[Brightonian]

He was pretty much invisible. 39 touches, the only player that had fewer touch was Rashford (no surprise there),

Could've subbed him off without replacing him and it wouldn't have been noticed in the second half.

Pogba was subbed on at half time and had the ball 13 times more with half the time on the pitch.

Pogba is a midfielder, Greenwood is a striker. He was more meaningfully involved than James, Bruno or Rashford, but there's only so much you can do when the team can't play through the opposition midfield.

 

[snk123]

Ignore Uncle Bob. If it had been Martial he’d been naming him man of the match.

If it had been Martial, he would be rated 3/10 for this performance by you lot

 

[UncleBob]

Pogba is a midfielder, Greenwood is a striker. He was more meaningfully involved than James, Bruno or Rashford, but there's only so much you can do when the team can't play through the opposition midfield.

Pogba came on as an attacking midfielder down the left, not a central midfielder.

James had a better performance than Greenwood.

Bruno was Bruno.

 

[UncleBob]

Obviously bullshit as Greenwood still worked his ass off and did his bit defensively and to relieve some pressure. He'll improve but he's the only forward we have who has managed to keep himself fit, when the rest are barely limping around.

He was barely involved in the entire second half.

I have high hopes for Greenwood and i've numerous times said he should be playing ahead of Rashford and Martial, but when he's performing like he is today then either change the tactics to get him more involved or sub him off.

 

[Desert Eagle]

Good touches here and there, wish he got that one on one chance when james could have slipped him in.

 

[Raven]

Poor. Not involved enough, even when we were dominating in the second half and made some poor decisions. He was very good last game so it's just a little inconsistency in a young player.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

When will people realise that he’s not involved enough because he’s playing alongside dross. James should have put one on a plate and if he did this thread would be entirely different.

 

[tjb]

When will people realise that he’s not involved enough because he’s playing alongside dross. James should have put one on a plate and if he did this thread would be entirely different.

The same thing has been said about every striker that has come here since Ibra left. It's no coincidence, how can you expect magic in the final third when the ball doesn't even get there.

 

[Devil may care]

Another mature all round performance, got zero service though, the #9 role for United is a thankless task at the moment.

 

[bosnian_red]

He was barely involved in the entire second half.

I have high hopes for Greenwood and i've numerous times said he should be playing ahead of Rashford and Martial, but when he's performing like he is today then either change the tactics to get him more involved or sub him off.

Like I keep saying, sub him off for who? 18 year old Amad? Matic? Van de Beek? He is the only fit forward. He also 90 minutes until that isn't the case.

 

[zenith]

This will be a great experience for him. I feel he is a better player this season compared to last and only the goal output is missing, though I'm sure that'll catch up

 

[kafta]

I think he's done alright. Granted he doesn't seem to be creating shots for himself, and we do really create feck all for him. I still like the way his game has progressed this year. Holdup play and decision making with his passing much better. We need to get him on the pitch with rashford and martial / cavani consistently.

 

[klayton88]

Impressed with his defensive work this season. Always gets back to cover and does his bit. However I want him up the over end absolutely thundertwonk laser beaming them in to the bottom corner.

 

[Giggsyking]

We were dominating the second half and we barley seen him do anything. James did more than him in the second half.

 

[united for life]

Not the finished article yet. He’s still developing. He has all the right skills (i’m not sure if he is a left or right footer - that’s a key talent). He is young and needs time to mature properly. The fact that the team is stabalising now will help his development. An obvious weakness is his physical abilities. It is so clear especially when he is played as a striker. But this reminds me of marcus at his age, rather weak physical form but with proper fitness training turned out well. This is what mason needs, proper physical abilities to help push off defense.

i think finding the correct position for him is important. I heard him say in an interview with Rio that he doesn’t mind playing as RW or ST but his preferred position is an ST. I think this will largely depend on who we sign this summer. A Haaland would mean mason would be more of a RW while a Sancho would mean mason is thought of more as a ST. I’m sure ole and the hierarchy are thinking of mason when taking their decision of who to sign this summer. He is a hot prospect and hopefully can live up to expectations.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Another mature all round performance, got zero service though, the #9 role for United is a thankless task at the moment.

Pretty much this. We use our strikers more as false 9's now to build up the play and then attack through the flanks. Rarely do we ever actually go from the flanks/midfield to the striker.

While he's not really getting any chances he's still holding the ball up really well, making smart passes and decisions.

I was surprised in the 2nd half Fernandes had a chance to pass to Greenwood but he chose to reverse it to Fred instead, not sure why.

 

[The Mitcher]

The same thing has been said about every striker that has come here since Ibra left. It's no coincidence, how can you expect magic in the final third when the ball doesn't even get there.

How many times has Bruno, Shaw, Telles, James etc put the ball into the box and no United player is there? Greenwood, like most of our forwards, are hardly ever in the box. Especially the six yard line, where we need tge striker to be. He, like the others also rarely atrack the post so we never score tap ins.

That is far more of an issue than players nit creating anything. We create more than people think, but no one bothers to get on the end of it.

 

[Cassidy]

How many times has Bruno, Shaw, Telles, James etc put the ball into the box and no United player is there? Greenwood, like most of our forwards, are hardly ever in the box. Especially the six yard line, where we need tge striker to be. He, like the others also rarely atrack the post so we never score tap ins.

