The next decade super natural Messi/Ronaldo footballer. Enjoy him
11
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 52
- Goals
- 12
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 2
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Fantastic goal obviously. I like to see a bit more improvement in terms of his overall play. I feel as though he isn't getting as involved in the overall game as much and his impact is usually closer to goal. I mean, this is fine if you're playing as a striker with others around to link the play up, but not so much if you're a wide forward and you might have to do more in terms of build-up play. He's still young of course, so there's time for him to develop that.
No surprised by his finishing. What surprised me is he seems to become stronger and faster. Noticed that in previous few matches even he was playing not so good.
It looks like he has his mojo back. Seems to come alive on the ball unlike Martial. Instant control and good at laying it off or protecting the ball. Needs the minutes and we should see more and more from him.
I thought he really came alive when he played down the middle, he seemed to get involved more and get more chances. I'll say it again too that goal is unbelievable, to control it in that manner and then swivel and bang it in takes something special. I reckon that's his best goal to date in terms of difficulty.
Why do you feel the need to compare? They were both great goals. As was the third.
His improvement is there for people to see. When he first burst on to the scene scoring goals, most of us could still see he wasn't really ready to start. Since the lockdown, his hold up play and strength on the ball has improved markedly. I'd be happy with him starting as a number 9 if need be. Starting to bring some of his dribbling into the game too, was more focused on quick shifts and shots on goal before hand but now he is happy to run at defenders and try to commit them. I think this goal will do his confidence the world of good. The other chances were quite poor from him surprisingly but he got his goal so good day at the office.
He has and still has a couple of years before he develops physically.
Scary prospect!
You could tell how much that goal meant to him. It looked like he let out so much frustration when he scored that.
So happy for him.
So happy for him.
When will we decide to shift him into the number 9 position? His finishing and footwork in the box are too good for him to remain in that right wing position in the long term. Both Martial and Rashford miss too many easy chances to make that role their own. Greenwood would be a very good solution for our search of a striker.
With Martial and Cavani injured he may be there sooner rather than later
that’s why Cavani is such a good solution.
He still has lots of learn, and playing on the right wing, and mixing that with central roles for the next 18 months will do him no harm.
Anyone else caught his movement before the goal? Absolute genius movement, and then that bit of imagination to set himself up for a shot. Superb movement, magical touch, clinical finish. Top striker in the making.
Insane finish. We’re getting by on individual brilliance, which is concerning, but when it’s as good as that it’s hard not to just enjoy it.
I did straight away, sold the defender and bought himself that bit of time to get the touch and shot away, absolutely brilliant.
I can agree with pretty much all of your post except the bolded parts.
I suppose when you meant 'best teams' you're talking about Fergie days? If that's the case then yes we wasn't super refined compared to the micro managed tactics and patterns of today but we had a very clear structure. We could batter teams off the park physically (winning first, second etc balls), play possession with sustained pressure, be defensive or of course counter attack devestatingly. All in all we did not look clueless, which is what we have demonstrated fairly consistently at times over the last few years.
That's on the manager. We don't need a Sancho to be comfortably playing out of a press or holding onto the ball under pressure or being able to create chances without needing comeback/being a goal down type of urgency.
What a prospect. At 19, that’s what he should be. The scary thing is he already looks and plays like a first teamer. His goal yesterday in its movement, anticipation, touch, speed & finish is all of the top drawer. If he continues to develop at this rate over the next couple of seasons, I see no reason why he won’t be our main no.9 and goal scorer going forward.
He has so much a natural ability it is scary. That finish was Basten like.
Apart from United, I follow Flamengo in Brazil. Last season, they played a kind of 4-2-2-2, they had two DMs, two techno-midgets and two wide forwards up top. The two techno-midgets would go up central whenever the two forwards split and make a wide run.
I’ve been thinking for awhile now that we should try it especially if we keep with the Fred-McTom pivot; it was a bit similar to when we did the diamond but the issue there was Pogba and Bruno ended up too wide a lot of the time. It also suits Marcus and Mason, and Bruno is protected by the two DMs.
I’m a fan of the diamond for our squad; it’s just that we shouldn’t overuse it in games we don’t need to. We’ll probably see it again at Leipzig.
Would love to start seeing him more in that no.9 position. Let's know what we are working with before deciding to go all out on Haaland
I have been having the same argument in the Pogba thread. From a midfield perspective we lose a lot of creativity when we play McFred at the base of the midfield, Pogba makes us lose defensive stability when he plays as one of the two midfielders but what can't be denied is is impact up the pitch in attack.
