Marcus Rashford’s ties with Manchester United have not been cut permanently despite his move to Barcelona, and Thomas Tuchel’s verdict on his performance for England only strengthens that claim.
Marcus Rashford has had a rough patch after getting off to a strong start for Barcelona, but because of the team he plays for and his talent, he is still in England’s plans.
Rashford was given a start against Andorra in England’s most recent match by Thomas Tuchel, who is a huge admirer of the player.
Rashford didn’t have the best game, and Tuchel’s post-game assessment of the player’s performance is terrible news for Barcelona and Hansi Flick.
Thomas Tuchel’s verdict on Marcus Rashford
As anticipated, England finished the match with 83% possession after dominating possession against a far weaker Andorra team.
Nevertheless, there were very few clear-cut opportunities, and Rashford was replaced after 68 minutes after failing to have that “wow” moment against a complacent opposition.
Along with Noni Madueke and Ebere Eze, he began the game on the left side of an offensive midfield trio, but by the end of the game, he was likely the weakest member of the group.
After the game, Tuchel acknowledged his difficulties but praised him for his training efforts and his upbeat attitude to change things.
However, the worrying thing is what he started his verdict with, saying that Rashford is ‘clearly a left winger’.
Tuchel said: “For me, he’s clearly a left winger. That’s where we played him today. He had the freedom to go a bit more inside to play not only against the fifth defender in the back five, but to play maybe more inside against the third [centre-back].
“I think the right side was a bit more active and found the positions a bit better. So I think he suffered from that today. He had an excellent training week, and it was obvious that we want him to start because he trained so well on the left side.
“I can see that he tries. This is for me, the most important that he stays positive and he trains at the moment with the right attitude with a smile.
“He struggles a bit with numbers and with ‘wow’ performance in an England shirt.”
Why Tuchel’s verdict is bad news for Barcelona and Man Utd
After making his debut as a striker, Rashford changed his style, but he has always been a left-winger.
However, there has been more discussion about him playing as a striker while he was on loan at Aston Villa and now at Barcelona.
His ability to play as the No. 9 was one of the reasons Barcelona even sought him, and Hansi Flick has praised his potential as a striker.
But after just three games, Flick has made the decision that Ferran Torres would be a better striker for him.
Rashford is already a member of the team, with Raphinha playing on the left and Lamine Yamal on the right.
Everyone will suffer when Robert Lewandowski returns from injury because the attacking competition will push him farther down the ranks.
Rashford’s Old Trafford contract expires in 2028, and Barcelona has the option—but not the duty—to acquire him. It’s obvious that they can avoid doing that.
The contracts of Casemiro and Jadon Sancho expire next summer, thus United will have another big earner on the sidelines when they cut two players.
Rashford would benefit from starting to thrive as a striker for Barcelona in order to persuade Tuchel to rethink his mind.
Alternatively, he establishes himself as a left-winger who Barcelona views as a real rival to Raphinha rather than as a stand-in.
Leave a Reply