it is but its still a much larger issue that our players are so seperate. No wonder we score so little and create so little.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 43
- Goals
- 13
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 2
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it is but its still a much larger issue that our players are so seperate. No wonder we score so little and create so little.
No, he has plenty of strength and muscles. What he lacks is balance and ball control. Watch Amad, or Martial in the past holding defenders off, they are not big muscular guys.
To me Hojlund looks like this kid that was always the biggest one in his class, and now he joined the senior team where his physicality isn't an asset any longer. And he seems to be lacking other tools at the moment. Can he work on his weaknesses? Yes, but how much they can be improved I am not sure. At the age of 21 player is almost done with his development in terms of actual ability. He will make better decisions, have improved spatial awareness, but he's not going to develop his technique massively.
He was always more about pace than physical strength though. Him and Lukaku are quite different.
He doesn't...unless you've given me the wrong timestamp?
He doesn't sprint and is actually in a bit of space in the box? He can't really go near post as Gabriel (i think it's him) is in a good position, he could bust a gut to go far post but I'd say it's pointless for the reason you said + another United player (think Rashford) is coming in from that side anyway and cuts across where his run would go. So, for me, holding off and being free is probably the best option there, he would have got a cut back if Garnacho had made one.
He's got loads to work on but this is actually something I think he does well, hold up/touch is where he needs to spend the most time for me.
Whilst agreeing with this, it's still an example of some bigger flaws in his own game.
If not Ruud, let Ole work with him on his movement
Going through a rough patch right now, but everything has fallen apart so let’s not judge too harshly.
I think some commentator mentioned that they'd have no idea when to make attacking runs with this team. We don't seem to play with any consistency in terms of when balls will be delivered. I think there's really something in that. Our wingers are largely interested in their own numbers, none are pass first except Amad.
Honestly I think United CF might be just about the worst position to play in football atm. In terms of attributes he is not dissimilar to Lukaku, but honestly a 21 year old Lukaku to be able to mould is a great asset. If he can improve his touch, he'll be an absolutely top class forward at 23-24.
Honestly I think United CF might be just about the worst position to play in football atm. In terms of attributes he is not dissimilar to Lukaku, but honestly a 21 year old Lukaku to be able to mould is a great asset. If he can improve his touch, he'll be an absolutely top class forward at 23-24.
I have no idea how good he is. I think often when a signing is 'liked', we give them the benefit of the doubt. The sample size is small from previous clubs, so this cant be an indicator either.
I do think we have turned him into a target, back to goal player when he is extremely quick, which I think we've seen only a few times....he should be running the channels more.
I do think we have turned him into a target, back to goal player when he is extremely quick, which I think we've seen only a few times....he should be running the channels more.
Absolutely. That and his aerial ability (or rather lack of) are the issues that should be worked on intensively in training.
His touch and decision making are way off currently - some of that probably due to the poor quality service that he receives but when he has the ball his awareness isn’t great.
Tough season for him. Would be much better as an impact from the bench player so hopefully we can get someone else in this summer for him to learn from and work with.
Tough season for him. Would be much better as an impact from the bench player so hopefully we can get someone else in this summer for him to learn from and work with.
We had Van Persie vist Carrington as part of doing his coaching badges a few months back.
Ten Hag should of offered him the role of attacking coach in some capacity.
Hojlund would learn so much from someone like Van Persie his movement was so good. Then again Van Persie always had players that could pass him the ball on the team.
Good point. Hojlund had to ask if he could talk to RVP - he got about 20mins. Why can’t they setup sessions with players like him, Ruud and Ole? I’m sure that they would gladly give their time. Andy Cole too.
Yeah Luckhurst is currently getting cooked for that article
I just don’t buy that at all. I haven’t seen any reluctance from our players to pass to Hojlund - just a general all around struggle in the final third. Just feels like poisonous gossip.
His movement and inability to get space is likely more the issue than players not looking to pass to him. It's similar when when we are under the cosh and look to get out and up the pitch, he is rarely where he should be to at least contest those balls or even occasionally win one. Unless there are drastic improvements in these aspects of his game then we can't start next season with him as the number 9. Ridiculous that we still have this problem in the team/squad as well.
They're not reluctant to pass to Hojlund specifically, they're reluctant to pass quickly in general, as they're not confident they won't feck it up and cause a counter (which inevitably leads to a goal with us).
One of the concerns I had with him at first was his less than ideal first touch which does make it difficult to play with his back to the goal somewhat.
I think he either has to somehow improve that aspect of his game or we have to change how we utilise him as I don't he can be world class as a lone striker in his current state.
I think he either has to somehow improve that aspect of his game or we have to change how we utilise him as I don't he can be world class as a lone striker in his current state.
