Many would argue that Louis Van Gaal has stumbled upon Marcus Rashford, but the way he has used him this season has been exceptional. Van Gaal has given Rashford the freedom and confidence to play up front and use his raw pace to go behind the opposing defenses.
Man United have won their last 4 games with Rashford playing a key role in those victories. Another player who has been crucial for United all season is Anthony Martial. The £38million striker had so much to prove in his first season in England and he has left everyone in awe of his talent and skill.
Since Rashford’s inclusion in the team, the duo have forged a great understanding and Manchester United’s attacking play has improved greatly. Both players have pace, trickery and sheer ability to go past defenders and both know how to finish their chances as well.
Last night Anthony Martial was United’s match winner with a 93rd minute winning goal in FA Cup semifinal against Everton. Throughout the game Martial-Rashford combination caused havoc for Everton’s defense and their linkup play was too quick to defend against.
Remember the name”MarFord”
It was not just against Everton, both these forward players have done the same since Rashford’s inclusion in the game. Seeing them on the same page reminded me of the days when Man United had Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney playing in the same team.
Their intelligent runs and brilliant movements were hard to track down for oppositions and same has been the case with Martial and Rashford. Having seen them tear apart Everton’s defense, one could realize that they are here to stay for long and we may witness their exceptional link-up play for years to follow. So why not give them a catchy name to go with?
After deliberating it with the team, we came up with the name “MarFord” and we really think these two players will be key to Manchester United’s hopes in coming seasons regardless of who is in charge of the club.
Their playing style complements each other as well. While Rashford goes direct and through the middle, Martial loves to stay wide and take defenders on. Often we see teams opting to double-mark Martial and it allows Rashford to peel off his marker and find himself in space to score goals.
The duo have certainly made a huge impact in their debut season for the club and one could only expect them to get better with and experience. They will be the main men for Manchester United next season whether its Louis Van Gaal or Jose Mourinho in charge.
Reports today have suggested that Jose Mourinho has signed a contract to be the next United manager and he will be officially revealed in next 2 weeks. Even if Jose is in charge, he will look to play “MarFord” as frequently as possible to get the best out of their pace and ability on the ball.
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