[lost7]

It’s pretty decent. In the context of the number of minutes that he got as a #9 it doesn’t seem that impressive. Until you consider that this team doesn’t create any chances for him and then it looks decent again.

Hopefully he stays healthy and builds on from here.

He's also 21, are there many strikers round that age starting in the premier league and scoring 10 in their first season? I doubt it

 

[golden_blunder]

How can any United fan not love the guy?

 

[Ayoba]

Or the clubs mistake for not buying a reliable striker?

or both?

 

[#07]

It's funny how Hojlund tends to get on the scoresheet when he gets the ball in dangerous areas. Radical thought: Maybe we should base our game around trying to make chances for him?

I know it's controversial. Nowadays everyone wants to cut in off flank and shoot. But stay with me and just imagine we didn't constantly do that. Just imagine we, you know, tried to pass to him in the box..?

Actually, forget it. It'll never catch on. Daft idea.

 

[izec]

I still maintain that he is a good talent. In a good side, i can see him score 20-25 league goals without issues.

 

[Mike Smalling]

I haven't big the biggest Hojlund fan but he has shown some positive glimpses of a player who he may evolve into. Still doesn't negate the priority of signing a proper striker who has 25-30 goals in him.

We’re in a weird position striker wise now. It’s clear we need someone other than Højlund that can fill the center forward position, and it can’t be Rashford or a false 9 solution. It might be best to get a mature striker in and let Højlund be the understudy, but on the other hans that could stifle his development. Also, we arguably have higher priorities to fix, so spending big on a striker might not be possible.

An ideal solution might be getting someone that would be comfortable both centrally and out wide, which would give us some more flexibility. Not sure who that would be though.

 

[Red00012]

He's bang average and hasn't shown the slightest glimpse of being a player we can build around. His performances have been neither here nor there, he doesn't offer anything dangerous or special up front, and often goes missing for lengthy stretches. Not his fault as most young players wouldn't pass up a chance to play for United. This one is 100% on ETH's calamitous decision making in the transfer market.

Awkward

 

[Unam333]

It's funny how Hojlund tends to get on the scoresheet when he gets the ball in dangerous areas. Radical thought: Maybe we should base our game around trying to make chances for him?

I know it's controversial. Nowadays everyone wants to cut in off flank and shoot. But stay with me and just imagine we didn't constantly do that. Just imagine we, you know, tried to pass to him in the box..?

Actually, forget it. It'll never catch on. Daft idea.

I think the sub role suits him better. I don't see him as a starter. Not in this current United team. Put him on when the opponents are tired or when there's a lot of space in the opponent box.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

I haven't big the biggest Hojlund fan but he has shown some positive glimpses of a player who he may evolve into. Still doesn't negate the priority of signing a proper striker who has 25-30 goals in him.

Oh I see we are doing the thing where we still think a new goalscoring striker will thrive here. Yes we pass so much to our front men anyways. (Also what “proper striker” is even available apart from maybe Toney that wouldn’t cost the budget)

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

He's bang average and hasn't shown the slightest glimpse of being a player we can build around. His performances have been neither here nor there, he doesn't offer anything dangerous or special up front, and often goes missing for lengthy stretches. Not his fault as most young players wouldn't pass up a chance to play for United. This one is 100% on ETH's calamitous decision making in the transfer market.

Oh nevermind this is impressive levels of blindness

 

[Swedish_Plumber]

Seems pretty clear he’ll score loads in a team that’s dominant. Will that be here? Who fecking knows.

He’s scored a few great solo goals this season though. There’s a player in there, not just a goal scorer.

 

[AndyMUFC]

10 in 30 in the league and 16 goals overall. Not a bad first season and hopefully he can build on it next year.

 

[Raoul]

Oh nevermind this is impressive levels of blindness

Blindness is believing buying Hojlund was sufficient to score enough goals for a better than 8th place finish.

