Rashford v Welbeck

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Came across this this morning. Admittedly from Talkshite, but it raised a interesting debate.

Who was the better player in their pomp? Danny Welbeck or Marcus Rashford?

For me, I fully agree with Goldstein. Welbeck, while being the more rounded player, was never as prolific or as important for United as Rashford once was. I don't think Welbeck has ever scored 20 goals a season in his career.

 

[VP89]

Goldstein is an absolute moron, that's my take.

Also its not a good debate because Rashford isnt and never was a player for down the middle.

A better debate is prime Walcott vs prime Rashford.

 

[Alan Partridge]

Welbeck. Welbecks link up play was better for the team on the whole than Rashfords low percentage runs directly at goal.

 

[GifLord]

Rashford at one point was considered as one of the best young players in the world with huge potential, Welbeck never was.
After the Leipzig game where he scored the hat trick everyone thought he was gonna step it up and take it to the next level - become one of the best. Ever since then it's been all downhill - he's been below Welbeck's worst level since the start of 2021 but let's not pretend Welbeck was amazing, that cheeky lob attempt against Bayern is still haunting me.

 

[MadDogg]

Rashford had those few months in 19/20 (right before the back injury) where he was far better than Welbeck ever was. He was genuinely one of the best players in the league and largely carrying our attack, looking like he was on the verge of being a truly world class player. When he came back from that injury after the lockdown, he was struggling on the individual level but was still playing well for the team with some fantastic passing. Looked like he'd spent the time off developing his playmaking and creativity.

However if you took that one season out then it's quite close. Before that season Rashford was a very inconsistent player, albeit one who tended to do well against top teams. And in the two years since he's been poor (but still managing to get goals and assists) and then utterly terrible.

 

[We need an rvn]

I love the way so many are writing off Rashford at the age of 24 like he's already hit his peak. He's still got plenty of time to get into "prime" form under the right guidance and attitude

 

[Marcelinho87]

Wouldn't be possible to answer, Rashford not due his prime for another 3 or 4 years.. he's only 24 and I still have faith he will get better.

 

[RedBanker]

Welbeck was faster.

 

[sullydnl]

Rashford was better, obviously.

Welbeck had two seasons where he scored more than 10 goals for us, having made 36+ appearances in both those seasons. And another 40 appearance season where he scored just 2 goals.

Rashford had two seasons where he scored more than 20 goals, plus another two where he scored more than Welbeck scored in any single season of his entire career, plus another season Welbeck only bettered once in his entire career.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Welbeck was a decent ST with serious injury issues and I use the word ‘decent’ deliberately because he was nothing more than that. He played in a good albeit not great United setup and did ok.

Even if they were the same age and both retires tomorrow I’d say Rashford edges it. Given Rashford is so much younger (and our rating of him is seriously lowered by last season)and he plays a different role I think it’s a pointless comparison.

A better one is who was a better CF specifically for United, Welbeck or Cavani?

 

[Bogga]

Welbeck used to work his socks off... but lacked end product. That final pass, getting past that last player or getting the damn ball into the goal. He could dribble the past three players but ultimately pass the ball to someone in the crowd or shooting the ball into the floodlights

 

[Telsim]

How about this - both are overall average and not good enough? Selling Welbeck was the right call. Selling Rashford would also be the right call. Simple as.

 

[m1tch]

None of Welbeck's teams have solely relied on him for even one whole season, so quite obviously he'll be far behind the goal returns of Rashford. This isn't necessarily a reflection of ability, it's not always as simple as that. Strength of competition for places, tactics, where they're played, what they're asked to do, injuries can all play a big part. Welbeck is a player that didn't become as good as he could have been, mainly due to injuries.

So I'm not sure on the merits of the comparison. Rashford's form of late has been really poor, I don't think people need to find additional ways to express that by asking whether he was better player than James Wilson, Bebe etc. Rashford needs to get it together before Manchester United does, it's as simple as that if he doesn't want to find himself out of the team/club.

 

[Andy_Cole]

It’s a fair debate and shows how much it’s fallen for Rashford.

 

[Remember the geese]

Rashford every day of the week and twice on Sunday's.

 

[frostbite]

Welbeck was trying...

 

[M Bison]

People are undervaluing Rashford. He was an absolutely fantastic player at one point and one of the most exciting forwards in Europe. It’s an absolute non-debate, Rashford was leagues ahead of Welbeck at his best.

 

[Selbourne]

Welbeck was a good player for us imo and Rashford contributed alot of goals and that pen against PSG. Don't like how we have to praise a player just to go on to devalue another. Both have been solid for us.

 

[Bebestation]

Rashford’s worst season stats is better than Welbeck’s isn’t it?

Mad stuff

 

[Red the Bear]

Marcus.

 

[pcaming]

You've got to be quite deluded to not see how easily Rashford has been better than Welbeck...

 

[Frank Grimes]

Rashford is better finisher so will always have the better numbers.

Convinced Welbeck is a much better all round player though.
Much better vision, pass selection, harder worker. Generally a more intelligent player and also less selfish. Welbeck's lack of composure was his achilles heel, a rather big one for a forward it has to be said.

If Rashford doesn't score in a game he is regularly 5/10. Welbeck could have a good game without scoring.

 

[Bobski]

I have a lot of affection for Welbeck but Rashford clearly reached a higher level than him, just at a very low ebb right now which is massively negatively influencing perceptions of his career.

