9
To be fair, Fergie would never spend big money on a young striker unless they were a special talent like Rooney. He bought someone like Hernandez as a cheap punt, and the same could be said about Ole, but we always had more experienced strikers around them.I agree with all the criticism of his performances, but the club have made a right mess of the squad building. Having to rely on a young kid to score goals whilst we’re tragically bad is just a huge mistake. It’s not the right environment to perform no matter how talented they may be. They only doubled down on the idiocy by buying Zirkzee, who is barely any better.
Under Fergie he would have been used completely differently, and his confidence would have been built by bringing him in when it was the right occasion. From there, a young player can develop. Not in this situation.
And in fairness to him, this is the worst I’ve seen him for us. I can only guess his confidence is shot right now. Not long after Amorim came in he was getting praised and saying how the system suits him, but this last month or so has been brutal for him. If we had any decent alternatives he’d be out of the limelight now and brought back in when he was ready to go again.
He wasn't great last season either but people had blind hope based on him being new and young and everyone wanting to blame his teammates.
He has failed to score in 36 of his 47 PL games for us, that is woeful. How anyone could expect a player with about 10 career goals in a decent league to come and reliably be number one striker for any PL team, let alone Manchester United, is bonkers. The decision was baffling and the decision to not rectify it immediately was even more damaging.
What happened to the days of having multiple quality options in a position? Now we just safeguard positions for crap or underperforming and undeserving players.
Now consider we spent around 260m on Antony, Onana, Hojlund and Mount. All signings eth pushed for. He set us back yearsKind of a striker that is a backup for lower half teams and gets moved on because he just lacks basics needed for a striker. Cant hold the ball, cant stay on his feet, cant have a good first touch.
We signed this guy for 72m. feck my fecking life. ETH needs to be arrested for this crime. Useless brain dead Pep Guardiola is my idol
I understand the scouts recommended not spending more than 30 mill or something on Antony but somehow we ended up spunking 86 on him!
Who recommended Rasmus at that price?
Actually I could be wrong on Hojlund. Looking back through old Athletic articles, it seems inconclusive. Sounds like he was on our radar since his Copenhagen days, then at some point in the summer of 2023, he joined SEG (the agency) to try to push the move to United through.Who made the decision to sign him? Genuinely asking.
Funny thing about him is that he's incredibly fast but his technique is so bad and his movement is so cumbersome that his pace becomes pointless. Everything he does needs an extra touch or a few additional seconds to decide what he wants to do.
When he finally wins a back to goal duel against a CB, he just holds position, he doesn't even know what he wants to do after that. The extra seconds it takes for him to process what to do next leads to potential attacks dying.
He is awful and was no different last season except for the run of games he went on.
Does change in scenery help improve a player's first touch?I'm not even going to criticize. Feel bad for the guy. United should loan him next year. He needs a change of scenery. Perhaps that will help him evolve.
I've said in here my preferred route for him is an open, high octane league like The Bundesliga where he can learn where and how to run in open spaces and across the lines. The PL is suffocating for him and he isn't given enough time to think - the problem is the PL is for finished articles or those who are very quick learners otherwise it'll chew you up and spit you out. He gets no purchase whatsoever out of PL CB's and he has no idea how to cope with that, but especially, it is clear to see the pace of everything is too fast for him and that affects: decisions, timings, technical aspects and movement.
People say he looks lagged, and it's because he cannot process and output quickly enough in the PL, which makes him look laboured and pedestrian, which in turn is absolutely destroying his confidence.
I'm not sure if we'll stick it out if we can find a buyer in the summer at the moment. There's so much work to do for him to even be brought up to the minimum bar in the league, let alone go on to be a United level striker who we're happy with and not constantly looking to upgrade upon.
he is lucky Zirk is the only other option. he already looks defeated now, imagine what it would do to his confidence if the other striker was actually scoring regularly.
having even a decent striker in our team would quickly end any idea on waiting for him until he's 24 to learn to control the ball.
I don't have anything to say about him. I just can't believe how bad our talent scouting is, how does someone actually suggests this guy as a 9 for united for such a big money is just beyond me. He is not very fast, has no physicality, can't head the ball and is not smart with his runs. How can the scouts not see that
All I would say is that it is shocking how a professional player with his build never mind a 9 for Manchester United is so shockingly bad at holding up a ball. He messed everything that came his way. No hold up play, no passing, no pressing, practically of no use. We are playing with one player less when he is on the field he really is this bad. At this point Zirkzee at least holds up some balls and releases them to wide players. We so desperately need a player at least resembling a competent striker it is not even funny any more.I don't have anything to say about him. I just can't believe how bad our talent scouting is, how does someone actually suggests this guy as a 9 for united for such a big money is just beyond me. He is not very fast, has no physicality, can't head the ball and is not smart with his runs. How can the scouts not see that
Those are not things he’s good at though. Oddly enough, for a centre-forward - ‘getting shots off’ has always been a weakness of his. Another PL game with no shots, on or off target, blocked or otherwise. He’s managed 12 of any description all season in the PL.
Lukaku? Wouldn't say he was young, he was mid 20s, experienced for his age having started early.To be fair, Fergie would never spend big money on a young striker unless they were a special talent like Rooney. He bought someone like Hernandez as a cheap punt, and the same could be said about Ole, but we always had more experienced strikers around them.
We have not signed a proper striker at his peak since Van Persie. We either signed young strikers or players past their prime like Cavani, Falcao and Ibra.
