That Rashford assist

Handré1990

Full Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
4,814
Location
In hibernation
That is beautiful.

Not exactly as crazy, but I thought the one where he assisted Pogba (?) with his head inside the six-yard box was particularly delicious. Something so incredibly arrogant and playful about it :drool: He tried it earlier in the game as well. He has actually had his fair share of passes and attempts I would describe as inspired.
 

diarm

Full Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
16,681
I couldn't believe how little press that goal got at the time. I remember standing and applauding him in my front room!

Absolute genius. The sort of thing you'd expect to see from a Bergkamp or a Berbatov but with more pace and explosiveness than you'd see from those two.
 

Brightonian

Full Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
14,090
Location
Juanderlust
If we're not seeing that in United highlight reels until the end of time, I don't know why. As filthy as Berbatov's vs West Ham, or Nani's vs Arsenal (which it always reminds me of.)
 

El Jefe

Full Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
4,855
The Berbatov assist for Ronaldo gets way more love even though this was much better IMO.

I think because there were so many positives in Ole's first 14 games, this goal gets lost in it a bit.
 

T00lsh3d

T00ly O' Sh3d
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
8,283
The elastico is one of the most beautiful tricks to watch. It amazes me when players can do it whilst running, it’s hard enough from a standing start
 

Handré1990

Full Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
4,814
Location
In hibernation
The Berbatov assist for Ronaldo gets way more love even though this was much better IMO.

I think because there were so many positives in Ole's first 14 games, this goal gets lost in it a bit.
I’m curios, why was it much better than Berbatov’s? I think the Berbatov one is iconic for a reason. He also did it against one player, with noone around, which kind of makes it easier to spot for casual fotball followers as well. This assist from Rashford is definitely up there though.
 

Skills

Snitch
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
42,010
The Berbatov assist for Ronaldo gets way more love even though this was much better IMO.

I think because there were so many positives in Ole's first 14 games, this goal gets lost in it a bit.
Nah.
 

0le

Full Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2017
Messages
5,806
Location
UK
I think Berbatov's trick was far more creative but this was better because he fooled not one but two players with exceptionally quick feet and the final pass was more difficult.
 

OleBoiii

New Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
Messages
6,021
The Berbatov assist for Ronaldo gets way more love even though this was much better IMO.
It's the "goal of the season" debate, just in a different format. Personally, I will never vote for cracking long-range goals, because I know that even a shite footballer can score those. Often it's more a case of luck than skill.

As for this comparison: yeah, I agree. In terms of difficulty, this is more impressive. Berbatov's assist is more aesthetic, though.
 

Web of Bissaka

Full Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
8,553
Location
Losing to Comeback Winning!
"Rashford cannot play on the right, buy RW!"
Wait..

Oh come on, it's only a beautiful "assist" because of the sick elastico.

His back-heel assist for Martial vs Norwich is more beautiful and best so far.
 

prateik

Full Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2005
Messages
42,151
The Berbatov assist for Ronaldo gets way more love even though this was much better IMO.
that's just silly talk. Berba's was so much cleaner.. total control at every moment of that move.

This is fantastic.. but the berbatov one should be in the footballing hall of fame.
 

SirAnderson

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
24,362
Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
"Rashford cannot play on the right, buy RW!"
Wait..

Oh come on, it's only a beautiful "assist" because of the sick elastico.

His back-heel assist for Martial vs Norwich is more beautiful and best so far.
I much prefer the elastico assist really. But here's the assist you referring to. It's great vision and linking up.

 

SirAnderson

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
24,362
Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
I couldn't believe how little press that goal got at the time. I remember standing and applauding him in my front room!

Absolute genius. The sort of thing you'd expect to see from a Bergkamp or a Berbatov but with more pace and explosiveness than you'd see from those two.
Wow, that must have been special to see it in front of you, I'm jelly! :p
 

SirAnderson

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
24,362
Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
That is beautiful.

Not exactly as crazy, but I thought the one where he assisted Pogba (?) with his head inside the six-yard box was particularly delicious. Something so incredibly arrogant and playful about it :drool: He tried it earlier in the game as well. He has actually had his fair share of passes and attempts I would describe as inspired.
Nice call, I completely forgot about this one. Really sweet composure and touch to get it to Pogba.

 

LDUred

Full Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
1,786
Nani's assist for Rooney in our 4-0 home win against AC Milan (2009/10)

He ran down the left wing at full speed and then curled a ridiculous pass with the outside of his right boot straight into Rooney's path. It was technical perfection.

If you paste this text into youtube's search engine it's at 4.00 in the same video.
 

SirAnderson

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
24,362
Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
Nani's assist for Rooney in our 4-0 home win against AC Milan (2009/10)

He ran down the left wing at full speed and then curled a ridiculous pass with the outside of his right boot straight into Rooney's path. It was technical perfection.

If you paste this text into youtube's search engine it's at 4.00 in the same video.
Saw it, the precise and vision for that pass was perfect indeed.
 

Falcow

New Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2019
Messages
1,338
Location
Dublin
Unbelievable skill by Rashford, I dont think you will see a better assist. To beat the first man was impressive but then the second was even better and then the pass....outrageous.

