Rasmus Højlund | Match Discussion Thread 2023/24

Justin Cider said:
You've got to be desperate to have a go at the Manager if you blame him for Hojlund, it was a club decision, we couldn't get who we wanted(Kane and Osimhen), so went in early for potentially the next best thing.

And in years to come it will become obvious it was the right decision.
Click to expand...
No. The right decision would be to use him. He is your new signing - it's literally the stupidest thing I've seen in years when it comes to a signing. Other signings may fail at other clubs etc, but they are all bought to make an impact now as well as in the future, unless they are really young, and you're paying not a lot. At £72m you have to be for now, and you must fit into the managers system, or you just don't buy. There isn't a sinlge person watching us that doesn't realise Hojlund is being wasted.
Mr C said:
thats not the point. It may well prove a brilliant signing.

The point being made is the manager is not playing to his players strengths and seems incapable of having various, if any, tactical nous
Click to expand...
Exactly.
 
Mr C said:
thats not the point. It may well prove a brilliant signing.

The point being made is the manager is not playing to his players strengths and seems incapable of having various, if any, tactical nous
Click to expand...

Are we just ignoring him scoring 5 in 6 Champions League games in a mishmash of a team low on confidence, or scoring 7 in 6 before his recent injury, did we and the Manager just get lucky 12 times. It takes time, if he was coming in to complete the team yeah for the initial outlay you'd probably expect more returns G/A, but that so obviously isn't the case - it'll be Christmas time next season before we see the best of him but maybe sooner if the Manager(whoever he is) drills into the wide players especially to make the right run(s) to create space for Hojlund, when he receives the ball facing up and wanting to turn and attack the box, and not just do what's best for themselves which most times at the moment drags defenders into areas Hojlund wants to go, and not away.
 
Go back and see how many of those goals he created himself

also, so you agree, it's the manager that is the problem
 
Jayc1860 said:
That's the point, he's spent a lot of money on nothing. If he didn't get lucky with the fact Hojlund is clearly going to be good in years to come to a new manager, it would have been more money wasted - more ETH stupidity.

It's the polar opposite of Rice to Arsenal.
Click to expand...

He spent it on a player who the clubs scouts feel could become as good as a Kane or an Osihmen in the future as Utd couldn't afford to bring in a ready made solution, so they've gone younger which requires patience. If all goes to plan this lad could be our centre forward for the next 10 years scoring 20 a season. That's the gamble you take and he probably hoped that Martial & Rashford might be able to take some of the burden off him in his first season as he settles in but that hasn't really been the case.

I'm sure ETH would have loved to drop Kane into his starting XI like Arsenal did with Rice but if you can't get that player you have to go to plan B.
 
Mr C said:
Go back and see how many of those goals he created himself

also, so you agree, it's the manager that is the problem
Click to expand...

Not sure you can blame the Manager if players are not following instruction, and we probably would get more out of Hojlund if we had wingers who get chalk on their boots but where are they, can't remember the last time I saw anybody and thought yeah he's an old-school winger, the nearest we've got in the squad is Pellistri but the Manager clearly doesn't rate/trust him.
 
jsp said:
He spent it on a player who the clubs scouts feel could become as good as a Kane or an Osihmen in the future as Utd couldn't afford to bring in a ready made solution, so they've gone younger which requires patience. If all goes to plan this lad could be our centre forward for the next 10 years scoring 20 a season. That's the gamble you take and he probably hoped that Martial & Rashford might be able to take some of the burden off him in his first season as he settles in but that hasn't really been the case.

I'm sure ETH would have loved to drop Kane into his starting XI like Arsenal did with Rice but if you can't get that player you have to go to plan B.
Click to expand...
I still feel like it's money wasted when you should be building a team for now, first and foremost, and that it's just not a good option to buy someone who won't have a very good chance to be an instant success in your team, for so much money. It's all fine and well building for the future, all good managers do that too, but in this case it feels like a signing never suited to an ETH team, therefore is a failure.

I see the impact Hojlund can have in the future and even right now to a point, so it's not money wasted on the whole, but the manager has missed an opportunity to use that money on a player that fits in and helps him keep his job - that is surely much more important, yes?

We could have gone younger, or whatever he wanted, he had the reigns at the time to push through what he wanted as long as it wasn't obvious stupidity. The powers that be must have felt he was going to tweak the tactics to suit the man he just bought, not just play him and hope something good happens.

The team instructions should include a route to make Hojlund useful at least and we are not seeing that. If he didn't have that gritty fight in him he would have maybe scored a couple of goals all season in this system.

Also, I don't even think Kane would have done much better in this system, something would need to change for him too.
 
