Rasmus

comment by Robb #456 (U22716)
posted 8 hours, 8 minutes ago
I hate to say I told you so but him and Zirkhorst are just dumb purchases for a side that were already struggling to score goals. We turned down Watkins for Weghojlund.

Thanks Ten Hag
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If we had signed Watkins, we’d now be talking about Wegkins.

Here’s the full story behind United’s long-standing interest in Hojlund (before he moved to Atalanta) and his eventual signing, for anyone who is interested.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4862234/2023/09/23/how-manchester-united-signed-rasmus-hojlund-ten-hags-video-calls-agents-scrap-and-turning-down-psg/

He also hasn't scored Denmark since October 2023.

If we had signed Watkins, we’d now be talking about Wegkins.

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No because Watkins is actually a good striker

I find the whole Hojlund situation all a bit sad. A young player who came here with so many hopes, a big transfer fee on his back and well, it's not turned out how we had all hoped.

For whatever reason, I still don't think he is a terrible player but it feels like we have done our best to make sure he doesn't succeed - no support from a proven striker alongside him, a team out of form that is struggling to score goals regardless. A proven striker might have done a little better, but if you put most of the top strikers when they were aged 20 in our team, they would have struggled.

Unlike a player like Antony, who i just don't really rate at all, there have been flashes of brilliance from Hojlund that makes me think there is a good player in there, if not at the very top level, although he is still young enough to improve so much.

I'm not sure if we are in a position to get rid of Hojlund (and a large part of me doesn't actually want us to do that), but if we could get in a forward like Bowen / similar just to take that pressure off and help with the younger members of the squad.

Bringing in a young striker to be the main man was always going to fail. Hojlund coming in as back up to a Zlatan, Cavani or the whoever the equivalent is in 2023 was might have been a far more sensible approach.

What we've done is thrown him into the deep end when he clearly wasn't ready and we've probably ruined his confidence now.

He looked promising last year. 16 goals from play was not bad for a 20 year striker in a struggling team.

He’s regressed this season and has dreadful though. Don’t think he’ll be good enough at all.

comment by Tyranny of the majority (SE85) (U21241)
posted 14 minutes ago
Bringing in a young striker to be the main man was always going to fail. Hojlund coming in as back up to a Zlatan, Cavani or the whoever the equivalent is in 2023 was might have been a far more sensible approach.

What we've done is thrown him into the deep end when he clearly wasn't ready and we've probably ruined his confidence now.
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This and many people at the time, myself included said this. But some people are obsessed with playing youth at all costs which is not the best way

TBF to EtH I remember reading that he wanted Kane AND Hojlund. Wishful thinking I know but it did seem that he wanted a more experienced striker to lead the line with Hojlund as back up to gradually work hi way into the side.

For whatever reason we ditched the experienced striker route (didn't have to be Kane) and went straight for the promising young player with only 1 full season in a top league.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 2 minutes ago
TBF to EtH I remember reading that he wanted Kane AND Hojlund. Wishful thinking I know but it did seem that he wanted a more experienced striker to lead the line with Hojlund as back up to gradually work hi way into the side.

For whatever reason we ditched the experienced striker route (didn't have to be Kane) and went straight for the promising young player with only 1 full season in a top league.
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Yeah, it explains in the Athletic article linked above that ETH wanted an experienced, Premier League-proven centre forward.

At least he’s maintaining his good shots to goals ratio because he’s so shiiiiit he doesn’t even take shots.