Had no doubt in my mind he would start scoring eventually. The tenacity and intensity at which he plays will always be rewarded. He's still not getting any service because he plays ahead of three of the most wasteful attacking midfielders in Europe but at least the ball is dropping in good areas for him now from time to time. If he gets attacking midfielders who look to find him at every opportunity, the potential is limitless.
11
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 38
- Goals
- 11
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 2
This one was truly delightful regarding a 20 year old
Delighted if he proves me wrong. He's improved a lot recently.
Where's my posts from earlier defending going for him over Kane?
I don't know why Hojlund is scoring goals now. I thought the team will have to change for him to get into double figures. My best guess is a change in tactics or something off the pitch.
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Future captain material. His post-match interview on the Luton game shows his maturity for someone his age. Combine that with his work ethic and he's already an overwhelmingingly positive influence on this team
All along you could see the movement and effort he was putting in, that hasn't changed.
He's really only a kid and it takes time to get the confidence up and get his body used to the physical side of the game. He's now getting the goals that he deserves.
"Martial is better" oh my days
Legend.
Really pleased the goals have started to come but I was screaming at the TV yesterday over the number of times he takes four or five touches when one would do.
He's really quick and powerful. His sole intention when the ball is played into him should be popping it back into Bruno or one of the other attackers, spinning and running in behind.
That should be one touch, or two touches max. I love players who play with a simple efficiency (Mainoo) and this would improve Hojlund's game no end.
He's really quick and powerful. His sole intention when the ball is played into him should be popping it back into Bruno or one of the other attackers, spinning and running in behind.
That should be one touch, or two touches max. I love players who play with a simple efficiency (Mainoo) and this would improve Hojlund's game no end.
Not an argument it was just my opinion at the time
Was it any of these?
The prospect of Højlund developing along side Garnacho is incredibly tantalizing, arguably the highlight of the season (aside from Mainoo's emergence as a mainstay, of course). 
As lads who are expected to mature and develop over the coming years (individually, and as a pairing), they are more likely to sacrifice and make concessions for each other — compared with finished articles who have already developed sizable egos and are accustomed to things going their way.
Considering his profile, Rasmus should be gunning for Rooney's goal-scoring tally with Manchester United. Plenty of time on his side and it's never too early to set ambitious targets for youself (unrealistic and premature as they may seem right now). Should also strive to be one of the flag-bearers of the post-Benzema/Suárez/Lewandowski era of center forwards — why not, everyone starts somewhere?
Players like him, Mainoo and Garnacho (as well as some of the lads coming through the ranks) give us so much hope and infectious energy for the future, following a spell where things looked rather bleak and listless (both on and off the pitch). It is now the club's responsibility to ensure that they are given the platform to improve and succeed, and are surrounded by others like them (in terms of profile) — that will be key to our proposed resurgance.
As lads who are expected to mature and develop over the coming years (individually, and as a pairing), they are more likely to sacrifice and make concessions for each other — compared with finished articles who have already developed sizable egos and are accustomed to things going their way.
Shearer seems to have taken a real liking to him, hasn't he? Which isn't surprising as their games are comparable in certain respects (discounting Shearer's aerial supremacy, most prominently — at least for the time being).
Considering his profile, Rasmus should be gunning for Rooney's goal-scoring tally with Manchester United. Plenty of time on his side and it's never too early to set ambitious targets for youself (unrealistic and premature as they may seem right now). Should also strive to be one of the flag-bearers of the post-Benzema/Suárez/Lewandowski era of center forwards — why not, everyone starts somewhere?
Players like him, Mainoo and Garnacho (as well as some of the lads coming through the ranks) give us so much hope and infectious energy for the future, following a spell where things looked rather bleak and listless (both on and off the pitch). It is now the club's responsibility to ensure that they are given the platform to improve and succeed, and are surrounded by others like them (in terms of profile) — that will be key to our proposed resurgance.
Not really sure how you, and others, blatantly didn't rate him. His quality from early on was extremely obvious. He was clearly low on confidence and feeding off scraps, but the quality was glaringly obvious.
