These have been the players signed by Manchester United to lead their attack in the past 4 years. Currently none of them are at the club. The lack of seriousness in plugging a major starting XI gap has finally been addressed this summer. 20 year old Danish wonderkid, Rasmus Hojlund was unveiled at Old Trafford before the pre-season friendly vs Lens to an excited Old Trafford crowd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThanks to the deal costing \u20ac75m as a package, the hype and expectations from an excited fanbase who have been yearning for a young high ceiling line-leading CF, are quite high. In this article I break down every aspect of Hojlund\u2019s game and point out his key strengths and the areas he needs to improve on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Career so far<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Born in Copenhagen, he joined their youth system in 2020 at the age of 17. He made his debut for them later that year and went on to feature 27 times over the next season. Sturm Graz picked him up for \u20ac1.8m in Jan 2022 and he recorded an impressive 12 goals in 21 appearances for them across 2022. That was enough for Atalanta to shell out \u20ac17m in August 2022. 22\/23 was his breakout year where he bagged 10 goals and 2 assists in 21.1 90s for the Serie A club which was enough for United to come knocking. He has also started playing regularly for Denmark in the past 2 years racking up 6 goals in 6 games for his country so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 22\/23 Stats Excellent movement and shooting, great carrying and good passing – is how I\u2019d summarize this chart. This already paints a good picture of the type of striker we want to lead our line. Let’s get into his traits now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NOTE: For the match examples in this article I\u2019ve stuck to two full games – Atalanta vs Salernitana from Serie A GW37 and Denmark vs Kazakhstan 2023 Euro qualifier. I wanted to highlight all of Rasmus’ pros and cons using two full 90s instead of cherry-picking good moments across a year. Attacking Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me say upfront that this is Hojlund’s best trait and the one I think he\u2019s already at par with compared to the best strikers in the world. His consistency, willingness, IQ and variety of movement are all top-class and this is one of the main reasons I\u2019d say his profile is so attractive for a top team.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, let me back these positive statements with some proof. Atalanta play a very attacking and transition-based brand of football. The wingbacks provide the width while the back 3 and pivot take care of the build up and progression. The front 3 have a lot of license to roam in the opponent half to pick spaces between the lines, on the wings or half-spaces between defenders. The 2 support strikers are usually narrow like attacking midfielders. Hojlund was usualy the line leader CF, playing on the shoulder of the last opposition defender. This is his bread-and-butter move. Hojlund curves around a defender to attack the channel or half-space between the center-back and the fullback. The support striker responsible for that halfspace usually takes Hojlund\u2019s central spot to prepare for the cutback or offer a box target. Lookman often shared this equation with Hojlund and this is something we could see a lot with Rashford at United. When Hojlund runs the channel, he provides an immediate outlet for the team to pick out, stretches the opposition defence and creates space for his support attackers to occupy. A bursting Hojlund run into the right channel attracts the defender towards him, which creates space for him to play the channel pass to his teammate who runs there. Notice how Hojlund also attacks the box after his pass, expecting a 1-2 or someone to find him there later. Offers the channel run but immediately wants to attack the box as well – that\u2019s Hojlund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notice the sharpness of the run here. The space isn\u2019t big and there is a narrow window to angle his run to avoid being offside and yet beat his man and receive the ball. Hojlund\u2019s movement IQ and awareness is excellent enough to nail that window consistently all game. It\u2019s one reason I\u2019d put him up there with the best movers in the game already. His pass could probably have been better, which is an erratic part of his game, but the support wasn\u2019t great too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once again, notice how Hojlund starts peeling away from his marker the moment his teammate is about to receive the ball on the flank. That enables the first-time pass into the right channel. His movements are so quick and sharp, they are designed to attack those short moments when the space is available. United\u2019s players will have to be quick in noticing those moments and playing him early when he has the run on the opposition defender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example on the left side. Notice how good Hojlund\u2019s control and carrying is after receiving wide. To end up with a strong shot on goal from that wide position highlights what a good dribbler and shot-creator for himself Hojlund is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a great example of his movement. Notice how he tears away from his CB with the perfect angled run that not only beats the CB, but also lets him receive cleanly behind the RB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example from the Denmark game. Notice how he suddenly changes direction and darts towards the channel, inviting even the simplest of chips in the half space to become a great tool of progression. A hold up action and pass to winger later, Denmark are in the final 3rd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s get into his second movement pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A more direct move where Hojlund stands in front of his CB marker and turns him to run into the space right behind facing the goal. This usually ends up in a shot on goal or final ball or foul won. It is one major avenue for Hojlund\u2019s shots. The acceleration he generates from a standing start to a turn-and-run behind his man is what sets him apart from other strikers who do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s look at some scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Classic move ahead of the CB where he turns around him for a clear path to goal with his left foot in striking position. The CB has no option but to take him down. Hojlund wins a penalty which is dispatched by Boga. In general, he\u2019s drawn 32 fouls and won 2 penalties in his 20 90s for Atalanta this year. It\u2019s tough to handle someone as smart and quick a mover as Hojlund. Bruno could be taking some extra penalties this coming year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example where his turn-and-run leads to a foul drawn in a dangerous area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example