[Withnail]

I thought he did ok yesterday and was better than previously and he did get a couple of good crosses in but spotted this on twitter earlier.

He doesn't celebrate Pogba's winner at all.

He hardly even reacts. It's very odd.

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[Adam-Utd]

I thought he did ok yesterday and was better than previously and he did get a couple of good crosses in but spotted this on twitter earlier.

He doesn't celebrate Pogba's winner at all.

He hardly even reacts. It's very odd.

Tweet

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Could be struggling mentally, would explain why he looks just a little "off" at the moment.

Lets be honest he had such a rapid rise, then the whole England thing with the whole country going at him. He's not been the same since.

I think he played OK, he's always tidy on the ball and he put in some lovely crosses, but seems his confidence isn't quite there like it was last year.

He also seems to be using his right foot a lot less too lately, that's a bit worrying. He's still so young though, i'm sure he'll get passed it.

 

[Shimo]

Thought he did a lot better against Fulham than some previous performances. It helped having Cavani because unlike Martial / Rashford, he could actually then cut back and try put in some in swinging crosses.

Problem he is facing right now is that he is not getting in the positions to have a shot on goal and when he doesn't have that, then expected to have impact as a wide player, something that I don't think is his forte yet. It would help massively if we start getting the ball him in positions where he is isolated at the very least or get in and around the box more often so he can have a shot.

 

[tjb]

People need to a bit patient with Greenwood.

1. He's playing in a position he normally should not be playing in.
2. He's in a team far superior to the ones Rashford and Martial were in, giving them more opportunities to shine and polish their games ( well to an extent).
3. Unlike either Rashford or Martial, Greenwood clearly has the skillset to be a no.9 at United, his touches, strikes, balance tell you he will be a good striker. What we don't know yet is what type of no.9 he will be.
4. The issues he has in his game, come from not having experience rather than being skill related. He doesn't yet know how to get into the right positions to get his shots at the premier league level outside of a basic cut inside. This is something that is learnt through playing rather than something that may need to be organically developed.

My one concern is his movement off the ball. I think he can learn, if he gets the chance, but we are in a position where it would be hard to give him that chance. I would actually loan him out to a team playing well in the championship, a decent bundesliga side or an average premier league team that can guarantee him gametime as a striker. His weaknesses for me are all experience based.

 

[kolli]

the problem for him and to a lesser extent also for Martial and Rashford is, that we are asking them to create the width. On the left side not so much, as you have Shaw being active and overlapping, but yesterday there were so many moments were the ball was in the center of the pitch and Greenwood was hugging the touchline. Last years goals mostly came from him cutting in from a much more central position.
I can‘t imagine this isn‘t happening by instruction as it‘s the same for alle the games he‘s playing, but I would love for him to tuck in more, receive the ball, one quick move & shoot. That would mean Wan-Bissaka has to provide the attacking width and whoever is playing as the right central midfielder neede to cover

 

[Polar]

We have to stop play Greenwood on the RW and start using him as a striker.

 

[2cents]

He also seems to be using his right foot a lot less too lately, that's a bit worrying.

Noticed this too, seems really reluctant to go outside, always looking to cut in. Obviously he favors his left but we’ve seen he’s very comfortable either side so he needs to mix it up a bit.

 

[Cantona'sCollar]

His friend committed suicide a few weeks ago. Overreactions in here..

He will be a great player.

 

[Mbappe2021]

He is way too selfish with the ball anytime he comes or gets near the penalty area you know he won't pass to anyone it is OK as he is a striker but to do over and over again it is getting on my nerves.

You can all say stuff about martial but he is the only one who is team oriented whenever he plays even when he is not in good form he always puts the team first something rashy and Mason don't get .


I find both to be overreated the same way martial fans don't want to admit his faults but martial is the most talented of the 3 just needs to put more effort.

Greenwood has one thing going for him that is his shooting but the rest of his game is way overrated and he needs to become a team player and stop shooting so much he reminds me of rashford when he first came out.

 

[matt23]

I just don't think playing the kid out wide is doing us, or him any good.

He looks very individualistic compared to most of our players. Comes alive with the goal in sight but link up play has been very poor.

 

[zenith]

We have to stop play Greenwood on the RW and start using him as a striker.

Pretty much this. His instincts are best utilized closer to goal.

For this to happen though, we need a proper right winger at the club.

 

[BazzaBear]

When almost everything he's done for the first team which has had us amazed has been from the right, how are people coming to the conclusion that the reason he's having a bad patch now is because that's where he's playing?

 

[Virgil]

Absolutely no need to worry about Greenwood. Still oozes class.

I do so hope you are right and have no wish to knock the lad for he certainly has time to develop but I still have nagging doubts. After all Januzai and Morrison were both considered to be talents that were going to set the world alight. Morrison was even touted to be better than Pogba. Wilson was going to be a nailed on number 9. I think I will stop there before I depress myself. I will keep fingers crossed that Greenwood does make it.

