[moodyred]

If we get more players into the opposition box, we have an overall higher chance of scoring.

Many times when Rasmus was running into the box, he would be isolated with 2-3 defenders on him. Not to say, he didn't make mistakes. But to not acknowledge the overall lack of threat, chance creation and attacking fluidity is incorrect in my view. Sure, some other types of strikers may have done better in those circumstances, but clearly last season, we were not giving Rasmus the best chance to succeed.

Can't believe there are still people speaking for him and putting the blame on support. This guy, you need to treat him like a post and ensure you cross the ball at the correct angle to hit him to get the ball in. In the meantime, he will find ways to miss it by mistiming his runs, falling over his feet or misplacing his shots. Also, expect him to disrupt our attack.

How many times have we seen him waste good attacking opportunities? Enough is enough. He is not the quality we are looking for in a striker

 

[Apokalips]

We need to stop singling out rare moments to try and prove anything.

There are guys in the lower leagues who score once in a lifetime worldies. Every professional is capable of striking a football well and scoring a great goal once in a blue moon.

Exactly, it is sad and desperate pointing to minor moments in hope that he can erase the 99.9% of time where he is useless.

If he was good enough he would show it in general play, Lisandro Martinez had a cracking finish against Liverpool, but I wouldn't say he's got it in him to be a top striker.

Hojlund has a mountain of improvements to make. It is not beyond him, but he would ideally have a few years elsewhere before attempting to be a starter at a club our size.

 

[mctrials23]

We will be fine next season without a new striker. Obi and Hojlund will be enough with plenty of goals from behind them. Buying the right striker is vital with the amount of money they cost and unless someone wants to give us a large sum for him, we should keep him this summer.

His stock is unlikely to drop from last season. If nothing else, a better performing team will increase the value of all our players. A rising tide and all that.

I don't think hes good enough but I don't think we have the money required to do anything serious in the market for this position. Arguably we also need a CM and GK far more now we have Mbuemo and Cunha.

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

We will be fine next season without a new striker. Obi and Hojlund will be enough with plenty of goals from behind them. Buying the right striker is vital with the amount of money they cost and unless someone wants to give us a large sum for him, we should keep him this summer.

His stock is unlikely to drop from last season. If nothing else, a better performing team will increase the value of all our players. A rising tide and all that.

I don't think hes good enough but I don't think we have the money required to do anything serious in the market for this position. Arguably we also need a CM and GK far more now we have Mbuemo and Cunha.

Think I would rather us loan him to Italy to raise his price, he scored 4 in 30 games last year in PL, surely Zirkzee or Cunha/ Mbeumo up top will do better and we can't sell him in his current vein.

 

[SonOfFergie]

If you sit back and think with what dross Ruben had to work in attack:
- Sancho - lazy, slow, corner flag dribbler
- Garnacho - poor footballing IQ, overinflated ego, selfish, very poor finisher
- Rashford - poor footballing IQ, overinflated ego, also wasteful
- Hojlund - lost in space, no idea how to to connect with teammates, running into blind alleys, also waiting for scraps from selfish Garnacho
- Antony - to slow for EPL, poor decision making, no contribution in attacking sense
- long time Amad unavailability
- Zirkzee slow in getting used to EPL, just as he started to resemble footballer he gets injured

We are now improving that with two EPL proved performers with proven output in last two seasons. We should get another striker in and our attacking output should increase dramatically. It it will not (injuries exempting) Ruben will start to be on thin ice very fast and rightly so. But I have full confidence in him for now. Rasmus on the other hand needs a loan for a year to reset and prove himself or if coaching team doesn't see it with him sell him.

 

[jymufc20]

Can't believe this hasn't been bumped today, blocked another shot on goal today from Dorgu, he is shit and needs to leave.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Can't believe this hasn't been bumped today, blocked another shot on goal today from Dorgu, he is shit and needs to leave.

I wanted throw something at the TV when he fell over like he'd been tasered under minimal contact in the box after about 10 minutes of coming on, no other striker does this.

