Rashford's lack of willingness to dribble is causing us problems and Shaw's absence is exposing it

[davidmichael]

I can only imagine it’s down to the back injury and not having the option of a naturally left footed full back behind him, Rashford looks half the player with Williams alongside him on the left side and I’ve found myself at times shouting at the TV for Rashford to run at the defence when he’s got space ahead of him yet he looks to pass back to Williams or pass sideways to Pogba.

 

[TrustInOle]

People going on about him before considering he nearly suffered a permanent injury that could have derailed his career.

Give him time, he is very young still.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Rashford doesn't or can't dribble???



This is a new low even for the caf

I must have imagined all those Ronaldinho flicks that Rashford does weekly to beat 1-2 and sometimes 3 people (edit: googled the name, the elastico or gaucho snake. Try it yourself some time - trust me Rashford has INSANE technique to do that regularly and effectively)

I do sort of see where OP and yourself are coming from but Rashford absolutely can dribble. I think he's just a bit too cautious sometimes when he's playing on the left and plays too safe.

If I had my 3 best dribblers from the United squad Rashford would be in there. Martial top of course and I'd have to rack my brains for the third.

Agree with this. He is a 5* skiller (to quote FIFA). Multiple times we have seen this season him going past players with outrageous skill. So I don’t know where this rhetoric has come from.

As it has been said multiple times- his back injury was no joke according to professionals such as RVP and O Hara who both are no strangers to injuries O’Hara said it could take him a year for him to recover to full capacity. So let’s be patient with him.

 

[romufc]

Rashford doesn't or can't dribble???



This is a new low even for the caf

I must have imagined all those Ronaldinho flicks that Rashford does weekly to beat 1-2 and sometimes 3 people (edit: googled the name, the elastico or gaucho snake. Try it yourself some time - trust me Rashford has INSANE technique to do that regularly and effectively)

I do sort of see where OP and yourself are coming from but Rashford absolutely can dribble. I think he's just a bit too cautious sometimes when he's playing on the left and plays too safe.

If I had my 3 best dribblers from the United squad Rashford would be in there. Martial top of course and I'd have to rack my brains for the third.

It is pretty simple.

If he does not do 5 star skills every game he is a crap dribbler.. like seriously who remembers the flip flaps and stepovers he did in Jan.

This is the caf, only the last game matters.

Forgetting that 3/4 games ago he went past 3 players on the half way line V palace and then sat 2 mans down in the penalty area and scored.

 

[Lash]

For me, his dribbling is fine. His inability to make a quick, correct decision or simple pass at the moment is hampering him most. He'll be fine, but he's extremely hot and cold in a game right now, so it's frustrating.

 

[Sandikan]

People going on about him before considering he nearly suffered a permanent injury that could have derailed his career.

Give him time, he is very young still.

This is the key point.
Not many can have months out with a terrible injury, and then come back to top form.

Hopefully this little mini season loosens him up for the start of next season and he's back to more his usual.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

It is pretty simple.

If he does not do 5 star skills every game he is a crap dribbler.. like seriously who remembers the flip flaps and stepovers he did in Jan.

This is the caf, only the last game matters.

Forgetting that 3/4 games ago he went past 3 players on the half way line V palace and then sat 2 mans down in the penalty area and scored.

And the keeper too! For people to say he can’t go past players and lacks technical ability is just wrong. Since the Palace game he has fallen off a bit and I feel like he might’ve maybe picked up a knock because since then he has been poor. But for people to say he can’t go past a player using skill is just wrong.

Pre lockdown whenever Rashford was one on one with a full back you could tell the Old Trafford crowd knew a bit of skill was coming out to sit the full back on his arse. He has it in his locker - he just needs to get back to that level.

 

[TrustInOle]

This is the key point.
Not many can have months out with a terrible injury, and then come back to top form.

Hopefully this little mini season loosens him up for the start of next season and he's back to more his usual.

My thoughts exactly. It's clear to anyone he is easing himself back into full shape.

 

[romufc]

And the keeper too! For people to say he can’t go past players and lacks technical ability is just wrong. Since the Palace game he has fallen off a bit and I feel like he might’ve maybe picked up a knock because since then he has been poor. But for people to say he can’t go past a player using skill is just wrong.

Pre lockdown whenever Rashford was one on one with a full back you could tell the Old Trafford crowd knew a bit of skill was coming out to sit the full back on his arse. He has it in his locker - he just needs to get back to that level.

I think we need him to start so badly we keep playing him, sometimes players just need to be taken out the team but in the current climate we cannot risk that.

I rather Rashford do the simple things right than to keep trying to go past players, he doesn't need to show that every game and every minute.

 

[He'sRaldo]

His dribbling is good in certain areas and situations. For instance at the edge of the box to get a shot off he can easily feint and beat a man or two, but on the touchline his close control isn't good enough to glide past players.

