The genius of Marcus Rashford

[Ludens the Red]

Yeah true but I think the bigger picture than Marcus Rashford is that the thousands of a-holes actually contribute to why our team always looks so lacking in confidence and motivation.

I can't imagine it's that easy to switch off from it and it probably creates resentment as well, which I can say fairly confidently because if anyone dished out personal abuse to me I definitely wouldn't be putting as much effort into making their day less sh*t

This is kind of nonsense tbh. The idea that people spouting shite on Twitter are causing players to perform badly. That’s an absolute kop out and if it’s the case I’d strongly advise the club to get rid of any player downing tools because mean stuff was said on social media about them. I’ve said this before on here but for every 1 negative comment there are probably 10 positives.
If our players want to ignore all the positivity they get from our online fanbase and focus on the negativity I’d recommend they simply remove all their social media footprint.

Also our players are fully supported by match going fans. There is very little dissent from our match going fanbase. Again id be very concerned if we have players turning up on to the pitch ignoring all the support from the match going fans and thinking “Ah that guy on Instagram said that I was lazy I better down tools ”.
Between 2015 and 2021 you’d struggle to find too much negativity about Marcus anywhere. Even now for the fair weather football fan/someone who doesn’t watch 90 mins of United every week Rashford is still held in high regard. It’s the first time in his career he’s received criticism for his application from the wider media, suck it up.

Our players need to just grow up to be honest. You’re never going to eradicate online abuse or criticism. How about you focus on the swarm of supportive fans online and at games and for a couple of hours in a week put 100% into the job you’re being paid to do.

And let’s be brutally honest are our players actually sitting down and scrolling through all the comments they get on social media ? No they’re not. Their accounts are managed by third parties.
The only reason Rashford is responding now is because he’s now been criticised by the footballing media: it’s no surprise this was released in a month when Rashford has been openly criticised by Alan Shearer, Jamie O’Hara and Jamie Redknapp.

 

[NotChatGPT]

No I haven't considered that because it is frankly, a load of bollocks. This is based on this failed understanding that a lot of you seem to have that all forwards are actually quite inconsistent, and that when you're primarily a direct forward like Rashford is, scoring or creating goals is kind of the whole point. When the team has won 3-1 and you scored two goals and helped assist the other, that means as a forward you have played well and are also vitally important to the team. If you score over 20 goals a season that means the team has won a lot of games because of you and would struggle to replace you.

For example, last season when Rashford scored 30 goals, we finished 3rd, won a trophy, got to the final of another cup, got to the quarter finals of another...and all of that would have been impossible if you took out Rashford's contributions, or took him out of the team and replaced him with a less good player. Sancho, for example. This is further made obvious this season where Rashford has been poor and we've already crashed embarrassingly out of 2 out of 3 cups and aren't going to be finishing within a mile of 3rd, and can't seem to buy a goal in most games.

During SAF's last season, when RVP was heralded and scored actually less goals than Rashford scored last season, he had a good 2 month spell where he was awful and couldn't hit a barn door. He also had a lot of games where his hold up play ruined most of our attacks. Rooney, who is our all time record goal scorer, would have games and sometimes prolonged periods where he miss-controlled nearly every ball and looked like he was playing in slow motion. He once went an entire half of a season with only 1 goal, which was a penalty.

The problem here is that you lot are going to rip to pieces literally ANY forward we sign or plays for us if this is how you approach it. It will happen to Hojlund, because now he has started scoring goals, the next time he struggles to for a period, or has a few poor games, you're going to be on his back...and then once its happened a couple of times the abuse will begin....and then the "he still isn't playing while" shite after he scores 2 goals in a 3-2 win.

And the problem I have and wish more of our fans would have with this is it clearly DOES affect the players. It might even have something to do with why Rashford's poor spells now last an entire season.

Honestly if you were a normal unbiased person reading this thread for example, you would come out of it backing Rashford and thinking that this awful set of fans deserve for their team to get relegated and all their players to be as bad as they seem to think they are., and unfortunately you could go into a vast majority of the threads on here and come out thinking the same.

Well.

Rashford scored 30 goals in 56 games, 30 goals in 4300 mins, 17 league goals in 35 matches, 5 assists in the league and 11 in total. 3124mins. He scored 42% of his total amount of goals for the past 3 seasons (including this one) within a 2 month period between end of dec and end of february. 60% of his goals last season was scored within that period, 19 matches..

RvP in Fergies last season scored 30 in 48. 30 goals in 3696mins. He scored 26 PL goals in 38 matches, 2890 mins. He had 15 assists in the league. His stats are easily better. I am not entirely sure why you feel it's comparable and that you're proving a point. Yup, Van Persie had a 2 month period or so where he didn't score, but his work rate was still good so even if it was a period without goals and assists he was still working hard for the rest of the team.

