[tomaldinho1]

Pretty obvious the journalists read this thread.

Standard journo covering United.

Transfer window = open: Rashford story can only be written so many times, Case story is old news, Garnacho I doubt generates that much attention and they have tried their hardest re Mainoo but there seems to be no info there at all. Fresh meat is needed. Notice how the same story immediately surfaced as Zirkzee got booed and then remerged with a new protagonist after how bad Hojlund was last two games.

 

[WPMUFC]

I was listening to the Athletic MUFC podcast yesterday. Carl Anka was talking about Hojlund and how other team coaches are starting to comment about him "picking up bad habits" that weren't present last year or to start this season. Seems like we are going to need a striker loan as things aren't boding well for Hojlund atm.

EDIT: i went back to the podcast, it was club analysts not coaches. But supposedly they are picking up on Hojlund focusing on finding one-on-one battles instead of running into space and they are seeing it become a "bad habit" as it's becoming his default.

 

[Xeque_279]

I was listening to the Athletic MUFC podcast yesterday. Carl Anka was talking about Hojlund and how other team coaches are starting to comment about him "picking up bad habits" that weren't present last year or to start this season. Seems like we are going to need a striker loan as things aren't boding well for Hojlund atm.

EDIT: i went back to the podcast, it was club analysts not coaches. But supposedly they are picking up on Hojlund focusing on finding one-on-one battles instead of running into space and they are seeing it become a "bad habit" as it's becoming his default.

Yeah, liked their analysis of him and that made a lot of sense. He's so fixated on trying to hold of defenders he's seemed to forgotten the things he can actually be better at them in (Running behind with pace)

I quite liked what he said about telling Hojlund to take 2 shots every half or he gets fined, that's one way to force the guy to take shots

 

[Marwood]

I said this before, for a striker he doesn’t take shots or even attempt one outside the box or have the confidence to try in the box.

Atleast with a poacher, your in the right places which he isn’t.

I feel bad for him as we’re not getting up the pitch but his hold up play is awful.

Best for him to go somewhere else to revive his career or be loaned out.

I don’t think he's even getting into the positions to take a shot from outside the box. Literally he's rarely facing the opposition goal. So how do you get shots off?

I still think there's plenty to work with. He's better than he's currently showing.

But he and the coaches seriously need to do something about his approach to the game. Like all us amateurs have noticed, his decisions are making the game very difficult for himself.

 

[Smores]

I don’t think he's even getting into the positions to take a shot from outside the box. Literally he's rarely facing the opposition goal. So how do you get shots off?

I still think there's plenty to work with. He's better than he's currently showing.

But he and the coaches seriously need to do something about his approach to the game. Like all us amateurs have noticed, his decisions are making the game very difficult for himself.

I do think there's an element of his play last year that was heavily geared around supporting Rashford and Garnacho rather than expecting the ball in a shooting position. It was blatant how much we played through that attacker.

We're effectively having to train that out of him now. If your Hojlund you'd be spending every waking minute watching Gyokeres play and learning his runs. It shouldn't take long for him to figure out the expectations of a Amorim striker.

Anyway that's my positive spin, the negative version is he's a coward who purposefully hides because he's got imposter syndrome.

 

[Fortitude]

Please cut out the coward talk: he’s a 21-year old kid with the weight of the world on his shoulders, potentially watching his dream move fall apart. It’s clearly taking a toll.

 

[Fortitude]

On another note, the one forward we had that knew how and when to supply the #9 has effectively been written off and would already be gone if a buyer would take him on. Rashford was a conduit to a fair amount of Højlund’s best work last season, despite himself being mostly greedy and head down running into cul de sacs. Point is, when Rashford wanted to, he was actually very adept at both running into spaces that encouraged Højlund to do the same and finding him with either crosses or shorter passes. I’ll also hazard a guess that Rashford was supposed to be the team’s goal scorer and big name who both mentored Højlund and bore the brunt of the responsibility to score goals.

Rashford’s fall from grace has been enormously detrimental to Højlund and his game; they were far from being fluid on the pitch together, but even the little synergy there was benefited the kid immensely and now that has long since gone.