from the Denmark game where he darts across the CB and uses his pace and physicality to maintain his run and emerge goalside. A random long ball punt becomes a 1-on-1 with the GK thanks to Hojlund\u2019s run. He also has the composure to chip and earn his goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s move to another pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the one you all must be waiting for. The classic poacher move – Penetrative run between defenders when the ball is in wide areas. Hojlund is excellent at this and keeps making these runs often. Many of his goals are from this movement and often finished with a speedy dart and an extended leg to tap in a pure striker\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s see some examples from the same games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Boga low cross wasn\u2019t able to beat the CB in this case, but look at Hojlund\u2019s acceleration and extension attempt. Would have been a poacher\u2019s goal if not for the interception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example where you can see his patience to wait for the final ball before executing the quick burt-and-stretch in front of goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the same game. Hojlund is always attacking the ball across the face of the goal. This time the goalkeeper being brave prevented a tap-in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here,within 2 seconds, Hojlund attacks the gap between both defenders and finds himself in pole position for a 2-yard finish. A last-ditch interception prevents the shot, but Hojlund will keep making that run all day, which is a reason why he gets goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can see from the examples, there\u2019s a good reason Hojlund is at 99 percentile for \u2018Progresses passes received\u2019 in his Serie A pizza chart. Here\u2019s how his movement compares to attackers in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summary, he\u2019s an excellent mover with many various movements to receive dangerous balls in good areas. The output of these moves are usually excellent – either a shot on goal, or foul won or final ball chance or space for another attacker to finish. Movement is Hojlund\u2019s best trait and what makes him so valuable. Especially in the context of playing ahead of progressors like Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, who have the passing range to pick him out regularly, It\u2019s a finger-licking aspect of his profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shooting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve seen how he gets into shooting positions. But how does he shoot after getting there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are his fbref shooting stats. What is very promising is the combination of \u2018shot on target %\u2019, \u2018NPxG\u2019 and \u2018NPxG\/Sh\u2019. Together they indicate a player who gets his shots on target often and racks up high shot quality with each attempt, and this results in him accruing a healthy amount of non-penalty expected goals. It\u2019s a very attractive shooting profile. I personally don\u2019t mind the total shots percentile being a little low. It just indicates he\u2019s not very trigger-happy and prefers to move or carry to get into good positions and attempt high quality shots. It meshes well with our attack since we already have shoot-heavy profiles in Bruno and Rashford. A third attacker who prefers to move or carry closer to goal and enhance chance quality is welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was 5th when it came to collecting non-penalty xG on a per 90 basis in Serie A last year. Moving with established strikers on this metric as a 20-year-old in his debut league season says a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s look at his shot map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are all his open play shots in Serie A in 22\/23. What\u2019s most satisfying is the number of shots inside the box. Only 3 shots are outside the box. He does have a slight preference to shoot from the left half-space compared to right. But his major chunk of shots being in the central zone around the penalty area is a clear signal of the kind of striker he is. 7 of his 9 goals have come from shots within the central zone and within the box – the area you want your line leader to score from, whether it\u2019s from clever movement, a strong carry or just being in the right position after a penalty box scrimmage. An example of that last point from the Denmark Kazakhstan game:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have a final viz to present before rounding up the shooting section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another representation of what I was saying earlier – Hojlund doesn\u2019t need too many shots to score. He roughly scores a goal every 6 shots. The only player who is in the same range and surpasses Hojlund on shots and goals per 90 is – you guessed it – Victor Osimhen. He\u2019s the red dot on the far top-right corner. I know that we all wanted Osimhen at Manchester United, but I\u2019m here to tell you that we\u2019re probably getting the second-best option when it comes to shooting profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carrying and dribbling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s move on to another trait of Hojlund which I consider a big strength. I\u2019m referring to dribbling as the action to try and beat a man or get into a good area and carrying as a generic ball control in any direction regardless of opponent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are his carrying stats from fbref. Firstly, his touches geared largely towards the penalty area and then the attacking third are a huge plus. And if you read those in combination with take-ons attempted (i.e. dribbles), we can understand that Hojlund attempts many dribbles in dangerous areas close to goal. These are not random dribbles in deeper or wide areas. They have goal scoring or assisting intent to them and are often in crowded areas where most opposition defenders are parked. This is also why his \u2018Miscontrols\u2019, \u2018Dispossessed\u2019 and \u2018Times tackled\u2019 look bad. Not only is he attempting a lot of take-ons, he\u2019s also attempting them in areas usually swarming with defenders. So the success rates might seem low but the reward element is high, usually resulting in a game-opening move. The low percentiles make sense in that context and aren\u2019t an issue of concern in any way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s see some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example of his turn-and-run move, but here he has the ball control ability to take down an awkward bouncing ball and push it in a dangerous area, beating both the men putting pressure on him. The result – he\u2019s taken down in the box to earn another penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This example is a good combination of the three traits we have discussed so far – the movement to dart between the CBs in transition, the carrying power to dribble and put distance from them and the intention to get close to goal before shooting with the knowledge that he will score – a microcosm of everything Hojlund is about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hold up and link up play<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So far, the 3 traits I discussed are clear strengths of Hojlund, which he\u2019s touching top attacker levels for. But from now, we\u2019re starting to go into the territory of traits he can improve more on.