Rashford does not want to be a number 9?

[kouroux]

Football needs to start, we have some ridiculous debates on semantics on the caf...

 

[Rasendori]

I believe Rashford what has said is consistent with what he's said in the past.

In 2016 Rashford said he wants to be the ultimate center forward. "I want to become the ultimate centre forward. I want to be able to play on the left, on the right and down the middle," "To do that I need to improve my game down the sides because my positioning in those areas, where I haven't played since I was 12 or 13, is a bit off. "The manager has been doing some work with me off the left and right so I think he's trying to improve me in those areas." I'm just trying to play with freedom like I did last year and the manager supports me with that. Like he did in the Hull game of 2016, the manager just tells me to go and help the team win the game." From this we can extrapolate, that he wants to be the type of striker that has freedom, one that momentarily drifts to the left and uses his skill set to cause damage to the opposition, like his disallowed goal against City, the same on the right, like his individual brilliance in the Fa Cup final when Pardrew turned his head. He only had this role once, under Jose, and that was against Hull. And for me, that was comfortably his best performances for us under Jose, even though he was admittedly on for a short period.

Spoiler: Rashford role vs Hull in 2016

In the 60th minute, Mkhitaryan entered the fray at the expense of Martial. 11 minutes later, Rashford came on, at the expense of Juan Mata. I felt Rooney from this point was playing on the left, potenitally due to Jose having confidence in his crossing ability, given he'd assisted Zlatan with crosses both at Southampton, and Leicester, but also perhaps that with Rooney's intelligence and experience, maybe he'd be more receptive to provide width and doing one for the team. I felt Rashford was playing as a shadow striker, in the ilk of Dybala alongside Mandzukic, and if that example isn't palatable, then one further example would be Griezmann's role alongside Giroud at the Euros from the Quarter Finals and onwards. Zlatan of course, having a similar role to that of Mandzukic or Giroud. Rashford's exuberance led to instant gratification, as suddenly we had two mobile players behind Zlatan, concurrently, the team as a whole began operating with an increased tempo. In the 20 minutes Rashford was on, he was a threat on the left by attempting to take on the full back, he was often in close proximity with Zlatan and when he received the ball he would run towards the goal, committing players, pushing them back. He set up Mkhitaryan (situated on the right) from a central area, and from the right hand side, put in a dangerous cross. And as you witnessed, he was in a central area when he scored. Mkhitaryan was playing on the right on paper, but as it's always been the case with him, particularly at Dortmund he naturally drifts into central areas in the pursuit of space, and he done just that with perhaps the most notable example being when he ran through three players with consummate ease from a central area. At times, it was Rashford who momentarily went to the right while Mkhitaryan went into central areas

Against Anderlecht we saw Rashford a threat on the left, the right, and centrally. He was particularly skillful in that game; reminiscent of his exploits at youth level as in that single Europa League game, he did a step over, cruyff turn, la Croqueta, nut meg, scoop turn and a rabona.


Rashford said in 2017:
"I want to become the ultimate centre forward. I want to be able to play on the left, on the right, and down the middle." and "in recent years, Ronaldo is the example: wherever you put him in the attacking three, he's going to make an impact and the opposition are going to fear him. Being a constant threat, that's what I need to develop."What I got from that in 2017 was Rashford wants to be the type of striker capable of causing danger from the left, right and in the middle, all in the same game. Against Hull in 2016, he ran at the opposition from the left, put in dangerous crosses from the right and scored when situated in the middle. In 2017, against Chelsea it was the case that Rashford was a threat from both sides and centrally.


In the reign of Ole:
Left:

Right:

Centrally:

 

[roonster09]

I showed the whole press conference. Watch it. He says he doesn't want to be a traditional 9. Yes, he says he wants to be a 9 that can drift in other areas but he also goes out of his way to say he believes in playing from the right and from the left.

He actually only talks about being a 9 when the reporter asks him "what about the 9 position?". Prior to that he said he likes it on right and left.

I'm not cherry picking anything - I've posted the video for all to watch.

You again took half the sentence. He said

I always said from the beginning that my goal was never to be a 9 that can play anywhere else. It was to try to be as free flowing as possible and that's how ManUtd brought me up, playing on the left, playing on the right that's what I want to do and that's what I believe in.

Not sure why you are breaking his quotes into half, when reading it full clearly shows what he means. And you got it half correct, he doesn't want to be traditional 9, something we have said from the beginning.

 

[roonster09]

Football needs to start, we have some ridiculous debates on semantics on the caf...

It's not even semantics, it's breaking the quotes into half, ignoring the second part.

For example he said

I know what I've worked on since I was six or seven years old and it was never to be a number nine. It was to be able to play as a number nine but also be able to adapt to playing in other systems and other formations."

OP just posted

“I know what I've worked on since I was six or seven years old and it was never to be a number nine.

 

[simonhch]

How is this tit still arguing the point? I’m assuming he can read, based upon his ability to reply to posts; but basic comprehension seems to be beyond him. Surreal.

 

[SteveW]

It's not even semantics, it's breaking the quotes into half, ignoring the second part.

For example he said

OP just posted

You've tried. If he still doesn't get it he can't be helped. Someone should change the thread title so that it doesn't mislead people

 

[VP89]

So you agree that your premise is incorrect?

I'm just doing what you're doing, cherry picking half a sentence.

He stated his preference and only said he was happy to be a 9 that drifts into other areas when actually asked "what about the number 9 role". He even suggested he was at odds with the fans view of being a traditional number 9.

I'm cherry picking nothing. Its evident from his interview which areas he prefers to start in.

 

[roonster09]

You've tried. If he still doesn't get it he can't be helped. Someone should change the thread title so that it doesn't mislead people

Exactly. Mods should change the title. Many just read the title and assume it's correct.

@KM @Varun @Damien

 

[KM]

I'm closing this thread. Seems to be a wrong assumption.

 

[VP89]

It's not even semantics, it's breaking the quotes into half, ignoring the second part.

For example he said

OP just posted

No I understand that bit, and I accept that.

My point is, he doesn't talk about wanting to be this number 9 for the fans until he's really pushed on it. He says he likes to play on the left or right. He only talks about being a 9 that can go into other areas after the reporter says how fans want to see him as a 9.