Signing Lukaku end of the road of Rashford's (long-term) hopes of being a first-choice striker?

[CG1010]

I think we will see two upfront more this season.

I would love that and I can also see that happening in many matches, especially against lower league teams.

 

[Miscemayl]

Who would the OP suggest we sign that doesn't signal doom and gloom for Rashford?

He will still get plenty of minutes and even if he doesn't, it would mean Lukaku have done really well and I'd be ok with that.

If he doesn't become the main man, it would be because he wasn't good enough or not patient enough. You don't become the main man at Manchester United by relying on the club not signing any top quality players. You become the main man by being top quality yourself.

 

[Crackers]

I think they'll be a great pair - Lukaku will draw defenders in and Rashford will have a chance to run from wide as a result.
I've missed having a ton of pace up front. I'd love to see Lukaku, Rashford and Martial up front.It would be devastating if we could get it to tick....

 

[OJKernow]

I have no concerns about this at all. How many games are we expecting to play each season? I mean last year was crazy at something like 63/64 games?

38 games in the PL
6 group stage games in the CL
Minimum 1 game each in the two domestic cups.

So a minimum 46 games a season, assuming we go out in the CL group stage, don't end up in the EL and go out in the first round of both domestic cups.

In reality you'd expect to progress in most competitions by at least a couple of rounds, so say 50 games on average per season?

With only Lukaku, Rashford and Martial as recognised strikers, that is plenty of football to go around. I fully expect Rashford to make a handful of starts at 9, plenty more in wide positions and lots of sub appearances up top too. At his age that is plenty for the next 2-3 seasons, and hopefully in that time we will see him push Lukaku more and more as he gets more consistent.

 

[ManuMou]

3-5-2

---Rash---Lukaku---
Perisic--Pog--Her--Valencia
-----------DM-----------

 

[2mufc0]

It's a long season rotation, injuries, suspensions etc he will get games. He's still only 19 and will get chances.

 

[careca07]

Rashford gave an interview very recently in which he said he was more than happy to play on the left hand side, because he understood firstly that getting game time somewhere is better than nothing, and that it was beneficial for his development as a player full stop. The fact he's on free-kicks and delivering assists would suggest he wants to be much more than just an 'in-behind' striker, which is great.

He'll play a lot of football this season but I do think he needs to improve his finishing. Couple of times last year clean through in massive games and you just knew he wasn't going to finish the one on one, and it cost us

 

[Ainu]

He'll play plenty of games. Nothing to see here.

 

[Minimalist]

Factor in his age/experience and it's a pretty daft thing to worry about. He's a good prospect and one that will be encouraged by Mourinho I have no doubt.

If he's still one of three strikers being deployed at a club like Manchester United he's doing pretty feckin well for himself. Far too early to be making any sort of judgement here.

You're also assuming Lukaku won't get injured at any stage.

 

[Irrational.]

Which other strikers (Messi/ Ronaldo aside) were considered first choice strikers for their clubs aged 19? Of course he will be our first choice striker/ forward if he continues on the trajectory he is doing. Mourinho clearly trusts and rates him. The only thing he doesn't have on his side is experience, but that will come. He has the world at his feet. Zero worries.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

I don't think the Lukaku transfer will affect Rashford that much. He's still very young and Rashford can play out wide which I think helps him add more to his game. We're going to be four competitions next year he'll get plenty of games up top too.

 

[Adebesi]

This absolutely does not block Rashford's path to becoming our first choice striker.

The first thing to say is, the path to becoming a first team player at United, let alone striker, should never be without obstacles. Its not supposed to be easy, its supposed to be very, very challenging, meaning only the very best players / strikers are going to be able to do it. That filters out those who arent "Man United Quality" TM.

So this is an obstacle for Rashford. A challenge. Its now his job to overcome it. He has to take his opportunities and make himself undroppable. Firstly from wide positions, in all probability, but ultimately in the centre. We have a very accomplished goal poacher now, but Rashford has to show he is better. He has to score goals, make assists and bring others into the game. He has to give Mourinho a difficult decision to make. Lukaku wont just start indefinitely simply because he cost a lot of money. For a while, yes, but in the medium and longer term players get picked on merit.