No matter if we had signed Kane would we have been any better. It is the two wingers and the midfield that is the problem. I do not understand the rationale of ETH anymore. Why doesn't he go with a Diamond and play Rasmus and Garnacho together up front?
 
Jayc1860 said:
I still feel like it's money wasted when you should be building a team for now, first and foremost, and that it's just not a good option to buy someone who won't have a very good chance to be an instant success in your team, for so much money. It's all fine and well building for the future, all good managers do that too, but in this case it feels like a signing never suited to an ETH team, therefore is a failure.

I see the impact Hojlund can have in the future and even right now to a point, so it's not money wasted on the whole, but the manager has missed an opportunity to use that money on a player that fits in and helps him keep his job - that is surely much more important, yes?

We could have gone younger, or whatever he wanted, he had the reigns at the time to push through what he wanted as long as it wasn't obvious stupidity. The powers that be must have felt he was going to tweak the tactics to suit the man he just bought, not just play him and hope something good happens.

The team instructions should include a route to make Hojlund useful at least and we are not seeing that. If he didn't have that gritty fight in him he would have maybe scored a couple of goals all season in this system.

Also, I don't even think Kane would have done much better in this system, something would need to change for him too.
Click to expand...

I think you need a bit of both you can't always be looking to the future he probably saw Mount and Onana as guys coming in with a good level of experience in that 25-30 range so wanted a younger player for the attack.

There's another obstacle in a Kane or Osihmen type signing. Did those players even want to come to Utd last summer? Who were the experienced ready made strikers on the market last summer? There isn't a lot of them to go around. I think an issue was they couldn't get rid of Martial to free up space to bring in a proper backup which I felt was essential.

I do think the injuries have made him change his approach at times this season you've got to play the hand you've been dealt at times and I think he's had to do that. Had he been dealt a better hand in terms of the injuries we might have seen a different style and better results, we just don't know.

From what I've seen of Hojlund this season I think there's plenty more good stuff to come I think he's got the potential to do it all but we do need wide players who look to create chances for him rather that just cutting inside to shoot all the time. Maybe the plan for that was Mount and Sancho but for different reasons those two haven't featured all season.

I also think fitness has been an issue for Hojlund he arrived with an injury was asked to play a lot of games almost straight away so he's picked up a few niggles along the way.

He's got the Euro's this summer but after that he needs a good holiday and proper pre season to hit the ground running next year where I think the expectation level on him will be far greater.
 
Often overlooked is the fact he's still growing into his body, one minute he could shoulder-barge Virgil out of the way and sprint off like an Olympic sprinter, do exactly the same 15 minutes later and end up in a heap on the floor having his shoulder put back in place.
 
Yep he's just turned 21 over the next 2 years you'd hope he's really going to build himself into a much more physically imposing player. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him come back next season with a much more developed upper body it's crazy how quick they can pack muscle on to these athletes now. He obviously doesn't want to get to big as he'll lose his speed but he needs to develop that solid frame.

Not just the muscle I'm sure he'll add on but the endurance work he'll do to make sure he can keep going at full pelt for 90 minutes twice a week. That stuff takes time for kids to grasp and playing up top alone you are often up there against two bruisers who you've got to battle win and force into mistakes.

It is a worry how few shots he has in ames the league he's played 23 games, he's had 31 shots and scored 7 goals. So he's averaging 1.5 shots per game which for a forward isn't enough. Utd have got to get those numbers higher next season.

Garnacho 29 games, 73 shots so he's 2.5 per game
Rashford 30 games 60 shots so he's 2 per game
 
jsp said:
I think you need a bit of both you can't always be looking to the future he probably saw Mount and Onana as guys coming in with a good level of experience in that 25-30 range so wanted a younger player for the attack.

There's another obstacle in a Kane or Osihmen type signing. Did those players even want to come to Utd last summer? Who were the experienced ready made strikers on the market last summer? There isn't a lot of them to go around. I think an issue was they couldn't get rid of Martial to free up space to bring in a proper backup which I felt was essential.

I do think the injuries have made him change his approach at times this season you've got to play the hand you've been dealt at times and I think he's had to do that. Had he been dealt a better hand in terms of the injuries we might have seen a different style and better results, we just don't know.

From what I've seen of Hojlund this season I think there's plenty more good stuff to come I think he's got the potential to do it all but we do need wide players who look to create chances for him rather that just cutting inside to shoot all the time. Maybe the plan for that was Mount and Sancho but for different reasons those two haven't featured all season.

I also think fitness has been an issue for Hojlund he arrived with an injury was asked to play a lot of games almost straight away so he's picked up a few niggles along the way.

He's got the Euro's this summer but after that he needs a good holiday and proper pre season to hit the ground running next year where I think the expectation level on him will be far greater.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I agree the manager has got all sorts of hard choices to make, and I do not envy that. I can sit here an criticise him easily and in hindsight, and it's obviously a lot easier that way. I don't hate ETH as it maybe comes across, I'm just very critical. No doubt the job he has is insanely hard.

