His energy and pace was top. Still needs to work on his passing and decision making a lot, but at least his physical level seems to be at peak again. I hope we can get the version of him back which can give all defenders all sorts of trouble. Unfortunately consistency has never been a thing with him.
10
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 56
- Goals
- 30
- Assists
- 9
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
It was much different seemed the first time in years we looked an organised team and every player looked good this is not a coincidence good from the manager.
He had a good game. I didn't say anything opposite.
But still he is a liability.
The problem with most United fans are that they are too nostalgic and are engaged to somekind of an epic romance story, where a graduate becomes an elite star. During this storyline they want to see the success story so much that giving the protagonist almost endless amount of chances to become the one.
All good with the story when it's fictional, but real life must be different as our stakes are very high, the competition itself should be brutal (which hasn't been like this for a while) so there cannot be infinite amount of chances to players who "are having a rough patch" just for "protecting their value". We aren't an NGO or somekind of a New Age camp where lost people come to find themselves.
I feel that lots of fans are attached to this romance story because it's so beautiful and they secretly see the connection between their everyday life and the club itself. Which is not the way forward actually, but it's inefficient time wasting machine which generates more harm than good.
Sure thing, players are having rough times and drops in form, but not for years. If Rashford had a bad time after coming from injury for 4-6 months, then okay, all understood. But all this PR crap combined with being uninterested, is hugely disrespectful towards the standards we should aim for. We need to align the standards to the level we want to achieve and maintain and at the top other clubs are more ruthless. And so must we be as well. And no, we won't lose our face and identity, but we will make it even stronger.
Can’t fault Rashford last night, ran well off the ball for most of the game, tried beating his man, made runs off the ball and scored a great goal, expect this every week.
That's enough. Thanks.
Like I said before the game, I think he has more potential if he's retrained to play centrally in ten Hag's system.
He's lost a bit of agility and it's hurting his play out wide but his touch is still good. He needs to improve his decision making against low block sides though.
Martial's form will see him be first choice there if Ronaldo is going, it has to be said.
He's lost a bit of agility and it's hurting his play out wide but his touch is still good. He needs to improve his decision making against low block sides though.
Martial's form will see him be first choice there if Ronaldo is going, it has to be said.
You just have to watch our pressing and how organized we looked to see a difference.
Agreed, he had a very lacklustre demeanour and was barely trying to move toward any Liverpool player in the 1st half.
The atmosphere and other players' efforts seem to inspire him in the 2nd half and he showed much more than he had in 18 months.
The sprints is an important stat. He’s one of the few players in our side who can run in behind. Needs to be doing it so much more frequently than he had been over the last year
This! He was competing and winning aerial balls! VVD must have been surprised as it's been ages since I've seen Rashford really bother to contest for anything in the air.
When Elanga went off and Rashford went to the left, I was concerned that we'd lose energy there, but he was up and down defending and harrying, and then with the ball, he was still giving the Liverpool defence loads to think about. Brilliant composure for the goal as well.
So good to be able to speak positively about these players after a game. I've sorely missed it
Hopefully this can light a bit of a fire under him again.
Martial
So, good finish and some good runs. I was certainly doubting him other than his speed so hopefully this isnt just 1 good match
Got one of him smiling?
Give it a rest. Did you see that goal? Did you see that dribble at the end to nearly finish the game off?
A few good runs. But overall thought he was pretty poor. People get too sucked into a goal or a dazzling dribble. He lost the ball a lot, didn’t pass when he should’ve, and was seldom where you wanted him to be off the ball.
A player that basically stands on the last defender and waits for the ball then tries to run directly at goal every time isn’t quite cracking it for me.
A player that basically stands on the last defender and waits for the ball then tries to run directly at goal every time isn’t quite cracking it for me.
He ranked first for sprints completed. Nonsense that he didn't put in effort.