The bottom line is if Rashford isnt good enough to displace Lukaku as our number 9 then he isnt good enough to be our number 9. He has time on his side, nobody is saying it has to happen this year or even next, as long as he himself is patient. But if he is good enough it will happen in due course, and if he isnt it wont.

 

[Zlatattack]

If he's good enough he'll get that central spot. What he needs to do is play at the top of his game as a wide forward, get into the box, score goals. If he's banging them in out wide, or moving in centrally and getting the goals, then he can stake a claim at the central spot. Nobody deserves anything handed to them, if we want to be a top club we need to learn to disappoint players. Right now Martial and Rashford are expected to score goals from wide positions and provide assists from those positions. They can either step up and do that, or they can step off. If they want centre stage they need to earn it by being better than the man already there.

Look at Ronaldo, on paper he was a winger but how often at his peak was he hogging the central strikers space for us! Rooney/Tevez were just having to get out of the way.

 

[RoyH1]

Long season, lots of competitions, injuries, suspensions. Lots of minutes to be had. More and more teams are rotating players in order to keep them fresh season round.

Rashford has other qualities to his game too like some have written above.

 

[11101]

Rashford had his chance last season to stake his claim as our main striker but he came up massively short.

Lukaku is a fairly comfortable goal every two games player. Rashford should he know he needs to either match that or adapt to a wide position. If he doesn't do that then he's out. If he does then it becomes Mourinho's problem how to fit two top strikers in one team.

They're actually quite similar players in many ways.

 

[Judge Red]

Yeah, either Rashford will push on and become a better goalscorer than Lukaku or he won't. Until he does, there's no point in worrying about his chances of being first choice striker.

 

[RAVred]

Rashford will stay at this club for hopefully his whole career. Even if Lukaku's succesful with us, I can see him leaving within the next 5 years.


People are awfully hopeful if they think Rashford is going to be ready to lead the line next season or the season after even.


And besides, he may even become a better winger than a centre forward, the boy is still growing and learning. However, I love Rashford, but I really doubt in two seasons he will be a player we can depend on to net 30 odd goals a season in all competitions. Which the next season we'll need from a player, whether its Lukaku or Griezmann (heres hoping we get him next season).



Martial's best role is a wide forward and left wing. I mean if you watch most of the games he has a tendency to cut in from the left... Even when he was our centre forward. That being said, he can definitely play CF, and maybe is more comfortable with that at the moment, but even in his first season with us he was best from a wider position and likes to play in from there. We need, and Mourinho probably prefers, a CF who can haunt the box. A kin to Zlatan for us last season but with better results hopefully.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

I still maintain Rashford could play off a target man. We played Lingard and Rashford up top last year - Rashford and Lukaku could well work

 

[surf]

Rashford is 19. If he was our main striker in a 60-game season in a such a physical league he would burn out quickly, mentally and physically. It was tough enough for an experienced physical unit like Zlatan. A replacement for Zlatan was urgently needed and Lukaku is it.

If last season is anything to go by, Marcus will get a ton of game time. Mourinho seems to like him better than most of our other options.

 

[Kapardin]

Rashford is not even at the level of Mbappe and is a bit overrated. At present, all he shows is that he has the potential to develop into a decent striker. United need strikers who are a level above that and there is no way to tell if he can reach that level. If he's good enough, he will force his way into the team.

Big clubs cannot worry about developing youth nowadays. And in defense of the clubs, youth nowadays no longer value loyalty so much that they stay at one club. In a hypothetical scenario where United continue to stagnate in 5th-6th for years and Rashford becomes Ronaldo in that time, he will choose a Madrid move over loyalty.

If anything, Rashford is lucky he's already recognized enough to atleast make the bench. I hope Pereira gets similar chances this season, his ceiling seems quite high.

 

[pcaming]

We can't jeopardise the club for the sake of Rashford. He hasn't shown that he can lead the goal scoring front yet. If he wants it, displace Lukaku...

 

[Wade3]

Rashford had his chance last season to stake his claim as our main striker but he came up massively short.

Lukaku is a fairly comfortable goal every two games player. Rashford should he know he needs to either match that or adapt to a wide position. If he doesn't do that then he's out. If he does then it becomes Mourinho's problem how to fit two top strikers in one team.

They're actually quite similar players in many ways.