He's not a ball carrier but we're putting him in those kinds of situations, and thus his effectiveness is greatly reduced. He's a left sided striker not a left winger. Subtle change but it makes all the difference.

 

[Trip721]

When Rashford receives the ball and he is in a non-running position, he'll often hold the ball with the defender in front of him, holding, holding, and then try a move to beat the defender. Now it works sometimes, but not nearly enough and when he does get the ball at the 18 and holds, it gives the defense more time to come back.

I'd rather see Rashford get the ball in that situation and move the ball immediately or try for a quick one two pass, rather than hold and try to beat the defender.

 

[Gator Nate]

Rashford is not right - simple as.

Peak Rashford has stamina, pace, and dribbling ability as well - we've seen this numerous times and even his teammates affirm this when interviewed about who does what in training.

I really hope the back injury doesn't impact the rest of his career, as he's just not been the same since his return. He's had flashes here and there, but it's obvious that he's going through games sprinting as few times as possible. He plays mostly at walking pace, and the absence of Shaw's runs creating space is making things more glaring.

I don't know whether it's a physical or a mental constraint, but I hope he shakes out of it. Rashford used to be one of our key game changers, one of those that had fans anticipating something special when he had the ball at his feet anywhere beyond the halfway line, these days however, he's become a passenger in so many games that I've come to not really expect anything from him during games.

Ole seems to keep playing him, which suggests to me that it's psychological, more than physical. In which case, he just needs to play through it.
If it's physical though, he shouldn't be on the pitch, simple as. He should be allowed to recover properly, lest we end up with a worse long term impact.

Was thinking about Rashford this morning and I do think it's mostly mental.

Let's look at the big picture:

• Rashford started his upward trend after Martial and Pogba got injured.
• Martial gets healthy and Bruno comes in, but then Rashford gets injured.
• All this time, Greenwood starts ramping up.
• COVID lockdown happens.
• Rashford gets healthy, so does Pogba.
• They come back, but now the entire dynamic of the front six is different.

I think Rashford hasn't figured out how he fits in with a healthy Martial and Pogba, Bruno, and a hot Greenwood. Add to that the fear instilled from a fractured spine, regardless of recovery. I still like what I'm seeing from him effort-wise, but once he gets up close, he's unsure of his role. Little doubt in my mind that Ole will work these wrinkles out.

 

[marc1_007]

Was thinking about Rashford this morning and I do think it's mostly mental.

Let's look at the big picture:

• Rashford started his upward trend after Martial and Pogba got injured.
• Martial gets healthy and Bruno comes in, but then Rashford gets injured.
• All this time, Greenwood starts ramping up.
• COVID lockdown happens.
• Rashford gets healthy, so does Pogba.
• They come back, but now the entire dynamic of the front six is different.

I think Rashford hasn't figured out how he fits in with a healthy Martial and Pogba, Bruno, and a hot Greenwood. Add to that the fear instilled from a fractured spine, regardless of recovery. I still like what I'm seeing from him effort-wise, but once he gets up close, he's unsure of his role. Little doubt in my mind that Ole will work these wrinkles out.

That's a bit of an exaggeration, Rashford started the season above average same with Martial, Martial gets injured and it is revealed to us that Rashford cannot actually play as a centre forward because he was terrible there, I thought he would be a better centre forward than Martial but I guess I was wrong.

Rashford was really a non factor during the period that Martial was injured, then Martial comes back and Rashford catches fire! Coincidence, I very much doubt it, because he links up better with Martial than any other player on the team, and when he got injured and Utd lost to Burnley and Liverpool badly and Martial was terrible in those games, obviously he missed Rashford and you could tell because he could not really link up with anybody else on the team as well as he did with Rashford.

But then we had that practice game in the FA Cup against Tranmere to rebuild our confidence, and a win against city in the second leg of the league cup, and then Bruno came into the line up and Martial's game went up a level, and then we had the restart and it has gone up a couple of levels since then, but Rashford does not seem to have been able to connect with the other players the same way he still has that great connection with Martial, but I'm just waiting for him to start running at full backs again because it does not seem like he has the confidence to do it, and I'm, not going to speculate on his injury because he's a professional and if he's not fit then he should not play I think its a weak trying to make excuses for his performance blaming it on an injury, if people don't actually know the facts.

He is match fit and available for selection so I expect to see the Marcus Rashford that terrifies full backs and I really expected him to link up better with Pogba, Bruno and Mason but he just has not been able to and it just seems even though I don't want to think it, he was our best player with Martial when Pogba was injured but now that we have Bruno, Mason has emerged and Pogba is fit again, Marcus seems to be hiding and doing the barest of minimum passing backwards and sideways and sometimes a pass over the top that has been decent but that's not the Marcus Rashford I know and I just want to see the old Marcus again and once he can link up properly with the rest of that front five, the sky is the limit.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

meh. rashford is just of form

 

[MichaelRed]

Bump. Now he looks willing but utterly unable. Must have read this thread. Haha

 

[MDFC Manager]

If/when we sign Sancho, Rashford's position will be in trouble.

