Why Hojlund is Finding it Hard
Rasmus Hojlund, the Manchester United striker, hasn’t had the best time since joining Old Trafford. Signed for a big sum, £64 million (AU$131m), he hasn’t quite lived up to the price tag after almost two seasons. The Number Behind Hojlund’s Struggles.
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After a debut season with 10 league goals, people thought Hojlund would keep improving. But, he’s stuck in a Manchester United team that’s struggling in the Premier League. So far this season, he’s only scored twice in 23 games, and the Red Devils are down in 14th place after 28 games. Even with Ruben Amorim as the new manager, who was supposed to shake things up, Hojlund’s problems haven’t gone away. Since November, when Amorim arrived, the Danish striker has only scored one league goal.
Not Enough Passes and Wrong Tactics
Hojlund is getting a lot of criticism since United isn’t doing well. Fans and experts keep mentioning his huge transfer fee as a reason for the pressure. But, football expert Phil Kitromilides thinks Hojlund’s main issue is the team’s tactics, not his own skills.
Rasmus Hojlund runs into the box more often this season than Mo Salah, Erling Haaland, and Alexander Isak, but he gets fewer touches in it than almost every other Premier League striker, Kitromilides said on The Optus Sport Football Podcast. He said that the young striker is trying hard, but the team’s structure and how they play means he doesn’t get enough good passes. Because of this, it’s hard for him to make an impact on games like other top strikers should. The Number Behind Hojlund’s Struggles.
Similar to Viktor Gyokeres
Jay Bothroyd, a former Premier League striker, agreed. He said Hojlund is alike to Viktor Gyokeres, who was a key forward at Amorim’s previous club. He’s happy to run, he’s strong, he’s got good control, and he works hard, Bothroyd said. He thinks Gyokeres might be a bit better at dribbling, but they have a similar style.
Bothroyd also mentioned that United’s style doesn’t use Hojlund’s strengths. They don’t cross the ball. When he’s trying to get in front of defenders, nobody passes to him, he said. He pointed out that Alejandro Garnacho likes to cut inside and shoot instead of crossing and this means Hojlund doesn’t get as many chances to score. It’s a bit better when Amad Diallo plays because he crosses the ball better, but the team mostly doesn’t play to Hojlund’s advantages. The Number Behind Hojlund’s Struggles.
Needs Better Support
Ultimately, Hojlund’s struggles seem to be due to Manchester United’s poor attack more than his own faults. He works hard and moves well off the ball, but because he’s not getting the right passes, it’s hard for him to do well. Until United finds a way to play to his strengths, the young striker might keep having problems with the pressure on him.
