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

He was having no positive impact on the game and then let his frustrations get the better of him, leading to a YC and putting his team in jeopardy of going down to 10 men. This is from a senior member of the panel who is looking to revive his standing within the team, with a new manager and fan base.

Did it negatively impact the team by taking him off? No. That in itself tells you everything you need to know about him.

Is he the worst player? No. Is he the cause of all the problems? No.

But he is given special treatment because of who he is and how much he gets paid. He continually gets starting places or game time when his performance doesn't justify it.

Liam O is arguing that he is being singled out, but that is exactly how he wants to be treated. His contract, and special treatment, is because of his being singled out. As the best.

He continually fails to meet the standard of a leader or a main player in even a struggling team, never mind a team with aspirations to be a top team.

But the very fact that he was previously good and now is so far from it is the point. He got the big contract out of his performance (and fair play to him, no issue with that) but that carries a level of expectation that he has failed to live up to. Just like the top sales guy is supposed to outperform all the new guys, so it is with senior and well-paid players.

What is most worrying is that despite him being there for multiple managers, his slide into mediocrity has continued and he shows zero signs of being able to turn it around. He got off to a great start with 2 goals against Everton, but, based on RA dropping him, that wasn't enough to kick-start him. So we continue to wait for the perfect conditions when everyone around him is perfect, and the manager plays him exactly where he wants to be, and the opposition lets him do what he wants. Then, maybe, for a brief time, will he put in a top-class performance.

He himself has asked to be judged on what he does on the pitch. And based on the metrics that he himself wants to be judged, getting paid along the level of the top stars, then he is failing badly.

He has let his standards drop. And I agree with you that that is perfectly in line with the team and the organisation as a whole, but when he claims to be the most important player on the team, and that is what the mega contract states, then simply being as terrible as everyone else isn't acceptable.

I'm not asking for him to be dropped or sold. RA will make those decisions. But neither am I worried if RA decides, like last Sunday, that Rashford is not part of his plans. RA will see his training, his application, his attitude, and his willingness to learn and adapt. Either Rashford will bring himself back to the levels we all saw a few years ago or will be dropped down the order.

So? Nobody would cry if Casemiro was sold tomorrow.

He is a big star in the club, that is how he negotiated his contract. And he is not performing like that. He needs to simply get on with it. He has been given patience and understanding. He has been backed by many of the fans. But he continually fails to pay that back.

Even the recent trip to NY. Fine, it was ok'd by the club. He didn't break any rules. But that signals a guy that is 100% focused on getting back to his best?

Garnacho wins the Puskas

Latest on Rashford from Henry Winter:

Headline is Rashford saying he is ready for a new challenge.

I'll bring it into the conversation because, imo, it feeds directly into the defence Richards was giving of him and which he was abused over.

I think it’s ‘’no hard feelings” on both sides. For me anyway it’s going to be an equal measure of disappointment and relief.

I was at his debut against Midtjylland. He was a last minute change for Martial who was injured in the warm up. I’ll hold my hand up and say I hadn’t actually heard of him at the time 😅 He scored two goals and when we got a penalty towards the end of the game, I was hoping he would take it but it was left to Herrera.

It’s sad/disappointing that it’s ending like this. It’s not something you want to see for someone who grew up with the club but at the same time things with him have been toxic (not saying it’s all his fault) for too long and it needed to come to a head one way or the other.

How does this reflect poorly on all? It reflects poorly on Rashford.

I've been a big Rashford fan over the years but for quite a while now he hasn't been performing well enough and often looks very disinterested in contrast to his earlier years at the club. He's not performing, it is as simple as that, and doesn't look like he has it in him to turn it around at this stage.

He's been given every opportunity to impress and establish himself in recent times. That he hasn't is purely down to him imo. I don't understand the level of excuses that are made for him.

Who cares what circus it causes if he leaves either? There have been plenty of bigger players that have left the club in more acrimonious circumstances and the world keeps spinning.

I for one will be very happy to see the back of him.

Strangely very happy with this news. Probably because he never looked like he gave a **** for seasons on end. Had some excellent moments and will do well in Spain or France. But it's definitely time to move on. We need absolute top class talent in his position. He had a lot of chances and time was up.

Absolutely. He never broke 20 goals in a season. He averaged 9 goals a season over his 9 seasons.
Rashford best season in 9 years - 17 goals.
Salah worst season in his 8 years - 18 goals.

Absolutely abysmal output for one of the highest paid wingers in world football. Nowhere near justified all the moodiness and general lack of effort. A great day for the club when he goes. The fact he was ever seen as a potential saviour was a symbol of how far the club has fallen.