I remember some weird comparisons to Weghorst too. With Weghorst it was abundantly clear that he worked his socks off but was nowhere near good enough. With Hojlund it always looked like he was definitely good enough and just needed better service and some confidence.
Nicely try but none of these are the gotcha you think they are. His performances were poor at the time, now they've improved. Hope he keeps progressing.
He wasn't scoring goals but his overall performances were still very good, obviously not Martial good but still good enough for many people to be able to see beyond the lack of goals. He's getting rewarded for all that hard work and effort now.
I saw a will to learn and improve in the Luton game. He used his body much better and held the ball a couple of times to bring his teammates into play. Still can improve his passing and vision like all of our other attackers, and still rough around the edges, but he's clearly got a great attitude. Hopefully in a season or 2 he can show that he's at least a tier above someone like Darwin Nunez.
This is still in the back of my mind tbh. There's no way a 65% shot conversion rate is sustainable - so he's doing unbelievably well in front of goal at the moment. If you look at his league goals - apart from the Wolves one (Shaw assist) and I guess Villa (from set piece), all of his goals have been him feeding off scraps and good improvisation. I am struggling to recall a single chance that Bruno has created for him (apart from Luton at Home from a set piece), feels as though his instinct/instruction is to find a wide player.
Also those saying this was his best performance - we may have wiped it from our memories but Galatasaray at home by a distance for me - it's criminal he was on the losing side that night.
It's not that easy to say given that his goal-scoring is such a huge part of what he adds. He may work very hard, but that doesn't actually add up to much impact if he doesn't score.
Which, luckily, he now does. And I'm coming around to the view that maybe we (myself included) made too much of the fact he wasn't before he started doing that. Not because he added such a lot of other things anyway (he really doesn't), but because it should have been clearer how pure coincidence was playing into that. Specifically, he had shots against both Sheffield United and Luton (at Old Trafford) that were exceptional saves by the GK, shots which would go in almost every time (both with a post-shot xG of 0.9 or more). If they had, he'd have scored in his 3rd and 5th full PL starts (if I remember correctly), and no one would ever have doubted his scoring credentials.
They weren't. We can be happy he's scoring goals now but no need to rewrite history.
Out of curiosity what doesn't he add?
Definitely. There was absolutely a period where he also looked physically impeded somehow, and of course also very short on confidence. He did not take the battles with the central defenders in the same way he did yesterday, and the ball bounced off him a lot more. This was also around the time where the criticism of him peaked.
What doesn't he add? What sort of question is that? What do you think he does add?
Although for a shortcut, just look at how little involved he generally is on the ball - the number of touches, the number of passes. It is not possible for any attacking player to have a big impact on a game if he's not scoring, when he has the ball that little. He presses, he makes good runs that might sometimes open up space for others, but generally speaking an attacker of that sort needs to score and assist in order to have much impact on the game. It may not be his fault he's not getting the passes and he may work his butt off, but that doesn't make his impact any greater in themselves.
That's not even a criticism. He's absolutely right to focus his game on goal-scoring, it's his primary function. But it's also what he has to do with considerable regularity to justify his place in the lineup.
Agreed. Rashford has also looked for Hojlund plenty of times this season.
Cheers for that completely irrelevant point.
Tell that to Klopp and Firminho.
You're the one saying he doesn't add anything, what doesn't he add that was there before he arrived?
It really isn't. Weghorst is, was and always has been shite. Lacks the technical ability to ever play for a top club and his club history alone will tell you that.
I'll let you in on a clue, Weghorst managed 2 goals in the same team last year over the same period. Hojlund now has 13, so yes, levels above.
Firmino DOES add quite a lot besides scoring, unlike Højlund.
For obvious reasons, it makes little sense to ask someone to list everything he doesn't add, as if it could otherwise automatically be assumed he makes great contributions in every area. But if you insist:
Shots: 1.78/90. 9th best on the team.
Completed passes/90: 12.8. Worst on team.
Progressive distance of passes/90: 43.1. Worst on team.
Key passes/90: 1.04. 13th on team.
