30 goals and 11 assists last season. Playing left winger.
Really feel now, how carried away many of us were last season when we almost started to take his numbers for granted - thinking this is the season we all have been waiting for, to see Marcus explode finally, take that last step and close the gap to the best offensive players playing the same position, like Vini JR, Salah, Mbappe, Rodrygo, Saka, Rafael Leon etc etc but instead he has taken 3-4 steps back. Not scoring, not assisting, presses with 50% of his energy, doesnt help his fullback, no attitude or energy when his playing, looks more confused and likes he is forced to be on the pitch.
Weird how everything started so good with him and ETH - Erik spoke about Rashford often his first 9-10 months, even when we started off bad, didnt score a lot and our offense was terrible in general. But this season, he is barley mentioning him, if it is not some kind of problem unfortunately. Many will say its because there is not much positive to say about him at the moment (a long moment) but thats my point exactly - last year, before the season started even, we had just started to train again after the short summer break but ETH was already out and telling the media how great Rashford is, that he needs to rest and build up his physics a bit but that he is sure that he is the main man to build this team around- Even when being asked what he basis all this big believe in Rashford on - he had barley any answers more then that he has seen him play and that everybody "knows that he is one of the best".
And because he had been managed wrongly and used in the wrong way, ETH saw a Mbappe Light in him - thats how much he was convinced about that if we just give Marcus some time to get used to our new way of playing and other guys as well, he will explode - and which he did, for about 2, max 3 months directly after the WC (where also had some moment, scoring 3 goals) he was really unstoppable, everything he touched resulted in a chance for us, if not a goal or assist. But as fast as it came from nowhere, but it went back even faster to maybe somewhere and the man is stock there (at leas in his mind) and cant seem to find a streak out of 2 good games.
But the point was that ETH did not hype Marcus at all this last preseason, was not openly defending him when media again started to criticizes Marcus (and others) for not scoring in the first games of the season and he is not being the same backup either now when things seem to be worse then ever for him, both on but also off the pitch, the message he left on his social media earlier today is showing that he is not well, probably mentally but refuses to take a break for a couple of months if needed, try to sort out some things (he has been through a lot his last 7-8 years since he started to play for the first team) while there still is time - just remember Lingard and how broken and upset he was that he didnt seek help earlier so he could get help, pull it through and enjoyed the best days of his life probably playing for your boyhood team.
If Marcus, which I believe, is depressed, and stressed out and feel that the role model he became during the COVID-19 is to big of a suit for him to fulfill at the moment, then maybe we need to help him take break and 2-3 steps away from the spotlights, also removing all social media might be a good idea to rest your mind and recover your body and come back for at least one last season (24/25) and lets see if you can use 100% of your talent and potential and try to beat the last big "all smile and happy faces" press conference with both Erik and Marcus having a good time was when Ten Hag, I believe. challenged Marcus to score 40 goals this season (23/24) and that he was sure he had it in him - that he had still some work to do to be the best version of himself. Many of us believed in the 30-40 goals, we believed that Marcus was happy and that Erik saw something about him. But this season, i barely see Marcus, or Erik, smiley at all, not together or with anyone else - and Erik does not sound convinced anymore - now are we cheering for Rasmus to be better then Haaland, just give 2-3 more games and we are there, at least one thread here to solve it.