There’s some baffling takes in here like the one you quoted. Rashford was very good last night, he kept Van Dijk and Gomez tied up the entire first half leaving space for Elanga and Sancho on the break. Second half he himself became the danger man getting on to Martial’s balls.
It wasn’t perfect sure, but there was very little to actually say negative about his showing.
Don't wish to take anything from him, but it was unsurprising he had a decent night last night. Exactly the sort of game that plays to his strengths, in that we were mainly playing on the counter and Liverpool had a very very high line.
It's those low block games that seem to really expose him.
It's those low block games that seem to really expose him.
Yeah I saw that goal a goal that would never happen if Rashford was in the same situation as Martial to give the assist. True say it was more kick and run that than a dribble, where was the pass instead of going for glory he’s not the best team mate to have to be honest. Rashford gets but he doesn’t give unless there is no other option for him to do anything else.
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That's more like it. This performance should be a confident booster for Rashford.
23 sprints, highest sprints in the game against Liverpool is very good stat, especially when Liverpool are known for their intensity and players making lot of sprints.
Surprised by that stat, didn't think it was that many.
The stick he was getting in the Match thread just sort of underscores how little a lot of people understand football. He was given a job to do last night and did it very well, even without the goal. The shot he flashed over the bar after beating his man cutting in from the left was also great to see as for a long time he's had a bit of a mental block when he needs to dribble past defenders but can't just kick it past them and run.
Brilliant performance and so happy he capped it with a goal. More of the same please Marcus
Happy for him, that he scored but also more importantly, the sprints and running. Was like the old Marcus that got him into the team. He does seem to play better with Martial.
It's slightly concerning how much the media are already hyping him up again after one half decent performance. He's been consistently poor for at least a year and other than the goal last night was he really that good? I didn't think so. He had one fumbling dribble where the ball manage to bobble it's way past a few Liverpool players, which at the time looked good but was actually very lucky, he then blasted it over when he should have passed to Martial. I didn't see much else worth shouting about.
The problem is, anyone with pace can look good in such open games with a ton of space in behind. I hope I'm wrong and the Liverpool game spurs him on to better performances but i'm convinced when we are back to playing the smaller less attacking teams who don't leave space in behind, Rashford will be poor again and will take a position in the team when there are better options.
I sound negative I know but there is always biased positive spin towards Rashford, and he'll now live off this one half decent performance and keep his place for the next 6 months even if he's playing poorly, and this will cost us points.
The problem is, anyone with pace can look good in such open games with a ton of space in behind. I hope I'm wrong and the Liverpool game spurs him on to better performances but i'm convinced when we are back to playing the smaller less attacking teams who don't leave space in behind, Rashford will be poor again and will take a position in the team when there are better options.
I sound negative I know but there is always biased positive spin towards Rashford, and he'll now live off this one half decent performance and keep his place for the next 6 months even if he's playing poorly, and this will cost us points.
@Replenish I agree 100% with what you’re saying just wait and see when we get Anthony or if we get Anthony. That is Rashford slowly getting moved to the bench he had an alright game but at the end of the day he lacks ball controll and football iq but when he runs and play simpel to his abilities he can then contribute to the team accordingly.
This is absolute rubbish. He has been crucified on here as an example for over a year now. The guy's character and intentions off the pitch were being called into question cause he was shit on the pitch, for fecks sake.
Almost zero pressing from Rashford - fans around me were screaming at him to work. Incredible how he allowed Liverpool players to run past him with not even a token effort to chase them.
He doesn't look fit he slumped over with his hands on his knees and another time on all fours.
He must of got a rollocking off ETH at half time because he did try more in the second half.
He doesn't look fit he slumped over with his hands on his knees and another time on all fours.
He must of got a rollocking off ETH at half time because he did try more in the second half.
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ETH hair dryer for sure.
Relax, the guy’s 3 games in and doesn’t currently have the players required to play a possession based game. This isn’t going to happen overnight, it will take time and multiple transfer windows first.
Some of you clowns aren't fans at all. You have your mind made up on Rashford and slate him no matter how he plays. For christ sake, back the kid.