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m referring to hold up play as the act of holding onto the ball until support arrives, often when back-to-goal and while battling a defender. I\u2019m defining link-up play as the ability to see a pass and execute it after receiving or holding the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And with that i need to say this – Hojlund\u2019s hold up is average.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve seen a lot of takes citing his hold-up as excellent, but I think a lot of it is based on an imagination of how his profile combination of physique, technique and speed will ensure that in the near future. It\u2019s probably not a representation of what he\u2019s shown so far. Another example where Hojlund tries to push back on his man instead of going towards the ball and using his chest to control. The defender wins the ball with an outstretched leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, he\u2019s again focused on using his physique, but judges the ball poorly again and ends up giving it away after a mistimed header.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The issue isn\u2019t limited to aerials alone. Even on the ground, Hojlund often loses the ball with an awkward touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A simple pass that he fumbles and ends up losing possession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another comparatively straightforward pass to his legs that he\u2019s unable to hold on to. To be fair, this is a tougher ask, but the point is to highlight how his technique when faced back to goal needs more work. He can get more consistent in trapping balls at an angle away from goal at a standing start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, let\u2019s move to link-up play. Is Hojlund a good passer? Can he find others with good vision and execution?<\/p>\n\n\n\n There isn\u2019t much to read in his passing stats. We can conclude that hes no great creator or progressor on the ball, but all his stats also indicate that he\u2019s above average at most passing metrics and can handle his own easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of those instances where Hojlund does control the ball very neatly and releases a player highlighting good vision and technique. He has it in his locker for sure, even if he\u2019s not very consistent in all situations yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A smart move where Hojlund recognizes his teammate stuck in a bad spot and offers short support. A cool 1-2 flick is executed smartly. These are the touches and flicks Hojlund is better at compared to aerial ball battles with CBs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Probably my favorite example in this section. Hojlund controls and holds the ball in time for his teammate to make the run, before executing a brilliant backheel key pass that almost led to a goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pressing and defending<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another trait which has been blown a little out of proportion. While Hojlund is a very willing defender and showcases bursts of intense pressing from time to time, his consistency and reading of the game when pressing is pretty lacking, while his success of actions is also very hit-and-miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His fbref section for defending stats compared to Serie A attackers doesn\u2019t indicate much in terms of defensive actions. While this doesn\u2019t give us any idea of his pressing numbers or reading of the press, it would have looked better if he was actually winning the ball from the front and generating turnovers for this team. It\u2019s safe to say that he\u2019s not great at that. This is the kind of press you can expect from Hojlund. He can use his speed to bear down on the last CB or GK with single-minded intention. At the very least, he will offer this simple movement in the high press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In many other games, he\u2019s instructed to not press too much and just cover his marker. This happens a lot for Atalanta who don\u2019t press too high, since they want to encourage the opponent to advance before hitting them in the spaces they leave behind. Hojlund often clings to the central CB to deter passes from wider players or GK to this CB. Another simplistic man-marking job that Hojlund can pull off without fuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aerial duels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another aspect of Hojlund\u2019s game that can be better. We\u2019ve already seen some examples from the hold up section where he struggles a bit to take down the aerial ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His stats for aerials read average. His win rate doesn\u2019t seem to be particularly high or low. These are all the passes leading to Rasmus Hojlund aerials in Serie A in 22\/23. Within the box, Hojlund has received 7 aerial balls successfully from a total of 10. That\u2019s pretty good for a striker. Many of his aerial duel losses are in the middle of the pitch where he has to contest outballs and clearances from his GK and backline.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like this for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For aerial duels, I\u2019d be a little less harsh on Hojlund, although I think he will keep getting better as his physicality improves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Summary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I had to summarize all of Hojlund\u2019s traits discussed so far, I\u2019d score them as: Movement: 9\/10 With 10 being best, and 1 being worst, in the top 5 leagues at that trait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is that the first 3 traits are harder to find, have a great synergy with what we have in attack and are simply more important for a line leading CF. It\u2019s also easier to expect a lot of the other traits to improve as Hojlund ages. Pressing is very coachable, link-up should get better as he matures and aerial and hold-up might never become a 10 but they can definitely improve to the point of being a non-issue. For a 20 year-old, this is a great set of traits to have. (Credits: fbref, Opta Analyst, Ben Griffis, Understat, Manchester United Twitter)<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column]\n\t\t\t[\/et_pb_row]\n\t\t[\/et_pb_section]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Wout