Besides Cavani, who we shouldn't play every game, we have no other striker that gives us what's required of a lone striker. Both Martial, Greenwood, Rashford and Cavani himself are adept at playing as roaming strikers.
From the above, McTominay and Fred give us defensive solidity whilst Pogba and Bruno can unlock defenses and we have an assortment of forwards that can excel in a two striker formation; Rashford and Cavani, Martial (when on form) and Rashford, Greenwood and Rashford/Martial, Cavani and Greenwood/Martial.
We have limited quality on the wings but great depth in central roles as explained in the striker positions, the same applies with the No.10s as Pogba and Bruno would be first choice we still have Mata and VDB to come in for one or all of them. Then Matic, Fred and McTominay can rotate for the deeper roles.
AWB is improving on the ball, Telles and Shaw are serviceable so they won't provide us with great quality wing options but just about acceptable. However the benefit of being able to have Pogba and Bruno in tandem with Cavani and Rashford is a tantalizing prospect.
It shouldn't be diamond but a 4-2-2-2 with specific roles. I think we have the resources to pull it off. Imagine having to contend with marking out both Bruno and Pogba or focusing on Rashford only for Cavani to destroy you or vise versa.
This sounds interesting but may I ask how can they provide width? And overload a low block because if we do so we'd have max 2 players against like 4-6 players in the opponent box? And who will provide the ball if the two techno mid go into the box?
Watching the game again, he's a natural finisher. He's one of those strikers where if you give him an inch while set he'll absolutely dagger you. I think he has the platform to grow into a truly elite striker if he can continue to develop physically.
The fullbacks and then you can always have one of the AMs/strikers drifting wide. Say Rashford and Cavani are in the box and we have control of the ball in and around the opponent's box, what stops one of the DMs from making a run into the box, Pogba/Bruno from making that run or drifting wide and the fullbacks from pushing up?
I see.
But our FB are not very good in providing width. Telles is good with his crossing but he's a bit slow to run back if he'd have to run down the line to provide width. AWB is good with running but is not good with the ball. Plus your scenario will leave us pretty exposed in the middle if one of the DM make the run. We need to play a double pivot there to ensure our midfield in the first place you know.
And imo that 4222 is pretty exposed when it come to defending the flanks. May I ask how do Flamengo defend their flanks?
The same way you'd defend them in a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 i.e by having attacking players help out the FBs. Both formations turn into a 4-4-2 off the ball.
I agree that our fullbacks aren't ideal but I think they are just about serviceable and when they overlap, just like any other formations one of the DMs/CBs goes wide to cover. There is always a risk but imo the benefit of having Pogba and Bruno feeding two strikers beats the risks.
No it's not the same I think. A 4231 would turn into a 451 in defense with two wingers falling back to help their FB.
In a 4231 you'd have your winger and one of the pivot to help out your FB. While your AM would fall back into the said pivot position. Or your AM and your winger if your AM is nearer.
In a 4222 it's one of the DM and the AM. Pogba or Bruno to track back and help the FB? No tbh I don't really like that idea.
That’s what a I love about him.
They say footballers form is all based on confidence.
With Greenwood, even if he’s having an absolute stinker and his form is shocking and 25 tragic events have happened in his life, you still know he just needs one chance and he’ll absolutely bury it.
In a weird way, he could probably have shocking form for a whole season and still bag 25 goals.
You have DMs on the pitch and if the ball is on the flanks it means that one of them is unnecessary in the centre and will have to go out and help out on the wing. It's just the same way as you would do it in any other formation, the only difference is the AM tracking back not the winger.
If you put him and Martial side by side in front of robot GKs that have the same parameters and capabilities, which are modeled based on Tim Krul. After 100 shots, Greenwood would have scored most of them, maybe around 90% success rate while Martial might have scored around 70%. 30% if there's Phil Jones waving at them from the stands. My point is Greenwood was born to score goals while Martial is easily distracted, a hot and cold type of striker. Greenwood could very well make the CF position his own if we manage to prevent him from visiting Iceland ever again.
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Did you really read my post?
Someone needs to teach him how to do a proper knee slide.
The pitch seemed dry, it could have fecked up his knees. I personally don't like those celebrations
We seem to have a knack of messing them up, Rashford and even Ruud I remember failing, only McTominay vs City is the only one I've seen perfected.
Dont know why Greenwood lashed out at that last chance when he was clean through 1v1.
This is all he needs to do. Once his physicality matches his skill he could be incredible.
Yeah that was unusual for him, he's usually so composed. I think it just sat up for him nicely and he went to blast it - but should have taken a touch and settled it down.
Anyways, better to make those mistakes at 3-1 rather than at 1-1/2-1
I feel old remembering that and I'm 29
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