Also on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/episode/4ie7...

For those who prefer Spotify:
open.spotify.com/episode/12dp...

yeah thats the hope!

Overall, I still stand by the idea that Hojlund can become an elite CF at his peak. His physical & technical profile enables him to be a good mover & efficient shooter. If he can scale up his shot numbers as United improve under Amorim, he can enjoy a great peak. That's the hope

3) Coaching: Hojlund's ability to generate shots can improve. Some potentia areas:
- Right foot usage
- Shots from non comfort zone positions (RHS, distance)
- Use of (his good) carrying to create separation for shot
- Aerial threat (Hojlund's run-and-jump timing can be better)

2) Tactical: Team not being able to generate space & enter final 3rd with patience has been a long-standing issue. Service & more importantly right type of service impacts CF the most. As we progress as a team & work more on final 3rd, that should improve
bsky.app/profile/thed...

With Rashford's (& maybe Zirkzee's) future in doubt, it would be wise to recruit an off-ball threat SS type profile who can play both AM & CF. Would help Hojlund when both are on pitch & rotate at CF to reduce goal burden. Would compliment Bruno, Amad, Mount & Garnacho too.

Hojlund had this with Lookman, who profiles close to Rashford. Even as AM Lookman would make opposing channel & box runs to Hojlund so that one of them could be the foil to the other at a given time. Rashford was being played RAM before the exile & I think LF-RF split was idea.

So, what are the solutions?

1) Team building: Amorim's ideal 3-4-3 has 1 AM who joins CF like a SS often forming a front 2 & splitting striker runs (like far post & near post). My hope was Rashford could split run-and-finish work with Hojlund, but his exile has hurt this plan.

In a sense, he's gone further into his comfort zones instead of breaking out of them. The ideal development was for him to add variety in shooting & find more ways to generate shots. We rarely see awkward or odd-position or dirty shots from Hojlund - a trait good scorers have.

Left-side bias in shooting that @jakeent.bsky.social mentions was something I noticed at Atalanta too. And with shot opportunities reducing due to poor creation at Man Utd, both volume & bias issues have become worse - he takes much lesser shots & much more from preferred left-side.

In fact, it can be argued that shooting a lot with avg or slightly above avg conversion rates is probably better than shooting less with high conversion rate. You'd rather be an elite shot-generator than have elite efficiency. In the long run, CFs who shoot a lot score a lot.

Firstly, point on shooting less is valid. I hyped his shooting efficiency & goals/shot from Atalanta time. He was scoring a goal every 6 shots & only an in-form Osimhen fared better. But that came while shooting less. Trend of high conversion but low volume continues at Man Utd.

If Spotify is your thing:
open.spotify.com/episode/0JoM...

No, we were just losing more when palying with FBs and taking aggressive shots against teams sitting back with a lead. Our shot quality was worse.

Spotify link if that's your jam:
open.spotify.com/episode/2lQZ...

Not that I've seen. We pass and shoot more but thats mainly because we've been trailing more so have more of the ball and take more desperate shots. There is no negative impact on open play defence.

Amad main reason but his vertical threat also creates space for opposite WB/AM to execute more carries into final 3rd. Notice we take shots closer to goal in winger scenario.

My suggestions:
- Always start Amad/Antony at RWB
- Try Garnacho at LWB (my Amorim article hot take)