As far as Højlund goes, even though he hasn't consistently scored he's still had a big presence on the pitch by constantly working hard. Which is pretty much what the majority are asking for from Rashford.

Not sure why the debate has to be this tedious, or why there's such a big gap in opinions to begin with. I don't think anyone is going to pretend that Rashford wasn't absolutely crucial for us having a good league finish last season, winning a title. Doesn't mean that any concerns regarding his form was out of order and completely wrong either. It's fine that the most important thing is scoring goals or assisting, but you very seldom see it being disconnected from overall form. If Rashford was consistently averaging what he had during that 2 month period, you'd see very few complaints.

However: Between the end of february 2023 and up until now, Rashford has scored 8 league goals in in 36 league matches. So he's not scoring, he's barely assisting, and his work rate is a bit of a disaster, it's a pretty bad combination. I think the majority would easily ignore his lack of goals and assists if he was working hard on the pitch.

 

[Member 58925]

There's a video interview as well if you havent seen it

I guess his point is just that he is still committed to the club and trying to get back to his best form - you do see a lot of fans and even some pundits questioning that, including loads in this thread.
Whether there is any point in him actually saying this is questionable because I doubt anyone is going to change their minds due to this, in fact the morons throwing around abuse are more likely to double down with the whole PRashford crap.

Totally agree with you on all the idiotic toxic abuse nowadays. Some players do seem pretty immune to it all though whereas others like Rashford clearly let it get to them and it ends up affecting their performances.
Fergie used to tell players to just avoid reading the papers but nowadays I suppose it's unavoidable, still Rashford would do well to completely ignore social media comments and all that crap.

Fergie also told players to work hard, play as a team and show 100% commitment on the pitch. If feeling pressure resulted in a loss of confidence in front of goal or anything of that nature we could live with it, but lack of confidence has nothing to do with the work rate and attitude of a player, especially one that’s supposed to be one the 2-3 leading players at a club like United.

 

[The Mitcher]

Well that aint happening since the older days didn't have all this constant outside pressure. Article after article with drama to keep you scrolling.

The older days did have constant pressure. Just not on social media. Ask Beckham what it was like in 1998 to get effigies burnt and booed all over the country for getting sent off in an England match. Rashford has had it way easier.

 

[Hammondo]

The older days did have constant pressure. Just not on social media. Ask Beckham what it was like in 1998 to get effigies burnt and booed all over the country for getting sent off in an England match. Rashford has had it way easier.

I think nowadays Beckham wouldn't have had it half as hard as he did back then.

 

[The Mitcher]

I think nowadays Beckham wouldn't have had it half as hard as he did back then.

All he'd have to do is not go on twitter.

 

[Hammondo]

All he'd have to do is not go on twitter.

I don't think fans would be against him, he was a very hard worker, pure team player and a big reason why we got as far as we did. Fans today as not as tribal.

 

[Pughnichi]

He makes growing up and playing for your boyhood club whilst earning millions seem like the worst job in the world.
I'm glad I didn't go this route.

I know right. Such a choir. Purchasing is where it’s at haaahaa

 

[El Jefe]

It’s quite clear he can’t handle the pressure of being the ‘top man’ of this team. Ability wise I think most knew he wasn’t good enough for the status he’s built here but he’s also proving he doesn’t have the mentality for it.

When you wear the No.10 shirt, have the attack built around your style of play and has earned as much as he has over his last two contracts compared to better players, the expectations are sky high.

Hopefully Rashford serves as a case study of not building up academy talents based on an idealistic view and rather judging and rewarding players based on their output on the pitch.

Not saying he isn’t a good player or hasn’t been good for us but he’s had privileges far above his talent level ever since LVG left and it was specifically pathetic under Ole.

Now we’ve created an entitled cry baby that doesn’t understand what it means to be great here and what comes with it.

 

[Sky1981]

Rashford is a local lad, academy grad, poster boy. Any rational fans would love him to succeed.

He's not some cocky johny foreigner, there are no incentives for fans to not like him. As a matter of fact him being a local lad and being made the face of United is a testament to the support of the fans.

If the fans starts turning on him, he should have asked himself why. If he's not a local lad he would have been booed a long time ago

 

[Member 58925]

Has a player at City, Liverpool, Barca, Madrid, Bayern, etc…ever been underperforming and done an interview asking the fans to stop being mean? This is so cringeworthy

 

[Cessna]

Listen, I’m not a perfect person. When I make a mistake, I’ll be the first one to put my hand up and say that I need to do better.
But if you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up.