I remember Redondo for Real Madrid at OT where he made a fool of Neville, early noughties, possibly 4-3 game? Anyway Rashfords was better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 12OunceEpilogue

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Oct 31, 2012
Messages
33,747
This one was class as well, such a shame we didn’t score
 

MyOnlySolskjaer

Creator of Player Performance threads
Joined
Nov 27, 2014
Messages
26,845
Location
Player Performance Threads
A lot of posters were quick to say Rashford didn't mean this pass and wasn't good enough to execute it. I firmly believe he meant it. Had De Bruyne made this pass it would have had all the headlines.

 

thepolice123

Full Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Messages
12,179
This assist was way harder than the Berbatov one. He had his back turned, and in one quick succession, spin around and poke the ball past Ake. And also the Elastico was just filthy.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
Then there was this assist from Welbeck. This part of his game was always underappreciated.


 

NinjaZombie

Punched the air when Liverpool beat City
Joined
Dec 7, 2011
Messages
10,120
Here's the Berba one, but I still prefer Rashford's. But we can enjoy them both, no need to choose :drool:

Berba is just Berba. In addition to this being a sublime piece of skill, Berba just has that grace and arrogance about him that makes whatever he does aesthetically pleasing.

Rashford's assist was much harder, and he did like 3 different pieces of skill to get into position for the assist, but all in a hurried fashion that just doesn't quite look as pleasing as Berba's.
 

norm87cro

New Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
1,782
Location
Split, HR
Aldo Rashford's assist was harder and requierd more skill there was something essentially beautiful in the ease of the Berbatov assist. The whole fluidity was just incredible
 

MalcolmTucker

Full Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
1,810
Berba is just Berba. In addition to this being a sublime piece of skill, Berba just has that grace and arrogance about him that makes whatever he does aesthetically pleasing.

Rashford's assist was much harder, and he did like 3 different pieces of skill to get into position for the assist, but all in a hurried fashion that just doesn't quite look as pleasing as Berba's.
Exactly
 

Brightonian

Full Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
14,090
Location
Juanderlust
The Berba one gets more love because it's cleaner, easier to see what he does. It's all about Berba being able to see possibilities in the situation which the defender can't, in particular seeing past the illusion that only the pitch within the white lines is relevant. Obviously the touch is beautiful and had to be perfect, but the demanding part of the trick all happens in Berbatov's brain. It's also an opportunistic moment - both players and the ball really had to be exactly where they were and moving at the speed they were for the opportunity to exist.

Rashford's is more technically demanding by far. He does two elasticos - the little one with his toe after turning on a dime to put it around Ake, and then the classic one, on the run, to beat Rico. The elastico is by its very nature a trick that is quite hard for the eye to follow on a screen, and very fast. And because he's beating two players in a row the camera shot is chaotic, full of legs. It's harder to follow exactly what happens. It's less opportunistic than Berba's skill - Rashford often finds himself out on the wing, facing up against two defenders like that. There was no real dynamism to the situation - he had to create his opening from nothing, effectively.

Tl;dr: Berba's is a skill primarily of vision and imagination, very clean and easy to appreciate for the viewer. Rashford's is a skill of the feet, more complicated and harder to see for the viewer. So Berba's will probably always get more love, but Rashford's was the more difficult of the two to pull off.
 

Rozay

Master of Hindsight
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
27,025
Location
...
I much prefer the elastico assist really. But here's the assist you referring to. It's great vision and linking up.

I think this one is made to look a bit better due to the quality of the finish to be fair. The Bournemouth one or Berbatov one do not have to share any credit with the finish. The beauty lies completely in the assist. With this one, the beauty of the goal is as much the finish as the pass, and both of those elements make each other look better.
 

Njord

Full Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
428
Nice call, I completely forgot about this one. Really sweet composure and touch to get it to Pogba.

What he does here is quite unbelievable. It's hard enough to spot Pogba's run, adjust your body, and aim the header with the right power and precision to land in Pogba's path, but Rashford does this after a 60 m sprint, where he also had to get away from the defender.
 

El Zoido

Full Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
12,259
Location
UK
Amazing assist, brilliant from Pogba too. Rashford is so fecking good, and he’s stepped it up a level this season. Reminds me a bit of when Ronaldo first started to get really good.
 

12OunceEpilogue

In perfect harmony
Scout
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
18,392
Location
Wigan
Some brilliant technique from Rashy in this thread (and Berba (and Welbz!)). His skill on the ball is still very underrated by United fans let alone rivals.
 

12OunceEpilogue

In perfect harmony
Scout
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
18,392
Location
Wigan
Unbelievable skill by Rashford, I dont think you will see a better assist. To beat the first man was impressive but then the second was even better and then the pass....outrageous.

I remember Redondo for Real Madrid at OT where he made a fool of Neville, early noughties, possibly 4-3 game? Anyway Rashfords was better.
I've not found him vs Neville but here he is ruining Berg:

 

Handré1990

Full Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
4,814
Location
In hibernation
Nice call, I completely forgot about this one. Really sweet composure and touch to get it to Pogba.

Yeah, that’s the one! As I said, he tried the same thing earlier and missed by a hair. Made it even more pleasing to me, somehow :D The awereness to pull it of a metre in front of the keeper is insane. He’s just toying with the oppos ffs!
 

SirAnderson

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
24,362
Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
I think this one is made to look a bit better due to the quality of the finish to be fair. The Bournemouth one or Berbatov one do not have to share any credit with the finish. The beauty lies completely in the assist. With this one, the beauty of the goal is as much the finish as the pass, and both of those elements make each other look better.
I concur! But it was a sweet cushioned header nonetheless.