 

[acnumber9]

Why are these threads allowed as a substitute for the player performances threads during games?

 

[JinnerJamie]

meh. rashford is just of form

He’s been off form since the restart but that chance before half time was criminal.

 

[cyberman]

Nothing wrong with his approach play, hes getting at defenders. Their left side are terrified of him.
Its his form when he gets in thats the problem

 

[Utdstar01]

He's becoming the most frustrating player to watch.

 

[Shane88]

Has completely lost the ability. Defenders only need to wait for him to run into him.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Hasn’t hit any real form since returning.

Not sure we should be sneakily using these threads to discuss player performance during games though.

 

[MrSingh2002]

Hes been so shit since his injury. He was flying before that and in the form of his life.

Somethings up. Looks like he's not got his balance or coordination back yet and looks slimmer than he was previously so may have lost some muscle mass during rehab. Hes been awful today.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Why are these threads allowed as a substitute for the player performances threads during games?

Exactly.

Unfortunately just a way of our wonderful fans to slag off our players in the middle of a match.

Quite pathetic.

 

[sewey89]

He’s out of form and it’s showing. Things he was doing without thinking before his injury, he’s now massively overthinking

 

[The Red Thinker]

If/when we sign Sancho, Rashford's position will be in trouble.

It won't though. He'll play down the right. Greenwood will transition to CF and his role as second in line to RW and ST, is perfect for him.

Much as I love Greeny. He doesn't have the winger skillset of putting in dangerous balls and drifting wide to pull defenders out of position. He's a goal scorer. Good to have options.

 

[Drainy]

The guy is playing his way back from a double fractured spine that he got putting it all on the line for the club and now the fans are back to slagging him off. Great supporters we have.

 

[MichaelRed]

Exactly.

Unfortunately just a way of our wonderful fans to slag off our players in the middle of a match.

Quite pathetic.

Yeah, let's pretend this thread was made during a match. Boo pitchforks.

 

[acnumber9]

Exactly.

Unfortunately just a way of our wonderful fans to slag off our players in the middle of a match.

Quite pathetic.

It’s making this forum tough to bother with.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Yeah, let's pretend this thread was made during a match. Boo pitchforks.

Why did you feel the need to bump it. Why didn’t you just post in the match day thread?

You had to go and search for it.

As I said. Pathetic.

 

[MichaelRed]

It’s making this forum tough to bother with.

It's almost as pathetic as fans attacking fellow fans over having different opinions. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

[MichaelRed]

Why did you feel the need to bump it. Why didn’t you just post in the match day thread?

You had to go and search for it.

As I said. Pathetic.

Search for it? It's literally my thread. The only pathetic one here is the fan attacking another fan for having a different opinion.

 

[Green_Red]

he seems to have lost some confidence in the last few months.

 

[bosnian_red]

Hes running at them a lot more than the last few games. Don't think hes been bad. Should've done better with the one chance, but fine otherwise.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Search for it? It's literally my thread. The only pathetic one here is the fan attacking another fan for having a different opinion.

The idea with closing player performance threads during games is to stop the reactionary vitriol that often occurs.
No-one is saying there’s anything wrong with the actual thread pal.

 

[acnumber9]

It's almost as pathetic as fans attacking fellow fans over having different opinions. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Take your arrogance elsewhere.

 

[Bebestation]

The guy is playing his way back from a double fractured spine that he got putting it all on the line for the club and now the fans are back to slagging him off. Great supporters we have.

Its nasty isnt it.

I honestly think we have the worst supporters in the premier league.

The fans will belittle any player any chance they get even after an Injury because they value success over anything else.

Liverpool's supporters are better at supporting their players than our ones. fecking our players is on the form of his life, gets a spinal back fracture injury and then gets called welbeck.

feck these supporters.

 

[Pavl3n]

Here's an unpopular opinion - Rashford is a skilled Danny Welbeck.

 

[::sonny::]

For what I have seen, I’m not sure he will become a better player than Welbeck was

 

[pratyush_utd]

The guy is playing his way back from a double fractured spine that he got putting it all on the line for the club and now the fans are back to slagging him off. Great supporters we have.

That's why I am baffled as why we are overplaying him. His performances doesn't deserve it and if he isn't fit then what's the point? Rashford and Ole both share the blame on this one. Rashford injury gives him some leeway but come on his performance has been like Sunday league player. And if he isn't 100% then why persist with him. We played some of our best football before Covid lockdown without him. Ole needs to answer to that