That is far more of an issue than players nit creating anything. We create more than people think, but no one bothers to get on the end of it.

We didn't create anything then, putting a ball in the box is not creating a chance

 

[Rozay]

Think his performances are getting better. Getting to grips with dealing with centre halves. Keeps the ball very well.

 

[The Mitcher]

We didn't create anything then, putting a ball in the box is not creating a chance

But why aren't the forwards where they are supposed to be? Greenwood is meant to be a CF but is never where he's supposed to be, like Martial. We can all talk about false 9 roles like Messi, but at the end of the day, he still get's into the box. Our forwards rarely do.

 

[Foxbatt]

He certainly is talented but his attitude is the problem. He doesn't bust his gut to get to the end of anything. He doesn't anticipate. He is very good at getting of his shots. Yes he is young but that shouldn't excuse him for not trying hard enough.

 

[spiriticon]

Neither Greenwood nor Martial are good enough to playmake from deep AND score 25 goals a season in the false 9 role, so I really hope they are not modelling their game on that. Stick to the basics of being a striker.

I know Messi makes the false 9 work but he is unique in the role because he can hold on to the ball like no one can in tight spaces and score 30 wonder goals a season from the edge or outside of the box. He doesn't really need to have a traditional striker's movement and instinct since he can score from basically anywhere.

If they think they are as good as Messi, then let us see some of that talent and we can all eat our words.

 

[eire-red]

I think at times its a combination of not getting any service, but also not getting into any goalscoring chances.

Another element of it is I don't think our strikers have any belief that James, Fred or McTominay will give them any quality service.

When Pogba and Bruno get on the ball, there's movement across the pitch, but when they have off days, or entire attack grinds to a halt.

 

[Foxbatt]

Why doesn't he try enough? He always jogs and rarely bust a gut unless he has the ball. Hard work plus talent gets you to the top. Without working hard for the team and if he doesn't score he is not contributing to the team.

 

[RUCK4444]

Dare I say we are now seeing the effect of shunting him onto the wing for so long? I’ve said many times I worry there will be a big delay in his positional ability due to him not learning his trade in the no 9 position. (I know we can’t just throw him in at no 9 all season but perhaps a loan would have been better to avoid this.)

I don’t think he’s been bad, keeps the ball well and is a confident dribbler. Slaloms through players quite nicely. Needs a goal to get himself going again.

 

[The Mitcher]

Dare I say we are now seeing the effect of shunting him onto the wing for so long? I’ve said many times I worry there will be a big delay in his positional ability due to him not learning his trade in the no 9 position. (I know we can’t just throw him in at no 9 all season but perhaps a loan would have been better to avoid this.)

I don’t think he’s been bad, keeps the ball well and is a confident dribbler. Slaloms through players quite nicely. Needs a goal to get himself going again.

He's been in the first team for 2 seasons, that's hardly going to affect him.

 

[RUCK4444]

He's been in the first team for 2 seasons, that's hardly going to affect him.

How do any of us know how much of a negative impact that will have though.

He’s tipped to be an elite player, if you use Rooney as an example, he was never shunted on the wing while he was in that early stage where you are fundamentally learning your trade.

Things like positioning and movement of a centre forward are very difficult to coach later in a players career.

We all seemed happy to let him sit on the wing season after season and if you think about it it’s not going to do him a lot of good if he wants to play as a no 9 eventually.

 

[Red00012]

I just think he needs a goal and it may help him. With Pogba back he now has 2 creative players to set him up as opposed to waiting on Bruno to do something.
He does tend to come look for the ball instead of hanging off the last line of defence and also needs to get into that 6 yard box a lot more.
He’s still learning hopefully this season will have him in good stead for next season.

 

[MattofManchester]

He's trying way too hard, and seems to have lost confidence using his right foot.

Playing centrally and being two footed would really help him taking people on. Right now he's predictably cutting onto his left and he's not playing with any freedom.

And yet, he's getting close to scoring. Goals will come. I have faith.

 

[mav_9me]

For a guy who can use his right foot, he is way too left footed

I can't believe what I am seeing with him. With time the other foot should get better. With him it's been the opposite, as if he is trying to not use the right. I don't get it.

 

[RedIan]

Took his goal well, one of the few positives in a really poor team performance.

 

[Dec9003]

I know the performance overall was poor, but I was really impressed with Greenwood and Pogba today. Greenwood scored a lovely goal at the end of a good move, and won plenty of challenges in midfield and got us moving. He's a talented player.

 

[AltiUn]

One of the few players in the team who can actually pass.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Well, atleast he finally scored.

 

[Hugh Jass]

One of the few brightspots today.

 

[Superunknown]

Took his goal very well and, even though we lost, it's still good to get your name on the scoresheet.

If we want him to improve, then he has to have better quality around him.

 

[spiriticon]

He was my MOTM, tried hard but quite frankly let down by the team performance.

 

[Devil may care]

Got our goal and started a counter attack we flubbed, he did the best he could with practically no service.

 

[M Bison]

the only one player who looked interested and played ok. The rest of them should hang their heads in shame but Greenwood at least tried.

Play him through the middle as our no 9 and fire Martial and Cavani off.

 

[united for life]

Good game today. Happy to see him score (though in a game we lost).