 

[lex talionis]

With Martial melting down like a wax clown in the Sahara desert Cavani should get the starts up top, but I’d like to see Greenwood coming on as a striker once we’ve got the match under control. It’s just not working for him at RW as he just never takes the option of beating the defender to the byline.

 

[bosnian_red]

With Martial melting down like a wax clown in the Sahara desert Cavani should get the starts up top, but I’d like to see Greenwood coming on as a striker once we’ve got the match under control. It’s just not working for him at RW as he just never takes the option of beating the defender to the byline.

Yup, been saying for a while, but Cavani and Greenwood should be the two players rotating as a striker, while Rashford and Martial take the wings with Pogba rotating on the left when he isn't central, and James/Mata taking the right for the occasional rotation. Greenwood on the right doesn't really do much for us.

 

[Polar]

When almost everything he's done for the first team which has had us amazed has been from the right, how are people coming to the conclusion that the reason he's having a bad patch now is because that's where he's playing?

Don’t disagree to much, but in my view he doesn’t fit as a RW in our system. It’s no problem to work and move from the right side if you are a striker either, especially if we play with two strikers.

In our current set up we cannot afford having 4 very offensive players; our wing have to be very flexible and have great all round skills. Greenwood has to develop defensive skills, working capacity and also have to contribute more in the centre of the pitch sometimes, ex be more available in our build up. Rashford and Sancho are very close to be perfect wings in our set-up.

 

[bosnian_red]

When almost everything he's done for the first team which has had us amazed has been from the right, how are people coming to the conclusion that the reason he's having a bad patch now is because that's where he's playing?

He has great raw qualities and did well breaking through, but he was playing differently to now. Last season when he played on the right it was very much further up, as a wide forward and very little need to stay wide. Rashford would stay deeper and take up a more creative role, and we generally were more reliant on counter attacking so there was more space for him.

Now we have Cavani up top often, Rashford or Martial as an inside forward on the left, and the right wing is holding more width and not as high up. Greenwood isn't suited to it at all, he's never been winger who is suited to holding width, being further back and playing in a more possession based system rather than counter attacking system. Combine that with confidence loss/2nd season syndrome which happens to loads of young talents, and you get your answer.

The way we play, he's just far more suited to being a striker (no surprise as he was always looking like developing in this way).

 

[Matt851]

He has great raw qualities and did well breaking through, but he was playing differently to now. Last season when he played on the right it was very much further up, as a wide forward and very little need to stay wide. Rashford would stay deeper and take up a more creative role, and we generally were more reliant on counter attacking so there was more space for him.

Now we have Cavani up top often, Rashford or Martial as an inside forward on the left, and the right wing is holding more width and not as high up. Greenwood isn't suited to it at all, he's never been winger who is suited to holding width, being further back and playing in a more possession based system rather than counter attacking system. Combine that with confidence loss/2nd season syndrome which happens to loads of young talents, and you get your answer.

The way we play, he's just far more suited to being a striker (no surprise as he was always looking like developing in this way).

Is he actually up to playing as a lone cf in the pl yet though? I dont think he has looked great on the rare occasions he has played in that position. He is currently not good enough with his back to goal and his movement isnt great. He is third choice cf so he either improves his performances on the right or has to be content with the odd cup game

 

[BazzaBear]

I think he's still of an age where anywhere we can slot him in to get him minutes without being detrimental to the team is absolutely fine.

And he's clearly going through a rough patch regardless of what position he's in - I don't think, at this moment, CF qualifies as a place we can slot him without it being detrimental.

I have absolute confidence he'll come good.

 

[bosnian_red]

Is he actually up to playing as a lone cf in the pl yet though? I dont think he has looked great on the rare occasions he has played in that position. He is currently not good enough with his back to goal and his movement isnt great. He is third choice cf so he either improves his performances on the right or has to be content with the odd cup game

He did really well vs Leipzig IMO playing centrally. His movement is one of the big plusses you get being central! He has the poacher instincts to find space that Martial and Rashford don't. But yeah he has to develop with his back to goal, only way to do it is with game time though. Part of the problem with his other games was he played in a full rotation team there, so our whole level dropped, not because of him necessarily. The benefit would be having Rashford and Martial stretching the pitch and being inside forwards anyway, so I don't think itd hurt us. Cavani needs to be used for the more important games anyway, but Greenwood is definitely good enough to rotate in for smaller ones as a striker.

 

[Mbappe2021]

He might have great instincts as a striker but as a footballer he is very poor but also so selfish with anytime around the area if people think that putting him near the box will make him better maybe but I reckon he will be detrimental to the side because he is obsessed with scoring goals so shooting on sight is what will happen most of the time and while it goes in it will be good but the link up play will suffer soon as he doesn't.

We can blame martial all we want but he's a team player with great link up plays which helps the team get more chances to score whereas with Mason I feel just with rashy to a lesser extent he wants to be the one on scoring the goals.

