I've watched the games as well, apart from Denmark last night for obvious reasons.
They have both struggled to get chances in games, had a few good touched here and a few bad touches as well. Neither has looked impressive.
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 43
- Goals
- 16
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
They have both struggled to get chances in games, had a few good touched here and a few bad touches as well. Neither has looked impressive.
It’s more a classic ‘watch two footballers and evaluate them’, which I do appreciate has become something of a classic or antiquated approach to football when you can just go and look at your xGs or whatever.
It’s possible for Sesko to have scored less goals than Hojlund in the United team this season and STILL be a bigger talent than Hojlund (which perhaps may not be so readily visible if the games are watched on Opta, but more so if watched on Sky Sports). Sesko is, to me, a bigger talent than Hojlund because he simply has more talent. He also has a similarly good attitude to Hojlund, which gives me confidence in his talent being realised. I don’t really care much about who scored the most goals at this stage of their career, as neither will have scored enough anyway and the idea is to project who will ultimately get to the point where they score enough.
And why on earth should a comparison on them be ‘based on the 3 games’ anyway? That is classic Caf if anything, a player you clearly haven’t watched much but feel qualified to give an opinion on. I’ve watched Sesko in both the Bundesliga and especially the Champions League this season, and again - there were many games where he was far more impressive and threatening than Hojlund generally is without even scoring. The Real Madrid game stands out, where he was a threat, had more shots on goal in the first leg than I’ve ever seen Hojlund have in a game, possibly across any two games even. This is what gives me confidence for the future. I can see where the goals are going to come from. He also carried and manipulates the ball better.
He's clearly not ready to lead the line, for club and country. I hope we bring in another striker to share the load as right now, Holjund is more effective as a sub.
I think most on here use statistics to judge a player. You seem to have an expert opinion on every player we're linked with, so I'm just going to assume you also use statistics and highlights, but don't want to admit it. I mean, who here really watches Bologna or Lille games regularly?
Whether or not he is more talented comes down to one's opinion, of course, and it's impossible to tell who will have the better career, but you've seen enough of Højlund to see where the goals can potentially come from. He scored 16 open play goals in his first season as a 20/21 year old with extremely limited supply from his team mates, and if that's not enough to get behind him, then I don't know what to say. I'd understand if he wasn't scoring goals at all, but he is and his talent and potential is obvious. His weaknesses needs to be worked on, but you won't find many more complete strikers in world football at his age.
Sesko wouldn't look as threatening in PL as he does in Leipzig in a two-striker system. It is much easier for him with all that space, especially when Openda is the one dragging defenders. Bundesliga is also a way easier league to play in for an attacker than Premier League.
The Real Madrid game? The same game where he missed one sitter, missed another 5 big chances and had several loose touches and operating mainly from the right and not the middle? I get where you're coming from. You want the strikers to at least be on the end of chances, but it is much easier for Sesko with the amount of space he has, and he didn't even play as the target man in this game. If Højlund played in a two-striker system with Rashford in the middle and Højlund operating from the right, he would be on the end of a lot more chances, but we don't play like that.
I think Sesko is a more aesthetically pleasing player to watch, and if I'm being honest, he is more my type of striker as well, but also think that kind of tricks people into thinking a player is better than the other, but at the end of the day, it is like you said about efficiency and who will end up scoring goals. Højlund has the toolkit to potentially score a ton of goals, but he is also the kind of striker that needs supply. No Agüero, that's for sure.
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Yesterday or the tournament is not the first time I’ve watched Kane or Hojlund. I couldn’t care less about Sesko, he’s not that good in my opinion.
The defence of Hojlund and his inability to get in the game reminds me so much of the posters who wilfully ignored Antony’s limitations in his first season refusing to hold him accountable for his performances.
I’m not even saying Hojlund is shite like Antony, I think there is a player there but the constant excuses made for a blatant poor aspect of his game are annoying to read. Martial and Rashford both played in terrible offensive teams at points but they never struggled to get into games the way Hojlund does. He has some very big weaknesses and it will cost us if we go into next season with him as our guaranteed starter up front.
I never bought this idea about the United team not creating for him, in Bruno we've got the player with the highest chance creation stats in Europe.
The problem has to at least partly lie with Hojlund, to blame everyone else is illogical especially when it's happening at international level.