Thing is, he did not put his hands up and say that he needs to to better. Instead of keeping his head down and concentrating on his football, he chose to comment.
Not showing his commitment on the pitch is his biggest mistake, and he should own up to it if he has to make statements at all.

 

[Jordi Cruyff 99]

Rashford is a local lad, academy grad, poster boy. Any rational fans would love him to succeed.

He's not some cocky johny foreigner, there are no incentives for fans to not like him. As a matter of fact him being a local lad and being made the face of United is a testament to the support of the fans.

If the fans starts turning on him, he should have asked himself why. If he's not a local lad he would have been booed a long time ago

I’m not really interested in where he’s from because although he’s not a cocky “Johnny Foreigner”, he’s an arrogant, witless, whining “local lad”. How long are people going to keep referring to a twenty-six year old, who’ll be in his late twenties in about six months, as “lad”. He’s the new Lingard, and he’s not much better than him, either.

 

[The Mitcher]

Rashford is a local lad, academy grad, poster boy. Any rational fans would love him to succeed.

He's not some cocky johny foreigner, there are no incentives for fans to not like him. As a matter of fact him being a local lad and being made the face of United is a testament to the support of the fans.

If the fans starts turning on him, he should have asked himself why. If he's not a local lad he would have been booed a long time ago

So needlessly patronising. You know it's a "cocky johnny foreigner" who is regarded as the king of old trafford, right?

 

[Member 58925]

So needlessly patronising. You know it's a "cocky johnny foreigner" who is regarded as the king of old trafford, right?

I could spend a good half an hour listing “cocky Johnny foreigners” that showed showed more commitment and respect for the badge than Rashford. They also didn’t endlessly run their mouth about how much they love the club. You could see it on the pitch

 

[The Mitcher]

I could spend a good half an hour listing “cocky Johnny foreigners” that showed showed more commitment and respect for the badge than Rashford. They also didn’t endlessly run their mouth about how much they love the club. You could see it on the pitch

Sky is trying to be ironic by calling the typical United fan a chauvinist, but comes across as racist anyway in that typical leftist way .

I guess one has to hurt themselves performing mental gymnastics to defend Rashford.

 

[Tyrion]

The club is more Marcus Rashford's than it ever will be yours.

It certainly has been for several years now. Maybe that's the problem.

The club backing him and posting his tone death comments on social media is ridiculous.

That is embarrassing. He's annoyed that he, an England International and Man United's highest paid player, has gotten some mild criticism for months of poor performances so he writes an article complaining about it. If the club was trying to look out for him, they wouldn't have drawn more attention to this.

Bruno has gotten far more criticism just because he often waves his hands around and I don't remember him writing some BS article.

Rashford seems firmly in that recent tradition of United players who respond to on-pitch failure by telling people they are really sorry then continue to do the same thing.

 

[GiveItToGi...nowait]

You might as well just say racists because it's clear that's what you mean. As if any United fan hates Rashford for such an irrelevent thing.

I was referring to tall poppy syndrome which is a very real thing in England and especially after the whole feeding the kids thing there are many who would like to tear down “saint” Rashford.

There is a whole lot of mind reading going on in this thread.

 

[The Mitcher]

I was referring to tall poppy syndrome which is a very real thing in England and especially after the whole feeding the kids thing there are many who would like to tear down “saint” Rashford.

There is a whole lot of mind reading going on in this thread.

Who exactly cares about Rashford's charity work enough to ruin his reputation?

 

[stevoc]

But if he brushes up his performances on field, those with “ulterior motives” will likely be shut up too.

For a while maybe, or at least until the next dip in form and they'll be on his back again acting like he's been rubbish for years.

 

[GiveItToGi...nowait]

Who exactly cares about Rashford's charity work enough to ruin his reputation?

You seriously never heard of tall poppy syndrome?

 

[The Mitcher]

You seriously never heard of tall poppy syndrome?

No, but I know what it's referring to. Again, who wants or cares about tearing him down?

 

[Wazzaduke33]

This video he’s put out is an absolute embarrassment, it just typifies him and the modern day hedonistic footballer. He’d rather put out a video trying to to con people that he’s not a lazy, overhyped baby, rather than grafting and making the best of his obvious talent. What a waste. . .

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Fdik7i5kDpVu17kf/?mibextid=KsPBc6

 

[M Bison]

I dont like him not because of his form but his arrogance, laziness, petulant sulking. I dont mind a player having a patchy form if they give their all and work their socks off.

