Greenwood or Rashford? Who starts the final?

[Nikelesh Reddy]

Now obviously it’s perfectly plausible that both can start the final,but in my opinion,looking at the players that Ole has selected in the big games,there’s a strong possibility that he might have to chose one of these 2 to start on the right.I am pretty sure that both Fred and Mctominay will start in midfield,Pogba will be on the left,Bruno will be the 10 and Cavani will play up top...

Which leaves just 1 spot to accommodate 2 very important players.Personally,I would pick Greenwood over Rashford because he gives us much much more on the right than Rashford.If we need to pick the best team to win the final....If we need to pick the better player to start on the right,then it’s pretty obvious that Greenwood gets in ahead of Rashford.Do you guys agree?

 

[AgentSmith]

Greenwood on the right, Pogba on the left. Rashford off the bench if we need a goal.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

He will choose Rashford but despite what the stats say overall this season, Greenwood is the better player already for me. He’s much better at retaining the ball, sharp dribbling, and he’s got elite finishing. Rashford is more devastating on top form but you never know when that’s going to happen.

 

[JakeC]

If anyone thinks even for a minute, that Marcus Rashford isn't starting the final, they should get professional help immediately, because they aren't living in reality.

If he's even halfway fit, he plays.

 

[M Bison]

My money is on Rashy starting, and Greenwood on the bench. Not saying right or wrong, just what I expect.

 

[stw2022]

Greenwood should start. Rashford will start as he has persistently regardless of form, performance or fitness

 

[laughtersassassin]

Should be a front 3 or Pogba Cavani Greenwood on form.

But it will be Pogba Cavani Rashford.

Hopefully it works out for us even though bits not what I'd pick

 

[TrustInOle]

Rashford will start, Mason will be vital if we need a goal late on, lethal finisher. You could argue the other way and try grab the goals early, but I feel Ole will keep his trust in Rashford and rightly so in my opinion.

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

If anyone thinks even for a minute, that Marcus Rashford isn't starting the final, they should get professional help immediately, because they aren't living in reality.

If he's even halfway fit, he plays.

Okay...So start Rashford on the right ahead of Greenwood?Or drop Pogba and start Rashford?Or play Rashford as a striker over Cavani?Or drop one of Fred/Mctominay?Out of all these options,dropping one of Fred/Mctominay for the final is the best option...Pogba can play a deeper role...,But I”m not sure if Ole trusts Pogba to start in a deeper role in a big game...

 

[Alan Partridge]

Would love it to be Greenwood but Ole seems obsessed with starting Rashford no matter what

 

[stw2022]

Would love it to be Greenwood but Ole seems obsessed with starting Rashford no matter what

He’s late era Rooney without the justification of being 10% of the player in the past

 

[calodo2003]

On current form, Greenwood.

But Rashford will undoubtedly start barring severe injury to himself.

 

[The Firestarter]

Rashy always plays.

 

[Red_Aaron]

There's more chance of Greenwood starting ahead of Cavani than Rashford.

If he's fit, Rashford is the second name on the team sheet after Harry

 

[wolvored]

It should be Greenwood, but if its a choice between one or the other then Ole will pick Rashford I think.

 

[roonster09]

For a RW, it should be always Greenwood.

 

[charlenefan]

Greenwood should
Rashford will

 

[King Azaz the Unabridged]

Rashford from open play this season: 10 goals and 9 assists (PL), 19 goals and 12 assists (all competitions)

Manchester United Player of the Season and obvious world class player Bruno Fernandes from open play this season: 8 goals and 11 assists (PL), 14 goals and 17 assists (all competitions)

RedCafe: Rashford / Late Era Rooney only starts because Ole is obsessed with him. Midtable forward, wouldn't get into any top seven side.

 

[hobbers]

Greenwood, Cavani, Pogba, Bruno.

Rashford is not performing anywhere near well enough to keep any of them out.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Rashford from open play this season: 10 goals and 9 assists (PL), 19 goals and 12 assists (all competitions)

Manchester United Player of the Season and obvious world class player Bruno Fernandes from open play this season: 8 goals and 11 assists (PL), 14 goals and 17 assists (all competitions)

RedCafe: Rashford / Late Era Rooney only starts because Ole is obsessed with him. Midtable forward, wouldn't get into any top seven side.

Bruno is miles better than Rashford though so what’s your point?

 

[King Azaz the Unabridged]

My point is that you're talking nonsense.

And before the usual crowd piles on in an attempt to paint me as some Rashford fanboy who thinks he's better than Fernandes: he's not (he's clearly closer than a lot of people are aware), and I think Greenwood should start the final too, because he's in excellent form and Rashford has been off it for a while (and getting disproportionately pilloried for it as usual).

The point of that post was to highlight the absurdity of some of the takes we're seeing in this topic. Including yours, although to be fair you at least acknowledged that you're just ignoring the stats and objective evidence to say Greenwood is a better player than Rashford.

I'm mostly talking about the likes of that STW clown, who's been having bizarre pops at Rashford all season and just came out with the "late era Rooney" gem.

 

[Hammondo]

Should be greenwood.

 

[alexthelion]

Greenwood on the right, Pogba on the left. Rashford off the bench if we need a goal.

This.

 

[kafta]

As many have said, as its for the RW position, I think Mason deserves to start, but Marcus is more likely.

Mason will definitely get minutes though.

