Few players in Europe divide opinion quite like Marcus Rashford.
At his best, he looks unstoppable, combining blistering pace with elite ball-striking and the ability to terrorise defenders one-on-one.
At his worst, he can appear disengaged, lacking intensity and consistency.
Yet across his career, there has always been a clear tactical trend: Rashford shines brightest when deployed in his most effective zones on the pitch within the right environment.
Under Hansi Flick at Barcelona, those zones are being rediscovered.
The German coach has given Marcus Rashford a structure almost identical to the one that produced his career-best season under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
For Rashford, that could prove the difference between another false dawn and a genuine revival.
In this Marcus Rashford player analysis and scout report, we explore how his best season under Erik ten Hag in 2022/2023 has provided the blueprint for Hansi Flick to revive the forward and unlock his brilliant best once again.
Marcus Rashford Under Erik Ten Hag Tactics 2022/2023
Marcus Rashford’s best football came in Ten Hag’s debut season at Old Trafford.
Across 56 appearances in all competitions, he scored 30 goals and provided 12 assists.
That output ranked him among the most productive forwards in Europe, a run that carried United to an EFL Cup trophy and a return to the UEFA Champions League.
The numbers were impressive, but the key was his specific role within the team.
Ten Hag did not use Rashford as a conventional left winger nor as a central striker.
Instead, Rashford floated between positions, attacking the last line from the left half-space, drifting wide when space opened up, and consistently threatening with runs behind the defence.
When Rashford moved into wider areas, Luke Shaw or Tyrell Malacia would invert into the half-space or overlap.
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