He gets into good positions, runs in behind defenders and is a constant threat.
His goal at Wembley on Saturday night showcased what he is all about.
Unfortunately his two missed chances that could have earned England a point in their Nations League match with Spain also told you where he is at right now.
A centre-forward who is playing regularly in that position for his club probably would not have fluffed those.
The miss from the one-on-one with David De Gea after being put through by Harry Kane was a symptom of a player not used to being in those positions in a match-day situation.
A regular striker finds himself in those situations every week and is comfortable with them.He would put those chances away and believe in himself — you get a taste for it, it is a feeling you love.
You look forward to it, you want it, you crave it. Even if you do miss the chance, you have the confidence to know another one will come along and then you can make amends.
It is not a position that should weigh heavily on any forward. The problem is when those opportunities are few and far between.
You are then judged as much on those fleeting chances as the ones you score. There is still a question as to whether Rashford is a true goalscorer or not. That puts pressure on you when the moment comes.
Now, I missed plenty of chances. The thing is, I also played 767 games as a striker — only a striker — for club and country which afforded me plenty of chances to get goals.
Of the 126 appearances Rashford has made for Manchester United, I am not sure how many have been in his favoured position as a striker.
The problem he faces is what can he do about it? Yes he is still very young at 20, but when will his situation change?
As long as Romelu Lukaku stays fit he is not going to get a starting spot as the lone striker at Old Trafford. As long as Jose Mourinho is the manager, there is not going to be two up top.
Even if Lukaku did not play, my money would be on Alexis Sanchez being moved into the middle and further forward.
And would Mourinho really turn to Rashford if he needed another striker? Or would he go to the transfer market for a tried and trusted ready-made goalscorer?
Rashford has been played so long in a wide position in a three, that it does take time to readjust to his natural position.
Time is not a great commodity in football nowadays. I am not advocating Rashford moves away from Old Trafford. It is a great club to be at.
But if he wants to achieve an ambition to be recognised as a great goalscorer it is just not going to happen there.
He would need to move with the assurance that his next club will make him the main man, the striker, the one up top or one of two. Then I truly believe he would develop into a goalscorer.
He took the first goal against Spain well. The way he snatched at the next chance was a player happy to get a shot on target rather than instinctively place the ball either side of the goalkeeper.
His headed chance allowed De Gea to make the save. Again, it was a case of get it on target and hope, rather than gamble with the percentages and direct it into a place where the goalkeeper is not going to get it.
There really is a dearth of top quality English strikers right now outside of Kane. Even with Kane I have my concerns.
Much was made of the World Cup Golden Boot being awarded to him before kick-off, yet after the group stages in Russia I don’t think he had a great effect. He looked a yard off it, tired almost, and still does.
With Jamie Vardy now retired the next player Gareth Southgate has to turn to is Danny Welbeck.
Now Welbeck is someone who found himself in a similar position at Old Trafford as Rashford does now.
Undoubtedly injuries have also had a negative impact on his career, so a combination of the two means he has never quite developed into the striker he could have been.
I am not being negative, but realistic. In our last six competitive games we have won one in normal time, another on penalties and lost the other four.
In the semi-final against Croatia we had the chances to put the game to bed and get into the final but there was nobody on the pitch in the right form to do just that.
Rashford came on with 14 minutes to go of normal time and then had extra-time to get us through. He couldn’t.
Gareth is refusing to bend in the way he wants his team to play and that is admirable and is absolutely right.
We are making progress but, with so few chances created, we have to take them when they are there.
Source: Read Full Article