[roonster09]

Do you really think scoring once every 355 minutes is a good enough return for a Manchester United centre forward?

- Almost all top strikers start scoring significant goal tallies within 2 or 3 years of getting into a top tier league.
- To lead the line for a top club in England you need to be scoring at a rate of roughly a goal every 100-150 minutes.
- To establish yourself you need to show consistent improvement year on year.
- Outside of stats, you need to show you can be relied upon to finish in those games where you might only get one good chance.

Rashford is a long way off any of those things, and he's no longer some kid just breaking through from the academy.

I have given plenty of examples to show how many players have improved their goal scoring record with age and experience, players who played at lot lower level than Rashford and weren't prolific scorers and still you come up with these arguments. I don't even know why you are talking about his present stats when argument was players don't improve their goal scoring Instincts.

Rashford is still young player who barley plays as CF. It's just ridiculous to criticize him his goal scoring record by comparing him to CFs who play regularly as CFs now and from young age.

 

[Foxbatt]

If Lukaku had been scoring like last year then we would not have been in this pathetic position. Now Rashford had a poor time when he played CF. It is the same this year. I do not think any of them is capable of doing so. Rashford is missing as much and if not more than Lukaku. Lukaku simply does not get into goal scoring positions as he was doing last year.

 

[11101]

I have given plenty of examples to show how many players have improved their goal scoring record with age and experience, players who played at lot lower level than Rashford and weren't prolific scorers and still you come up with these arguments. I don't even know why you are talking about his present stats when argument was players don't improve their goal scoring Instincts.

Rashford is still young player who barley plays as CF. It's just ridiculous to criticize him his goal scoring record by comparing him to CFs who play regularly as CFs now and from young age.

Yeah, and every one of those players it turned out improved their instincts within a year or two of being in a top tier league, regardless of their age. Rashford is on year 4 and his goalscoring record is getting worse. All we want to see is improvement and we're not getting it.

 

[roonster09]

Yeah, and every one of those players it turned out improved their instincts within a year or two of being in a top tier league, regardless of their age. Rashford is on year 4 and his goalscoring record is getting worse. All we want to see is improvement and we're not getting it.

Yeah them not scoring in poor league is irrelevant, improvement with age and experience is irrelevant too.

When they moved to top league, all of a sudden someone opened FM editor and edited their attributes so that they can score shit loads of goals.

 

[Amar__]

How can any United fan defend Lukaku over Rashford is beyond me.

Difference is ridiculous:
- Rashford is home grown player who cost us almost nothing unlike Lukaku who cost us almost superstar money, which is more than enough to finish every discussion. This is the reason why it's unfair to Rashford to even compare the two.
- Rashford in on probably three times smaller wages than Lukaku
- Rashford is in and out of team all the time, criticised quite often by his manager unlike Lukaku who is playing for months in terrible form, and gets special threatment from Mourinho
- Rashford's lower level as a striker looks to be still better than Lukaku who isn't even a footballer when in bad form, despite having great threatment from the manager unlike Rashford who wasabout 2 games in weakened first XI to show that he is good enough to lead the line(same with fans too). Rashford wasn't special recently whenLukaku was injured, but we were still far better withhim in the team than with Lukakumostly because Rashford is actually running when he doesn't have the ball.
- difference in their attitude is also different, Lukaku is hardly breaking a sweat even during his worst form and Rashford is always active, both defensively(pressing) and attacking wise without the ball

Even if he doesn't fullfil his potential, Rashford won't be far away from Lukaku's top level in few years. If he fullfils his potential, he will be far better player.

 

[redshaw]

If Lukaku had been scoring like last year then we would not have been in this pathetic position. Now Rashford had a poor time when he played CF. It is the same this year. I do not think any of them is capable of doing so. Rashford is missing as much and if not more than Lukaku. Lukaku simply does not get into goal scoring positions as he was doing last year.

Depends when and where. Stats don't always show it.