 

[Ole'sgunnarwin]

Favourite player, he's fecking brilliant and one of the only players I trust. Let's sort out what's behind him, give him half chances and he'll get goals

 

[Raoul]

Oh I see we are doing the thing where we still think a new goalscoring striker will thrive here. Yes we pass so much to our front men anyways. (Also what “proper striker” is even available apart from maybe Toney that wouldn’t cost the budget)

That’s for the club to sort out.

 

[JediSith]

I love the fact that he hasn’t been getting the type of service he needs so has just started making his own chances and scoring goals himself. Clearly a striker who has the ability to score 20 plus a season, but more importantly unlike players like RVN or Halaand etc he’s the type who can score goals out of relatively nothing. This will come in handy if ever United are a serious team playing in 6 pointers or CL sf etc and the supply to cut out

 

[Raoul]

We’re in a weird position striker wise now. It’s clear we need someone other than Højlund that can fill the center forward position, and it can’t be Rashford or a false 9 solution. It might be best to get a mature striker in and let Højlund be the understudy, but on the other hans that could stifle his development. Also, we arguably have higher priorities to fix, so spending big on a striker might not be possible.

An ideal solution might be getting someone that would be comfortable both centrally and out wide, which would give us some more flexibility. Not sure who that would be though.

Agreed. Hojlund alone hasn’t been nearly enough which is why the club will almost certainly look for an established striker this summer, which will allow Hojlund to continue developing without the weight of the club’s success on his shoulders.

 

[Abraxas]

Made a huge impact. Without him leading the line we're in massive trouble. Needs some support next season and better performances from those around him to create. Plus needs to work on his own shortcomings which is completely expected at his age.

 

[Robbie Boy]

I think overall, he done well this season.

 

[SER19]

16 goals, some very good performances and answered questions about things that might worry us for a new signing re physicality of league and so on. Did well in front of probably the worst midfield and full back situation i can ever remember at united - areas absolutely key to a striker.

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

I still maintain that he is a good talent. In a good side, i can see him score 20-25 league goals without issues.

Maybe, I think he is a decent talent but I am not overly impressed by him.

 

[Oranges038]

Oh nevermind this is impressive levels of blindness

It's incredibly short sighted. I can only think that some people have decided they will never like any of ETH's signings. He's scored 16 goals in his first season, not out of this world but 15-20 goals at the start would bave been seen as a good season.

Took his goal well today too. Let's hope he bags a few more next week.

 

[Lyng]

It's incredibly short sighted. I can only think that some people have decided they will never like any of ETH's signings. He's scored 16 goals in his first season, not out of this world but 15-20 goals at the start would bave been seen as a good season.

Took his goal well today too. Let's hope he bags a few more next week.

It seems pretty clear a few posters made their mind up before the season and refuse to admit they where wrong.

 

[Nori-]

Considering how bad our team have been and the little service he's had all season, 16 goals in all competitions isnt too bad.

Definetly one of the players that should be kept this summer.

 

[golden_blunder]

Blindness is believing buying Hojlund was sufficient to score enough goals for a better than 8th place finish.

Blindness was relying on martial staying fit and Rashford having another purple patch

 

[RedRocket9908]

Good goal today, well done to him

 

[Bobski]

Again, I think people focus too much on goals, or the goal total. How he gets them and the skillset he shows doing so means more to me at this period of time. Last 2 goals, assured first touch, assessing space, beating a defender to create a shooting chance, then a well struck shot off his weaker foot. Ability to create a bit of space for a shot is such an important skill for a striker.

 

[Raoul]

Blindness was relying on martial staying fit and Rashford having another purple patch

Agreed. Which is why complimenting them with a young 21 year old striker who hadn't previously scored more than 10 goals in a season, wasn't the right choice. Hojlund is a fun and likeable kid who could eventually develop into an important player, but that process could just as easily happen alongside an established striker who can share the goal burden.

 

[WakeAndBeek]

Love the lad to be honest. Been a patchy first season but an impressive tally overall, and he’s shown enough in those patches to show that there’s a proper goal scorer there.

