[Abraxas]

To be fair to him some of the moments today could have easily gone a different way. There were a few flicks and passes that were inches from being right, it's not as if he was putting them all out of play, sometimes there are small margins that make the difference and on a different day I think we'll see something else. I know that's kind of an obvious statement but I think it's true, some of it wasn't miles off.

Technically he's not a maestro but he was never really built up to be, he's a young striker with very good physical capabilities and we've seen that. He is pretty strong and he's very quick which we've not fully worked out how to use yet, we only seem to use Rashford on the break - that's the default playbook because it has been there for years. It will take a bit of time to figure out how to use a traditional style striker and play to his strengths, because obviously on the ball he's not totally ready in all the link up stuff. That cross from Dalot was the type of thing we've never had as a weapon in the past because of ancient strikers or strikers like Martial that don't really want to be attacking the ball. So it'll take a bit of time to get more frequency into the box (not neccessarily in the air, but early balls).

 

[Solius]

Yeah not a good game from him but that’s to be expected at his age. Needs to work on his passing because he messed up a couple of quite easy balls and picked the wrong option at times. Still looks a handful even when playing badly though.

 

[flappyjay]

I said before we signed him that his first touch and linkup play is a weakness. But he's young, and his workrate and in box movement is a positive.

His link up play definitely needs to improve but Iike that he seems to be in the right positions to poach some goals. He was just a split second late a few times.

 

[el3mel]

My friend, dragonair 24/25, Dragonite 25/26

Thinking about it, I have never trained any pseudo-legendary because I was never patient to wait till they evolve at level +40.

Anyway, what was the original conversation ?

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

He's an adult man.

Cheers Nero, thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Pronewbie]

Young and learning. Interesting how we missed out on Gakpo for half the price.

 

[next_number_seven]

Yeah not a good game from him but that’s to be expected at his age. Needs to work on his passing because he messed up a couple of quite easy balls and picked the wrong option at times. Still looks a handful even when playing badly though.

How is he technically?
I'm unsure about his technical ability. This won't improve much unfortunately.

Great workrate and pressing. A handful for defenders.

 

[Bobski]

Made a lot of good runs, is a physical load for defenders to cope with but is technically rather raw.

 

[Savlehest]

For the first time I see why this forum are so funny and crazy. Why are so many people so dramatic? Have a bad game and you will never be good enough. Score 1-2 and you are a wonder kid. Give him time to adjust premier league. Seriously we have a team with a horrible form, it’s nearly impossible to be 20 years and carry this united team.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Thinking about it, I have never trained any pseudo-legendary because I was never patient to wait till they evolve at level +40.

Anyway, what was the original conversation ?

Basically he’s raw and stills kid but could be great.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Looked a bit like Cavani if Cavani suddenly grew three inches overnight and didn't quite know how to control his body yet.

He is nothing like Cavani. Cavani positioning and movement was top class. Hojlund's movement is something which worries me the most.

 

[OmarUnited4ever]

I like him, needs time but he'll get there.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Biggest positive: He was always in the right areas in the box. Soon we can start using quick crosses.
Negatives: a couple of sloppy passes in key moments will shadow the performance.
Although nowhere near the finished article, he has potential.

He was?

 

[Idxomer]

Clearly nothing wrong with his goalscoring instincts but his touch and passing were poor at times.

Hopefully that's down to nerves, getting used to his teammates and a bit of rawness

His touch is kind of bad, he'll have to work on it a lot if he wants to make it in the PL.

 

[Adisa]

With a bit more luck, he could have had two goals.

 

[Kopral Jono]

Clearly not match fit.

 

[johannes_fd]

He's rapid, strong and looks alert in the box. Seems to show up in dangerous areas, and has good off the ball movements. I have a lot of patience for this guy and i'm not really worried about him becoming a bust. He's not 100% match fit, but he's getting there. If we just get the rest of the team sorted out, he will start providing a few goals for us.

 

[Lay]

His first touch is a concern, looks heavy. He’s also currently a yard or two behind where he should be. Poor passing ability on display too.

Still, he’s young and learning and hope he gets some leeway for that but it isn’t easy at United

 

[DJ_21]

Wasn’t great tonight but halve of the team wasn’t.

 

[Garethw]

I blame the club and not the player. He’s 2-3 years of development away from being a starting striker for a top European side.

 

[V.O.]

He is nothing like Cavani. Cavani positioning and movement was top class. Hojlund's movement is something which worries me the most.

