There are numerous reasons for Manchester United fans to feel that this is shaping up to be a long and difficult campaign. Performances in almost every area of the pitch have come in for fair criticism in the opening four games of this campaign. The front three have been ineffective thus far and this has highlighted issues in other areas of the pitch, but there is sincere hope that after making his debut against Arsenal, Rasmus Hojlund may be the missing piece of the jigsaw in attack.
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Hojlund May Be the Answer to United’s Biggest Problem
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Anthony Martial Fails to Take His Chance
Marcus Rashford started as the focal point against Wolves at Old Trafford in their opening match but he was ineffective in playing out of his best position. The England international scored 17 Premier League goals in the 2022/23 season, matching his best personal scoring record with him being at his devastating best playing as a left winger.
The 25-year-old’s sheer pace on the counter-attack is arguably United’s biggest weapon and this was sorely lacking when Alejandro Garnacho started in this role for the opening two games of the new campaign.
The only available centre-forward by trade in the squad became the hopeful solution to this problem. Anthony Martial has shown glimpses of quality since joining the club in 2015 but injuries and a lack of work-rate have hampered his progress. The France international spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla and started the games against Nottingham Forest and Arsenal, but managed just one shot on target across both matches and was substituted midway through the second half on each occasion.
Erik ten Hag has built a side that is dangerous on the break and with Rashford the key man in this system, Martial has proven that he does fit in the number nine role. There is no denying the forward has pace and is decent at linking up play but he is not the target man required to take this team to the next level.
There is still a role for him in this team as a squad player. However, after signing for a fee of reportedly £36 million rising to £58 million, he may decide that a move to another club may be the only option to revitalise his career.
Souness Takes Aim at New Signing’s Goalscoring Record and Large Fee
A Liverpool legend criticising United’s signing of Hojlund may not come as much of a surprise to many. Speaking to the Express in an exclusive interview, he had this to say: “I don’t think Manchester United are going to be any better than they were last season. They’ve spent £72 million on a young centre-forward in Rasmus Hojlund, who has not got a great goalscoring record.”
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“He played 34 games for Atalanta and only hit the back of the net ten times. Now he’s come to a league where it’s tough to get goals.”
The former Sky Sports pundit is correct in his analysis of Hojlund’s numbers last season, but United spent a lot of money on the striker leading to huge expectations from the fans that this signing can finally fill the void in the number nine role.
Hojlund Offers More Than Just a Goal Threat
The goal numbers in Italy are not the only indicator of the 20-year-old’s goalscoring exploits. After just eight international caps at the time of writing, he has scored six goals for his country. The Danish international was unplayable in his nation’s 3-1 victory over Finland in March, scoring a hat-trick. His movement and harrying of the opponent’s defenders can give United fans a glimpse of what to expect from Hojlund. His goals were reminiscent of an experienced poacher.
Three days later, the striker netted another brace in a 3-2 defeat in Kazakhstan. These were his first two starts for the national team. An overlooked fact by many is that the 2022/23 season was his first in Italy after a move from Austrian side Sturm Graz.
At just 19 years old, a first season in one of the top European leagues could have been a daunting prospect for many, but Hojlund thrived with Atalanta after a slow start, scoring eight of his nine leagues after the turn of the year.
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The new signing may take time to settle in at Old Trafford, but his work rate as the main centre forward is sorely lacking in this season’s opening four games. Last season in Serie A, of all forwards who made more than ten appearances, Hojlund ranked third for total dribbles with 2.3 per game and seventh for successful dribbles. The fact that he sits first in the same rankings with 1.8 unsuccessful dribbles per game highlights that there is also potential for improvement in this area.
Potential Is There but Patience Is Required
Patience may be the key for the young man as he looks to silence any doubters by improving his goal record, but if he can occupy a couple of opposition defenders, it may also free up space for the likes of Rashford and Bruno Fernandes to benefit. United have goals in the side, it has been the balance up top that has been off and Hojlund has the attributes needed to make things slot into place.
Having Martial as a backup to first-choice Hojlund is a good balance for United moving forward. Both of these players offer different attributes. Garnacho and Rashford offer good options on the left. There are issues on the right, but the pessimism around the new addition is unfounded. The central striker role is in good hands for the near future.
Featured image: J Williams. CC BY-SA 2.0.