What chance? How often did he actually play as a striker? Not a lot, did he?

 

[Ikon]

I think they'll be a great pair - Lukaku will draw defenders in and Rashford will have a chance to run from wide as a result.
I've missed having a ton of pace up front. I'd love to see Lukaku, Rashford and Martial up front.It would be devastating if we could get it to tick....

^^Agreed^^
If those three form an understanding and hit the ground running, that combo of pace, power and technique would terrify defenders, and there is no good reason why they shouldn't get 60 goals between them.

 

[BAMSOLA]

R-O-T-A-T-I-O-N!

 

[11101]

What chance? How often did he actually play as a striker? Not a lot, did he?

10 games as centre forward in which he scored 2 goals. We need a lot more than that.

I actually think they could play well together. Both have a similar style reliant on different physical attributes, but Rashford needs to start scoring more.

 

[Escobar]

It's a long season rotation, injuries, suspensions etc he will get games. He's still only 19 and will get chances.

I dont know why anyone would be worried. He will get enough games as Jose likes him and as long as he performs

 

[Zoo]

Got a feeling they'll be playing together quite often especially if we get a winger (Perisic). Lukaku leading the line with Rashford playing off him, throw Martial into the mix as an option too.

 

[fellaini's barber]

If he's good enough he'll get that central spot. What he needs to do is play at the top of his game as a wide forward, get into the box, score goals. If he's banging them in out wide, or moving in centrally and getting the goals, then he can stake a claim at the central spot. Nobody deserves anything handed to them, if we want to be a top club we need to learn to disappoint players. Right now Martial and Rashford are expected to score goals from wide positions and provide assists from those positions. They can either step up and do that, or they can step off. If they want centre stage they need to earn it by being better than the man already there.

Look at Ronaldo, on paper he was a winger but how often at his peak was he hogging the central strikers space for us! Rooney/Tevez were just having to get out of the way.

If Rashford were here when we wanted to sign Cristiano people would have moaned too about how was going to hamper his development. Rashford seems to have been predestined by some to be our striker and signing players actually better than him causes an uproar on here, because for some, Rashford's playtime comes before the good of the club

 

[Wade3]

10 games as centre forward in which he scored 2 goals. We need a lot more than that.

I actually think they could play well together. Both have a similar style reliant on different physical attributes, but Rashford needs to start scoring more.

Ten games, yet you're ready to claim "he's had his chance", not to mention it was his first full senior season. In 15/16 he also scored 5 goals in 11 PL games when he mostly played as a striker, so it's obvious that a small sample size of 10 games is not a good measuring stick.

Rashford should rightfully receive his chances playing as a striker next season.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Rashford will replace Rooney. I'm convinced long term he will develop into our version of Thomas Mueller.

 

[Safa Boy]

I don't think so. Last season he was one of four strikers if you also count Martial. Now he's one of three. That should actually lead to more chances to play there. In any case, it's up to him to fight for his place and future as a striker if he wants to play there. Jose is a fair manager after all (well in my opinion anyway). He mostly rewards players when they perform well. It's when they don't give everything and under-perform that he gives them the treatment.

 

[RAVred]

I still maintain Rashford could play off a target man. We played Lingard and Rashford up top last year - Rashford and Lukaku could well work

Lukaku isnt a target man at ALL, when will this myth end?

 

[Successful]

Why is it that people are so obsessed with single players? Isn't it more important that the club gets all the success it can instead of aiming all its forces on nurturing a young talent? To me the responsibility should be on the players to upper their game and force their way into a starting 11. If he can get games ahead of Lukaku then he has done a really good thing. Just imagine where we'd be if a player like Luke Chadwick was given time ahead of Giggs or Beckham just because some fans were moaning over his lack of opportunities?!?!?!?!?! JESUS Christ!

 

[friend]

Rashford got plenty of playing time on the wings last season even though he was competing against Martial (coming off the back of a wonderful season), Mkhitaryan (Mourinho's own signing for the wing) and Mata (consistent, senior player). He was also the first choice backup striker to Ibra ahead of the likes of Rooney and Martial.