The problem has to at least partly lie with Hojlund, to blame everyone else is illogical especially when it's happening at international level.
I honestly think he’s a Championship player at best.
The move came too soon for him, this has been a problem at Utd for too long. We give many youngsters opportunities but the pressure to deliver becomes a burden, when really they should be here to be developed and moulded into a Utd first team player for the future.
During our successful era, Hojlund would've been a typical Fergie signing, young player with potential, but needs managing properly and certainly not first choice.
Instead he's been judged on his price tag and being the first choice striker in the toughest league in Europe in a team that was already lacking in goals and chances created. Now he looks under pressure and many are doubting him. Once doubt creeps in, it's hard to turn it around. I don't think he'll ever be an elite striker, I don't think he's a natural finisher, he's just a good all round forward with good pace and decent physical qualities but I suspect he'll leave at some point and find his level in Germany or back in Italy as that's his ceiling.
During our successful era, Hojlund would've been a typical Fergie signing, young player with potential, but needs managing properly and certainly not first choice.
Instead he's been judged on his price tag and being the first choice striker in the toughest league in Europe in a team that was already lacking in goals and chances created. Now he looks under pressure and many are doubting him. Once doubt creeps in, it's hard to turn it around. I don't think he'll ever be an elite striker, I don't think he's a natural finisher, he's just a good all round forward with good pace and decent physical qualities but I suspect he'll leave at some point and find his level in Germany or back in Italy as that's his ceiling.
Grant you the bold bit Fergie did indeed sign youth on a potential but when it quickly became obvious that they were not up to scratch he quickly got rid or put them in the reserves. Perhaps he needs a stint in the U21’s. He might learn something.
He's not been that bad FFS.
Exactly. Once again, people are being way too harsh on him.
Oh yes he has.
No, he hasn't. That might be your opinion, but that doesn't mean it's true. He was still our top scorer in all comps, in a season where we were shit and Højlund himself was supposedly shit, and the only penalty he took was in the FA cup semi-final shootout.
You've said in a previous comment that Højlund is a Championship striker. The top scorer in the Championship last season was Szmodics of Blackburn. He's 28. He was closely followed by Adam Armstrong at Southampton. Remember how bad he looked in the PL? He's 27 and was playing in what was basically a PL team, but in the Championship.
Are you honestly saying these guys are better than, or on par, with Højlund? He obviously has things to work on, but he's young and can actually get better.
It doesn't matter that Bruno creates most chances when he doesn't create for Højlund. Statistics will show he doesn't create much for him. Take a look at where Bruno creates on the pitch.
Højlund missed 13 big chances in the league. To put it into perspective, Haaland missed 34 big chances, Nunez missed 27, Jackson missed 24, Watkins missed 22 and Isak missed 21. These are teams that create consistently for their striker. When your striker has only missed 13 big chances, it's an indication that his team mates don't really create for him, especially when his conversion rate is 26.3%, only beaten by Alexander Isak.
But yes, it's also Højlund's fault for his inconsistent off-the-ball movement.
Get a grip. 10 open play goals in his first PL season as a 20 year old and another 5 in the CL, and somehow he is Championship level. Opinions like these should be ban worthy
No, he really hasn't.
I will just wait patiently and point out later on how clownish some posts really were about this lad.
You would think some people are watching football for the first time on here judging by some of the posts.
This is one of the worst threads on this site. So many "fans" are desperate to shit on him at any chance given.
He's clearly not the finished product, and maybe he won't cut it at this level. Who knows. But he was still the top scorer of our team as a 20/21 year old, and he did it in a dire team and without taking penalties. He also has a good attitude.
He's clearly not the finished product, and maybe he won't cut it at this level. Who knows. But he was still the top scorer of our team as a 20/21 year old, and he did it in a dire team and without taking penalties. He also has a good attitude.
Time will tell but honestly you need the basics, he can’t even control a ball 9 times out of ten. It’s embarrassing that he is a United player.
I don't think there was one player in our squad who looked like a 70m Eur player last season.
And as it happens, Rasmus was one of our better players for long periods, while being a 21 year old lone striker in a 'system' with no service.