To be fair, Fergie would never spend big money on a young striker unless they were a special talent like Rooney. He bought someone like Hernandez as a cheap punt, and the same could be said about Ole, but we always had more experienced strikers around them.
We have not signed a proper striker at his peak since Van Persie. We either signed young strikers or players past their prime like Cavani, Falcao and Ibra.
Is he?He’s low on confidence, that’s for sure.
I’d loan him out for a year this summer if he doesn’t develop.
Overall he’s still a big talent and compared to others his age, he’s doing fine.
What metrics are we using to measure him against that he's a big talent? His holdup play is awful, his positioning is atrocious and he hides away in games.He’s low on confidence, that’s for sure.
I’d loan him out for a year this summer if he doesn’t develop.
Overall he’s still a big talent and compared to others his age, he’s doing fine.
What metrics are we using to measure him against that he's a big talent? His holdup play is awful, his positioning is atrocious and he hides away in games.
You don't pay 70+m for a developing talent, we were robbed.
Who could have saw it coming? Well a lot of people on the CAF thats who. This whole dont get Kane or Oshimen and lets get a young and upcoming striker was stupid from the get go. Ok if it was a young Rooney or even Owen etc but what was the odds of that. Getting Hojlund with 12 goals for Atalanta does not a Rooney make. Is that what they thought he was? The next great thing? They should sack the scouting department and just run poll on the CAF. Seriously. It might not be any better but it probably wont be much worse and we at least will save money on all the scouting team. Their decisions were just completely baffling. How they ever get a job at any club is beyond me. Imagine rocking up to Chlesea, Liverpool, Arse, City etc for a job interview. So which players were you involved with scouting at Man Utd. Well there was Antony and Hojlund. Onana was a good one.What metrics are we using to measure him against that he's a big talent? His holdup play is awful, his positioning is atrocious and he hides away in games.
You don't pay 70+m for a developing talent, we were robbed.
Whilst INEOS may not be much better, we can agree both the football management and ETH were utterly clueless when it came to signings, Antony, Mount, Casimero, Hojlund, all just dumb and often simply stupid. There were plenty on here willing to defend the previous regime whether ETH or the likes of Murtough. Just compare Isak at Newcastle who cost much less, even the striker City have just signed on the back of half a season of really strong stats. Hojlund had done little to suggest he was ready for PL let alone worth even half his fee. People say he would have been fine as a back up, he wouldnt. He has no stand out attribute and many weaknesses. The bizarre thing is both ETH and Amorim needed a forward to be able to retain and recycle possession, most teams do. He is a major, major problem as the ball doesnt stick with him at all, in fact even in space his control is woeful. Yet still people post that there is 'a player in there'. There isn'tWe were robbed with every signing we made under Ten Hag.
I dont know what standard striker I would call Hojlund, I wanted to say championship but Championship strikers are known to give CB's a torrid time, the way they back into them, make it hard work.
Hojlund is a dream to play against as a CB, dont need to get tight to him, because he will get tight to the CB and fall over.
If you want him to drop in and receive it, even better because he will do the CB job for them and start attack for the opponent.
Will he run in behind ? No because he cant dribble or control a football.
Okay he is big and "strong" so he might be trouble with crosses? Nope, because he has no idea how to make runs in the penalty box.
He is one of the worst strikers I have ever seen play for United.
Whilst INEOS may not be much better, we can agree both the football management and ETH were utterly clueless when it came to signings, Antony, Mount, Casimero, Hojlund, all just dumb and often simply stupid. There were plenty on here willing to defend the previous regime whether ETH or the likes of Murtough. Just compare Isak at Newcastle who cost much less, even the striker City have just signed on the back of half a season of really strong stats. Hojlund had done little to suggest he was ready for PL let alone worth even half his fee. People say he would have been fine as a back up, he wouldnt. He has no stand out attribute and many weaknesses. The bizarre thing is both ETH and Amorim needed a forward to be able to retain and recycle possession, most teams do. He is a major, major problem as the ball doesnt stick with him at all, in fact even in space his control is woeful. Yet still people post that there is 'a player in there'. There isn't
Look at the money all those players cost, not just the transfer fees but 3 of them are our highest wages too.
How can you scout a CF who cannot hold up the ball, I mean that doesn't need service, data, its so obvious what his weaknesses are, with no strengths.
That's the crazy part, people here noticed the problems with his technical ability before he was signed. Seeing him having trouble with his first touch isn't a surprise to anyone who wasn't fully caught in the muppetry of the transfer window.Who could have saw it coming? Well a lot of people on the CAF thats who. This whole dont get Kane or Oshimen and lets get a young and upcoming striker was stupid from the get go. Ok if it was a young Rooney or even Owen etc but what was the odds of that. Getting Hojlund with 12 goals for Atalanta does not a Rooney make. Is that what they thought he was? The next great thing? They should sack the scouting department and just run poll on the CAF. Seriously. It might not be any better but it probably wont be much worse and we at least will save money on all the scouting team. Their decisions were just completely baffling. How they ever get a job at any club is beyond me. Imagine rocking up to Chlesea, Liverpool, Arse, City etc for a job interview. So which players were you involved with scouting at Man Utd. Well there was Antony and Hojlund. Onana was a good one.
Maybe not, if you're looking at him in his current state, low on confidence, little opportunities, not involved enough.Is he?