He was a disgrace to the shirt. He'd be dropped in Sunday league let alone any other top clubs for behaving like he did against Barkley, and to blame the fans indirectly with his feck you interview? Not to mention the no feck given on clubbing in Belfast before training and calling sick. And it's not actually a one off, his laziness is recurring for months.

It has nothing to do with skill, of which he's lacking anyway.

So feck him. I dont want him at my club.

fair do's - the hatred towards him from our fanbase feels excessive to me, but point taken.

 

[Member 58925]

The club is more Marcus Rashford's than it ever will be yours.

Which makes what we see on the pitch even more egregious.

 

[GiveItToGi...nowait]

No, but I know what it's referring to. Again, who wants or cares about tearing him down?

Last time I checked my name wasn’t Sherlock holmes pal. You got a list of all the racists out to get him?

 

[neon_badger]

This video he’s put out is an absolute embarrassment, it just typifies him and the modern day hedonistic footballer. He’d rather put out a video trying to to con people that he’s not a lazy, overhyped baby, rather than grafting and making the best of his obvious talent. What a waste. . .

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Fdik7i5kDpVu17kf/?mibextid=KsPBc6

Watching that it seems like he can't connect the critism he receives from the fans to his performances and is trying to imply the media is somehow responsible for any negativity he faces, this is likely caused in someway by surrounding himself with sycophants, if he chooses to follow this path i think his career will continue to nosedive and his mental health will collapse, he really needs to be smarter and surround himself with better people.

 

[Wazzaduke33]

Watching that it seems like he can't connect the critism he receives from the fans to his performances and is trying to imply the media is somehow responsible for any negativity he faces, this is likely caused in someway by surrounding himself with sycophants, if he chooses to follow this path i think his career will continue to nosedive and his mental health will collapse, he really needs to be smarter and surround himself with better people.

100%, he’s delusional and he’s being poorly advised. It’s like he’s saying “Yeah, I’m not really playing badly and I am busting a gut every week, it’s just the media making everyone believe I’m not. Those 5 goals this season are actually 25”

It’s bizarre in the extreme

 

[Rightnr]

This guy is a virus on the club. He's awful for our playing style, results and enables a general culture of complacency and unjustified arrogance.

Sounds like someone that's never heard the truth from someone close to him in his life. If he stays next season, we're doing nothing.

 

[clarkydaz]

when the ball was flying in the net last season and getting all the plaudits, did he have an axe to grind with anyone?

 

[The Mitcher]

Last time I checked my name wasn’t Sherlock holmes pal. You got a list of all the racists out to get him?

I'm not the one making a positive claim about people with ulterior motives. Maybe you prove it?

 

[Tyrion]

Watching that it seems like he can't connect the critism he receives from the fans to his performances and is trying to imply the media is somehow responsible for any negativity he faces, this is likely caused in someway by surrounding himself with sycophants, if he chooses to follow this path i think his career will continue to nosedive and his mental health will collapse, he really needs to be smarter and surround himself with better people.

It seems to be the case with a few of our players. That weird trend of screenshots of long apologies being posted on social media after big defeats was embarrassing. Its like they thought fans would be fine as long as they regretted playing terribly.

 

[cpresc]

Maybe he can get some resilience tips from Maguire

 

[Ali Dia]

It seems to be the case with a few of our players. That weird trend of screenshots of long apologies being posted on social media after big defeats was embarrassing. Its like they thought fans would be fine as long as they regretted playing terribly.

This was the lowest point really.

I think a lot of these players knew they just weren’t ever good enough to succeed at a club of our size. United was offering them far more money than they were worth. They were embarrassed for being shown up as not good enough but delighted to take the money and have the security of us most likely never letting you go as long as you wanted to stay. We kept signing all these duds because of bad recruitment practices. They look around at each other and see mediocrity and players dancing around. Apathy spreads. Standards slip. The likes of Rashford or Pogba become the face of the club and the leaders of the younger players and it’s more about being cool than winning stuff.

Hopefully INEOS is the shot in the arm the club desperately needs.

 

[Tyrion]

Maybe he can get some resilience tips from Maguire

I'd never have imagined that I'd respect Maguire more than Rashford but after that article, I do.

This was the lowest point really.

I think a lot of these players knew they just weren’t ever good enough to succeed at a club of our size. United was offering them far more money than they were worth. They were embarrassed for being shown up as not good enough but delighted to take the money and have the security of us most likely never letting you go as long as you wanted to stay. We kept signing all these duds because of bad recruitment practices. They look around at each other and see mediocrity and players dancing around. Apathy spreads. Standards slip. The likes of Rashford or Pogba become the face of the club and the leaders of the younger players and it’s more about being cool than winning stuff.