 

[Rolaholic]

 

[GwilDor]

Being quite certain we can't get any forwards in this jan window, i'm pinning all my hopes on that the current situation is a result of Amorims focus to build this team from the back. Starting with defensive stability, like SAF would have done, then focusing on the attacking side of the game when the basics were sorted.
Think i saw some Amorim quotes indicating this could be the case aswell. This along with the fact that learning offensive patterns and triggers take more time than learning a defensive shape and positioning, My hope is that this period doesn't kill his confidence completely, and that we start seeing improvements to Højlunds game some time in February.

 

[Giggsyking]

No on Mount. Let's not confuse one problem for another.

One can clearly see what Mount offers in an Amorim system. Movement, energy, one-touch passing, pressing, etc. He's tailored-made for the inside-ten. Even Amorim himself sees his value ( and namechecked him after the first training session). Mount's problem is simple: he can't stay fit. Not that he offers nothing.

Hojlund is only nominally a striker/CF, but offers nothing. No goals. No holdup play. No shots. No goal threat. Nothing.

Based on absolutely nothing. Mount has two problems, he is not good enough to play for a club like united and he is never fit.

 

[DannyCAFC]

I was listening to the Athletic MUFC podcast yesterday. Carl Anka was talking about Hojlund and how other team coaches are starting to comment about him "picking up bad habits" that weren't present last year or to start this season. Seems like we are going to need a striker loan as things aren't boding well for Hojlund atm.

EDIT: i went back to the podcast, it was club analysts not coaches. But supposedly they are picking up on Hojlund focusing on finding one-on-one battles instead of running into space and they are seeing it become a "bad habit" as it's becoming his default.

Came here to say this as well.

It's very evident that his first thought in transition is instinctively to hold his position as the focal point of the attack and brace for a duel with one of the CB's. It doesn't suit his game being so stationery and getting into 50/50 duels or trying to play with his back to goal, and hold-off defenders and link play. He's much more dangerous using his size, pace and intensity to make runs into space and stretch the opposition defence.

It's a shame because in terms of profile he has EXACTLY the type of attributes that Gyokeres has IMO and should thrive in this system but it just isn't working. I have to imagine it's not instruction from Amorim and he's playing on instincts and they are way off at present.

Still think there's a player in there but he needs a total reset in terms of his thought patterns at the moment. He isn't playing anything like the player who flashed his potential at Atalanta or last year with United and it's the reason he's average fewer shots per 90 than a whole host of midfielders and even some defenders.

 

[Cypriot]

Based on absolutely nothing. Mount has two problems, he is not good enough to play for a club like united and he is never fit.

Whilst I'm not Mount's biggest fan, I can't understand this conclusion. You're spot on about his fitness, and that's what makes your first point wrong - he's not had a chance to prove whether he's good enough.

Lastly, 'a club like united' is a club (still) in transition. We're 12th in the Premier League - I'd say he's good enough to be here if he can stay fit.

Rasmus on the other hand, you can't fault his fitness - but his performances are worrying and seem to be getting worse.

 

[quadrant]

I was listening to the Athletic MUFC podcast yesterday. Carl Anka was talking about Hojlund and how other team coaches are starting to comment about him "picking up bad habits" that weren't present last year or to start this season. Seems like we are going to need a striker loan as things aren't boding well for Hojlund atm.

EDIT: i went back to the podcast, it was club analysts not coaches. But supposedly they are picking up on Hojlund focusing on finding one-on-one battles instead of running into space and they are seeing it become a "bad habit" as it's becoming his default.

Yeah this is an issue. He seems to spend more of his time glued to the opposition centre back in a wrestling match. You don't need to be the worlds best CB to handle that when the opposition is a 21 year old. Someone like Bednarek at Southampton - hardly world class, but experienced - was more than happy having that kind of tussle, but looked much less comfortable when he had to handle Zirkzee, who drifted into awkward positions to collect the ball.

 

[Ali Dia]

I'm sticking him into my FPL team as soon as Dorgu beds in and the play gets stretched more. He's been shocking but progress isn't always linear

 

[marcus agrippa]

Based on absolutely nothing. Mount has two problems, he is not good enough to play for a club like united and he is never fit.

Well, Amorim disagrees (one of the first players he name-checked), and that's all I'll say on that seeing as this is a Hojlund thread.