[Raven]

You could clearly see his frustration with people trying to shoot all the time or holding on to the ball for to long on counters he’s not wrong but he need to keep going but at the end of the day he don’t trust his teammates to make the right decision and thats a factor.

Yeah, he wasn't the only one it was pissing off.

 

[Abraxas]

His hold up play and passing seems to get better the longer he doesn't play! That side of his game has really come on over the last few years despite playing little football. He was impressive in those aspects tonight. Very calm and precise.

 

[sullydnl]

Obviously we were all being overly ambitious when we were hoping he'd stay fit at the start of the season, but give us these remaining weeks please.

 

[ti vu]

His hold up play and passing seems to get better the longer he doesn't play! That side of his game has really come on over the last few years despite playing little football. He was impressive in those aspects tonight. Very calm and precise.

He's always this good in these aspect of the game. His main issue is always about off ball movement. To be specific, movement to poach goal. Doesn't play on the shoulder and run in behind. Doesn't get into the box to expect cross.

Antony had (yet another) wild shot in 74th or 84th minute. In that instance, we saw that Martial stay outside the box where as most forward would try to anticipate a chance inside the box.

 

[Abraxas]

He's always this good in these aspect of the game. His main issue is always about off ball movement. To be specific, movement to poach goal. Doesn't play on the shoulder and run in behind. Doesn't get into the box to expect cross.

Antony had (yet another) wild shot in 74th or 84th minute. In that instance, we saw that Martial stay outside the box where as most forward would try to anticipate a chance inside the box.

I'm aware, I just think he's more mature and stronger with his hold up play. It has been like that for a few years to be fair, I remember a brilliant performance away to City where he held everything up and occupied the centre backs. It's just impressive he does it with little football and it continues to stay sharp and maybe even get better at it. I think some of it comes from being a little stronger too, there's no doubt his build has changed over the years.

 

[Idxomer]

He has lost so much of his game but his hold-up play is probably top 5 in the world when he's fit.

 

[Greck]

He has more skills for midfield than some of our actual midfielders.

 

[Sylar]

Hopefully he can be involved in every game now until the end of the season.

 

[SAF is the GOAT]

He's our striker and he stood more out of the box than in it.

Maybe add that link up play with other players but didn't give us the presence in the box that we needed.

Even if our wingers or FB's wanted to cross the ball into the box - he wasn't there

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

He has more skills for midfield than some of our actual midfielders.

I think he'd unironically be an excellent midfielder in La Liga if he had the training for it. Less intense and not as much running involved and more technical, and he has as good a recognition of spatial awareness and what is around him as any top midfielder. Could easily see him sauntering about jinking past players and spraying the ball around in another life

 

[berbatrick]

thought he looked a little heavy, not as agile/smooth as usual

 

[Stadjer]

He has lost so much of his game but his hold-up play is probably top 5 in the world when he's fit.

What has he lost? He doesnt dribble like his first season but he played from the left at that time.

 

[Skills]

I think he'd unironically be an excellent midfielder in La Liga if he had the training for it. Less intense and not as much running involved and more technical, and he has as good a recognition of spatial awareness and what is around him as any top midfielder. Could easily see him sauntering about jinking past players and spraying the ball around in another life

That's what makes him so valuable up front. Most CFs who have allegedly good link up play still only operate in a 180 degree field of view. Martial's instinctively wants to and can turn goal side at will, giving him so many more options. It's invaluable.

 

[Skills]

What has he lost? He doesnt dribble like his first season but he played from the left at that time.

Pace mainly. Used to be rapid.

 

[Idxomer]

What has he lost? He doesnt dribble like his first season but he played from the left at that time.

Dribbling, speed and shooting.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

What has he lost? He doesnt dribble like his first season but he played from the left at that time.

Doesn't have the same pace/burst as he did in 2020 and before. Doesn't really need it necessarily for his style of play but it was what made him so lethal taking players on when coupled with his otherworldly close control

 

[UnitedRepublic]

I think he'd unironically be an excellent midfielder in La Liga if he had the training for it. Less intense and not as much running involved and more technical, and he has as good a recognition of spatial awareness and what is around him as any top midfielder. Could easily see him sauntering about jinking past players and spraying the ball around in another life

Might get used in that 10 role next season when we get a striker in been saying it before he will have a role here next season. Antony isn’t creating for others neither is Rashford. If we get a player like Ohsimen we will need players that can create for him.

