Manchester United Thread 25/26 - Teamtalk/Transfers/Gossip Mod Note in OP 26.09.24

Mitch Connor

I think there is a good chance his lack of defensive effort is actually tactical, or it was, or could be attributed to it to a large degree.

We were a counter attacking focused team, with Rashford the main counter attacking outlet, for YEARS. I think Rashford was told to conserve his energy for attacking sprints, not defensive ones.

I think when he was doing both, when he first burst on the scene, it worked to burn him out and injure him.

I ALSO think he is rubbish at defending, and is poor at pressing - so i'm not trying to say everything bad about his game is a choice - but I do think there is a good chance he was consistently instructed to stay goal side and available for the out ball rather than track the runner defensive side.

I would also agree that he certainly doesnt look like he enjoys his football, and hasn't for about 18 months, whatever the reason. I had hoped we would see a return to enjoyment with Amorim, but it doesn't look like it so far, after just a few games to be fair.

Iseedeadpixels

The legendary Kath has passed away, may she R.I.P

ceegee

Sad to hear that Kath has passed away.

Part of the fabric of the club from the Busby days until now

jayo44

Yeah very sad news. Everyone spoke so highly of her.

Jinglejangle69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122924773#Comment_122924773

Arsenal had 6 shots on target to United’s 2.

Stoke tactics is it?

For years united have been a counter attacking team, sitting back defend defend then try to catch teams on the break. Reminds me a lot of Stoke.

IncognitoMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925054#Comment_122925054

The problem is that Rashford isn't effective enough in that role to warrant it. You'd want the other team to be so fearful of him when they are in possession that they can't push players on. But I don't think that happens.

It sounds awful like what we tried to do with Ronaldo out of possession as well. I'm not sure in a modern system you can carry those players and win the big competitions.

BenK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122924093#Comment_122924093

The last bit's just not true though. In just the previous match, with Hojlund in the the team, they looked better going forward. Amorim himself said someting to the affect that the team deserved better against Bodo Glimt and that the Everton match wasn't as one sided as the score suggests.

Dano650

I see poor Kath Phipps passed away 😪. With the club since 1968. Hopefully the club will honour her on Saturday evening. May she rest in peace

https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-saddened-by-passing-of-kath-phipps

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925232#Comment_122925232

I do think Amad on the right has shown him up a bit in recent games in terms of the pressing even when on your own and the organisation not being there. Applies to most of them though and Amad's low centre of gravity also applies. I did notice an improvement in Rashford's pressing earlier in the season but it's an improvement on the abysmal level it was at last year.

It's rare anyone actually gets into positions to make a tackle at a team level due to pressing and has already looked a bit better in recent games.

I think he and the rest should find themselves more on the front foot with the wing back system creating pressing overloads.

We'll see what the manager thinks because it doesn't seem like he'll be standing for anything that doesn't fit into his vision. There is a lot scope for smarter movements and more hunger being shown without the ball from Rashford and the other attackers to varying degrees.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925232#Comment_122925232

Yeah, I think previously he had a bit more invention about him, which he seems to have lost. Like I do think he is playing badly, i'm not trying to argue he is playing well.

I also think for a long time he has been our only goal threat really, so we saw quite often teams would double up on him cause nothing would happen elsewhere - and he was not good enough to escape that and still thrive.

I am a defender of Rashford, and I do wonder what he would have been like if he had come through earlier, under fergie - with a proper mentality at the club, proper accountability, and a stable environment to learn and play within. I do think Rashford has disappointed vs what he could have been - but I don't think there is a single player at United in the last 15 years that has signficantly improved in their time at the club. So while I think there is merit in people saying rashford isn't good or whatever, I also think the club should be bearing the responsibility for that rather than Rashford on his own. Is it EVERY players fault no one has progressed at United or has United been a rubbish environment for more than a decade?

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122924992#Comment_122924992

I can remember when Jose was getting blamed for Rashfords performances, because he was being played wide left when he should be a striker, or two games later it would be because he was being played up front when really he is an inside forward. Jose just didn't know how to use him.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925249#Comment_122925249

Bodo Glint and Everton are rubbish, whoever played those games should have been looking good.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925545#Comment_122925545

You can remember that? Well done it was 8 years ago and Rashford was 19.

In José's 2 full seasons he scored 12 and set up 8 league goals in the equivalence of 39 full 90 minute games and mostly from the bench. So just over half the minutes available in the league he played over 2 seasons and averaged out at 10 goal contributions in each.