Welbeck, good tactical brain, disciplined, strong, fast, good hold up and link up play. Not a goal threat, it is not that he was a bad finisher, more than his movement and instincts for where to be in the box are terrible, if the ball was dropping he would always be somewhere else. But still a very useful player in a good team who could follow instructions, had no selfishness in his game and played for the team first.

Rashford could learn from that in trying to rebuild his career, get back to the basics of working hard, making runs off the ball knowing that you will not get it, doing the defensive work needed. Get some confidence back as last season he looked lost as a player with no understanding of how to get out of it.

 

[Ole's screen]

Rashford is better finisher so will always have the better numbers.

Convinced Welbeck is a much better all round player though.
Much better vision, pass selection, harder worker. Generally a more intelligent player and also less selfish. Welbeck's lack of composure was his achilles heel, a rather big one for a forward it has to be said.

If Rashford doesn't score in a game he is regularly 5/10. Welbeck could have a good game without scoring.

I think there’s some recency bias in that. Rashford before injury had lots of games where he had the opposition FB on toast and used to torment them but lacked end product. He had a poor season nobody can deny, but I think people are too harsh on young players. I bet he bounces back strong and makes all these comparisons look silly.

 

[DWelbz19]

Rashford, obviously.

 

[Ali Dia]

Skills and Goals - Rashford
Work rate and playing a role for the team- Welbeck by a mile.

Rashford is a slightly better player with a much worse attitude.

Can you imagine Welbeck in SAFs teams with no other duty only to stay forward and walk around? He’d probably have scored a good bit more.

 

[Bebestation]

Rashford’s assists numbers Vs Welbeck’s

Better all round player my arse!

Literally played under the 2 best PL managers of all time and still was utter shit.

 

[Superunknown]

It's quite telling that we're even having this debate in the first place. I liked Welbeck for his hard work, but he used to fluff so many opportunities after working hard to get into those places, or his final ball would be bad, or he'd mess up his touch. He didn't have that end product and was never in that category as one of our best players. Good squad player.

Rashford was, at one time, the player at our club I was most excited about. He has shown so much promise and potential. The season he has had has been absolutely awful. Bad enough to seriously knock my faith in him. The gulf between Rashford's best and Rashford's worst is just enormous, and last season we saw so much of that bottom level. It's a justified debate based on the season that Rashford has had.

At their very best, Rashford by quite a huge distance. At their worst...that's a hard one.

 

[Frank Grimes]

I think there’s some recency bias in that. Rashford before injury had lots of games where he had the opposition FB on toast and used to torment them but lacked end product. He had a poor season nobody can deny, but I think people are too harsh on young players. I bet he bounces back strong and makes all these comparisons look silly.

No. I've never rated Rashford's overall game. Most overrated player in all my time watching football. That's not his fault by the way and he has some good qualities but he was always hyped into something he wasn't.

 

[Ole's screen]

No. I've never rated Rashford's overall game. Most overrated player in all my time watching football. That's not his fault by the way and he has some good qualities but he was always hyped into something he wasn't.

To each his own mate. Cheers

 

[Foxbatt]

The only issue with Welbeck is his finishing as some have said. Most of the time he would get into better positions but would mess up. He also tries much harder than Rashford and is a much better header of the ball. He is a team player. Rashford is probably more talented and is a much better goal scorer.

 

[AshRK]

Rashford is 24 and has scored more goals (93) than Welbeck in his whole career. It's a stupid thread which is as bad as Mbappe vs Rashford thread

 

[marktan]

I do think Welbeck is underrated. He's been good at every club he's been to and rated by the fans at all of them (even Arsenal).

His all round game is very good, can dribble, link up play, pass - the one weakness in his game was always the finishing which he's now seemed to have improved.

Rashford is the better player mainly because he's more explosive and can finish. But in terms of base talent level in my opinion I'd put them not too far off - it's just Rashford reached a peak was pretty high and unexpected for me anyway. Remains to be seen if he returns there again.

 

[Flexdegea]

My lord United fans are damaged.


Can't believe people are seriously debating this,


I love Welbeck but come on, this is the daftest most bizarre debate ever seen

 

[golden_blunder]

Welbeck scorer of great goals but not a great goalscorer. Hard worker and good linkup play

Rashford good goalscorer on form and very quick. Linkup needs to be worked on. When out of form he’s literally nothing on the pitch

i think a fairer thing would be to judge when retired

 

[Quagmire Maguire]

They are both shite and neither should have regularly got games for the so called biggest club in the world. Welbeck atleast had the decency to always give his all on a fraction of the wages we give to Rashford, Rashford on the other hand..

With Welbeck regularly leading your line you will never win anything. The same can be said for Rashford.

 

[The Boy]

I love Welbeck and am very happy with his skills and effort and he is great addition to our squad. I just wish he was available more often. He has a terrible injury record.

On the other hand I would be over the moon to see Rashford line up for Brighton. The kid is 24 and has had a bad season in a team full of professionals having a bad season - there’s lots more to come from Rashford.

 

[OL29]

Rashford has easily been better imo but Wilshere is close friends with Welbeck so it’s obvious he’ll back him.

 

[The Boy]

They are both shite

Not really.

 

[Trex]

Rashford and it isn't even close!