Pitches are overwatered, lots of players are slipping these days, OK not usually Gerrardesque but it doesn't seem to be a trends across the PL
Hard to judge Hojlund playing in this side, he gets little or no service, the team is not set up to play for a striker.... will be interesting to see him play in a functioning team.... If he was at city he would be pulling up trees imo
Exactly. How can anyone watch this video and think 'hmm Hojlund bad' and this isn't even the full amount of the chances we saw down on the left. In this video, I would say I would have liked Hojlund to go closer to Garnacho at the 25sec mark. Every other incident is Garnacho running head down into a crowd of defenders and then smashing it without much thought.
Could Hojlund have made 'better' runs? Sure as there are theoretical better positions to be in a penalty box i.e near post, far post and the penalty spot but that would be asking the Arsenal defenders to be invisible.
The first move when Garnacho got to the goal line in the first half was the perfect run if Hojlund got to it.. Everything else was pretty much downhill from there.
Great review of him on MNF
Kid comes 46th in a list of 46 strikers regarding chances but has one of the better strike ratios.
He's also scored 8 from an expected return of 7.4
Also form has dropped off when Garnacho has played on the left and since Rashford been missing.
Kid comes 46th in a list of 46 strikers regarding chances but has one of the better strike ratios.
He's also scored 8 from an expected return of 7.4
Also form has dropped off when Garnacho has played on the left and since Rashford been missing.
For me the jury is still out.
It's been a shitty season and he's shown flashes of talent.
Yeah, I think his best bit of form was when we had Rashford left and Garnacho right. Rashford was probably the only winger who actually tried to create something for him occasionally, and Garnacho on the right was kind of forced to at least put the ball across goal with his stronger foot every now and again.
Garnacho on the left basically just tries to score every time he gets the ball.
Scroll thru the seasons for crosses:
Premier League crosses stats
From the season 06/07 and up til 14/15, we're pretty high up on the list. From 15/16 we're dropping down.
Premier League crosses stats
From the season 06/07 and up til 14/15, we're pretty high up on the list. From 15/16 we're dropping down.
I wouldn't be too concerned about his goalscoring record, that doesn't really worry me.
What does worry me a bit is his first touch. I think he needs to massively simplify his game. One touch lay-off to a midfielder should be the aim every time.
What does worry me a bit is his first touch. I think he needs to massively simplify his game. One touch lay-off to a midfielder should be the aim every time.
Agree, but the midfield needs to be close to do that. Our forward players are always miles apart.
That video shows the opposite of what you want it to. Garnacho only has one thing on his mind in every one of those clips; dribble and shoot. Even worse he is running diagonally towards the box cutting off the space for any runs Hojlund could make. It's impossible for a striker in this current team.
It's been a disaster of a season for the whole club and he missed preseason.
Also by the age of 20, he'd played for 4 different clubs in 4 different countries.
Twice he moved mid season so didn't have proper preseasons either.
So we need to give him a chance.
To me he looks like he has the potential to be a good all round striker like Benzema or Giroud, not as skillful though but quicker.
But would you pass wan bissaka in that position?
The last time he was in that position he didn't shoot and let the ball go away.It's probably the tactics. If you're watching the video trying to analyze Garnacho being selfish, then you're doing it wrong. It's pretty evident that the team have been instructed to find Hojlund only in the last move, so Garnacho is trying to beat 3-4 defenders before putting it across the goal. The video clearly shows that he is not part of our buildup play. We don't even try one-twos with him, presumably because his touch isn't very good. He is pretty much a poacher now, only making a run when Garnacho beats his man and is ready to whip it across the goal, which either got saved or blocked.
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Salah 18 goals, Foden 17, Watkins 19, Saka 16... So for me, those statistics information above are irrelevant, similar like how much field a player covered from minute 34 until HT, how many times a CM gives a pass on a flank in first third of the field etc... you can score or you can't, you can pass or you can't, it's really that simple for us fans.
Btw im not saying he can/can't score neither I have an opinion about him to share here yet because I won't judge him in his first season, but we all have our favorite players, so when we want to cover them after a bad game/season we dig into laughable statistics parameters and make it sound less worse than it is.
I really hope he explodes next season and proves everyone wrong as we can start judging him (because I think after 2 season you can have a strong rational opinion just be objective)
Cheers!
Salah 18 goals, Foden 17, Watkins 19, Saka 16... So for me, those statistics information above are irrelevant, similar like how much field a player covered from minute 34 until HT, how many times a CM gives a pass on a flank in first third of the field etc... you can score or you can't, you can pass or you can't, it's really that simple for us fans.