Lukaku scored 16 last year. He's on 4 now and if we upped it to 5 he'd be on course to end with 15. We might be up a little bit but not much.

Our goals conceded has been the biggest reason.

 

[Adisa]

Is it true he's missed ten 1 v 1s in a row for us?

 

[kouroux]

Drogba wasn't a great striker because he was a prolific finisher. He only scored over 20 league goals once in his career.

Cant think of anyone who developed that natural strikers instinct late in their career.

You're technically right, just wanna say that he scored 20 and 29 goals but the more interesting thing is to look at goalscoring ratios and when we see that, there is no doubt he improved with age

 

[11101]

You're technically right, just wanna say that he scored 20 and 29 goals but the more interesting thing is to look at goalscoring ratios and when we see that, there is no doubt he improved with age

Yeah, undoubtedly all players improve with experience. In Drogba's case his game was about a lot more than just goals. If it hadn't been and he was just a poacher I'm not sure he would have lasted long at the top level.

Either way, as with all top strikers he followed the pattern of stepping up within 2 years once he entered Ligue 1, and again when he joined Chelsea, despite being patchy when he was in the lower leagues.

 

[kouroux]

Yeah, undoubtedly all players improve with experience. In Drogba's case his game was about a lot more than just goals. If it hadn't been I'm not sure he would have lasted long at the top level.

Yup, if Rashford could be as useful as Drogba in his own way for our team, it would be great.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Is it true he's missed ten 1 v 1s in a row for us?

Must be. Never has scored one in my recent memory

 

[sam147]

English bias

He isn't excellent by any means, but he is still far better than Lukaku who isn't a foitballer at this point, so he deserves to start on that alone.

Rashford better than Lukaku? In what way? His movement is below average for someone so fast he fails to utilise it. And his goals record is nowhere near Lukakus. Even when they were the same age its nowhere near. Hope this helps.

 

[Foxbatt]

People complain that he not being played as a striker but Ole rarely played as a striker but he scored a lot more and more important goals than Rashford so far has done.

 

[Dec9003]

Using Lukakus 'movement' as a stick to beat Rashford with, bizzare.

 

[MadDogg]

Rashford better than Lukaku? In what way? His movement is below average for someone so fast he fails to utilise it. And his goals record is nowhere near Lukakus. Even when they were the same age its nowhere near. Hope this helps.

Rashford is currently providing more for the team than Lukaku is at the moment. I actually don't rate Rashford as a striker, but his movement at the very least is doing more for the team than Lukaku who is basically just standing there and losing the ball during this period of atrocious form.

 

[Foxbatt]

I now enjoy seeing Lukaku standing there and pointing to his feet and throwing his hands up in exasperation when the ball is not passed to him. I also enjoy seeing Lukaku throwing up his hands in exasperation when he gets the ball and loses it easily. It is always the same. Don't get it and throws up his hands and get it and throws up his hands since he loses it.
It is the same as Matic playing. No matter what happens he plays.

 

[cyberman]

Using Lukakus 'movement' as a stick to beat Rashford with, bizzare.

Lukakus is bad but Marcus is worse.
If Rashford isn't running on to a through ball then he doesn't have a goal scoring chance. Its really frustrating to watch.

 

[Bojan11]

I now enjoy seeing Lukaku standing there and pointing to his feet and throwing his hands up in exasperation when the ball is not passed to him. I also enjoy seeing Lukaku throwing up his hands in exasperation when he gets the ball and loses it easily. It is always the same. Don't get it and throws up his hands and get it and throws up his hands since he loses it.

Eh? Rashford does that too. Throws his arms in the air when he doesn’t get a pass. When he does get the pass he screws up.

His shot percentage in his first season is obviously high because he scored with nearly every shot then. But that was nearly three years ago. It’s looking like a purple patch rather than something consistent.