I agree, he has to go.

 

[Swedish_Plumber]

It would be great to see him hit some form and look like a decent player again. He spends waaaay too much fecking time trying to push his arse into players instead of playing the space where he might actually excel.

 

[Vidooq]

Good same ol' Hojlund.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Another season with him in attack will be a nightmare. Guy is just awful football player.

 

[FlawlessVictory88]

Does anyone at United ask him why he wrestles defenders when he has his back to them? Does he think that these defenders are going to somehow come through him and take the ball? When defenders get that tight it gives you an opportunity to roll them but in order to do that you can't be backing into them with all your weight.

It's genuinely bizarre.

 

[Tallis]

I watched these highlights yesterday and thought I will post it here. Hojlund looked like a different player at the start of the season under ETH. He has lost his confidence - need to re-discover it somehow.

 

[Battery]

I cannot get my head around how easy he is to push off the ball or bullied about, he is a unit already at a young age... people were bouncing off Rooney at 18.

 

[Zico1982]

Højlund can be good, but yes. He has lost his confidence. If he is to start for us this season, it will be crucial to get him on the scoresheet as fast as possible. Looking at those highlights, he was really another player 11 months ago.

 

[LordSpud]

The way this kid's form has plummeted really needs to be studied.

Looks like he's won a competition to play a game for United.

 

[ron86]

Højlund can be good, but yes. He has lost his confidence. If he is to start for us this season, it will be crucial to get him on the scoresheet as fast as possible. Looking at those highlights, he was really another player 11 months ago.

He really wasn't, he struggled his arse off in the league in his 1st season then had a 6 game purple patch then struggled again till the season ended being dropped for the cup final. Plenty of fans said then his all round game was really poor. Then last season was beyond awful, a few highlights dont change that. I can show a YouTube highlight of Paulo bloody wanchope and make him look bloody r9, every player has decent highlights. I like to judge of the 65 pl games I watched him in

 

[Zico1982]

He really wasn't, he struggled his arse off in the league in his 1st season then had a 6 game purple patch then struggled again till the season ended being dropped for the cup final. Plenty of fans said then his all round game was really poor. Then last season was beyond awful, a few highlights dont change that. I can show a YouTube highlight of Paulo bloody wanchope and make him look bloody r9, every player has decent highlights. I like to judge of the 65 pl games I watched him in

He was pretty good, in the first season, but that does not fit the agenda of some people in here. You are right in one thing though. Highlights for the most doesn´t mean a lot. There are different stages of Rasmus´ last season. He started strong under Amorim, but the last months were abysmal. I know that a lot in the caf don´t see it, my way, but I have not given up on Højlund yet. I have been as annoyed watching him as everyone in here in the last months though, and he need to catch the curve fast, if he wants a future in red.

 

[lsd]

He was pretty good, in the first season, but that does not fit the agenda of some people in here. You are right in one thing though. Highlights for the most doesn´t mean a lot. There are different stages of Rasmus´ last season. He started strong under Amorim, but the last months were abysmal. I know that a lot in the caf don´t see it, my way, but I have not given up on Højlund yet. I have been as annoyed watching him as everyone in here in the last months though, and he need to catch the curve fast, if he wants a future in red.

He has played over 90 games and been garbage in over 70 of them. He went through a steak of scoring goals and that was it. His so round play has been abysmal and shows no sign of improving.

We seriously need to have better standards than this. The guy has been a huge flop. Not on him to be fair he was never with anywhere near what we paid and he doesn't belong at this level

 

[dubplate warrior]

He was pretty good, in the first season, but that does not fit the agenda of some people in here. You are right in one thing though. Highlights for the most doesn´t mean a lot. There are different stages of Rasmus´ last season. He started strong under Amorim, but the last months were abysmal. I know that a lot in the caf don´t see it, my way, but I have not given up on Højlund yet. I have been as annoyed watching him as everyone in here in the last months though, and he need to catch the curve fast, if he wants a future in red.

Because it's simply not true.