 

[Tiber]

Didn't take him long to match Wouts league goal total for the season

 

[jem]

He has lost so much of his game but his hold-up play is probably top 5 in the world when he's fit.

One thing that occurred to me is how many fouls he draws because of this, and that this was likely a factor in all those penalties we were awarded back in Bruno's first season (and Martial's last full-time season.)

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Might get used in that 10 role next season when we get a striker in been saying it before he will have a role here next season. Antony isn’t creating for others neither is Rashford. If we get a player like Ohsimen we will need players that can create for him.

Yeah personally think anyone that wants to sell him for basically nothing when we already have 0 strikers besides him is an idiot. Bring in 2 strikers next year with one being a young prospect (assuming Greenwood isn’t welcomed back) and keep Martial as he’s more valuable when fit than the pittance of a fee we’d get for him otherwise. That way his absences aren’t felt badly in the squad, but when available gives us a very valuable profile to use in certain games

 

[Dominos]

2 sub appearances now, is he ready for a start on Saturday?

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Very aesthetically pleasing.

 

[ti vu]

I'm aware, I just think he's more mature and stronger with his hold up play. It has been like that for a few years to be fair, I remember a brilliant performance away to City where he held everything up and occupied the centre backs. It's just impressive he does it with little football and it continues to stay sharp and maybe even get better at it. I think some of it comes from being a little stronger too, there's no doubt his build has changed over the years.

His hold up play looks better when the team plays to his strength by getting the ball to his feet. ETH style fit Martial's natural skillset perfectly. However, for different kind of hold up play, like battling for hoofball, or anticipating a 50/50 loose ball and shoulder his marker off balance with strength in the process, Martial would still look average compared to the like of Benzema.

His top level talent/potential is very obvious. That's never in doubt. It's not rare for these elite talent to retain their natural technical ability even after lengthy injury. RvP for example. Despite his injury, he's so good at his stuffs that other players in top shape would never match the level of technique he possessed.

So in my view I don't believe he's getting better, or stay sharp. In contrary, he's still far away from his best version like the restart period. It's more about us getting conditioned with subpar CF play by someone like Ronaldo (never truly nail that CF role without a water carrier), Rashford and Weghorst.

 

[Real Name]

Him on the pitch compared to Wout is night and day. Just stay fit ffs.

 

[Olecurls99]

He's a very good fit for where Ten Hag wants to get us. He's creative and has sublime technique.

With that in mind and providing he isn't cursed next year, do we take a punt on a raw 30m talent as his backup for next season rather than a 100m striker?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

2 sub appearances now, is he ready for a start on Saturday?

He fecking better be.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

He has lost so much of his game but his hold-up play is probably top 5 in the world when he's fit.

That comment really just shows how ridiculously starved United fans have been of proper #9’s over the last few years.

Martial’s hold up play last night wasn’t any better than the opposition #9. Or the opposition #9 in our last match before this one. But when you’ve been lost in a desert, even a glass of muddy water looks like nectar of the Gods.

 

[Olecurls99]

That comment really just shows how ridiculously starved United fans have been of proper #9’s over the last few years.

Martial’s hold up play last night wasn’t any better than the opposition #9. Or the opposition #9 in our last match before this one. But when you’ve been lost in a desert, even a glass of muddy water looks like nectar of the Gods.

I reckon he's as good as Toney or Isak who are also really good players btw

 

[CloneMC16]

We'd be comfortably 3rd if this man could stay fit.

 

[Ole90+3]

I find it amusing that people are talking how Martial fits into this squads long term plan.

The lad is injured after anything more than 45 minutes of football. Consistently for the past few seasons. He’s finished.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I reckon he's as good as Toney or Isak who are also really good players btw

Maybe. I wouldn’t argue either way. But they’d be one of a whole bunch of #9’s who have good hold up play in the PL alone. With similar numbers in every other major league. In fact, I’m sure there are Championship strikers who hold the ball up as well as the players mentioned. It’s just such a fecking novelty for United fans that we see one of our players do it and think he must be top 5 in the world!

 

[ErikElevenHag]

He's a very good fit for where Ten Hag wants to get us. He's creative and has sublime technique.

With that in mind and providing he isn't cursed next year, do we take a punt on a raw 30m talent as his backup for next season rather than a 100m striker?