 

[kundalini]

He did really well vs Leipzig IMO playing centrally. His movement is one of the big plusses you get being central! He has the poacher instincts to find space that Martial and Rashford don't. But yeah he has to develop with his back to goal, only way to do it is with game time though. Part of the problem with his other games was he played in a full rotation team there, so our whole level dropped, not because of him necessarily. The benefit would be having Rashford and Martial stretching the pitch and being inside forwards anyway, so I don't think itd hurt us. Cavani needs to be used for the more important games anyway, but Greenwood is definitely good enough to rotate in for smaller ones as a striker.

Greenwood's starts as a striker this season:

Leipzig home - scored nice finish from an angle, apparently he had another shot that was saved but I don't recall it
Leipzig away - won dubious penalty, should have sent Rashford through on goal soon after they scored but instead chose to go alone then a tame shot that was easily saved, 4 other shots, one saved, one blocked, 2 off-target
Arsenal home - similar position to his goal against Leipzig but weirdly chose to shoot near post that was saved without difficulty, otherwise anonymous
Southampton - had two huge chances to score but wasted both, incredibly shooting well wide having gone round their keeper, the other intercepted a pass from their keeper who was then out of position but poor touch followed by a tame shot that was easily saved
Watford - anonymous

In most of those games we were playing 4-4-2 diamond or 5-2-1-2 in Leipzig in the first half (not sure what the formation was in the 2nd half when van de Beek came on for Telles)

If you were confident that his finishing would be 2019/20 standard, rather than 2020/21 to date, then it might be worth the risk but otherwise it strikes me as being crazy. An out of form Martial, playing as a central striker, still manages to link the play.

Even last season, in far better form, Mason, when playing as a central striker, was more likely to be anonymous, than to impact the game. Alkmaar (missed one huge chance) and Astana away games. He did ok against Spurs but hardly frightened them, just one right foot shot from an angle that forced a decent save. Everton away game, Greenwood limited to one header that went wide and one key pass for a shot from outside the area. He scored in the Astana home game.

 

[Matt851]

Greenwood's starts as a striker this season:

Leipzig home - scored nice finish from an angle
Leipzig away - won dubious penalty, should have sent Rashford through on goal soon after they scored but instead chose to go alone then a tame shot that was easily saved, a few other shots that I can't recall
Arsenal home - similar position to his goal against Leipzig but weirdly chose to shoot near post that was saved without difficulty, otherwise anonymous
Southampton - had two huge chances to score but wasted both, incredibly shooting well wide having gone round their keeper, the other intercepted a pass from their keeper who was miles out of position but poor first touch followed by a tame shot that was easily saved
Watford - anonymous

In most of those games we were playing 4-4-2 diamond or 5-2-1-2 in Leipzig

Thanks for the summary

I could see him working as a second striker but not as a long striker. However i dont think we will play with two up top often, and dont think we should. I think the gist of it is that he needs to up his performances on the right to get minutes.

My recollection, of the leipzig game, which maybe a bit hazy, at home is that he was poor generally other than the admittedly nice finish

 

[el3mel]

He's just a striker for me. His finishing is sublime. We honestly need to put him more centrally because that's where he shines.

 

[Frank White]

So happy he got his goal and was a lovely assist too. Hopefully he takes this forward for the rest of the season.

 

[kidbob]

The boy's a genius.

 

[bosnian_red]

Best game of the season for him. I dont mind him shooting and being selfish on occasion. He's a shooter and thats how he'll get his goals. Needs a balance of course, but excellent game imo.

 

[Superunknown]

It happened for him today. His performances haven't been amazing recently, but it worked for him today. Happy for him.

 

[RuudtheRed]

Much improved performance today and delighted he got the equalizer. He had a couple of sighters early on but when his first clear cut chance came - Bang, bottom corner and Alisson had no chance. Great pass to set up Rashford too.

He can definitely still improve on his decision making, but the raw talent is there.

 

[united_99]

1 goal and 1 assist against Liverpool will hopefully give him some confidence. He needed a game like this. So happy for the kid!

 

[Van Piorsing]

Good goal but what a pass to Rashford.

 

[2cents]

Much better today, hopefully coming into a bit of form at the right time.

 

[Moonis]

I never criticise Mason because he is the best finisher at the club. We need to build the club around him and Rashford

 

[Raven]

He's just a striker for me. His finishing is sublime. We honestly need to put him more centrally because that's where he shines.

He was good today from the right and has never had a good game up top for us. Bizarre comment.

 

[Raven]

Really good performance today, looked like the Greenwood of last season.

 

[Slevs]

Very well taken goal and run. Should be more aware for the pass in other scenarios. VdB and Cavani were wide open for his other counter attack.

 

[Offside]

Finishes like that after a run not scoring. Compare that to some club’s marquee signing.

 

[horsechoker]

Really hope that this helps him get back into form.

Huge moment for him.

 

[charlenefan]

Needed a goal and needed a goal against a big side

Build on this and play him again on Wednesday

 

[AltiUn]

Well taken goal and a lovely assist. Very pleased for him, you could tell it was a big weight lifted off his shoulders.