He had a hot streak for 6 games, big deal.

Beyond that he still had all the same limitations in his game and managed to go a good 14 games without a goal in the league. Crap player.

 

[Zico1982]

Perhaps we should start playing to his strengths instead of his limitations and no. He has not been crap for 70 games. Is he up to standard? Time will tell. For the last couple of months of the last season the answer is a no.

 

[AndySmith1990]

Perhaps we should start playing to his strengths instead of his limitations and no. He has not been crap for 70 games. Is he up to standard? Time will tell. For the last couple of months of the last season the answer is a no.

Or we could sell him and buy a better player like any other ambitious club would do

 

[Posh Red]

Perhaps we should start playing to his strengths instead of his limitations and no. He has not been crap for 70 games. Is he up to standard? Time will tell. For the last couple of months of the last season the answer is a no.

What are his strengths? I genuinely don’t know what traits he has that are above average for a premier league player.

 

[iammemphis]

I cannot get my head around how easy he is to push off the ball or bullied about, he is a unit already at a young age... people were bouncing off Rooney at 18.

And how horrendous he is at holding up the ball with a woeful first touch that often immediately results in him being dispossessed.

 

[sleepehead]

Perhaps we should start playing to his strengths instead of his limitations and no. He has not been crap for 70 games. Is he up to standard? Time will tell. For the last couple of months of the last season the answer is a no.

Yeah rewatching his first season with us, he's so much better when he's facing the goal, I don't know why or who changed his style but him going 1v1 with his back against a CB has never been his strong suit. He needs to run with the ball facing the goal not have his back against it

 

[Zico1982]

Rasmus strengths are pretty obvious. He is fast, and he can press and bully defenders when facing towards the goal. He can convert chances and he has a powerful shot. He also works his ass off and loves the club. He is also underrated at setting chances up for other players.

It is also clear, what his weaknesses are. He can´t do shit with his back to goal, noone else getting into the box and two defenders at his back. He is also bad in the air. His confidence has hit bottom and when he is bad he is really bad.

The reasons I think he will be better this season are Mbeumo, Cunha, Amad and Dorgu. We will have much more presence in the final third, making it a lot easier for Højlund to make effective runs. The defenders will be a lot busier with Cunha, Mbeumo & Co. also getting into the box. Last year there was an isolated striker and Garnacho always cutting in to shot to defend. The rest was Bruno and Amad trying to do wonders and standards. That is way too easy to defend and I blame Ruben Amorim for not doing his job. It is basics. You play to your strengths with the players available. I wanted EtH out, but he would have gotten us 8th-10th and so would Ruud.

 

[QMaster]

There's a player in there somewhere. We need to be patient and give him a chance.

He needs some service, a senior striker to learn off and his team mates need to give him some confidence. They are more to blame than he is.

 

[ron86]

Rasmus strengths are pretty obvious. He is fast, and he can press and bully defenders when facing towards the goal. He can convert chances and he has a powerful shot. He also works his ass off and loves the club. He is also underrated at setting chances up for other players.

It is also clear, what his weaknesses are. He can´t do shit with his back to goal, noone else getting into the box and two defenders at his back. He is also bad in the air. His confidence has hit bottom and when he is bad he is really bad.

The reasons I think he will be better this season are Mbeumo, Cunha, Amad and Dorgu. We will have much more presence in the final third, making it a lot easier for Højlund to make effective runs. The defenders will be a lot busier with Cunha, Mbeumo & Co. also getting into the box. Last year there was an isolated striker and Garnacho always cutting in to shot to defend. The rest was Bruno and Amad trying to do wonders and standards. That is way too easy to defend and I blame Ruben Amorim for not doing his job. It is basics. You play to your strengths with the players available. I wanted EtH out, but he would have gotten us 8th-10th and so would Ruud.

According to the stats his workrate isn't actually that good compared to others, over short distances he struggles to outpace defenders, he creates very few chances for other's. Basically because he shows some passion you want to believe he's much better than he is, he should be nowhere our squad

 

[SoCross]

Physically, he looks a beast.