We all need to get behind him. He'll be our starting CF next season and if our overall play improves, I'm certain his will too
And as it happens, Rasmus was one of our better players for long periods, while being a 21 year old lone striker in a 'system' with no service.
We all need to get behind him. He'll be our starting CF next season and if our overall play improves, I'm certain his will too
It's a mix of both -- Hojlund doesn't get involved enough or make himself available for chances and shots to be taken, and Manchester United as a collective struggle to create and play good attacking football.
We scored 57 league goals with Hojlund leading the line last season. Shite. But we scored 58 the season before that, when he wasn't here. And 57 the year before that.
The issue is bigger than Hojlund. But he isn't doing himself major favours with how averse he seems to get into good positions and actually get shots off.
He is not a championship player - that’s clearly ridiculous. However, I said at the start of last season that I didn’t think he’d be a starter for any top half premier league team currently and I think that’s a little generous now.
Of the 17 premier league teams (not including those promoted) I think he only starts for Fulham currently. He’d be a great bench option for many of them but not first choice.
Of the 17 premier league teams (not including those promoted) I think he only starts for Fulham currently. He’d be a great bench option for many of them but not first choice.
Martial is also arguably more talented than Hojlund or Rashford. This does not make him a better player.
For Hojlund, the verdict is not out yet. He may improve further
For Hojlund, the verdict is not out yet. He may improve further
What a strange thing to be embarrassed about.
He wouldn't start for Fulham. Muniz is better than him currently.
Muniz ended the season on a hot streak, which is skewing how people view him.
He scored 9 in 26 league games across the season.
Yeah Hojlund got 10 in 30. I reckon they are quite close, just on the eye test I'd prefer Muniz as he seems to have more about his game.
So in his first season in the top flight of English football he scored 16 goals, 10 of which were in the league and 5 in the Champions league but he’s “at best” a championship player?
This is at the age of 20 as well as having come from Italy which is a much slower and less physical league.
This is what working with young raw talent (not called Wayne) looks like.
Flop.
What a strange thing to say.
Honestly, what's even the point of engaging with posters affected by this level of delusion.State of this!
Never in my lifetime of watching football have I seen such harsh threatment and criticism towards VERY YOUNG players.
20 years old striker who just scored 16 in his first season at struggling United side gets called "flop" and "championship player" because of one average peformance for a very negative playing Denmark.
Also, his play with back to goal was superb, should have had a couple of assists in the said game.
Seriously, take a day off or something!
20 years old striker who just scored 16 in his first season at struggling United side gets called "flop" and "championship player" because of one average peformance for a very negative playing Denmark.
Also, his play with back to goal was superb, should have had a couple of assists in the said game.
Seriously, take a day off or something!
Our fans on here these days are either crying about something that hasn’t happened yet or writing off players (and staff!) who need support and belief from those around them to reach their potential. Ok if you didn’t like the signing fine but repeatedly coming on here with this aha! I told you so mentality is so boring and childish. He’s 21 and coming off the back of a very promising debut season where he scored all kinds of goals and is clearly delighted to be given the chance to play at his boyhood club. He turned down PSG for us and he’d have gotten 20 for them and the same arses would probably be whinging about things like why don’t top young players want to play for us anymore. Why can’t we spot these players before they go to PSG? He went for the money. Farmers league etc. It’s like the comments on Twitter or facebook at this point. I’m just on here for a few really good posters and to get my Utd news fast.
Well said. I mean the clue is in the name, we're meant to be supporters! Now that doesn't mean everyone, all the time (Greenwood, Antony, Sancho, etc), but people need to stop defaulting to anger, criticism, and negativity.
It's a clown show reality of an average modern football fan.
I said early on that he'd do much better for a team like Everton, where they'll try to find him all the time
Yes criticism against Hojlund might seem harsh, but Bellingham is a couple of months younger and he gets even more destroyed lately
Bellingham has been getting smoke blown up his arse since he was 16, often because he completely deserved it.
The flack he's catching now is more like stray bullets from England being terrible, and he himself looking off the last 2 matches. He was probably their best player in the first match against Serbia though, and was getting kudos all over the place.
You’re completely right and my comment was a bit tounge in cheek - as you said it yourself, Bellingham was slated as a teenager, and many way more talented youngsters than Hojlund have been criticized in a way harsher manner.
Hoping to see a meaningful shot today.
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