EVERYONE at Manchester United thinks that Mason Greenwood has the quality to be a top striker. Getting him to that level is the hard bit, but he’s doing himself no harm in his performances.
He proved it again on Thursday night as United made up for a poor first half to put four past AZ, the second best team in the Holland. Greenwood scored twice with instinctive finishes, putting both where they weren’t expected to go.
Regular reserve team watchers know that he will go for the near post when a shot towards the far post would be expected. He’s like the original Ronaldo in that sense, but let’s not get carried away. Greenwood isn’t yet out of double digits for games started, but he will get his chances.
Mason Greenwood scores goals.
Rinse and repeat. pic.twitter.com/ic4r0eGaXx
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 12, 2019
Greenwood’s obvious composure and confidence help. He looked like he was scoring his 100th and 101st first-team goals rather than his fifth and sixth. In his 22 first-team appearances he’s fitted in without issue. It’s a huge jump from the under 23s but against Spurs last week he looked comfortable playing centre forward for Manchester United in front of 74,000 against the Champions League finalists.
So many players don’t when they move up, so many youth team graduates are not natural strikers like Greenwood. Being a star in the reserves is a guarantor of little. James Wilson looked set for a bright United future, but he was hit and miss when Louis van Gaal moved him up to the first team in 2015. Greenwood is more hit and he’s got a lot to his game – he’ll need it since you need to be a world class footballer if you’re to enjoy any kind of longevity at Old Trafford. If not, you’ll be replaced with an off the shelf model…not that such moves have worked out in recent years.
Greenwood shoots with his left and his right, he plays on either flank or as a central or second striker. He’s quick not only in his movement but his speed of thought. He’s getting chances, and football success is so often about being in the right place at the right time, because Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was happy to see Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez leave without buying a replacement. Solskjaer was also bold enough to give Greenwood his debut against Paris Saint-Germain away in the Champions League last 16, aged only 17.
United aren’t in the Champions League this term, but while the lower level Europa League doesn’t bring the same riches, it’s a better learning place for youngsters, a more realistic trophy for United to go for as they continue a long rebuild. Greenwood has started in five of United’s six Europa League group games this season, scoring four goals in three of them.
When he’s not mentoring him or having a hard word, something he is never afraid to do, Solskjaer has been working with Greenwood on his goal poaching. Well, he may as well learn from the master. The Norwegian has described Greenwood as the best finisher at the club and praised him again on Thursday after saying:
“Mason is different class as a finisher. In and around the box you expect him to get a shot on target. He’s so precise in his finishing and good at creating spaces for himself, right foot, left foot, it doesn’t matter. He is a nightmare for defenders. He just needs to develop his heading and then he will be a proper striker. I’ve seen a few good ones – I played with Wayne Rooney. But for natural finishing he’s one of the best I’ve seen.”
Young (53’)
Greenwood (58’)
Mata (62’)
Greenwood (64’)Are you not entertained? #MUFC pic.twitter.com/6EalVOA0yi
— United Xtra (@utdxtra) December 12, 2019
Greenwood also won a penalty against the Dutch. He’s taken them at a lower level, but not yet for the first team, so it was left to Juan Mata to convert it. “He is a killer in the box,” said the Spaniard. “We are very happy for him. He’s got the goals, he scores every time he plays and in training he may not touch the ball but he is a proper finisher.”
There’s far more to come from the Bradford-born forward who has been at United since the age of seven – he’ll get more minutes. We’ve yet to see his free kicks, another responsibility he has shouldered at lower levels. Marcus Rashford is looking much better on those right now. Nicky Butt had some wise words about Greenwood when I spoke to him last week.
“Mason has just turned 18 and we shouldn’t forget that. He can do anything, he can score and win games which is what a Man United striker has to do, but he has to get the other side of the game which is important in professional football. He’s the kind of player who will do nothing for the whole game and then score you two goals. He could be a superstar if he works with the coaches around him to make himself better – or he could be a miss if he doesn’t.”
With people like Butt watching him he’s in safe hands. Like Butt, Greenwood is from a working class family. He’s got aggression and attitude and they can be positive if channelled in the right way. Recent debutant Brandon Williams, from inner city Manchester, is similar. The pair have been at United for most of their lives and it’s fantastic when friends make their breakthrough at a similar time. Gary Neville said it was a major motivator when the Class of ’92 all did so. You’re with your mates, you’re fearless together.
United deserve credit, too, for the way they’ve handled him. Greenwood’s family have been offered “life changing amounts” for him to leave the club and move abroad, yet United have urged patience and stressed that they have a manager who will give young players a chance in the first team.
That has been vindicated. How many other big clubs start teenagers up front? Greenwood has had one new contract and if his progress continues he’s likely be offered another improved one well before it is up. But first, more hard work – and hopefully more performances like we’ve seen in the last week.