Weghorst – Age 30 – Loan Cristiano Ronaldo – Age 37 – \u20ac17m Edinson Cavani – Age 34 – Free Odion Ighalo – Age 31 – Loan These have been the players signed by Manchester United to lead their attack in the past 4 years. Currently none […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":273894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wout Weghorst - Age 30 - Loan<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cristiano Ronaldo - Age 37 - \u20ac17m<\/p>\n\n\n\n Edinson Cavani - Age 34 - Free<\/p>\n\n\n\n Odion Ighalo - Age 31 - Loan<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the deal costing \u20ac75m as a package, the hype and expectations from an excited fanbase who have been yearning for a young high ceiling line-leading CF, are quite high. In this article I break down every aspect of Hojlund\u2019s game and point out his key strengths and the areas he needs to improve on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Career so far<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Born in Copenhagen, he joined their youth system in 2020 at the age of 17. He made his debut for them later that year and went on to feature 27 times over the next season. Sturm Graz picked him up for \u20ac1.8m in Jan 2022 and he recorded an impressive 12 goals in 21 appearances for them across 2022. That was enough for Atalanta to shell out \u20ac17m in August 2022. 22\/23 was his breakout year where he bagged 10 goals and 2 assists in 21.1 90s for the Serie A club which was enough for United to come knocking. He has also started playing regularly for Denmark in the past 2 years racking up 6 goals in 6 games for his country so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 22\/23 Stats Excellent movement and shooting, great carrying and good passing - is how I\u2019d summarize this chart. This already paints a good picture of the type of striker we want to lead our line. Let's get into his traits now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NOTE: For the match examples in this article I\u2019ve stuck to two full games - Atalanta vs Salernitana from Serie A GW37 and Denmark vs Kazakhstan 2023 Euro qualifier. I wanted to highlight all of Rasmus' pros and cons using two full 90s instead of cherry-picking good moments across a year. Attacking Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me say upfront that this is Hojlund's best trait and the one I think he\u2019s already at par with compared to the best strikers in the world. His consistency, willingness, IQ and variety of movement are all top-class and this is one of the main reasons I\u2019d say his profile is so attractive for a top team.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, let me back these positive statements with some proof. Atalanta play a very attacking and transition-based brand of football. The wingbacks provide the width while the back 3 and pivot take care of the build up and progression. The front 3 have a lot of license to roam in the opponent half to pick spaces between the lines, on the wings or half-spaces between defenders. The 2 support strikers are usually narrow like attacking midfielders. Hojlund was usualy the line leader CF, playing on the shoulder of the last opposition defender. This is his bread-and-butter move. Hojlund curves around a defender to attack the channel or half-space between the center-back and the fullback. The support striker responsible for that halfspace usually takes Hojlund\u2019s central spot to prepare for the cutback or offer a box target. Lookman often shared this equation with Hojlund and this is something we could see a lot with Rashford at United. When Hojlund runs the channel, he provides an immediate outlet for the team to pick out, stretches the opposition defence and creates space for his support attackers to occupy. A bursting Hojlund run into the right channel attracts the defender towards him, which creates space for him to play the channel pass to his teammate who runs there. Notice how Hojlund also attacks the box after his pass, expecting a 1-2 or someone to find him there later. Offers the channel run but immediately wants to attack the box as well - that\u2019s Hojlund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notice the sharpness of the run here. The space isn\u2019t big and there is a narrow window to angle his run to avoid being offside and yet beat his man and receive the ball. Hojlund\u2019s movement IQ and awareness is excellent enough to nail that window consistently all game. It\u2019s one reason I\u2019d put him up there with the best movers in the game already. His pass could probably have been better, which is an erratic part of his game, but the support wasn\u2019t great too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once again, notice how Hojlund starts peeling away from his marker the moment his teammate is about to receive the ball on the flank. That enables the first-time pass into the right channel. His movements are so quick and sharp, they are designed to attack those short moments when the space is available. United\u2019s players will have to be quick in noticing those moments and playing him early when he has the run on the opposition defender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example on the left side. Notice how good Hojlund\u2019s control and carrying is after receiving wide. To end up with a strong shot on goal from that wide position highlights what a good dribbler and shot-creator for himself Hojlund is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a great example of his movement. Notice how he tears away from his CB with the perfect angled run that not only beats the CB, but also lets him receive cleanly behind the RB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example from the Denmark game. Notice how he suddenly changes direction and darts towards the channel, inviting even the simplest of chips in the half space to become a great tool of progression. A hold up action and pass to winger later, Denmark are in the final 3rd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s get into his second movement pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A more direct move where Hojlund stands in front of his CB marker and turns him to run into the space right behind facing the goal. This usually ends up in a shot on goal or final ball or foul won. It is one major avenue for Hojlund\u2019s shots. The acceleration he generates from a standing start to a turn-and-run behind his man is what sets him apart from other strikers who do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s look at some scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Classic move ahead of the CB where he turns around him for a clear path to goal with his left foot in striking position. The CB has no option but to take him down. Hojlund wins a penalty which is dispatched by Boga. In general, he\u2019s drawn 32 fouls and won 2 penalties in his 20 90s for Atalanta this year. It\u2019s tough to handle someone as smart and quick a mover as Hojlund. Bruno could be