The options he had might well have come into play, I don't disagree, and we've ended up with a great upcoming player because of it, so I credit him for that. I just think that maybe with a little bit better planning, and understanding of how he wants to play may have resulted in an even better acquisition. It's frustrating watching a good player like Hojlund being used badly, and again like I said just seems like a stupid buy for now.

I think as a manager you need to either have one clear cut way to play and use your players for that regardless, or being tactically adept enough to use a few different styles, but all of these must suit 75% of your players to be effective. I feel like ETH's weakeness is that he doesn't do either.

I agree about the expectation of Hojlund too, next season he will be expected to play and score regardless. The price tag alone demands that, and has ETH set him up for a fall? Possibly, if he keeps this style of play up.
 
Jayc1860 said:
Yeah, I agree the manager has got all sorts of hard choices to make, and I do not envy that. I can sit here an criticise him easily and in hindsight, and it's obviously a lot easier that way. I don't hate ETH as it maybe comes across, I'm just very critical. No doubt the job he has is insanely hard.

The options he had might well have come into play, I don't disagree, and we've ended up with a great upcoming player because of it, so I credit him for that. I just think that maybe with a little bit better planning, and understanding of how he wants to play may have resulted in an even better acquisition. It's frustrating watching a good player like Hojlund being used badly, and again like I said just seems like a stupid buy for now.

I think as a manager you need to either have one clear cut way to play and use your players for that regardless, or being tactically adept enough to use a few different styles, but all of these must suit 75% of your players to be effective. I feel like ETH's weakeness is that he doesn't do either.

I agree about the expectation of Hojlund too, next season he will be expected to play and score regardless. The price tag alone demands that, and has ETH set him up for a fall? Possibly, if he keeps this style of play up.
Click to expand...

The striker position has just been a disaster for years if you think who the main guys have been for the last decade post Fergie. They never properly replaced RVP with a striker in his prime the only one they really went big on was Lukaku and that didn't work. After that it was give Martial another chance and bring in a couple of veterans as short term fixes. Hojlund was the first big money signing in terms of a transfer fee we'd made at centre forward since 2017.

There was obviously the Rashford/Greenwood situations as well there was a brief time where it looked like either of them might become a centre forward, I think they both look like they'll spend their careers as wingers.

With the squad and the style I just think Utd are in that awkward middle stage of a rebuild. You've bought in a lot of guys who should fit the new way but you've still got a lot of the guys who are stuck in the old ways. This summer it needs to tip that balance from 50/50 to 75/25 so that there is a clear way of playing that most of your players fit into.
 
jsp said:
The striker position has just been a disaster for years if you think who the main guys have been for the last decade post Fergie. They never properly replaced RVP with a striker in his prime the only one they really went big on was Lukaku and that didn't work. After that it was give Martial another chance and bring in a couple of veterans as short term fixes. Hojlund was the first big money signing in terms of a transfer fee we'd made at centre forward since 2017.

There was obviously the Rashford/Greenwood situations as well there was a brief time where it looked like either of them might become a centre forward, I think they both look like they'll spend their careers as wingers.

With the squad and the style I just think Utd are in that awkward middle stage of a rebuild. You've bought in a lot of guys who should fit the new way but you've still got a lot of the guys who are stuck in the old ways. This summer it needs to tip that balance from 50/50 to 75/25 so that there is a clear way of playing that most of your players fit into.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's very possible ETH will be given one more season to put in place a final set of players to tip the balance in his favour of whatever he is aiming to do, because it is a fact it takes probably three seasons to do that. His suggested signings are going to play a huge part in whether he gets of to the undoubted good start he needs. I think he'll be given maybe ten games to show he's making progress and that will be regardless of injuries as that excuse whilst somewhat valid is getting boring. I don't think anybody will accpet anything to do with that next year as he's had a whole season to realise there is something badly wrong there. These players need moving on if it is them, or surely the horrible bad luck will even out, and we have a season of no injuries.

Assuming he does get the nod for another go, his target areas are going to be key. He also cannot bring in any more failures [loans] and not ultilise them like Amrabat. This guy has been beyond pointless, he's barely played and his best contribution was from LB, and that sort of thing can't keep happening. He's going to have to get everything right.

The striker position has been a nightmare, I agree. Credit to him for possibly solving it. It's still as I said though, probably not going to actually help him, unless he is planning to change things again, and make full use of Hojlund. It makes sense to me to do this, have the team built around Rasmus to a point. Make him the focal point for build ups and then make him the target to finish things off when possible. If ETH starts to show me that, maybe I can finally find some faith in him, because in terms of tactics that is very hard right now.