Btw im not saying he can/can't score neither I have an opinion about him to share here yet because I won't judge him in his first season, but we all have our favorite players, so when we want to cover them after a bad game/season we dig into laughable statistics parameters and make it sound less worse than it is.
I really hope he explodes next season and proves everyone wrong as we can start judging him (because I think after 2 season you can have a strong rational opinion just be objective)
Cheers!
If someone had told me last summer that Højlund was going to score 14 goals in his first season for us as a young striker, I would have been more than happy. The only problem for United is that he was our only striker this season.
How have you watched our games this season and thought 'yes we have regular patterns of play, solid tactics which we can clearly see in each game, where every wide player is doing their best to not find Hojlund or any other attacker the whole game'.
Hojlund not being part of our buildup play or getting any service is not by design. No manager or wide player would do that deliberately, not even head down run first players like Garnacho or a stubborn fool like ETH. In your mind it must be 'pretty evident' the 'tactics' is for Garnacho to take on 3-4 players every time, run head down and deliver poor passes or crosses because there is no other alternative. The whole point of the video is not necessarily Garnacho being selfish, which tbh holds a lot of truth here (and the improvised-only approach to his dribbling, where he doesn't even know himself what he's going to do next in each move), it's the fact we have no tactics and semblance of coaching on what players are meant to do.
It's fine you dislike Hojlund, prefer McTominay and think he's bad but stop conjecturing stuff up in your head to pin everything on him.
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You do see the irony in hating ETH and pinning all the blame on him yourself here, right?
How have you watched our games this season and thought 'yes we have regular patterns of play, solid tactics which we can clearly see in each game, where every wide player is doing their best to not find Hojlund or any other attacker the whole game'.
Hojlund not being part of our buildup play or getting any service is not by design. No manager or wide player would do that deliberately, not even head down run first players like Garnacho or a stubborn fool like ETH. In your mind it must be 'pretty evident' the 'tactics' is for Garnacho to take on 3-4 players every time, run head down and deliver poor passes or crosses because there is no other alternative. The whole point of the video is not necessarily Garnacho being selfish, which tbh holds a lot of truth here (and the improvised-only approach to his dribbling, where he doesn't even know himself what he's going to do next in each move), it's the fact we have no tactics and semblance of coaching on what players are meant to do.
It's fine you dislike Hojlund, prefer McTominay and think he's bad but stop conjecturing stuff up in your head to pin everything on him.
Regardless of whether his tactics are working or not, the players are carrying out his instructions. Hojlund is not part of the buildup because his positioning and movement does not reflect someone who is part of the buildup. I'm actually giving him some benefit of the doubt here, because the alternative is that he's just not very smart and never tries to find space to receive the ball.
Never mentioned Mctominay either so no idea what your on about.
You can check my posting history. I've tried to be as fair as possible and have praised and criticised almost everybody in 'equal' measure. I've never 'pinned' the blame solely on ETH but you might as well because his involvement is pretty much the single biggest factor in terms of what we see on the pitch. In simple terms of why we are so shit Glazers = 60%, ETH = 30% and the players about 10%.
As for the 'carrying out his instructions', that's exactly the point. The instructions or rather lack thereof are nonsensical, illogical and are not consistent. ETH is not asking our players to pass the ball to Garnacho about 20 times a game and ask him to take on 2-3 players before deciding at the very last second if he wants to pass, shoot or cross. Hojlund is very 'involved' in the buildup basically playing as a lump of a rock no.9; he's the central focus of the two centre backs, he tries to hold up play and most times out of not will try to lay it back to another player in space. The issue is that the player receiving the ball aka Bruno, Rashford, Garnacho and Antony do not know what they are going to do with it because our midfield play is non existent, therefore they're trying to force things instead of looking for another pass. Again, these are systematic issues but also individual ones, Hojlund included.
However, this takes us back to the original chain of the comments on the video. Is Hojlund getting 'good' service? Absolutely not and that Garnacho video is both parts him being selfish and him not knowing what to do because of 'instructions'.
Andy Cole is on todays overlap episode and G Neville asked him what advice would he give to Hojlund.
This is spot on from what I've seen too. Hojlund spends too much time fighting CB's. He doesn't need to do it, none of the current top strikers play this way. This about it, how often does he run the channels? this might just be a coaching thing though. Maybe ETH does not instruct him to, we won't know really.
This is spot on from what I've seen too. Hojlund spends too much time fighting CB's. He doesn't need to do it, none of the current top strikers play this way. This about it, how often does he run the channels? this might just be a coaching thing though. Maybe ETH does not instruct him to, we won't know really.
Has something happened?
Bruno didn't pass to him in training all week.
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