As a striker he has no physical presence. He is flat footed in the box and can’t score with his head. People praising movement and energy. That should be the basics for a striker. Just because Lukaku doesn’t do it that it means we marvel over other players doing basic things. Don’t get me started on his hold up play. Then you have his finishing which is just awful. Some of his shooting vs Young boys was mind boggling. He has no footballing brain. We’d be pissing ourselves laughing if a Liverpool or City player was shooting the way he did on Tuesday.

 

[breakout67]

Being a prolific goalscorer is different from being an elite finisher. Lots of players dont get into goalscoring positions often but have the right technique to send the keeper the wrong way most of the time.

He can potentially be a prolific goalscorer, because that is less about finishing and more about volume of chances. He has the movement, pace and intelligence to get into goalscoring positions. But I doubt he'll ever be at the level of finishing like Martial who has been good at 1v1s since he was a teenager.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Being a prolific goalscorer is different from being an elite finisher. Lots of players dont get into goalscoring positions often but have the right technique to send the keeper the wrong way most of the time.

He can potentially be a prolific goalscorer, because that is less about finishing and more about volume of chances. He has the movement, pace and intelligence to get into goalscoring positions. But I doubt he'll ever be at the level of finishing like Martial who has been good at 1v1s since he was a teenager.

This is what I see too. I'm not going in to Rashford's ability to finish yet because in all honesty what I saw with my own eyes was a striker that would get in to good positions under LVG & finish off chances. A better position to finish that pure an ability to finish.

Ever since he got turned to a winger instantly upon the arrival of Jose - he hardly found himself in the end of chances and was more a player who found him in areas to create - which he is rubbish at. At the same time - I saw a guy who adapted the way he shoots almost like an inverted forward from far away - trying to resemble Ronaldo from 30 years away trying to smack the ball with pure power but with no precision.


Not only is he positionally wrong most of the time but when he does play striker for us - we have no ball playing creativity from the middle for him to run in behind defences. He either ends up doing it himself or getting the ball as any Jose striker would which is from crosses and lofted balls - which he clearly struggles with.

Before I give up on the lad - I want to see him as a forward as part of an attacking plan thst aims to get the best use of him to finish moves thst we as a team make - rather than blame him for missing chances he himself most of the time made because the team play was so poor.

 

[Foxbatt]

I was looking at Ole when he was young and arrived at United. What a finisher! At this moment in time I will even chose Chicharito over Lukaku and Rashford. That said one of them is probably going to play a blinder today and people will come out and scream at some of us. One swallow does not make a summer.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

I was looking at Ole when he was young and arrived at United. What a finisher! At this moment in time I will even chose Chicharito over Lukaku and Rashford. That said one of them is probably going to play a blinder today and people will come out and scream at some of us. One swallow does not make a summer.

Neither does bad performances count as a bat to beat him with under a manager who never uses a striker like him nor has ever built a team that benefits a forward like him in comparison to a target man. The team didn't change when Rashford played even though Lukaku was dropped - if Lukaku struggled considering he is a Jose built man; how do you expect Rashford to do so well?

Let's see him under a manager who will utilise forwards as forwards & hopefully puts target men back in the 80's where they belong.

This is a manager who has a list of forwards from martial Sanchez, Rashford & Lukaku - and only ever desires to play with a single target man & everyone else out wide.

 

[Dec9003]

Lukakus is bad but Marcus is worse.
If Rashford isn't running on to a through ball then he doesn't have a goal scoring chance. Its really frustrating to watch.

Rashfords movement is miles better than Lukaku.
Lukaku is practically immobile at the moment.

 

[meninred]

Rashford isnot taking advantage of the situation.This was his best chance to cement the position.
He hasnot convinced.
It will only reenforce the belief that he is a squad player.

 

[Foxbatt]

Neither does bad performances count as a bat to beat him with under a manager who never uses a striker like him nor has ever built a team that benefits a forward like him in comparison to a target man. The team didn't change when Rashford played even though Lukaku was dropped - if Lukaku struggled considering he is a Jose built man; how do you expect Rashford to do so well?