Two years in charge and we should have more to show from it than messy counter attacking football, that does not suit your striker.
 
I don't think he'll stay, without CL the money isn't there to change much of the team, he can't get anything out of this group. So somebody new needs to come in who will be able to
 
I see his price tag get mentioned an awful lot and how for that money he should be the finished article. That’s just nonsense. If you want a player then you have to pay what the selling club want, that’s the reality of football these days. Clubs don’t just roll over like they used to and accept offers that were lower than what they truly believe the player is worth.

If we didn’t pay it and he smashed it at another club or for Atalanta then our fans would be screaming why didn’t we buy him for £70m when he’s now going for £100m.

He is definitely a work in progress but he isn’t helped by where we are as a team right now. Put him in a better team and he is scoring goals for fun in my opinion. His overall game has so much potential but he is still a little raw granted. Excited to see how he will develop though over the coming years - he just needs some help in the short term!
 
SuperRash said:
I see his price tag get mentioned an awful lot and how for that money he should be the finished article. That’s just nonsense. If you want a player then you have to pay what the selling club want, that’s the reality of football these days. Clubs don’t just roll over like they used to and accept offers that were lower than what they truly believe the player is worth.

If we didn’t pay it and he smashed it at another club or for Atalanta then our fans would be screaming why didn’t we buy him for £70m when he’s now going for £100m.

He is definitely a work in progress but he isn’t helped by where we are as a team right now. Put him in a better team and he is scoring goals for fun in my opinion. His overall game has so much potential but he is still a little raw granted. Excited to see how he will develop though over the coming years - he just needs some help in the short term!
Click to expand...
Agree with you on this. How many thru balls has been given to him? Not much. He is a very quick player so he needs to be played behind the CBs early. The same with the crosses too. Our wide players do not cross or rarely cross.
 
Another poor performance since returning from injury, he really struggled.

United need to sign an experienced striker in the summer.
 
He doesn’t look right, touch not good but again he isn’t being used to anything like full potential
 
That injury came at a rotten time for him, it wasn’t only his goals that were coming but also his general play.

Poor today for sure but the lack of support he gets continues to be an issue.
 
Stick Stevie Coppell on the right, and Arnold Muhren/Ashley Grimes on the left and he'd score for fun.
 
Sideshow Bob said:
Another poor performance since returning from injury, he really struggled.

United need to sign an experienced striker in the summer.
Click to expand...
If you remember, he struggled before the injury for most of the season, he had a purple patch. Ho long was it before he scored a prem goal? Its more of the same really.

JC is right, he needs Beckham and Giggs type wingers
 
At least he works hard and tries to make things happen. But yeah he’s not playing well. I also think he does a lot of running in to wide channels which is great but needs to be in the box more.
 
He's a few years off being able to lead the line for united, and the staff should have known that before the season started
 
He needs better service but he needs to better himself. He would benefit from playing alongside a playmaker winger. He should have the buried the opportunity at 3-1 or 3-2, I can’t remember the score at the time.
 
Think it was 3-2 just before they got the penalty.

Didnt sort his feet out quickly enough to get the shot away.

Looks very frustrated up top at times doing plenty of hard work for the team to just watch the wingers try and beat 3 men and shoot every time they get the ball.
 
jsp said:
Think it was 3-2 just before they got the penalty.

Didnt sort his feet out quickly enough to get the shot away.

Looks very frustrated up top at times doing plenty of hard work for the team to just watch the wingers try and beat 3 men and shoot every time they get the ball.
Click to expand...
I really do not understand what ETH is doing. You get a good CF and then do not get the ball to him at all. No one passes to him when he wants to make a run. I have not seen a thru pass played to him more than a couple of times. H should give Rashford a roasting.
 
justintime said:
I really do not understand what ETH is doing. You get a good CF and then do not get the ball to him at all. No one passes to him when he wants to make a run. I have not seen a thru pass played to him more than a couple of times. H should give Rashford a roasting.
Click to expand...

I think he may have wanted Sancho and Mount to be his creative wingers but for different reasons neither has been available for the majority of the season.
 
Looked a bit quicker than he had for a few weeks ....

Nerveless penalty. Did any pf his teammates run up to him, the camera cut away?
 
It was another display to show he's not ready to lead the line for united.
 
Justin Cider said:
Looked a bit quicker than he had for a few weeks ....

Nerveless penalty. Did any pf his teammates run up to him, the camera cut away?
Click to expand...

I think one came over, think it was Onana.

The rest hovered about the centre circle looking pretty sheepish.

Antony might have made it once he'd finished taunting the Coventry players... what a tit that lad is.
 

Login or Register

Forgot your password?
or Log in using
Don't have an account? Register now
Back
Top