It's simple. When teams press forward Rashford is at his best. This is why he was so good under Ole in a counter attacking system but almost useless when we tried to play ball against a low block.
Good ol' bollockin!!!
Best of I have seen Rashford play in what feels like an age. I really hope he can turn it around because he really was an exciting player when he first burst on the scene and before the injury.
He has pretty much burnt through all the goodwill from supporters though so needs to sustain these kinds of performances going forward. I wish him all the best because he is a good lad and his off field work is to be commended.
He has pretty much burnt through all the goodwill from supporters though so needs to sustain these kinds of performances going forward. I wish him all the best because he is a good lad and his off field work is to be commended.
The goal gave him confidence. If he missed that chance he’d have carried playing like he did in the first half. Although. I thought his work rate and application was good throughout
Run rash that is the minimum we require of you. You did that yesterday and got reward for it. Well done
Not sure why people are criticizing him for the first half performance. He was playing as the CF in the first half - so criticising for not pressing and people running by seems very harsh. CFs do not press on their own nor do they go chasing after players into our own half to "track back". He made quite a few runs dragging the CBs around and gave them a torrid time, enough to where Sancho and Elanga were then getting space.
To say fire lit under him in the second half is also harsh, he was playing on the wing, so obviously his role changed, he had to cover and play the defensive side - which he did but, can't use that to say why he didn't do that in the first half though. Martial came on in the second half and had a fantastic game but, he too was not running around like a mad man - ETH does want our players to press and our CFs yesterday did that I think exactly the way he'd want them to. Not endless running but, at the right moments with others in tow.
As supporters we should be happy that the goal and the performance will give him confidence but, also have to acknowledge that it was a game that player to his strengths, which is where there is room behind and for once there was service and not endless dawdling losing the ball in midfield. There will be the next games now where he has to build on that, the games where we will have more possession and he'll have to find ways to go past people, make the right passes/decisions. For me I think it will be there because unlike last couple of years where it was all about everyone playing individually, now we will be playing as a team. In the past he has shown he is not just a speed merchant but, does play well in a dynamic setup, where there is quick passing between the forwards/attacking mids. There were good signs of that re-emerging in pre-season and along side Martial, Sancho, Elanga and maybe an Antony - with Bruno/Eriksen feeding them hopefully see it rest of this season too.
To say fire lit under him in the second half is also harsh, he was playing on the wing, so obviously his role changed, he had to cover and play the defensive side - which he did but, can't use that to say why he didn't do that in the first half though. Martial came on in the second half and had a fantastic game but, he too was not running around like a mad man - ETH does want our players to press and our CFs yesterday did that I think exactly the way he'd want them to. Not endless running but, at the right moments with others in tow.
As supporters we should be happy that the goal and the performance will give him confidence but, also have to acknowledge that it was a game that player to his strengths, which is where there is room behind and for once there was service and not endless dawdling losing the ball in midfield. There will be the next games now where he has to build on that, the games where we will have more possession and he'll have to find ways to go past people, make the right passes/decisions. For me I think it will be there because unlike last couple of years where it was all about everyone playing individually, now we will be playing as a team. In the past he has shown he is not just a speed merchant but, does play well in a dynamic setup, where there is quick passing between the forwards/attacking mids. There were good signs of that re-emerging in pre-season and along side Martial, Sancho, Elanga and maybe an Antony - with Bruno/Eriksen feeding them hopefully see it rest of this season too.
This is my concern. Yesterday we really didn't see anything new, he does thrive in counter-attacking system, it's just he goes into this "I will run into 3 players and see what happens" mode whenever he's facing low block defense. I expect that to happen next game to be honest, I would like to be proven wrong but I don't think he has "turned a corner" or anything. He is a weapon against teams that want to push us high, but I can see any other wide player challenging Rashford for his spot in starting XI. Maybe his willingness to run and press was a result of him recognizing this as well.
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