If we are basing his long term hopes of being a first choice striker based on the number of minutes he gets this season, I'd say he's in a much better position compared to last season (ie. upwards progress). He's not going to be backup to someone who always plays and is never subbed (I doubt Lukaku will receive the same privileges as Ibra), doesn't have another senior striker to compete with (Rooney) and has shown the manager he is a far better striker than our only other option (Martial). That's a very positive outlook for a 19 year old playing for Man Utd.

 

[Adebesi]

Why is it that people are so obsessed with single players? Isn't it more important that the club gets all the success it can instead of aiming all its forces on nurturing a young talent? To me the responsibility should be on the players to upper their game and force their way into a starting 11. If he can get games ahead of Lukaku then he has done a really good thing. Just imagine where we'd be if a player like Luke Chadwick was given time ahead of Giggs or Beckham just because some fans were moaning over his lack of opportunities?!?!?!?!?! JESUS Christ!

Right. Absolutely.

The answer to your first question, though, is that United fans like to see young, local players emerge. That has a value of its own. Its hard to quantify but it exists and is why people get so animated about things like our record of having a home grown player in every squad since 1066. Rashford is clearly a very good player and has the potential to be a great. People are concerned that his potential will end up being unfulfilled, or else he will leave and fulfill it elsewhere. So while I agree with your assertion, and I posted something to the same effect a few hours ago, I do understand the concerns people have.

This is why I think there is a balance to be struck. I say in this thread that Rashford needs to compete with Lukaku and prove himself the better player, there is no other way. But yesterday in a different thread I argued against getting yet another striker, because that I think would stifle his opportunities and end up stunting his development. In a way these positions feel a bit contradictory but I dont think they are, it is more a question of balancing two contradictory pressures. Rashford does need time and patience and he needs to be playing, even if he may not always be the best option available for the position on any given day, because that is how he learns and reaches his potential and becomes the asset the club wants him to be. But he also needs competition. And ultimately if he cant cope with Lukaku-level competition, he's never going to be good enough for United anyway.

By the time that happens we will have a new young strarlet to pin our hopes on anyway.

 

[Alex Styles]

If Rashford shows that he's better than Lukaku then surely he'll get his chances and displace him, no reason not to, it's not like we're shackled by the 'my captain shall always play' bullshit anymore.

Nobody is going to displace anyone. There will be rotation considering all the competitions we'll be challenging for. Plus, Rashford comes in as a sub for Lukaku and vice versa is a certainty. They could also play in the same lineup.

 

[adexkola]

Why is it that people are so obsessed with single players? Isn't it more important that the club gets all the success it can instead of aiming all its forces on nurturing a young talent? To me the responsibility should be on the players to upper their game and force their way into a starting 11. If he can get games ahead of Lukaku then he has done a really good thing. Just imagine where we'd be if a player like Luke Chadwick was given time ahead of Giggs or Beckham just because some fans were moaning over his lack of opportunities?!?!?!?!?! JESUS Christ!

What's with the dramatic posts? If you can't comprehend where the OP is coming from then shut up.

The OP has a valid point. You don't magically become good enough to play as a striker for Manchester United while sitting on the bench, or playing on the wing sporadically. Lukaku played up top for Everton for a couple of years after he couldn't break through at Chelsea, because they were too short sighted to give him proper game time. Now he's playing for us.

The best path for Rashford to become a striker at a top club, is to force a move to a smaller club where he can be the main man for a few years, and work out kinks in his game. If he's good enough he won't have to worry about making it into the starting lineup at Manchester United, every top club will bid for him at that moment.

 

[devil in me]

Rashford still isn't ready to lead the line for us (no slight on him at his age). And he isn't a winger either. He needs to bide his time as second choice for a bit. He will still get plenty of game time with the cups and off the bench, but it was vital we signed a striker this season, and whoever it was would have the same impact on Rashford.

 

[Alex Styles]

So basically we cannot sign any top strikers. We have to just rely on youth. Or if we do sign top strikers, then we should make sure that they are the wrong side of 30 and past their prime. I think that's what the OP is saying.

 

[adexkola]

Manchester United should act in it's best interests, but I'm not sure why that doesn't include the development of youth. You can't complain about a bloated transfer market and on the other hand expect talent on hand to magically develop with sporadic features. Either develop, or shut up and pay up. Seems we've chosen the latter, going by the Pogba and Lukaku transfers.