Let's see him under a manager who will utilise forwards as forwards & hopefully puts target men back in the 80's where they belong.

This is a manager who has a list of forwards from martial Sanchez, Rashford & Lukaku - and only ever desires to play with a single target man & everyone else out wide.

This exactly what I have been saying for a long time. We cannot play with this formation. We need to get back to a sort of a diamond where we have two strikers close and then an attacking midfield player to create and a holding midfield player and two central midfield players. Let the two central midfield players and the full backs provide the width needed. Plus we need to move the ball a lot faster and our movements off the ball a lot quicker. But playing Matic in that role is not going to do it.

 

[Isotope]

He had an excellent game. The one that more like a 75m forward.

 

[soap]

This exactly what I have been saying for a long time. We cannot play with this formation. We need to get back to a sort of a diamond where we have two strikers close and then an attacking midfield player to create and a holding midfield player and two central midfield players. Let the two central midfield players and the full backs provide the width needed. Plus we need to move the ball a lot faster and our movements off the ball a lot quicker. But playing Matic in that role is not going to do it.

Need good fullbacks for that unfortunately.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Superb tonight. Genuinely has something to play for and worked his ring off for the team. Hopefully he's not actually injured and he can keep this up. Genuinely think he can keep Lukaku out of the team up front. Don't really wanna keep seeing 3-5-2 though and as an individual striker, these confidence boosting performances can go further in cementing his spot up front.

 

[Ballache]

The only one that seemed to give a shit today.

 

[el3mel]

His best game since a long time now. Started terribly but grow into it. Please keep that on.

 

[11101]

Good to see him trying to make things happen and getting some rewards. I do wish he'd start running to make the pass an option, rather than moving after he thinks it is.

 

[Sayros]

Really encouraging game, it's a shame he had to come off for Martial, as Lukaku should have been the one to hit the bench but I heard he got a knock, hopefully nothing serious.

 

[.Rossi]

He's a decent player but, nothing changes my mind about him as a striker.
Genuinely do believe Fergie would have shipped him and Lingard off.

Sorry but, there is a standard to be met and in my opinion, he's not hitting it.

Having said that, bar De Gea, no one is hitting those standards

 

[Stadjer]

MOTM. I dont think he is a world class striker and i doubt he will ever be one but he was miles above anyone else today. Made runs and got two assists even if the first one needed quite a bit of luck.

Good player to have in the squad.. deserves a spot but Martial is the better player and so is/was Sanchez.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Genuinely do believe Fergie would have shipped him and Lingard off.

Based on absolutely nothing which you've just pulled out of your ass?

Fergie had a history of always keeping around academy players and you think he would have shipped off two England regulars from our academy? Not to mention he loves Jesse and always sang his praises and had him in and around our first team as a teenager and said he'd be a late developer. So, no. Stop projecting your shit views as if Fergie would have them too.

 

[Foxbatt]

Yes he had a very good game. He was our best player alongside Anders.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

After his cock up left to the free kick goal and he ballooned that shot out of the stands I was worried he might hit a new low. Showed his qualities after that, the second assist was especially good.

His goal/assist contribution is 1 every 117 minutes in the PL this season. A bit better than many would give him credit for.

 

[kundalini]

A disaster in our half but a real threat in the Southampton half.

 

[jmaggio]

The only bright spark. Has more chance of silverware with England than United at this moment in time shockingly

 

[.Rossi]

Based on absolutely nothing which you've just pulled out of your ass?

Fergie had a history of always keeping around academy players and you think he would have shipped off two England regulars from our academy? Not to mention he loves Jesse and always sang his praises and had him in and around our first team as a teenager and said he'd be a late developer. So, no. Stop projecting your shit views as if Fergie would have them too.

Actually, if I remember correctly, you were one of those throwing around the whole "Kneejerk" shit years back, when people were worried something like the current situation would arise...

Oh my...