Home » Andy Cole says Mason Greenwood won’t be a number nine for Man United

Andy Cole says Mason Greenwood won’t be a number nine for Man United

by Red Billy

Mason Greenwood has hit the ground running this season for Manchester United, bagging two goals in two games.

There has been a lot of discussion among pundits and fans about whether the 19-year-old is mature enough yet to lead the line for United, but experience so far this season would suggest he is.

However, one man who led that line very successfully is Andy Cole, who is concerned that the young star may not be right for that centre-forward role.

‘I don’t actually think that Mase wants to play as a centre forward,’ Cole told The Sun.

‘That is a difficult, difficult role – to be a No9… that’s pressure.

‘If you play off the left or right that’s different, but being a No9 at Old Trafford [is tough].’

‘I think with Mase’s talent he’s fortunate that he can play across the front line.

‘But listening to some of the coaches, Fletch [Darren Fletcher], people like that who I speak to, I don’t think he’s fixed on becoming a No9.

‘If you listen to the noises Ole’s making, come next season they may look to buy a [Erling] Haaland or a [Harry] Kane, if he’s still available.

‘They’re looking long-term, Mase won’t be a No9 but he’ll play. They want a No9.’

One of Greenwood’s former academy teammates, goalkeeper Theo Richardson, disagrees with Cole in an article in The Telegraph.

‘When I left United, people asked who was the best player I trained with. For every person, I told them to wait until Mason comes through.

‘I’ve never seen someone strike a ball as well with both feet as he does. His finishing is ridiculous, unlike anything I’ve seen.

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently said that ‘I think that is a man compared to a boy that was in the first-team two years ago’ and Richardson agrees.

‘People say you have that summer where you go from literally being a kid, then fully becoming a man. This summer it has started to happen and I expect him to be fully amongst it,

‘He has no backlift with his shots. Because he is so powerful from such a young age – he wasn’t even fully developed then – the older he was going to get, he was going to get even stronger.’

The Bradford-born player may not have too many more opportunities to prove he can be United’s centre forward going forward this season as Edinson Cavani is approaching fitness and is likely to be first choice.

This will mean Greenwood pushing back out to the right wing, with Jadon Sancho probably occupying the left wing until Marcus Rashford is back from his shoulder surgery.

However, if Greenwood carries on as he has started, he may very well cause a rethink amongst the United coaching staff.

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