taking some extra penalties this coming year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example where his turn-and-run leads to a foul drawn in a dangerous area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example from the Denmark game where he darts across the CB and uses his pace and physicality to maintain his run and emerge goalside. A random long ball punt becomes a 1-on-1 with the GK thanks to Hojlund\u2019s run. He also has the composure to chip and earn his goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s move to another pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the one you all must be waiting for. The classic poacher move - Penetrative run between defenders when the ball is in wide areas. Hojlund is excellent at this and keeps making these runs often. Many of his goals are from this movement and often finished with a speedy dart and an extended leg to tap in a pure striker\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s see some examples from the same games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Boga low cross wasn\u2019t able to beat the CB in this case, but look at Hojlund\u2019s acceleration and extension attempt. Would have been a poacher\u2019s goal if not for the interception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example where you can see his patience to wait for the final ball before executing the quick burt-and-stretch in front of goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the same game. Hojlund is always attacking the ball across the face of the goal. This time the goalkeeper being brave prevented a tap-in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here,within 2 seconds, Hojlund attacks the gap between both defenders and finds himself in pole position for a 2-yard finish. A last-ditch interception prevents the shot, but Hojlund will keep making that run all day, which is a reason why he gets goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can see from the examples, there\u2019s a good reason Hojlund is at 99 percentile for \u2018Progresses passes received\u2019 in his Serie A pizza chart. Here\u2019s how his movement compares to attackers in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summary, he\u2019s an excellent mover with many various movements to receive dangerous balls in good areas. The output of these moves are usually excellent - either a shot on goal, or foul won or final ball chance or space for another attacker to finish. Movement is Hojlund\u2019s best trait and what makes him so valuable. Especially in the context of playing ahead of progressors like Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, who have the passing range to pick him out regularly, It\u2019s a finger-licking aspect of his profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shooting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve seen how he gets into shooting positions. But how does he shoot after getting there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are his fbref shooting stats. What is very promising is the combination of \u2018shot on target %\u2019, \u2018NPxG\u2019 and \u2018NPxG\/Sh\u2019. Together they indicate a player who gets his shots on target often and racks up high shot quality with each attempt, and this results in him accruing a healthy amount of non-penalty expected goals. It\u2019s a very attractive shooting profile. I personally don\u2019t mind the total shots percentile being a little low. It just indicates he\u2019s not very trigger-happy and prefers to move or carry to get into good positions and attempt high quality shots. It meshes well with our attack since we already have shoot-heavy profiles in Bruno and Rashford. A third attacker who prefers to move or carry closer to goal and enhance chance quality is welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was 5th when it came to collecting non-penalty xG on a per 90 basis in Serie A last year. Moving with established strikers on this metric as a 20-year-old in his debut league season says a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s look at his shot map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are all his open play shots in Serie A in 22\/23. What\u2019s most satisfying is the number of shots inside the box. Only 3 shots are outside the box. He does have a slight preference to shoot from the left half-space compared to right. But his major chunk of shots being in the central zone around the penalty area is a clear signal of the kind of striker he is. 7 of his 9 goals have come from shots within the central zone and within the box - the area you want your line leader to score from, whether it\u2019s from clever movement, a strong carry or just being in the right position after a penalty box scrimmage. An example of that last point from the Denmark Kazakhstan game:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have a final viz to present before rounding up the shooting section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another representation of what I was saying earlier - Hojlund doesn\u2019t need too many shots to score. He roughly scores a goal every 6 shots. The only player who is in the same range and surpasses Hojlund on shots and goals per 90 is - you guessed it - Victor Osimhen. He\u2019s the red dot on the far top-right corner. I know that we all wanted Osimhen at Manchester United, but I\u2019m here to tell you that we\u2019re probably getting the second-best option when it comes to shooting profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carrying and dribbling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s move on to another trait of Hojlund which I consider a big strength. I\u2019m referring to dribbling as the action to try and beat a man or get into a good area and carrying as a generic ball control in any direction regardless of opponent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are his carrying stats from fbref. Firstly, his touches geared largely towards the penalty area and then the attacking third are a huge plus. And if you read those in combination with take-ons attempted (i.e. dribbles), we can understand that Hojlund attempts many dribbles in dangerous areas close to goal. These are not random dribbles in deeper or wide areas. They have goal scoring or assisting intent to them and are often in crowded areas where most opposition defenders are parked. This is also why his \u2018Miscontrols\u2019, \u2018Dispossessed\u2019 and \u2018Times tackled\u2019 look bad. Not only is he attempting a lot of take-ons, he\u2019s also attempting them in areas usually swarming with defenders. So the success rates might seem low but the reward element is high, usually resulting in a game-opening move. The low percentiles make sense in that context and aren\u2019t an issue of concern in any way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s see some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example of his turn-and-run move, but here he has the ball control ability to take down an awkward bouncing ball and push it in a dangerous area, beating both the men putting pressure on him. The result - he\u2019s taken down in the box to earn another penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This example is a good combination of the three traits we have discussed so far - the movement to dart between the CBs in transition, the carrying power to dribble and put distance from them and the intention to get close to goal before shooting with the knowledge that he will score - a microcosm of everything Hojlund is about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hold up and link up play<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So far, the 3 traits I discussed are clear strengths of Hojlund, which he\u2019s touching top attacker levels for. But from now, we\u2019re starting to go into the territory of traits he can improve more on.