Yeah he needs to improve in the air for sure, but the ability to carry the ball at pace and being comfortable on either foot is rare stuff for a player with his physical traits. Which is why it boggles my mind when some just say "not good enough" as if he's fecking Weghorst spooning shots wide and being unthreatening in any way to a defense.
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 43
- Goals
- 16
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Yeah he needs to improve in the air for sure, but the ability to carry the ball at pace and being comfortable on either foot is rare stuff for a player with his physical traits. Which is why it boggles my mind when some just say "not good enough" as if he's fecking Weghorst spooning shots wide and being unthreatening in any way to a defense.
Ultimately, you can’t argue with our table position. Therefore instead of spending your time adopting a player you like, why not instead focus on the broader interests of the club moving up the table.
I hope you’re right, but he still has a lot of work to do to get to the next level imo.
You‘re doing it wrong. Ten Hag ok‘d his signing, so he is shiit.
The first clip there is probably a better, less selfish bit of wing play than any of our actual wingers produced all game.
Don’t know if it’s been discussed in this thread already, but Cole’s comments about him on Neville’s podcast were spot on. Wright and Rooney gave comment too.
I'm sorry your Dutch godfather is leaving next week, but there was also plenty of criticism for our DoF for the signing.
Rashford looks happier when Hojlund scores than when he scores himself. He smiled and everything today.
He's very likely not at his peak at the age of 21. He will improve in the next few years, but his current level is already higher than most people would have you believe, in my opinion.
I also fail to see how he wouldn't have scored at least 15-18 PL goals for an actual top 4 worthy team this season, and at least 25 in all competitions? And I intentionally tried to say a reasonable number, because I believe he could've been even better than that. Probably up there with Haaland, Palmer and Isak in the golden boot race, especially if he was starting for City or Arsenal. His shot conversion rate is up there with the best forwards in the league, the big difference being is that he's had a fraction of shots taken compared to the players with more goals than him.
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He will become team’s top goal scorer in his first season, if Bruno doesn’t out score him in the cup final. And has already become team’s top non-penalty goal scorer.
Overall a good first season, he wasn't helped by his teammates all season long and he still has some key areas to improve himself. Not sure he should be our "main" striker for next season though
It's important to know that in the development process, young players need time to adjust to the new faster paced league. That seems obvious, but what that entails feels like the people would agree with that previous obvious statement, do not take into account. The pace of the league, leads young players to miscontrol touches, make bad passes, and not understand space as much as players who are already used to the league's pace. This happens to all young players going up the ladder of youth football apart from very rare cases. Gomes despite dominating the u18s at age 16, did not adjust to u21/23 football right away. He needed that offseason to adjust. Even Greenwood who adjusted to men's football, did not completely adjust until just this past season in some parts of his performance.
So Hojlund's hold up play potential isn't being judged accurately by some posters. You may think it's just a matter of technical ability, but that is not true. Technical ability also varies during this pace adjustment period. Every touch must be that much sharper. Every decision must be that much quicker.
So Hojlund's hold up play potential isn't being judged accurately by some posters. You may think it's just a matter of technical ability, but that is not true. Technical ability also varies during this pace adjustment period. Every touch must be that much sharper. Every decision must be that much quicker.
Overall a pretty good first season for him personally - 10 non-penalty goals in the PL isn't bad in a struggling side for a 21yo old.
I'm pretty confident we haven't bought a dud. He's clearly a "good" player. To get to the next level, he has to simplify his game. More one touch and two touch lay-offs. Less wrestling with defenders.
I'd be happy enough going into next season with him as the main CF. Other positions need to be prioritised i.e. CM and CB
We could do with signing a cheap backup..either an older CF willing to be a bit-part player or a gamble on a young lad from South America or similar
I'm pretty confident we haven't bought a dud. He's clearly a "good" player. To get to the next level, he has to simplify his game. More one touch and two touch lay-offs. Less wrestling with defenders.
I'd be happy enough going into next season with him as the main CF. Other positions need to be prioritised i.e. CM and CB
We could do with signing a cheap backup..either an older CF willing to be a bit-part player or a gamble on a young lad from South America or similar
He is definitely an old school style centre forward and I think we are seeing a comeback of sorts of this profile of striker. They won’t dribble past players often but they can put the ball in the net.
I think he has been very good in relation to the rest of the teams performances this season and for those that have said he is poor has been judged to harshly and too soon.
Points made about a team building from the back and having a strong base do affect how the strikers perform. If we had a more consistent team he would have done even better. He’s has a fighting mentality and will give his all every time. Hopefully he has an injury free run and can show even more of his talents.
I think he has been very good in relation to the rest of the teams performances this season and for those that have said he is poor has been judged to harshly and too soon.
Points made about a team building from the back and having a strong base do affect how the strikers perform. If we had a more consistent team he would have done even better. He’s has a fighting mentality and will give his all every time. Hopefully he has an injury free run and can show even more of his talents.
He's definitely already on Nunez-level and I hope he can get end up being more like Cavani rather than that donkey. We still need a high quality CF signing to compete with him for a starting spot. I trust that Hojlund's the sort who will rise to the challenge and improve even quicker.