 

[Borys]

As much as it hurts me to say it, Greenwood starts on bench. Rashford, even on a bad day, has some moments of brilliance.

Greenwood might be devastating in second half when there is more space to run and dribble. Plus, Mason rarely plays 90'.

I think extra time is very likely in this game.

 

[Cutch]

Should be Greenwood. Rashford is an unbelievable sub to bring on against tired legs when there's more space, as seen against Leipzig earlier in the season and I think it was West Ham.

 

[simplyared]

Can't see Ole putting Rashford on the bench and quite rightly so. In a final you put your strongest team on the pitch so he starts. End of!

 

[Dominos]

Greenwood is in better form and more suited to the right wing.

But none of that matters, Ole will start Rashford because of seniority.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Can't see Ole putting Rashford on the bench and quite rightly so. In a final you put your strongest team on the pitch so he starts. End of!

I agree Ole won't. But it is easily argued that our strongest front 3 is Pogba Cavani Greenwood,

Rashford from the left and from the right are completely different players.

 

[ROFLUTION]

The commas in the OP somehow really grinds my gears. Let the commas attack the space, please.

 

[Flexdegea]

Rashford 100% starting. He our most dangerous attack because he can run at them and him Shaw on left deadly combo.


Greenwood off bench works better when rashford run them tired. Plus more space for him to shoot

 

[ThehatchetMan]

Rashford 100% starting. He our most dangerous attack because he can run at them and him Shaw on left deadly combo.


Greenwood off bench works better when rashford run them tired. Plus more space for him to shoot

Rashford is not our most dangerous attacked and hasn't been for alot of months.

By your theory Rashford should be the one coming off the bench as he has the pace to damage tired legs.

 

[Gavinb33]

I agree Ole won't. But it is easily argued that our strongest front 3 is Pogba Cavani Greenwood,

Rashford from the left and from the right are completely different players.

Thats not even remotely true, I mean I am all for opinions but not outright lies.

From open play Rashford has got the most goals in out team and 2nd most assists but he isn't in our strongest team.

This place sometimes I mean, if anything Pogba will be lucky to be included because we move our 2nd biggest attacking threat to accommodate him and he doesn't put up even close to the same attacking output.

 

[pacifictheme]

Greenwood should start. Rashford has been playing with a injury for ages and is nowhere near his best at the moment.

 

[Pickle85]

He’s late era Rooney without the justification of being 10% of the player in the past

In what way is he like late era Rooney? This is a lazy and, quite frankly, bizarre comparison. He's had a poor last few months but he's still been posting decent stats. I find it bizarre how quick some United fans are to tear down a player that's done well for us, put up decent stats year on year (yes, room for improvement of course and I hope/expect that to happen) and is a youth product.

He's brilliant in flashes on the ball, quick feet and gives us something that few others do...that unpredictability. He has been playing through an injury by the sounds of things, rightly or wrongly, but the insistence in some quarters to tear him down is odd and a little sad.

 

[tjb]

Would love it to be Greenwood but Ole seems obsessed with starting Rashford no matter what

People are scared of this, but Rashford is probably not going to be some top 10 player in the world or something like that. He will be a good wide player who can score goals, but people are scared to admit this because he's a homegrown product that we are pushing through and we want him to shine as much as he possible can. I see Rashford ( even though he's better) like Joe Cole at Chelsea. If Chelsea were as intense as we are about having a young english player that has quality, they would not have been anywhere near as good in attack. Rashford isn't Figo, Ronaldo, Salah, Rivaldo, Ribery or Hazard where he's the star of the team so can demand no competition and a spot in his favourite position. He's like any other talented winger like Sane, Gnabry, Sterling, Mahrez. He can be really good in some games, can have great form and can have terrible form. We should go ahead and sign Grealish or Sancho to compete with him. If he proves to be better than either and play more games, that's fine. If he doesn't that also fine. Even Scholes and Giggs weren't immune to competiton within the team. Rashford isn't consistent or great enough at this time to demand consistent playing time.

 

[snk123]

Rashford.

 

[ThehatchetMan]

Thats not even remotely true, I mean I am all for opinions but not outright lies.

From open play Rashford has got the most goals in out team and 2nd most assists but he isn't in our strongest team.

This place sometimes I mean, if anything Pogba will be lucky to be included because we move our 2nd biggest attacking threat to accommodate him and he doesn't put up even close to the same attacking output.

While I agree the statistics don't lie, I think alot of the fans on here are basing their opinions on recent form and overall team performance.

If we went solely on statistics, VDB and Mata have over 0.5 Goals/Assists per 90, and ranked in our top 5 players for attacking output. But nobody is putting an argument for either of these to start.

While Rashford is a good player who had a very good first half to the season; he has been poor and inconsistent in 2021. And our team, at present, looks and performs best with a front 3 of Pogba/Cavani/Greenwood.

Based on 2021, what do you think our best front 3 is?

 

[Mcking]

I'd start with Greenwood. Rashford has the occasional poor games on the left, but he is almost always poor on the right.

Since Pogba and McFred most likely starts, I'd go with Greenwood as he is much more suited to the right side than Rashford.

Besides, I'd rather have Rashford as an option off the bench than Greenwood, and in the event of a tight game or extra time, I'd rather have Rashford out there till the end.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

You could make a case for both players to start but I'm happy regardless of which one of them who starts as they are both quality players and both suit Pogba and Cavani. Rashford will though as he is a big game player.