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m referring to hold up play as the act of holding onto the ball until support arrives, often when back-to-goal and while battling a defender. I\u2019m defining link-up play as the ability to see a pass and execute it after receiving or holding the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And with that i need to say this - Hojlund\u2019s hold up is average.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve seen a lot of takes citing his hold-up as excellent, but I think a lot of it is based on an imagination of how his profile combination of physique, technique and speed will ensure that in the near future. It\u2019s probably not a representation of what he\u2019s shown so far. Another example where Hojlund tries to push back on his man instead of going towards the ball and using his chest to control. The defender wins the ball with an outstretched leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, he\u2019s again focused on using his physique, but judges the ball poorly again and ends up giving it away after a mistimed header.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The issue isn\u2019t limited to aerials alone. Even on the ground, Hojlund often loses the ball with an awkward touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A simple pass that he fumbles and ends up losing possession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another comparatively straightforward pass to his legs that he\u2019s unable to hold on to. To be fair, this is a tougher ask, but the point is to highlight how his technique when faced back to goal needs more work. He can get more consistent in trapping balls at an angle away from goal at a standing start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, let\u2019s move to link-up play. Is Hojlund a good passer? Can he find others with good vision and execution?<\/p>\n\n\n\n There isn\u2019t much to read in his passing stats. We can conclude that hes no great creator or progressor on the ball, but all his stats also indicate that he\u2019s above average at most passing metrics and can handle his own easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of those instances where Hojlund does control the ball very neatly and releases a player highlighting good vision and technique. He has it in his locker for sure, even if he\u2019s not very consistent in all situations yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A smart move where Hojlund recognizes his teammate stuck in a bad spot and offers short support. A cool 1-2 flick is executed smartly. These are the touches and flicks Hojlund is better at compared to aerial ball battles with CBs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Probably my favorite example in this section. Hojlund controls and holds the ball in time for his teammate to make the run, before executing a brilliant backheel key pass that almost led to a goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pressing and defending<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another trait which has been blown a little out of proportion. While Hojlund is a very willing defender and showcases bursts of intense pressing from time to time, his consistency and reading of the game when pressing is pretty lacking, while his success of actions is also very hit-and-miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His fbref section for defending stats compared to Serie A attackers doesn\u2019t indicate much in terms of defensive actions. While this doesn\u2019t give us any idea of his pressing numbers or reading of the press, it would have looked better if he was actually winning the ball from the front and generating turnovers for this team. It\u2019s safe to say that he\u2019s not great at that. This is the kind of press you can expect from Hojlund. He can use his speed to bear down on the last CB or GK with single-minded intention. At the very least, he will offer this simple movement in the high press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In many other games, he\u2019s instructed to not press too much and just cover his marker. This happens a lot for Atalanta who don\u2019t press too high, since they want to encourage the opponent to advance before hitting them in the spaces they leave behind. Hojlund often clings to the central CB to deter passes from wider players or GK to this CB. Another simplistic man-marking job that Hojlund can pull off without fuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aerial duels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another aspect of Hojlund\u2019s game that can be better. We\u2019ve already seen some examples from the hold up section where he struggles a bit to take down the aerial ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His stats for aerials read average. His win rate doesn\u2019t seem to be particularly high or low. These are all the passes leading to Rasmus Hojlund aerials in Serie A in 22\/23. Within the box, Hojlund has received 7 aerial balls successfully from a total of 10. That\u2019s pretty good for a striker. Many of his aerial duel losses are in the middle of the pitch where he has to contest outballs and clearances from his GK and backline.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like this for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For aerial duels, I\u2019d be a little less harsh on Hojlund, although I think he will keep getting better as his physicality improves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Summary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I had to summarize all of Hojlund\u2019s traits discussed so far, I\u2019d score them as: Movement: 9\/10 With 10 being best, and 1 being worst, in the top 5 leagues at that trait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is that the first 3 traits are harder to find, have a great synergy with what we have in attack and are simply more important for a line leading CF. It\u2019s also easier to expect a lot of the other traits to improve as Hojlund ages. Pressing is very coachable, link-up should get better as he matures and aerial and hold-up might never become a 10 but they can definitely improve to the point of being a non-issue. For a 20 year-old, this is a great set of traits to have. (Credits: fbref, Opta Analyst, Ben Griffis, Understat, Manchester United Twitter)<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7,8,1],"tags":[11,12,30,45,69,25,287,317,17,29,20,316,288,319,21],"class_list":["post-273893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scr","category-football-players-analysis","category-tft","category-wonderkids","tag-manchesterunited","tag-manutd","tag-mufc-2","tag-uefa-2","tag-champions-league","tag-epl","tag-erik-ten-hag","tag-hojlund","tag-manchester-united","tag-mufc","tag-premier-league","tag-rasmus-hojlund","tag-ten-hag","tag-tenhag-2","tag-uefa"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/strong>Before we begin, let\u2019s take a look at his stats for 22\/23. I will dissect them in detail soon, but here\u2019s a snapshot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/HV95xPeUwN5mTu2sGPdwzKxrsLGJ_0zyq0qphgDOiCN-L8UaSd805RBFL2NhqzCru8I4SGBY4v8xztPyJewmp5Eib92NzzaIWB6FksJx8eZKrpNagvKsN0ErzeSJAgJ28c_Wo3kc6afu6Wdvy2xdOW8\")