Sort out the lack of chance creation in the summer and give him another season as the main man, with a dependable back up behind him, a Wilson or Solanke type who won’t be expecting to play every game, won’t cost a fortune, but can score goals in the premier league.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Agreed. Which is why complimenting them with a young 21 year old striker who hadn't previously scored more than 10 goals in a season, wasn't the right choice. Hojlund is a fun and likeable kid who could eventually develop into an important player, but that process could just as easily happen alongside an established striker who can share the goal burden.

Think we were all hoping Rashford would push on from last season, but the way we have not just cut Martial loose is madness. Be interesting what striker we could actually get.

 

[Pexbo]

Agreed. Which is why complimenting them with a young 21 year old striker who hadn't previously scored more than 10 goals in a season, wasn't the right choice. Hojlund is a fun and likeable kid who could eventually develop into an important player, but that process could just as easily happen alongside an established striker who can share the goal burden.

Who would you have bought instead and what would the numbers look like?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Love the lad to be honest. Been a patchy first season but an impressive tally overall, and he’s shown enough in those patches to show that there’s a proper goal scorer there.

Sort out the lack of chance creation in the summer and give him another season as the main man, with a dependable back up behind him, a Wilson or Solanke type who won’t be expecting to play every game, won’t cost a fortune, but can score goals in the premier league.

Solanke's stock is pretty high, not sure he would want to be sat on the bench, not at this version of Manchester United anyway. Wilson is always injured. He would just be Martial MkII.

 

[Raoul]

Who would you have bought instead and what would the numbers look like?

I don't know who was truly available. But all things said, we need a Kane type player starting with a promising younger striker developing behind him. That should've been the priority last summer, not absurd money on Mount.

 

[Oranges038]

It seems pretty clear a few posters made their mind up before the season and refuse to admit they where wrong.

Some of these people probably think the likes of McT, Shaw and Maguire should be kept too.

I think Hojlund has done well in his first season, with a more settled team behind him and wingers who can cross or have fullbacks to create space he'll get more chances to score and will score more goals.

 

[Sylar]

I don't know who was truly available. But all things said, we need a Kane type player starting with a promising younger striker developing behind him. That should've been the priority last summer, not absurd money on Mount.

From Eth interview it seems he basically said he wanted Kane but that was a no go for whatever reason.

But the whole recruitment process is for another thread. Hoijlund has had a decent season and I'd hope we provide an environment next season where he can build on it.

 

[Invictus]

I haven't big the biggest Hojlund fan but he has shown some positive glimpses of a player who he may evolve into. Still doesn't negate the priority of signing a proper striker who has 25-30 goals in him.

Have to disagree with this. Højlund is at the age where a lot of center forwards “figure things out”, and come up leaps and bounds in terms of productivity (Shevchenko, Eto'o, Batistuta, Villa, Cavani, Shearer, van Nistelrooy and so forth... all of them experienced rapid transformation in their early 20s), so they need to be playing as much as possible (not biding their time as the apprentice to someone else).

Placing a stumbling block in his path is unlikely to be the most prudent manoeuver; and signing someone who is more established would be short-sighted when you could argue that Højlund is already a 20+ goals striker with better service and the luxury of taking penalties.

Take Harry Kane's 2015—16 season as a point of comparison, for example...

• 22 non-penalty goals in 4,027 minutes = 183 minutes per goal
• 16 non-penalty goals in 3,072 minutes = 192 minutes per goal for Højlund

Hardly anything in there with regard to production, and this is the latter's first season in a new league (and the fourth new league in a bit more than 2 seasons: Danish Superliga, Austrian Bundesliga, Serie A, Premier League). He needs better coaching, stability, a proper pre-season and things of that nature.

We should be signing someone who is versatile, creative and can play across the forward line or a super-sub type who is okay with a somewhat limited function, not someone who directly replaces Højlund in the starting lineup.

 

[No1_Dave]

Just love the guy, mainly because of his love and enthusiasm playing for the club (helps a lot when he's a childhood fan of the club), and it has been a very respectable 16 goals for his first season in a new league, in a dysfunctional team with little service.