McT at CF is such a revolting watch for any PL side.
McT at CF is such a revolting watch for any PL side.
He’s almost the polar opposite of Nunez who gets numerous chances a games but misses most of them.
Hojlund scores almost every chance he gets, the problem is that he doesn’t get enough which I’d say is a combination of his teammates not finding him but also Hojlund not being the finished article in terms of movement for a top striker.
10 PL goals and 2 assists in 30 games. If you think that it is a good season for Man Utd first choice striker then fine. With that expectations, we finished exactly where we deserve.
So you expected a finished article at 21?
I expect more from first choice striker. I don't care how young he is.
But that is also on those who thought that going into season with only one (and 21 years old) striker is a good idea.
Your namesake in his first full season for United scored 11 league goals in 34 games, having already played half a season for us before and was already premier league proven.
I actually think no-one except those with the chequebook thought it a good idea in fairness.
Nunez only has one goal more despite swimming in chances. Do you still believe Nunez would have been a better transfer?
Rooney got 11 in 29 in his first season and 3 seasons early where he got 12 PL goals x2 and 11 goals, its almost like development needs to happen
Was there a reason given why he didn't start the game?
Just watched highlights and thought he must have been injured, but then he came on and banged one in
Just watched highlights and thought he must have been injured, but then he came on and banged one in
Vicious burn
And we were a “little” bit better back then.
Personally think it’s a very promising first season, he clearly has something that can be worked on. Pace, finishing, strength are all there.
You have to be playing silly beggars not to imagine that in a much better side that create more chances he would’ve scored at least five more, which would be very good for a young striker in his first Premier League season.
He’s one of 4 players who I would 100% keep at United. The others being Bruno, Garnacho and Mainoo. Would add Amad to it maybe but need to see more of him.
He does need help though. I like how we’ve kept him on the bench recently with Bruno false 9. Probably a tactic we should’ve done early in the season. Another striker next season will do us well.
He does need help though. I like how we’ve kept him on the bench recently with Bruno false 9. Probably a tactic we should’ve done early in the season. Another striker next season will do us well.
He has great attributes in that he has speed, strength, a very good shot in his left and has no problem finishing with his right.
Where he is lacking is his first touch which has let him down this season and it is crucial for him holding up play and when he is in tight areas in the box as he is going to be tightly marked all the time.
Hopefully he is one of these footballers to do that little bit extra in training to work on their weaknesses.
Where he is lacking is his first touch which has let him down this season and it is crucial for him holding up play and when he is in tight areas in the box as he is going to be tightly marked all the time.
Hopefully he is one of these footballers to do that little bit extra in training to work on their weaknesses.
One of the few bright parts of our season: interesting facts on 5Live before the game. Prior to Sunday, we created just six chances in nine games for Hojilund. In one game City create the same for Halaand... the percentage difference from expected goals throughout that time.... just one per cent. But sure, tell us how this guy is the problem
What did they say?
That is not a bad return for a young striker who was unfairly made the first choice option at the club with no alternative. As others have pointed out, Rooney and Cole had similar returns in their first seasons. Do you think they were good enough?
Such a daft point. Yes it’s the fans fault for living in the real world that mean we deserved to finish 8th.
Ultimately it was the senior players who didn’t step up this season why we have finished as low as we did, not the young striker in his first season over here.
Really promising first season, especially when you consider the pressure he was under in that goal drought. I have no doubt he'll be a success here and his cameos recently have been fantastic, hopefully that gives him confidence for the cup final.
Nikolas Jackson got 14 goals and 5 assists and from what I've seen Chelsea fans think he's nowhere good enough or ready to start. Plus they got him and Nkunku for round about the same price as Hojlund.
Sick of this. He literally has a higher chance conversion than Haaland this season, which just highlights how little service he has had.
Maybe it's a question of positioning in the box as well, I have noticed McT seems to receive the ball more in the box, but it doesn't help that you have Rashford/Garnacho on the wings either shooting wastefully or losing the ball 90% of the time.
He's had a good first season, still a lot to develop of course, but like others have said, Rooney/Cole etc had similar scoring forms in their first seasons at the club; and look how they turned out.
Support your team rather than stating every player isn't good enough, it's comments like yours that put so much pressure on our players. No wonder most of our signings turn out to be dire, but thrive at another club.
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Jackson is a polar opposite, misses tons of chances, horrible finisher. That is why he isn't good enough, not because of stats.
Now, now, that needs a lot of contextualizing, but you know that too, however that ruins the narrative you've been trying to sell on here.
I'd say 10 goals and 2 assists in around 24 matches worth of playtime in a team that was lucky to finish 8th according to the underlying statistics is pretty good, and in a better environment he will easily be in the race for the golden boot.
I'm not sure about the "easily" part because his goal scoring wouldn't be necessarily linear with the amount of chances created. However he'd definitely score more. Specially with Haaland in the PL
That’s just not true- ask a manager whether he’d like his striker to get into loads of good positions and miss, or not get into those positions at all. You know what they’ll say. Unless you think that Hojlund’s lack of goals is entirely down to the rest of the team, in which case it might be different, but I’d disagree with that assessment. He doesn’t look like he’s learned where to position himself yet.
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