to be humbled.
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