I quite like his movement as a base to build on. The finer ways to make space for yourself as a striker are missing obviously, he's nowhere near Cavani's level for that yet, but the willingness to make different runs and attack balls into the box is something we've always been missing from the likes of Martial and Rashford and I think it's something he can develop into a strength.

 

[Hester_manc]

I think he was poor tonight. He had a lot of mispasses, also in some important situations. He was late for a couple of good crosses. And he must not be offside on Evans' finish after the corner kick.

But he was an okay man to play the ball up to. And he got into many good positions.

 

[Baxquux]

He is nothing like Cavani. Cavani positioning and movement was top class. Hojlund's movement is something which worries me the most.

Looks more like consistency of touch and judgement (or weight of) pass, at least from where i was watching. He was making movements into the channels pretty much whenever we had possession high up the field, then trying to combine terms of back-to-goal hold-up before making front/back-post runs when we got crosses in. There were also 1-2 decent attempts to make space for himself and get a shot-off in tight situations.

There's a lot to work on, including understanding with team-mates along with the technical side, but he's not static or being continually drawn to the ball. He would had more opportunities -and maybe got at least one - if we worked the ball more intelligently in the final 3rd , the Bruno pass being an exception, and were more front-foot in general...

 

[Superunknown]

With a bit more luck, he could have had two goals.

He had good chances either side of half time and was unlucky with both. I'm pleased that he's getting into those positions for those chances. Today's game was a learning curve for him.

 

[SirScholes]

Young and learning. Interesting how we missed out on Gakpo for half the price.

What a strange thing to say

 

[Someone]

You can tell he's going to be something special, but for now he's clearly raw. Will get a goal here and there, but he'll need time before he can deliver what we needs. It's not his fault but we really needed someone more ready than this.

 

[mu4c_20le]

What a strange thing to say

He is easily comparable to Gakpo and Nunez, whom we were both linked with. He'd do well to exceed them imo.

 

[Bwuk]

I like Hojlund but it’s very unfair we spent a lot of £££ on him as a startedand expect to be able to plug him into our dysfunctional team and fix everything.

 

[gaffs]

Touch isn't great, the runs he makes are random.

Right now, he is way off what we would consider a United level striker. He will improve though.

 

[sillwuka]

The aim is for him to develop here around good players.
We have to be patient, there are definitely ingredients there.

 

[SirScholes]

He is easily comparable to Gakpo and Nunez, whom we were both linked with. He'd do well to exceed them imo.

Both different players to one another ?

 

[gaffs]

He is easily comparable to Gakpo and Nunez, whom we were both linked with. He'd do well to exceed them imo.

He is nowhere near Nunez.

 

[Pickle85]

Ffs it'll take him a while to adjust to the league. Let's not rush to judgment. There were good signs here...he gives us someone to aim for and there are signs that he can both hold the ball up and run in behind.

 

[SirScholes]

I like Hojlund but it’s very unfair we spent a lot of £££ on him as a startedand expect to be able to plug him into our dysfunctional team and fix everything.

Even ETH said injuries are forcing us to rush players into the team I reckon he is one of them

 

[Irwin99]

Work rate is fine, everything else is a bit raw.

 

[DownRiver]

Harry Kane needed like 10 loan spells until he burst into the season. Henry wasn’t the complete striker at 20 years old.

Hojlund has the raw attributes and is 20 years old. He just need teaching about runs and needs to work on how to use his body. Remember where he was just two seasons ago!

 

[Hester_manc]

To be fair, it would be much easier for a new, young striker to come into a team that was playing well. It would be easier to find the right positions and fall into a good rhythm.

A new, young striker will find it difficult for a team that is in crisis and has performed well below par.

And it is still going to take long time, before he will be a top striker. We knew that when we signed him.

 

[Telsim]

I just hope he doesn't get ran into the ground.

 

[cyberman]

Thought he played really well. Unlucky not to get in the end of a few crosses and was a constant threat in that 6 yard box.
He’ll be a lot better with Mount in the team who will add more attacking thrust higher up that will allow him more opportunities to get in behind. There were so many lazy balls played to him tonight that never matched his run

 

[Anustart89]

Despite being new to the league, being very much far from the finished article and playing in a makeshift team where the main outlet for our attacks refuses to pass the ball when someone's in a better position he ends up in positions where he's a few inches from scoring a goal multiple times every game. If that makes you think he's a shit player and won't make it then you need to get your head checked.