Marcus Rashford continues horror show of form in limp loss vs Fulham
At last, Manchester United’s lackluster performance was reflected in the outcome as they suffered a 1-2 defeat at Old Trafford against Fulham.
Although Erik ten Hag’s tactical choices were undoubtedly the major factor in the defeat, players still had an opportunity to affect the outcome on the field but were unable to do so.
Marcus Rashford, who struggled to another lackluster, half-hearted performance, encapsulated the frustrations around this United team.
In Rasmus Hojlund’s absence, Rashford received the complete “Manchester United striker in 2023/24” experience starting up front.
Unlike Rasmus, who consistently puts in a lot of effort and tries to maximize every opportunity that presents itself, Ten Hag seemed to have turned off in his dysfunctional squad. Instead, he seemed to have eaten off scraps.
He only made 27 touches of the ball in his 90 minutes, finishing 13 passes out of 16 attempts.
His boring dribbling style, which typically irritates the wing, seemed even more evident in the middle as he dropped the ball nine times.
The loss of possession didn’t even occur when attempting to generate opportunities, in contrast to most creative players.
All Rashford could do was sprint blindly into a mass of Fulham players, unsure of what to do next.
His defense, which has always been questioned and even more so this season, was again called into question, which made his offensive problems much worse.
Time and time again against Fulham, Rashford’s tracking back attempts were restricted to him waving his hands in the air and appearing displeased after a straightforward one-two passed him. Victor Lindelof, a natural center-back, was left on an island.
In the end, the manager will have to bear the consequences for these kinds of performances, and Ten Hag has most of the guilt for this particular game.
However, Rashford is beginning to represent every flaw in the current Manchester United team—a lack of discipline, doubts about ambition, and a narrow range of skills.