United fans may not have much to celebrate these days, but they do have a world class talent on their hands.
Are there any Manchester United supporters who need reminding that things aren’t going too well for them at the minute?
They’re sitting fifth in the league, just three points off the top four, but the performances have been wildly inconsistent for the past 12 months.
And despite injuries to some of the team’s most talented players, the signing of Bruno Fernandes has sparked a new wave of optimism among the United supporters. But it’s not the Portuguese international that United fans should be most excited about, it’s 18-year-old Mason Greenwood.
In Greenwood, United have one of the most promising young players in the world on their hands.
There’s no need to compare the two, United have both, but it’s already clear that Greenwood has more natural finishing ability than Marcus Rashford, who was having an incredible season until he suffered a nasty injury, and appears to be improving with age.
A lot of Greenwood’s best traits can be summed up perfectly by his goal against Watford last weekend. So let’s break it down into four steps, highlighting just how talented the young forward is from one goal.
1. The body feint
When Greenwood first receives the ball, he runs at Capoue, leading the Watford midfielder to believe he’s going to try and take it past him or pass it in his direction. Instead, he nonchalantly carries the ball past him, leaving United in a 4-on-3 situation.
He’s not the quickest player in the world, but with game intelligence like this, gliding past players won’t ever be an issue for him.
It’s not the first time he’s showcased his impressive dribbling skills, and it certainly won’t be the last.
2. The run (or lack thereof)
He then lays the ball off to Bruno Fernandes, and instead of making a darting run into the box, Greenwood hung back, getting the ball back off Bruno almost immediately.
The defence is unsettled as a result of the little one-two, increasing the forward’s chance of getting a shot away.
Decision making like that at this age is just one of the many reasons why United fans know they have a gem in the ranks.
3. The second touch
Once he gets the ball back, Greenwood takes his first touch, before taking another slight one immediately afterwards to set himself up for the shot.
By the time that touch is taken, he has already made his mind up with regards to exactly where the ball is going, and it’s that touch that enables the finish.
4. The emphatic finish
Then you’ve got a classic Greenwood finish, which seems ridiculous to say about an 18-year-old who only has 12 senior goals, but there is already a pattern emerging.
It is his second goal that has gone in off the woodwork in the Premier League, while majority of the rest of them are powerful, clean strikes that almost always find a corner of the goal.
A sweet strike through the ball, rifled past the keeper.
Goal – GREENWOOD
Assist – FERNANDESHow many more times are we gonna see this link-up? 😍 pic.twitter.com/g53sv5eplP
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 24, 2020
Solskjaer has already said on a number of occasions that Greenwood is the best finisher at the club, and although he may have his managerial deficiencies, he damn sure knows about finishing.
United fans should get used to seeing the 18-year-old wheeling off in celebration, it’s going to happen a lot.