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is how Atalanta lined up in the end-season league game vs Salernitana and generally how they’ve lined up in Serie A last season. There are some variations where they play a front 2 with an AM behind them but largely speaking they fielded 3 narrow attackers with Hojlund most central among them as a line leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/nrDzIzpONxq5DjcA17SfdXFHEMKiNdyxZOkV0dVHyRH-u4Q-YjVtbKbYGgfEB-zT8_279h72aoxKxyWKj68WTE5cZVzrJDFeOnZfiPymB2kW6UqVJq7IqtjG76lSFUkTMLQ5saI8Z92Aunko0kKfr3A\")
Now let\u2019s look at some movement patterns Hojlund often executes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/Xik1n50jikQ2k2kt9z40n5bVZEgKLXX3xsNRVdyxirrStUu6Hd7ATNEW-SZchROKEzK5NwbBc62NEC4yBwOFm19Kz9LtQ3GcTSn6cCGg1nZhZFZG9CNXqKoEWaTCHbnLFQWs1KbJRU_iOZ97NApqNRM\")
Let\u2019s look at some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/kaKBGtdTUooXaDSxwuG3QqfPtyhC9oyom15Zv1a8TJ-gE-g3Zy0WTlZ9OjI_LB5wnZhH-mS1Kun1gXVRUXSWVtJJHTGRtJ5bb03YLVpcUnODO9zrllnxCd2bb1uEnCrRoVh_9ARyQXOAJRNjFOt2oQE\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/hfqoK3H9mHXKV8bKGCEbE_F6E4x3xkfybwYzoQqD6VGK_DUh4liI-xClxgZo3wk8X47HHn6IWX18W_ZHf8QHENpjiWkd9NXWTAmUII8XCxrXVyW2FoytF3WOo-saROhVHVMgHngbJiqeyKlsO3wFQkI\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/oTBWtquD7bnkUaI29D-Vifit3BG6mGKDnEbmchHKVg75fuzKI8vguwuDt_CiwrPef1CfC9csmzMSI1jqQB7B7cJfP2cdAuXAxGzbLVrd7iI-1cbrJmLcTAWVGPCAxcLgKjFr8E82Mlea3N3iaMJJ9wk\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/VFuI5QThBMQIlZ6XCxBOapdcXAP5gIMESL6GTNeVG_FO0zGzUxj1lgEjruImcQ_e7L2ECulTm5gZKRAtzLPMz0FKTQNiDFpWUwv2Hfx8pzKOn6w1nWSwcxCpZaofvoYCmq_V26Ym6QUXTjPxx69CGuc\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/rw9PLPDKHvqASg_luiGOwehMtDrwcncxBMymRRSDAM14K6RNiobktB7H2Jeg0vf5MYDlW8Qs703-MBXSn7SUFztB7eH7OclEIuDxcwkdBJfj5xY_GN-ot1-QzwdVEZj3_PTVJhRsTFOguo7z48Ul0AQ\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/EU7ttj2jfN-TJaW3wS3fc4jCM5gaReHYW5cOJXI0VPoh2tCr81ooMJN36gDEZl-RGzwjSvKMHWJl7Ti157oUAF33300DPSW1PL8lk_Huu3Bnjf4hLmz13chH_4NgMb9ckwMXjzJi8_bp4fl9SehCNes\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/wMAxXzxduFzsPWxjkHEmx-mA8LxrocpfYHNua24BrArlaslGNu66YOao0M9aUb0OfcrpCZUnQcd9U2nL2Yzm0vbSS8oH6ZcamUvl7HJYeQsZnBuoRI00UD4eTPHkpddNXVEBAA50koWZ0D-mZ26lHKo\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/Ua5JrOzEurLjbEx04-zsrtPs1_kZohc-Cc1fd-JXS9PEb_15nh0bDe-8ri-G42m-cTYwRJGi3vceDrPi_uO7Jnuv5HpieP3WiXB1FnhJejqw_5Hq1sKj7hJT7sck_B9LIcsJ8Kn6EYj0jItHu0KCCx0\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/MCaLr5ZCArEFLQNrQVhcFn5H8CR-nHzXlNiEfrroxsufepDO0mK6LKhy0GK3KovMswPIlJcUhZ9tmCOROf49gPXAhTg25GjmjkDGTDvGsCi-KyLNmRRCxA1g_MZzAnC-R4unznS18AYCHbPofqMm2jI\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/ZAeT1pYnGXz0lsjuefTNtao7UBJNVuiaL12jkhIFyC_EGKN_r7WDfljj1WJBK2dxJM2BMUs7uY8H7dgcsCVeuaPFbiZHCaTYRPLd5h5hSAPdsV6m1v1saNXl7kZDzI5aovBEUz6TqvnLuNc7VMqm6p0\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/ZlSupdeDPkysek3sUgbNeeYiOS2cu-6K8ftmpBe_ldfBwUdJLBHBuORRaG0p9qkS174JwMJHVSgsmxLrwk1_K9FrqUTXm4I0j52PDwzjTHMPLD9iZF__5rIsxYQeVG5liNHlgGawP41C-0Nq_rMf_5s\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/VEfe3hTZu-Cbp8EeuyoUvS-ap364L3qhfQnJK7_ybFNvVvcNHVhEgGVMhyIyZzy6kHxHOg8tFuPGQEu7aY8gp4v56gWPI_u-OuO3zzF3j9pfOqa2pn-GbzvtDTG-yukEYNwKFuXP1Zpsyerb13viF-8\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/xB3ROeTX_yfi06CnzZFPU9HRviHpyo2D0StgaAlz6XFKewDs1S-BL22I-EJoKBXiUth6IAOEdxPQ0j2qM3ISICgXM1lX_fYaml5YqdFny4-IjIU8dMQGNEFLq6Md4wWd4vuqsVQhOR0vgyuYCnq_aF0\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/WLlC-8IdPTIjvBcXcIvaMUYMiVZfS8qIF16NWVCDwrJ1BzKF-l49mL_EsY9F8mF7vAwcxkxsOrzdqR93K6s_7Zl7rjxjsxaI2WDZPvrhIFCR6bl-PQKvwrBxPuT9vhVch3mWTuOYij0y_UEOZoUrAfg\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/aWMjUk7F6AXCubRNaQx3h2myvn3re-0_jVY1muJ43lxZYCevmk60mZQzMmtvVWpO5lkY0LQn_qbZxwQwz-D_2hN5XgBbm27LxfXF-JbWx1jtxt4bvi43pTfbzV2LWK5F2h6RzjbqxT5GDSfw6kVIrQQ\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/XqsxWMXcC3m7vMogJa-jAmRzHYC3gP76FU_1t3iMw9iDBDtdVfdz4r12veapo97e5aRIhy2UmxmuUzZ0ZwwRUgVTkf863uyGtQX3g-W4wGzP07L_XCrXQfWSm5grZKoCnm0mpEnarKy9Ph3AHy5yttw\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/UsuCEIp9oFY004E9CPWK1wjYzstugvljKXQPERDq2Lqu1F0dWDKfHpP6hwS_xBf-FT1cfwcjCrCr0Kwfu05nv_91sy_4VbU-H3qCoxR1NLrTi_imC_Fm4IYhP5NK50m4-xSBGk2GM2_YTwvSLZC45yk\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/1uovHkcJZ9jJEJp7JhTk2qhaB1T6zVeqm9Xso9M8KEhBA2JecBg4fKk8R_GYwRcb-jXZAg7HhNbYm1p6PEGYEBrmYBH2Cx8B2F_lx6g05R6nOnjDPqwuISs-xWCfs8qmzkXQ-ipNwMc0t3T_0ppHXRY\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/ugeUvZ81wdUVR9wZ45rJqjvLOQvqtUlW5RM1Jts8zL5oD58kO0sAtxoQiIkfJSwhnyTJaVLLPuFpBLM4F3V603pIjIgykO42Yngrukvq_BVbyIp8__Nwu8zxCHZOB0Y8RnhJ0lhrNCvXSqUgNKymKhY\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/9ht-wpRDZzu8OuPGVCA9kxw-js7wtS89sS1J7MgNrsm047dgvOsjBwohCA8OMbkZHctPgAhZJMgEsAX5EDJva7gg0duqg-w8x0w-fbm3TzKaoZkmVUnij8dueYN4coPk3TRN0-D2vz7rWcNBDo2D7Qo\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/Q7XADNS8saPsb-we-Dg_qaPwiakwxHr_kcXro3JiT28aPrh9ARTF4z-d_4Yri57YW4wkxTSskutPC1zQOHMv4MQTaQjOQ6-o5xZshj8ufu83Vv8RhQWzUxdii6ImOwSPdUhaWJgfSDaocluXYKa-L7w\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/jLoc-F6kQTx2ShVcx7YH2RtM5zlbdnrVtRbsHnVwZNPpHAREFtQosrjBTr2FODSZYWiAMNoHndjn-cE2jhLdecrkGKdEPPhCMMFG6UTb62IE5HyyrMYdby4rLS1s4A5rLlqpnjHZAmoxd2iPM0dfyfk\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/O8cZ4KS2A7KSLidTGdDzjbKNHpYKRqMTedo-C5qdM5uoDknfkfYO7LD0wpx4woW4NFZk9sTHa6cZuxLiHhgZAOQ-aKO1A_ryZqN8lGROcx-5tMvsfYynPEgVGCVqqVU350vFxilPTVcyttpU4qboH_E\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/Pigin91XVYYcARvxccH8olbZtz3EWXiXv_Hi6KKQY5Mw1EDH4T3abmMBaPJ3phL6Ks_QxSfakdhci6Z-05oXNDbbxfSvTkEfKlXsGq5GnMS7jP8Zo8DqxjIwIMEYWzCXG7kijt_PdFdJm0kEr7XH3Do\")