The pace of the league seems too much for him. Not sure he’d adapt but last time I thought the same , was of Andreas Pereira and by all accounts, he had done well at Fulham after he was moved on.

 

[Apokalips]

According to the stats his workrate isn't actually that good compared to others, over short distances he struggles to outpace defenders, he creates very few chances for other's. Basically because he shows some passion you want to believe he's much better than he is, he should be nowhere our squad

People seem to project what they want Hojlund to be onto him rather than what he actually shows.

He shows minimal defensive qualities, minimal link play, minimal strength, minimal striker instincts and minimal goal threat but people act like he works hard and it's everyone else's fault for not laying him up on a plate. Our fans laugh at superior players like Jackson and Nunez but make excuses for someone who averages a shot per match!

When we are desperate for a goal and everyone else is having great chances or scoring Hojlund is nowhere close and that has been the case in both seasons. He should be third choice at best currently. Really he needs to be sent away for a couple of years to develop his game elsewhere and even then he may never be good enough for the level we desire.

 

[Zico1982]

According to the stats his workrate isn't actually that good compared to others, over short distances he struggles to outpace defenders, he creates very few chances for other's. Basically because he shows some passion you want to believe he's much better than he is, he should be nowhere our squad

I don´t want to believe anything. I just see what he does, when getting the ball facing goal, and that is a lot better than what we have seen from him lately. With a few exceptions he has been awful in the last third of the season, but he has been played to his weaknesses instead of his strengths. Played to his weaknesses you are right. He should be nowhere near the squad. PLayed to his strengths he will be a lot better.

 

[red_de_pologne]

Hojlund only gets in the way of other players who actually score, like he did with McTominay, he blocks a space in the team.

 

[TrailMonkey]

I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, fast forward 2-3 years and be thankful we stuck with him because of the 20 goals a season striker he has become. But it's hard to do that when I see so little potential in him. He has pace (but often uses it ineffectively), he must have strength beneath his frame (but goes to ground too easily and get involved in pointless wrestling matches with defenders who take him out), and he can finish (but rarely does so). He has many flaws to his game. Hard to work out if he's improved or done downhill since joining 2 years ago - he's certainly stagnated in some way.

Could he be loaned out to get some confidence? He (and the owners) may think the Championship is beneath him as a £70m player, so I can't see him going there. Another PL team? Unlikely. France, Italy, Germany... please, someone take him and do something with him.

I reckon the hierarchy expect him to stay and will demand to see results from him by Christmas, especially given the creativity injected by Cunha and Mbeumo. After all, his behaviour hasn't been immature or toxic and for all we know he might look decent in training (I doubt it myself).

Personally, I've accepted he'll be here at least for the start of the season unless we get a recognised striker in with enough time to move Hojlund on. Having said that, if we were to get someone like Watkins for decent money then I could see him being asked to mentor Hojlund until we can make a more long term decision.

 

[ron86]

I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, fast forward 2-3 years and be thankful we stuck with him because of the 20 goals a season striker he has become. But it's hard to do that when I see so little potential in him. He has pace (but often uses it ineffectively), he must have strength beneath his frame (but goes to ground too easily and get involved in pointless wrestling matches with defenders who take him out), and he can finish (but rarely does so). He has many flaws to his game. Hard to work out if he's improved or done downhill since joining 2 years ago - he's certainly stagnated in some way.

Could he be loaned out to get some confidence? He (and the owners) may think the Championship is beneath him as a £70m player, so I can't see him going there. Another PL team? Unlikely. France, Italy, Germany... please, someone take him and do something with him.

I reckon the hierarchy expect him to stay and will demand to see results from him by Christmas, especially given the creativity injected by Cunha and Mbeumo. After all, his behaviour hasn't been immature or toxic and for all we know he might look decent in training (I doubt it myself).