Passes into final 1/3/90: 0.67. Worst on team.
Passes into the penalty area/90: 0.61. 15th on team.
Progressive passes/90: 1.53. Worst on team.
Shot-creating actions/90: 2.52. 11th on team.
Goal-creating actions/90: 0.18. 13th on team.
Tackles won/90: 0.25. 23rd on team.
Blocks/90: 0.18. worst on team.
Interceptions/90: 0.06. Worsted only by Martial and Hannibal, among players with at least 90 mins of playing time.
Clearances/90: 0.67. 19th on team.
Touches/90: 25.2. Worst on team.
Touches attacking 3rd/90: 12.9. Tied for 17th.
Attempted take-ons/90: 1.35. 14th.
Successful take-ons/90: 0.74. 11th.
Progressive carries/90: 1.35. 13th.
Carries into attacking 1/3/90: 0.80. 19th.
Carries in the PA/90: 0.55. 7th - but already Antony, who is right ahead of him on the list, has nearly three times that.
Team success +/-/90: 0.12 . 10th.
Loose balls recovered/90: 2.64. Worsted only by Martial.
Aerial duels won/90: 0.98. 13th.
What was or wasn't there before he arrived is neither here nor there - that says something about our other attackers, not about him. If you want to seriously argue he's making a big impact even without scoring, explain what that impact consists in.
He scores goals. That's the overwhelming part of his value. And there's nothing wrong with that.
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Original post was in the wrong thread.
So I'll just use this post to restate how much I love this blue eyed, blonde haired Danish God.
So I'll just use this post to restate how much I love this blue eyed, blonde haired Danish God.
Defenders are extremely physical with him and refs don't call it, when Maguire or Varane touch a striker and sticker falls over refs calls it immediately!!!!
Anyway, I am was very hopeful of him getting into a scoring run and I am very pleased to see him score for fun and play well week in week out, he works his socks off and his holdup play is brilliant and he can get even better and better.
Anyway, I am was very hopeful of him getting into a scoring run and I am very pleased to see him score for fun and play well week in week out, he works his socks off and his holdup play is brilliant and he can get even better and better.
Nunez - 24 years old - 85M - 13 goals in 37 games in a team on fire
Hojlund - 21 years old - 64M - 13 goals in 30 games in a team starving for chances
not bad for an overpaid flop?
Hojlund - 21 years old - 64M - 13 goals in 30 games in a team starving for chances
not bad for an overpaid flop?
You don't think Højlund contributed a lot yesterday even besides his goals? I thought his hold-up play was largely pretty good, he brought the wingers into play and was involved in many of our chances.
That’s because Bruno is usually the one picking the ball off Højlund since he drops deep and holds the ball up. When that happens the only ball on is out wide.
I do think he needs better movement in the box, the loose balls are finding him more than him finding space with his runs but it’ll come
It reminds me of when Ronaldo started scoring goals and all of a sudden this variety of finishing started to become apparent. Every week the talk was if he could keep it going and he did (for the next 15 years!)
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Yesterday, yes, I did think that actually. But that was unusual. And even on that level, it wouldn't have amounted to more than a pretty good game without the goals.
Empty airs. If it's so obvious what he adds in terms of impact besides goals, point it out.
He has always looked like he had the tools to be a top player...apart from putting the ball in the net. Even when he wasn't scoring he was doing a lot of the right things. The question to me was just "can he start scoring". Hes now scoring. Hes overperforming at the moment and will come back down to earth again soon no doubt but I think the lad has a really bright future at the club.
Lovely to watch a player who leaves everything on the pitch as well. I never even think of questioning his attitude.
Lovely to watch a player who leaves everything on the pitch as well. I never even think of questioning his attitude.
That was a majestic number 9 performance. Knew when to run behind, knew when to drop into positions, hold the ball and pass it to others, set others up, scored twice. He deserved the match ball, shame. Luton couldn't deal with his power and pace because they were willing to pressure us high up the pitch and that left him 1 v 1, he looks devastating in these situations.
Fair enough. In my opinion, that's a bit harsh on him, but everyone can have their own view of the player.