Let me show you some examples to explain what I mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hojlund tries to use his body to do a leave-and-run move on a high ball and loses possession. He often tries to use his physicality and speed on the break to tackle high balls but the results are pretty inconsistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/jvdpnwsz-wVy_KgcFcodE8VeyAy7ihgHAvApgHvqQr2QyIOFDnAmgiD___dNB9IPDBsRYIotcZ35ISdEo52oHA98D0HNA4i0GTJFPAY5y6lq800ybjj3inNBYHs1Fs9gan3A5N3IilDrO3chdX89Epk\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/6-e_rp0e8zhp9Xkbh65GU2ejF_mvIPU2p6wrlHRzwdZKcaP-3UGEUJPs4CTxFYAllDzWzGetZ4IAByH-CjKvqNuYlNFuqYbbEVskwrbzjhN-An7Ory_YQXjeUuEk8Td2Oy-l4Kv_Bi2wU2fdYgeMQo0\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/tGc1biRl3P0q922BT2ldXpax5X068bom04ywfKUw-NluWaBxh-R04LqJIbIa3FRSLXnVxPiEouLrz90CQLT9JQBf_MioU-SQXjGsrc-FrNp27tZMgVFJItAPIr-qt5ZfrYh47p2B7dIv8Ab1uErBRmw\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/C_i7k2isj7AhfCgiyNERwqyimNS34zALl5TRJ0-Ov85MOVPU7w_4eNef9BFFyuZf8H4Kg6x-YfCd3dBc5Jb9mgNnP5ow9ziUwTlDj0MPxQjFD9HlYiaQYThIhrwd83h16pPuqIHhY9GXCF2cm1wZw7w\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/P6RsXS7GI7W50Su97nW6z9DZod3RAlzzd98XFMy9uyq5sU_NwMwT_X1VjatIggCS8SVYly-jOfrozII1tOY2BJTrTCBMfwdoBtf3T8mSb8XAQA1rXNT-tGaasrlixTc468_jXfQH_Z_nsZpAPvvyeDo\")
Let\u2019s see some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/zqw5B_y2UEdN0MZg7JRAyKfd4pdQ8UiEoTLMV1f2errR3Jx-oFzcLUQMbbfZ8HVxygkbpU5pNBRnFHuhZey1AzkD0nitB1fMVn1_PX7rVjusV6VwQFGVU8CW11S2uIRSHlPcxvrt9_JyJmTLKFPwKGY\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/ld9FdlLHcoKRAZkZMYyuplYm2FYSATnkTUse1gwvX32zTbApzX_MiaURpQJLHRt239UWMQNNqaM2ELjm6yrTYAcqv-p4FQKMwTI11Rhli7TsG8IWgZ9muUHvP3lLEXlOv9FraxJwR0Or1AqSwZ250is\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/sYWZ0CHeJmUO2wOIqMHYiFjicZHcMzIJ3Wt0HpRQDYiBW8FlJ-Qy9Yp99Y0gROkJB5U1ymGkFAJvZ-iAblSIn0Wlt5X19Lm6ct5YbxNSTJfeKDHnzKlS4FmAJhmJVK9N1K6UZV0eKuiRARhvur4L6HU\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/XFSjuC3I79oGNrCOXZ2pl2j13r930AHa4msk1tTa2SSQPiyDTKh4eLwEvWzrzry6QmLGQ26OsYpW5Z0LqmJAzloaOjL8DB2Uwf4c6-7xoee2B01S1a7qOrobkBbqUEcrOZbvs-ve_-j-mbfb-baDcg8\")
Let\u2019s look at some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/P2XS5KlaBXlCEu3W218JJM0Cx3ieQD15oayVD7bkZX1iMyOYNJyCmbYzM6U_PlcYHiHRRfY1SeVQXI2suVM8KW_a3WYFy1ZAoaEFn2ZVSg5lXR8ZIXRnHpTOWIGU2XO18eU0lx3joVWmNb2WPQW8ArI\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/VeSmySqxX35YUH7fsIaCj976lljx4ZnI2OnnGzuZWQjx2KhS6J4XpMlTXy_QHTpciBXwcyJ_Hl1hWJIH3ltlUgowqIXGEV6Q580XCdCp2IC98fmEtiicL5KDANyI6nnOUbGxWXUIIFbw1TWV4E4GNuc\")
In summary, we don\u2019t have too much evidence of a great front defender. His defensive output is below average while his pressing, while intense, lacks intelligence. That said, it\u2019s also fair to say that Atalanta\u2019s tactics to not press too high or engage in the counter-press play a big part in these stats. It\u2019s something that can be easily coached and I don\u2019t think there should be an issue if he\u2019s asked to press high and regularly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/Rbzg1n1kefEV8V-YLovRArKXDsSxa7DyQUQNN9o_ipMWuFlTGs8Tm7Ow9nd7J1SXczn85pns69isU1Nmj3JbHfF0XuUm7hj3Zbtn9C5LaY5g73wRGaueZLBp-3pjLTtl6lBrFpcUtrCwwUMxWdNrSVQ\")
But there\u2019s more to this than meets the eye. I\u2019m going to take the help of my good friend Ben Griffis for this next viz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/V3-CsTuI1HZgHZM9zm81O-rc9XeE5_wzvDhMqd72umJp-uaNoO2C3Khu0eOqg8-z8WfBcDWVZvm_In8C_Pnznb7MeTS9LaO5v04skzBF4JfFJVEh82Op9we2ajytwkx1ok_7qVbjBcUTCWXCJuilmwc\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/hD0hrDnmWLbj3V0qmO5nDCt-Jg2x0ODIAWfTkDNH_I72mCmZK1Zz4ODHk9Tse2ZezS4QmIRYsArC8fO3dKxsyDe3y0sDdtbiwKpohhUhXhLPD-lnZeZ3vrGD21v59lYyUHfB8QCAF1x3Cl_AYlk-0hw\")
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shooting: 8\/10
Carrying: 7\/10
Link-up: 6\/10
Pressing: 5\/10
Aerial: 4\/10
Hold-up: 4\/10
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If I had to predict how Hojlund\u2019s 23\/24 could go, I\u2019d say that 15 goals in 30 games would be a great start. He will take time to settle, has a lot to perfect in his game and has just come off 1 Serie A season of 10 goals in 21 90s. Extrapolating the same form to 30 games out of a possible 60 for United in the coming season would be a good Premier League debut season at this age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These have been the players signed by Manchester United to lead their attack in the past 4 years. Currently none of them are at the club. The lack of seriousness in plugging a major starting XI gap has finally been addressed this summer. 20 year old Danish wonderkid, Rasmus Hojlund was unveiled at Old Trafford before the pre-season friendly vs Lens to an excited Old Trafford crowd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Before we begin, let\u2019s take a look at his stats for 22\/23. I will dissect them in detail soon, but here\u2019s a snapshot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is how Atalanta lined up in the end-season league game vs Salernitana and generally how they've lined up in Serie A last season. There are some variations where they play a front 2 with an AM behind them but largely speaking they fielded 3 narrow attackers with Hojlund most central among them as a line leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now let\u2019s look at some movement patterns Hojlund often executes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me show you some examples to explain what I mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hojlund tries to use his body to do a leave-and-run move on a high ball and loses possession. He often tries to use his physicality and speed on the break to tackle high balls but the results are pretty inconsistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s see some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at some match examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In summary, we don\u2019t have too much evidence of a great front defender. His defensive output is below average while his pressing, while intense, lacks intelligence. That said, it\u2019s also fair to say that Atalanta\u2019s tactics to not press too high or engage in the counter-press play a big part in these stats. It\u2019s something that can be easily coached and I don\u2019t think there should be an issue if he\u2019s asked to press high and regularly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there\u2019s more to this than meets the eye. I\u2019m going to take the help of my good friend Ben Griffis for this next viz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shooting: 8\/10
Carrying: 7\/10
Link-up: 6\/10
Pressing: 5\/10
Aerial: 4\/10
Hold-up: 4\/10
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If I had to predict how Hojlund\u2019s 23\/24 could go, I\u2019d say that 15 goals in 30 games would be a great start. He will take time to settle, has a lot to perfect in his game and has just come off 1 Serie A season of 10 goals in 21 90s. Extrapolating the same form to 30 games out of a possible 60 for United in the coming season would be a good Premier League debut season at this age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/fSPkGUv09VQJvbqbpiUUyLiHsKfqoZbGUwJdZV-7le203y35TEyTBX66OjkYCN1462qzX34PogigKj8YmnXKw7qscnHqDaCf-ZiHULzxG4WJqHei2kegKzNt9h7FbP-VGdYi8-vBb3LI11dppQ4WUC4\")