Absolutely not, there's no place for martial here as our main man. He can't stay fit.

I'm not even convinced when he's fit he's ideal to be our main striker, he doesn't have that hunger to score goals that the top CFs have. Kane has superior hold up, link up and also happens to be a bit of a goalscoring machine himself. If Ten Hag wants that type of forward Kane would be a seismic upgrade and he's been available for virtually every game for the last 3.5 years.

I know a lot have a hard on for osimhen but I don't think we've got the players to allow him to thrive.

 

[Dan_F]

On his hold up play, he’s technically very good, so he has no issues in trapping the ball and laying it off when it’s going directly to him. My main issue is his desire to get in front the defender; desire might even be doing him a disservice, it might just be that he doesn’t have the awareness to move first.

There was times against Newcastle when the ball was being played out and he was a yard behind the defender constantly, that was really annoying. But in a game we’re dominating, he’s really great to watch and a massive plus for the rest of the season if he can stay fit.

 

[Olecurls99]

Maybe. I wouldn’t argue either way. But they’d be one of a whole bunch of #9’s who have good hold up play in the PL alone. With similar numbers in every other major league. In fact, I’m sure there are Championship strikers who hold the ball up as well as the players mentioned. It’s just such a fecking novelty for United fans that we see one of our players do it and think he must be top 5 in the world!

Fair enough. I would say he has a level of composure on the ball that is very rare at any level and will really be appreciated as Ten Hag's team grows.

 

[Chaky_Best]

As usual, we are happy to have him back. He will put 1 or 2 good performances and then he will struggle with injuries again and will finish his season.

He could have score 10-15 goals if he was fit this season and could have been useful but it s not the case,

 

[Member 101269]

He fecking better be.

But, for how long? 30-40 minutes?

Absolutely not, there's no place for martial here as our main man. He can't stay fit.

I'm not even convinced when he's fit he's ideal to be our main striker, he doesn't have that hunger to score goals that the top CFs have. Kane has superior hold up, link up and also happens to be a bit of a goalscoring machine himself. If Ten Hag wants that type of forward Kane would be a seismic upgrade and he's been available for virtually every game for the last 3.5 years.

I know a lot have a hard on for osimhen but I don't think we've got the players to allow him to thrive.

Agree, Martial is long overdue to leave. As for Osimhen, I just don't get it, from the games i've seen he reminds me of Lukaku. a pass for me.

 

[Sea-Cow]

You can see what we miss when he isn’t around but feck me can we attach some sort of bungee cord to the oppositions goal with the other end attached to him.

He does amazing work coming deep but honestly his lack of will to get in to the mixer is a huge hinderance. Come in, collect the ball, work some space, play the pass but then make the move to get in. Brief cameo but there were so many times when it seemed like everyone had gone forward beyond him and only the CBS were left behind him.

Really really just wish he would show that desire or need to score goals. Compare him to the Nordic Yeti on that front and the difference in the desire of Haaland compared to Martial to get in goal scoring positions are polar opposites.

Yes, exactly this. So many times when we were supposedly "attacking," there was no center forward in the box at all as Tony was standing out on the left hiding behind Rashford. He has no desire to get in amoungst the CMs so he drifts out to the left where he can play two yard passes to Rashford.

 

[Alvaro Maestre]

Anybody knows what's the current family drama he's going through?

 

[kouroux]

You can see what we miss when he isn’t around but feck me can we attach some sort of bungee cord to the oppositions goal with the other end attached to him.

He does amazing work coming deep but honestly his lack of will to get in to the mixer is a huge hinderance. Come in, collect the ball, work some space, play the pass but then make the move to get in. Brief cameo but there were so many times when it seemed like everyone had gone forward beyond him and only the CBS were left behind him.

Really really just wish he would show that desire or need to score goals. Compare him to the Nordic Yeti on that front and the difference in the desire of Haaland compared to Martial to get in goal scoring positions are polar opposites.

He's not that kinda player and his fragile body won't even allow him to force himself being that kinda player

 

[Andersons Dietician]

He's not that kinda player and his fragile body won't even allow him to force himself being that kinda player

I don’t see why his fragile body would stop him from being able to make an effort to get in to the box once he has just done some nice work outside of the box. I’m a Martial FC die hard but he at times seems to happy to just sit back and admire his pass or what is going on ahead of him instead of trying to make that move inbehind.