We need experienced wingers that make the right decisions more than a striker.
We need a striker.
- Thread starter Irrational.
- Start date
We need a new manager.
I think so too, especially when you see other teams with players like Trossard, Son, Saka etc
Whats the point in having experienced wingers that make the right decisions if there is no one getting in the right place in the middle for them to cross or pass to?
This is the right answer. Sick of every player getting scapegoated when the idiotic system we play is the main problem.
These days it’s the wide forwards that get the bulk of the goals for most teams. I think Zirkzee compliments that and when Hojlund has service he’s not a bad striker at all.
Just the likes of Rashford, Garnacho, Amad and Antony run into walls and kill most of our attacks. They aren’t creative enough, they are mostly predictable and collectively do not score enough.
Most teams seem to have a Son, Palmer, Salah, Saka quality player, we simply don’t have that level of output player.
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You want to sign Jesus Christ himself?
They don't have a lot to build with in their defense. Players so often don't make themselves available and are just read for a ball across.
The correct answer.
No doubt our overall play does need to improve. We need to move the ball faster, have more control, need more incisive passing and our wingers need to contribute. That is all a given. However, we had all those things during Fergie's reign too and still needed 2-3 top class strikers. Cole, Yorke, Ruud, Ronaldo, RVP, Rooney - you always need top class forwards/center forwards to compete and succeed.
I wrote this yesterday, before the match against Brighton about ten Hag and Zirkzee:
"He won't survive till the end of the season. Poor manager, tactically completely clueless. But the biggest problem isn't ten Hag. The problem is Ratcliffe and his staff. They signed 3 defenders and a mediocre dutch forward with poor statistics in the Serie A. Well, the team needed defenders for sure, but ironically defense wasn't the biggest issue last season. The biggest issue was the offense. Not enough goals. Who will solve the issue? Zirkzee? Not really. In Italy he scored 14 goals in 58 matches. So, the problem is, i haven't seen so far at least ONE new player who could put the team to a whole new level. I don't expect significant progress this year, would be surprised if the team finished in the top 4.".
Paying that much for such a mediocre CF was ridicilous. Of course he's dutch so ten Hag loves him but still, Zirkzee is a poor excuse of a striker. I remember reading an analysys from an expert titled "Why Zirkzee won't be successful in Manchester" or something like that. The author mentioned two factors why Zirkzee will fail. 1. He isn't a skillful player, cannot dribble, really bad in one on one situations. 2. He has no "killer instinct" in front of the goal that's why he scores so few goals.
"He won't survive till the end of the season. Poor manager, tactically completely clueless. But the biggest problem isn't ten Hag. The problem is Ratcliffe and his staff. They signed 3 defenders and a mediocre dutch forward with poor statistics in the Serie A. Well, the team needed defenders for sure, but ironically defense wasn't the biggest issue last season. The biggest issue was the offense. Not enough goals. Who will solve the issue? Zirkzee? Not really. In Italy he scored 14 goals in 58 matches. So, the problem is, i haven't seen so far at least ONE new player who could put the team to a whole new level. I don't expect significant progress this year, would be surprised if the team finished in the top 4.".
Paying that much for such a mediocre CF was ridicilous. Of course he's dutch so ten Hag loves him but still, Zirkzee is a poor excuse of a striker. I remember reading an analysys from an expert titled "Why Zirkzee won't be successful in Manchester" or something like that. The author mentioned two factors why Zirkzee will fail. 1. He isn't a skillful player, cannot dribble, really bad in one on one situations. 2. He has no "killer instinct" in front of the goal that's why he scores so few goals.
I can think of far more teams that have won without a world class striker. I don’t think there’s been a title winner in the past two decades that haven’t had a world class winger though. Even those teams you mentioned had Ronaldo at wide forward, Giggs, Beckham. The strikers wouldn’t have made any difference without those wide men in place. That’s the position we lack the most.
I'm a fan of Hojilund, and I agree he gets very little service but I've got a secret for you: he is not a recognised goal-scorer. And, you might not have noticed but he's injured and it's a disgrace that we have no cover. Remember the days when we had four?
As for Barca and Real, they may be bigger or richer, but more famous... not even close. They don't have the same world-wide fanbase as United. No one does
Yet if Bruno had crossed it to Zirkzee to tap in we'd be talking about 2 winners in 2 games.
But generally agree, we do need more firepower..
