The fall guy of a failed regime
Rasmus Hojlund and his toxic Manchester United environment
Expectations regarding an appropriate name to lead a Manchester United attack will differ depending on who you speak with. More often than not, a striker struggling for confidence is deemed beyond salvage, whether through unrealistic beliefs, agendas or a lack of understanding.
There is no doubt about the necessity of a capable body to act as a focal point in the final third. Furthermore, in a Ruben Amorim system, the memories of Viktor Gyokeres provide supposition within a disgruntled fan base.
Amorim’s time in the North West has received scrutiny following the club’s worst Premier League finish, and his young forward Rasmus Hojlund has shouldered a considerable sum of the blame.
A return of four goals and a single assist from 32 domestic outings typified the failures of this United team, with Hojlund regularly cutting a figure of visible anguish and torment.
He is not exonerated of fault, and the Denmark international often resembles a player who would rather sit in the stands. However, at what point should a coherent perspective be considered for an individual scenario?
Disregarding online hate and bizarre machinations, this is not a footballer who chose to forget the stellar form he ended his debut campaign with; what we have witnessed is the result of a lack of confidence, constant agendas, and a toxic environment.
It remains unclear if his situation is salvageable in Manchester, but despite everything that has been and gone, he wants to stay and fight for his place in the team. If nothing else, is that not the perfect mentality for a dressing room undergoing a Portuguese revolution?
As referenced above, Hojlund is not blame-free in this conversation. His decision-making and various final third movements have often contributed to underwhelming attacking phases.
It is simplistic for me to point out the statistical nuances which emphasise his lack of service year-on-year, but that would inevitably lead to remarks about what a person has viewed with their own two eyes.
Undeniably, a tactical modification between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns saw a shift in mentality, resulting in the Dane receiving fewer opportunities to play using his strengths.
Call a spade a spade: if you want a striker to score goals, you must present him with the football in the opposition box.
Despite a well-documented lack of service in his debut season, a sublime conversion rate masked this notable issue. Yet, he dropped from four touches per 90 minutes in the attacking penalty area to 3.3 in the recently concluded calendar, ranking in the bottom 10th percentile of all Premier League attackers.
Grievances aside, this can not be dismissed.
But this issue extends far beyond a number. Manchester United have been bleeding for two decades, and a cluster of uneducated boardroom decisions has ruined the house Sir Matt Busby built and Sir Alex Ferguson renovated.
Whether we discuss dressing room leaks, player dissatisfaction, or subsections of division within the squad, each is as cancerous to a successful team as the other.
Take Alejandro Garnacho, for example. He is a hugely talented youngster with a ceiling for perennial growth. However, his attitude and unyielding desire for self-indulgence have wreaked havoc across the team and the supporter base.
Whether by deliberately failing to read the room when posting unnecessary social media images or by his tiresome desire to focus on individual metrics over the betterment of his teammates, the Argentine attacker epitomises the toxic strands in M16.
Truthfully, I have long felt his presence in the United attacking line has been one of the most harmful factors in Hojlund’s failings, and I regularly find myself shaking my head in disbelief at what the Dane has to work with.
For context, Garnacho has attempted 114 more shots on goal throughout the previous two Premier League campaigns than his often furious striker teammate. All the while, he routinely ranks amongst the worst statistical finishers in the squad.
When I see this weekly, it’s easy to understand why the young hitman has struggled with confidence. His first touch and isolation as a sole hold-up option suffered dramatically, and there is no denying this.
However, his forward movement and final third runs are regularly ignored, and I believe the latter will always contribute to the former.
Hojlund is not a facilitator in this form. He does not possess the skill set to provide a hold-up avenue, nor does he display the required technical ability to overwhelm small spaces.
However, he is beyond his years in making channel-bursting runs and exploiting small spaces between the lines. Bruno Fernandes is aware of this and regularly attempts to feed the Dane while also taking time to mentor him post-phase.
With Manchester United dissected more than any other, mainstream media has mastered crafting agendas to generate endless clickbait for the sensationalism machine.
Additionally, we are never more than a couple of clicks away from a YouTube ‘star’ masquerading as the be-all, know-all, second coming of the lord jesus.
I placed the above poll to determine the nature of social discontent amongst the online fan base. The question was simple, and few rational individuals would refuse a Premier League striker with 10 goals and two assists from 16 appearances.
That was the case for approximately one-third of the running time until we inserted clues about the player. Quickly, the ‘yes’ contingent began to fall, and in a few hours, the tally dropped 20 per cent.
But this is the nature of the beast we are dealing with. Individuals are happy to rewrite history to suit an agenda, and the majority have all but forgotten what Hojlund can (and has) done when presented with a reasonable opportunity to score.
Remember, this is far from a ‘purple patch’. The below represents more than half of his debut domestic campaign. Rasmus had already supplied five goals from six Champions League outings before his league opener against Aston Villa.
Is it possible the Dane simply regressed season on season? Yes, of course. But that would be the answer of an individual who hadn’t watched him play in either campaign.
Would it be fair to assume that Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, or even Liam Delap could and would step into the spotlight and provide a far better option as centre forward? Yes, without question. But there is no guarantee they would thrive in the melting pot that Hojlund has endured.
The arrival of Matheus Cunha and the imminent acquisition of Bryan Mbeumo present an altogether different dynamic for Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and the entire attacking impetus of this squad.
They are not a duo of juvenile pretenders; they are a powerhouse of Premier League attacking pedigree that immediately improves the fortunes of Amorim’s attacking lineup.
Furthermore, Garnacho’s likely departure removes an Achilles heel that has plagued the fortunes of Hojlund and a withered fanbase.
While I admit he is still learning everything from movement and spatial awareness, Hojlund has proven that he can rank statistically amongst the best finishers in England.
Considering his achievements during his debut showing and the meagre 38 efforts he was afforded, Old Trafford witnessed the emergence of a finisher with a predatory instinct in the box.
Naturally, any United player is judged on the here and now, and his end product throughout a forgettable season was the furthest thing from acceptable. That said, it is correct to acknowledge reasonable mitigating factors.
At 22, this is not a similar case to Antony – a player who failed to adapt to English expectations; this is a talented young boy drained of confidence in the most frustrating manner. He has already proven he can mix it with the best in the league.
It may seem simplistic to note, but there is an obvious reason that Juventus and Inter Milan are desperate to seal his signature.
If he should stay in the North West, I urge you to remember what has been and gone and support the boy who once made you believe in his dream.
Photo by mrogowski_photography via depositphotos.com