Hopefully INEOS is the shot in the arm the club desperately needs.

It was amazing how they all seemed helpless. Like they didn't realise them playing better was the solution.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It's such a Trumpesque dog whistle. Those unnamed ulterior motives that provide a better explanation than people thinking he's simply not very good at football. It isn't the fact he walks around the pitch, it's some undefined conspiracy against him

#DeepStateNotWorkrate

Honestly no wonder this lad feels offended by criticism. He's probably surrounded by those also taken in by (or likely originators of) these unnmaned conspiracies as to why anyone would have the nerve to think he wasn't very good.

So many unnamed ulterior motives to make Liz Truss go weak at the knees. He's not lazy, it's big pharma.

I mean, racism and political vendetta / propaganda exists and I’m sure there’s some of that aimed at Rashford but it’s rather conniving to use it to shield oneself from genuine criticism because of a lack of a decent response. Rashford has been pathetic on the pitch this season as he was the season score the previous one. But what has genuinely created this strong reaction towards is him being the most useless player we have off the ball. He sticks out like a sore thumb.

I’d argue that someone like Sterling had a genuine case of being unfairly targeted. His treatment back when he moved from Liverpool to City was extremely toxic and agenda driven. He handled it very well too - both on and off the pitch.

 

[dabronxolivera]

I could spend a good half an hour listing “cocky Johnny foreigners” that showed showed more commitment and respect for the badge than Rashford. They also didn’t endlessly run their mouth about how much they love the club. You could see it on the pitch

Heinze and Tevez the traitor showed more commitment in the pitch than this "local lad" its shameful. Both of them worked like dogs on the pitch. Does Rashford realize he is already given so much leeway because he's a local lad ? He's talking like people are giving him short strings. Obviously we all question your commitment since you stroll around the pitch like people walking their dog in a park and went out to party abroad like its the end of the world one day before a game. Unless you are prime Ronaldo/Messi/Zidane/Ronaldinho/Maradona no manager should tolerate this kind of lazy unprofessional behaviour. Even then Pep kicked out R10 and Rashford doesnt even fit to lace his boots talent wise.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

fair do's - the hatred towards him from our fanbase feels excessive to me, but point taken.

I think it’s mostly fair. No club should tolerate a player ambling about as if he’s beyond defending. Not in today’s game that’s for sure. He’s not 35 year old Messi or Ronaldo. Heck he’s not even performing let alone good by our standards. He’s also paid an enormous wages. It really is a clusteruck of a situation. ETH should have dropped him by now to send a message. Just like Ronaldo giving that interview is an offense, not putting in the effort and improving your defensive game should be one.

Heinze and Tevez the traitor showed more commitment in the pitch than this "local lad" its shameful. Both of them worked like dogs on the pitch. Does Rashford realize he is already given so much leeway because he's a local lad ? He's talking like people are giving him short strings. Obviously we all question your commitment since you stroll around the pitch like people walking their dog in a park and went out to party abroad like its the end of the world one day before a game. Unless you are prime Ronaldo/Messi/Zidane/Ronaldinho/Maradona no manager should tolerate this kind of lazy unprofessional behaviour. Even then Pep kicked out R10 and Rashford doesnt even fit to lace his boots talent wise.

Forget Heinz’s and Tevez, all our current forwards work hard. Even Garnacho who until this season was a bit poor defensively has really upped his intensity and work rate this season. He still makes mistakes and can get caught but you can clearly see major progress and he’s rarely lacking for effort these days.

 

[Malons]

I've never seen any criticism of his tattoos. I wasn't even 100% sure he had any. He's hardly shirtless everywhere. Yet he makes this one of the central criticism he's hitting out against. I remember Sterling being criticised for tattoos. Maybe I'm missing lots of conversation about Rashford's tats, but I've never encountered this as one of the criticisms leveled at him, ever.

Is this an invention to draw parallels with Sterling? Is he attempting to appropriate someone else's criticism?

 

[RuudtheRed]

We should support our players but it's also fair for fans to expect their heroes to put in 100% effort on the pitch, and not to get drunk before calling in sick for training with 2 hours of sleep.

I don't think this recent puff piece by Rashford helps his cause very much because people judge not words but his actions. Saying "if you doubt me, even better" just sounds like arrogance and a lack of self-awareness when he has had a poor season compared to what we know he is capable of. Hand-waving some pretty egregious mistakes away and then saying Man Utd means the world to you just seems contradictory.

However, I still have respect for him as to how he has accepted consequences for being late for team meetings or being hungover before training. It shows room for a redemption arc unlike the temperamental and unrepentant child that Sancho is.