There isn’t a natural goalscorer in our squad. We’re toothless in attack. We need someone to stop average defences and defenders having it so easy.
Hojlund and Zirkzee are fine with the occasional Bruno/Mount false 9 for this season.
We need top quality attackers general. I’m willing to be patient with the younger players as it shouldn’t be expected that they will always be at the top of their game.
But we’re still seeing the results of poor recruitment (Antony) and being unable or unwilling to sell players who just aren’t good enough (Rashford) too often in our match day squad.
It’s been years since we’ve had an attacker consistently deliver threat in the final third. We lose it more often in not in 1 on 1s and have players actively stand still and pass backwards rather than take defenders on.
But we’re still seeing the results of poor recruitment (Antony) and being unable or unwilling to sell players who just aren’t good enough (Rashford) too often in our match day squad.
It’s been years since we’ve had an attacker consistently deliver threat in the final third. We lose it more often in not in 1 on 1s and have players actively stand still and pass backwards rather than take defenders on.
A reliable goal scorer is needed whether that be a striker or a winger
You are wrong about fanbase size. While there is obviously no precise way to measure it, by most estimates Real and Barca have larger fanbases than we do. We are the largest in England, not worldwide https://www.goal.com/en/news/which-football-teams-have-most-fans/1qmg4j3457wvh1kxkb7qbdo7qn
On the other subject - Hojlund scored more goals than anybody else at United last season, so how is he not a "recognized goal scorer"?
He very much is, people just can't see it because he hasn't had the chance to show it, especially in a good team...but he did very well in an awful team last season anyway.
Would help if Hojlund could stay fit for 5 minutes. Or any of our players for that matter.
We need to control a game in the midfield, the way City and Arsenal usually do. Then the chances will come more often to score. Remember when we used to camp in the oppositions half under Fergie? When have we done that under TH?
Sorry but goal.com are a joke... and no, a recognised goal-scorer is a RvN or RvP or Halaand... some who has done it season after season. Rasmus might become one but isn't yet
We need creativity in midfield (both through middle and out wide) along with proven goalscorer
Get Toney in please
What about last season with a bigger sample size than 2.
Garnacho - Zirkzee - Amad from start will provide goals imo. Højlund will be back soon as well.
A new manager doesn't make the ball miss Zirkzee's knee.
Alright now that's hyperbolic. He played in 43 matches last season and averaged 72 minutes a match.
I know but as soon as he hit form. Injured. Injured now too.
We have two already, and if Hojlund doesn’t prove his worth this season, then we can look at that next summer perhaps.
We need a consistent quality threat in the 7 and 11 more than anything else (in attack).
We need a consistent quality threat in the 7 and 11 more than anything else (in attack).
Offloading Antony and Sancho, and replacing with Nico Williams is the ideal scenario 
Good wingers. That’s what we need. Garnacho MIGHT be alright because he makes stuff happen but the others do not. If we swapped Rashford for Nico Williams you’d see a hell of a lot more threat. We just don’t commit people. Rashford literally just slowly runs in to his man. When the ball is out wide that’s the time to increase the tempo but we always slow it down
You do realize RvP and RvN were much older/experienced and were playing with best of the best in midfield and wingers who provided them ton of chances, right?
Still, yea - Hojlund is not at their level, yet and may never reach their levels because they were top talent in top team in top form, but considering where we are - Hojlund is our best goal scorer (and happens to be best converter of chances in EPL which is quite something). I dont think we could have done much better than him, in current circumstances
Not to be inflammatory but I would much rather have him, a young talent, than had signed aging Harry Kane on insane transfer fee and wages
What we need is a coherent playing style that puts players in the best possible position to score goals. We could get prime Ruud up front and we would still struggle to score.
I think Zirkzee can be that guy, we seem to like playing with a forward who drops deep anyway.
Offloading Antony and Sancho, and replacing with Nico Williams is the ideal scenario
Amazed he still hasn't joined Barca yet, think he could well end up there before the window closes
It is so clear. Really no idea why ETH has not seen that in 3 years
Yeah not wanting control of midfield is baffling, getting it back on topic I'm fully on Toney train until time runs out for it to happen
He doesn't want to leave Bilbao. Kvara should be our dream target since it's clear for Nico that it's either go to Barca or stay at Bilbao.Offloading Antony and Sancho, and replacing with Nico Williams is the ideal scenario