Personally, I've accepted he'll be here at least for the start of the season unless we get a recognised striker in with enough time to move Hojlund on. Having said that, if we were to get someone like Watkins for decent money then I could see him being asked to mentor Hojlund until we can make a more long term decision.

I think he could carve out a decent career at a midtable bundesliga side

 

[Top_Bins]

His biggest weakness is his positioning. We know he can finish but he just never seems to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[Frank White]

I don´t want to believe anything. I just see what he does, when getting the ball facing goal, and that is a lot better than what we have seen from him lately. With a few exceptions he has been awful in the last third of the season, but he has been played to his weaknesses instead of his strengths. Played to his weaknesses you are right. He should be nowhere near the squad. PLayed to his strengths he will be a lot better.

Are you Danish by any chance? I don't know why you keep saying last third of the season, when in reality it's probably closer to 80% of his United career he's been awful.

 

[Ekeke]

People seem to project what they want Hojlund to be onto him rather than what he actually shows.

He shows minimal defensive qualities, minimal link play, minimal strength, minimal striker instincts and minimal goal threat but people act like he works hard and it's everyone else's fault for not laying him up on a plate. Our fans laugh at superior players like Jackson and Nunez but make excuses for someone who averages a shot per match!

When we are desperate for a goal and everyone else is having great chances or scoring Hojlund is nowhere close and that has been the case in both seasons. He should be third choice at best currently. Really he needs to be sent away for a couple of years to develop his game elsewhere and even then he may never be good enough for the level we desire.

He does work hard. Thats the one thing that is true. He made the most off the ball runs of strikers last season in the league

Were those runs likely to be found? Were they all onside? No data for that. But it shows he's one of the hardest working strikers. Its just that working hard doesnt mean you are a good player. Most areas his contribution is poor when he does get the ball played to him. Its just a nasty scenario where we've put such a huge pricetag and expectation on whats still a young player, who is trying and the quality and ability just isnt showing and might not be there. So far he looks more likely to be an ordinary striker

 

[ron86]

Are you Danish by any chance? I don't know why you keep saying last third of the season, when in reality it's probably closer to 80% of his United career he's been awful.

That's what I cant understand, in his 1st season he couldn't score in the league for ages, had a 6 game purple patch then went on another goalless run and was dropped for the cup final. Fans expressed concerns about his all round game but were shot down.
Then last season had 1 decent game against Brentford then was awful for the rest of the league season. Fans here saying him and Garnacho are better than Chelsea's forwards last year even though they massively outscored us it's apparently all Ruben's fault and nothing to do with the fact they're just not very good

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

I watched these highlights yesterday and thought I will post it here. Hojlund looked like a different player at the start of the season under ETH. He has lost his confidence - need to re-discover it somehow.

Completely agree and also shows you how absolutely awful and selfish Garnacho's decision making is.

 

[TrailMonkey]

He does work hard. Thats the one thing that is true. He made the most off the ball runs of strikers last season in the league

Were those runs likely to be found? Were they all onside? No data for that. But it shows he's one of the hardest working strikers. Its just that working hard doesnt mean you are a good player. Most areas his contribution is poor when he does get the ball played to him. Its just a nasty scenario where we've put such a huge pricetag and expectation on whats still a young player, who is trying and the quality and ability just isnt showing and might not be there. So far he looks more likely to be an ordinary striker

Would like to see the source for that. He certainly has games where he's working hard, but he lacks game intelligence to make the right runs at the right time, and wastes energy getting into unnecessary scraps. This is where he needs proper coaching. Not sure we have that capability with Amorim and his staff TBH. Maybe he'll start to learn from Cunha and Mbeumo given that he's not had anyone up front to learn from whilst here. ETH and his staff couldn't develop him, and I don't think our current lot can either.

 

[ManRed]

His all round play is not good either and I am not surprised there are rumours that we are seriously considering selling him. Zirkzee still gives hope as his overall play is better and has some moments in the game, with Rasmus we just see him wrestle and lose the ball time and again.

Should be replaced with a more consistent goal scorer or atleast not be our striker until he shows otherwise.