Rаѕмᴜѕ Hojlᴜnd іѕ ѕtаrtіng to gіʋe маncһeѕter Unіted tһe tаctіcаl cһаnge tһeу wаnted

Man Utd are back in Champions League action this week and they desperately need a win, with Rasmus Hojlund having impressed so far in the competition.

When Manchester United were weighing up their options for signing a striker during the transfer window, the need for what Erik ten Hag wanted was at the forefront of their minds.

There are many reasons to rule out candidates, but above all, the player chosen must be a natural striker, a classic number 9, with a tendency to play inside the box and excel at turning the back behind turn back aim as well as facing the target.

This is part of the reason why Randal Kolo Muani’s work is so quickly overlooked.The France international is tall, but he is not a physical striker but someone who likes to sit deep and play the chains, win the ball back and run with it.

Ten Hag wanted something different. He wants a real striker, the type of player who has come back into fashion in recent years. Harry Kane can do both, but when he’s left out of the squad, Rasmus Hojlund is the man.

United already have attacking players who play the central striker role by sitting deep, preferring to place the ball in front of goal rather than moving away.Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford both did that. They don’t tend to get involved in challenges with the centre-back or keep the ball under pressure.

In his short United career so far, Hojlund has shown an aptitude for both. He doesn’t wear the number 9 shirt but it seems like a matter of time before he inherits Martial’s number.When these two people directly swapped roles with substitutions, United fans – whether at home or away – showed signs of discontent.

It hasn’t been a perfect start to the United career for Hojlund, who is yet to break through domestically, and despite all the flashes of brilliance – especially in the Champions League – there have been games he struggled to win. affect.

Saturday’s win over Sheffield United was one of them, but although he didn’t see much of the ball there were a number of occasions where he protected the ball well under pressure and got others involved prepare. play.

This is an area in which he is very impressed. Ten Hag noted Monday that he expects goals to come more often as the relationship between Hojlund and his teammates is more harmonious.This could also be the case with his ability to protect the ball.

This will allow United to get the ball under pressure and give runners a chance to get past them. There were times when he controlled the ball well, especially against Arsenal on his debut when his intelligent play helped create a chance for Alejandro Garnacho to score, but VAR cut out the fun.

The differences between Hojlund and Martial at the top of United are becoming clear and not just in terms of personality. If the Dane is playing at 100mph, Martial can often make shifting into third gear seem like a challenge.

Hojlund gives United more aggression when pressing and more energy in their play. But he also brings the ability, as a striker, to get the ball at his feet without having to run towards goal.

This would give United another option in their game. It’s still early days for Hojlund and he could make the breakthrough with a Premier League goal, but tactically he could bring a point of difference to this team.