Scored another 12 in all competitions those 2 seasons too. He was 18 when Jose took over.

I don't see where you would have seen anyone saying his performances were bad for a 19/20 year old playing mostly the last 20-30 minutes of games? So maybe you are just making that part up?

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925551#Comment_122925551

THey beat Porto which is more than can be said for our lot.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925054#Comment_122925054

18 months?

From Jan 22:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10391695/What-wrong-Marcus-Rashford-amid-Manchester-United-struggles.html

https://www.planetsport.com/soccer/news/marcus-rashford-news-what-went-wrong-man-utd-star-2021-how-can-turn-around

https://theanalyst.com/2022/01/marcus-rashford-loss-of-form

It is one of the frustrations about any Rashford discussion, people frequently gloss over just how long this has been going on.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925788#Comment_122925788

Sure thing buddy.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926300#Comment_122926300

He looked like he was enjoying his football the year he got 30+ goals. Since then, not. 18 months.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926364#Comment_122926364

It was a good 3 months for him, can't deny that.

kerplun k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925167#Comment_122925167

Arsenal have scored 22 goals since the start of last season from corners, if that’s not Rory Delap type tactics, I don’t know what is.

Anyways, after last nights carry on, I’m sure it’s been highlighted. Refs, Managers and players can finally put a stop those cheap tricks. It’s anti-football, and even more dissatisfying that it comes from a team who was once known for playing such beautiful football.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925167#Comment_122925167

You mustn't have seen Stoke at their Stokiest.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926665#Comment_122926665

Call it Rory Delap tactics if needed, but if our corners were causing the opposition that much trouble in a game then damn sure I am telling the players to try for as many corners as possible.

Especially if the opposition can't stop conceding corners.

I don't know if that is Arsenals gameplan in every game, but I can understand why it was their gameplan yesterday.

Jinglejangle69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926665#Comment_122926665

Anti football is now scoring a goal from a corner!????

What do you want Arsenal to do from a corner?

Clear the ball away towards their own half??

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926309#Comment_122926309

Yep, what I thought. The usual thoughts, feelings and tabloid articles from a season he spent mostly injured.

Bleating Lamb

Watching the Spurs v Bournemouth game.Evanilson causing panic in the Spurs rearguard every time he gets possession.He’s 2 years older than Zirkzee,but cost 5m less.

Very hard to push off the ball,can use both feet,is lightning quick and always passes to a teammate if they are in a better position.

Not amazingly prolific so far in his career but I can see Bournemouth having top 6 clubs calling about him next Summer if he keeps up his form.

Don’t think the Utd hotline will be quite as busy with clubs calling about ‘Machine Gun’ Zirkzee.

kerplun k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926869#Comment_122926869

it’s the manor in the way they are doing it, it’s grubby, it’s scrappy, and it makes for awful viewing. Im sure Arsenal fans are delighted, and as someone pointed out, if we were scoring like this, I wouldn’t be complaining, same situation if a player “wins” a cheap penalty, it’s not great viewing for anyone apart from the fans of the team that are benefiting.

Robson99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926741#Comment_122926741

I can't understand the whinging over Arsenals corner tactics. Fair play to them …. I would be more concerned as to why our goalkeeper didn't come and claim any of the ones that were in the 6 yd box… especially the second goal. That should have been keepers ball all day long. The exposed a weakness of Onana and exploited it.

Jinglejangle69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122927011#Comment_122927011

Ah well, Arsenal aren’t there to entertain you.

They are there to win games in any way they can.

Mitch Connor

its actually something that really annoys me. Cornre kicks and throws, and in some ways free kicks, are repeatable scenarios. why in the hell is every club not putting in massive time and resources to maximising them. I remember there being some laughs about pool hiring a thorw in coach - as if trying to maximise you attacking options is dumb.

Fair effing play to arsenal. they make the most of corners. EVERYONE should. it is managerial malpractice, imo, to not dedicate as much time and effort as arseanl do to them. and lets not forget - to get corners you have to attack. you have to put pressure on the opponent. We had like 2 corners? cause we couldn't create good attacks.

every club that can afford it should have a set piece coach. or a team of them.

JRant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926741#Comment_122926741

If we were doing what they did yesterday during those corners I can guarantee you the ref would have blown us for it on more than one occasion.

ronjo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122927333#Comment_122927333

based on what would you guarantee it as a matter of interest?