Have to disagree with this. Højlund is at the age where a lot of center forwards “figure things out”, and come up leaps and bounds in terms of productivity (Shevchenko, Eto'o, Batistuta, Villa, Cavani, Shearer, van Nistelrooy and so forth... all of them experienced rapid transformation in their early 20s), so they need to be playing as much as possible (not biding their time as the apprentice to someone else).

Placing a stumbling block in his path is unlikely to be the most prudent manoeuver; and signing someone who is more established would be short-sighted when you could argue that Højlund is already a 20+ goals striker with penalties and better service.

Take Harry Kane's 2015—16 season as a point of comparison, for example...

• 22 non-penalty goals in 4,027 minutes = 183 minutes per goal
• 16 non-penalty goals in 3,072 minutes = 192 minutes per goal for Højlund

Hardly anything in there with regard to production, and this is the latter's first season in a new league (and the fourth new league in a bit more than 2 seasons: Danish Superliga, Austrian Bundesliga, Serie A, Premier League). He needs better coaching, stability, a proper pre-season and things of that nature.

We should be signing someone who is versatile, creative and can play across the forward line or a super-sub type who is okay with a somewhat limited function, not someone who directly replaces Højlund in the starting lineup.

very much agree with this, at 21 years old we need Hojlund to keep playing in order to continue his development, so he can be the long term starting CF for us, but at the same time we do need to sign a capable rotational option/backup striker to share the scoring duties when Hojlund is rested or injured, but definitely not spending big money (costing £50-60m or more, money which we don't have anyway due to PSR) on some "established" star striker who takes over from Hojlund and stunts his natural development/growth.

 

[Raoul]

Have to disagree with this. Højlund is at the age where a lot of center forwards “figure things out”, and come up leaps and bounds in terms of productivity (Shevchenko, Eto'o, Batistuta, Villa, Cavani, Shearer, van Nistelrooy and so forth... all of them experienced rapid transformation in their early 20s), so they need to be playing as much as possible (not biding their time as the apprentice to someone else).

Placing a stumbling block in his path is unlikely to be the most prudent manoeuver; and signing someone who is more established would be short-sighted when you could argue that Højlund is already a 20+ goals striker with better service and the luxury of taking penalties.

Take Harry Kane's 2015—16 season as a point of comparison, for example...

• 22 non-penalty goals in 4,027 minutes = 183 minutes per goal
• 16 non-penalty goals in 3,072 minutes = 192 minutes per goal for Højlund

Hardly anything in there with regard to production, and this is the latter's first season in a new league (and the fourth new league in a bit more than 2 seasons: Danish Superliga, Austrian Bundesliga, Serie A, Premier League). He needs better coaching, stability, a proper pre-season and things of that nature.

We should be signing someone who is versatile, creative and can play across the forward line or a super-sub type who is okay with a somewhat limited function, not someone who directly replaces Højlund in the starting lineup.

That's a fair opinion. And everything shouldn't be on Hojlund's shoulders to get us sufficient goals. Havertz isn't exactly a goal machine either but at least Arteta has benefited from abundant goal support from his wide players, which we haven't gotten. Therefore ETH made a fatal mistake by presuming a combination of Rashford, Hojlund, and Garnacho would be enough to improve on last season's 3rd place finish. Yet another reason he should be sacked immediately.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Andy Cole on the overlap was saying he needs to stop fighting with centre backs just for the sake of it and actually try find some space where he's not in a 50/50 duel every time he receives the ball.

That's a great observation.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

That's a fair opinion. And everything shouldn't be on Hojlund's shoulders to get us sufficient goals. Havertz isn't exactly a goal machine either but at least Arteta has benefited from abundant goal support from his wide players, which we haven't gotten. Therefore ETH made a fatal mistake by presuming a combination of Rashford, Hojlund, and Garnacho would be enough to improve on last season's 3rd place finish. Yet another reason he should be sacked immediately.

Think the price tag didn't help, which is not his fault, so a lot of focus was put on his scoring figures. When actually as you have pointed out people should have been questioning the contributions made from other areas of the pitch.