7
Maybe people watch Alexis being garbage and think it can't be worse can it?People who think Martial is better than Alexis need to watch more of them both or give up on football.
What is it with this over rating of Martial on this site?!
You guys want to throw in last season which was his teething period and where he was settling down. I want to use this season.
The idea that you want to beat him with a stick because he wasn't settling down and played poorly in half a season where the entire team was disjointed is beyond ridiculous. Come quote this post in 2 months. Then tell me how good or bad he's been.
Oh so the "he just needs to settle first" excuse is still running even though he's been here since January?A settled Sanchez is better than Martial by distance. We should allow him to settle and stop whinging.
We should agree to disagree over this. You talk sense and you probably have seen him more during his early and Arsenal days. But I maintain that we must fit Alexis and Lukaku, with one of Martial/Rashford in the front 3, preferably Alexis on the RW. That's not because I don't rate Alexis, contrary, because I do, and feel that he can have just as big impact from there, while covering a glaring hole in the attack.I wouldn’t say we have anyone who is ‘better’ on the right, what we have is a large collection of players who can’t make an impact on games there. Anyone who we realistically can (and previously did) play on the right - Mata, Lingard, Martial, Rashford, Sanchez, Lukaku... not De Gea - only reach the kind of performance levels that we want and need, and that they are capable of, in other positions.
I agree that both Martial and Rashford have shown themselves to be capable left wingers and are worthy of playing time in that role, but they will be doing very, very well to surpass Sanchez’s level generally.
For Arsenal, Alexis was used on the left of a 4-2-3-1 for his first two seasons, then played up front for the majority of his third season (the season before last). Wenger changed the shape in the later stages of the season to a 3-4-3 and used Sanchez off the left, which continued into last season until he of course signed with us. He was Arsenal’s best player over his time there, where he played the vast majority of his games on the left. His best season was as a striker and his general level dipped considerably in his final half season.
Shifting him on the RW, I don't take as a he has failed, nor should anyone really. Playing him on the LW instead of Martial/Rashford I feel made things even worse for some fans, for their obvious affection of our young stars. I would take it as a needed sacrifice from an experiences pro, that would bring balance to the team. But it's not to me. I will point out to the Chelsea game last season at Old Trafford, if I'm not mistaken Martial and Alexis started each on one side but, interchanged and both of them were good.That is obviously a massive issue here and now, as his performances haven’t picked up for us. I can see why someone would look at his performances and wonder why we would bring him in, and persist with him, at the expense of our two youngsters, and where the will to see him shifted to another position where he has played before, and see Martial or Rashford restored to the line up, comes from. It’s just that this lacks context. In isolation, we could point to periods of form from the later two and say they are not good enough and do not deserve that spot. Sanchez had a good rest and a good pre-season, and he has shown more than either of them have on the left previously. If we persist with a 4-3-3, it makes sense to give him a run on the left. By all means if it doesn’t work then change things, bring in Rashford or Martial and move Alexis. Shifting him to the right, though, would be an acknowledgement that he has essentially failed here.
I think you take the whole thing in another way. He will be more appreciated if he resolved half of our RW issues. But that's my opinion.If we had been having this conversation prior to Sanchez signing I would have completely agreed. We signed a great player but he wasn’t what we needed. Now with him a part of the squad I feel it is moot, until we see if Sanchez can find his form. Starting a new season is starting again. He disappointed last term, but the break allows him to reset and potentially hit his previous heights. That is what we have to lose at this moment in time, theoretically. Moving him to the right becomes reasonable if he fails to recapture his brilliance. Again, that would be accepting that our star forward and highest earner is no longer good enough.
If it meant that our attack improves to the level it should be? Yes of course.Again it’s a question of the cost of doing so. It’s only as simple as saying two is better than three if you don’t consider the other area of personnel that it would affect. Is it worth it when it means playing only two of Matic, Pogba, Fred, Pereira and Herrera?
Our need of energetic movement and penetrating runs should not be put on shoulders of one player, but instead of team play and organization. Giving that spot in the attack to a player who brings those qualities but lacks in other more fundamental at the highest level handicaps the attack massively.Our attack will be handicapped regardless. We need energetic movement and penetrating runs from somewhere and Lingard, despite other deficiencies, is the only player who provides enough of these qualities (well, Rashford maybe, but not to the same extent). I think he was a big factor in the few periods where we actually showed some effective and coordinated attacking play last season. Might as well shoehorn him in where no-one else excels anyway.
I believe it's £390k plus £75k for every match he plays in. Then there's reportedly a £1.1m bonus per year too.No I have not obviously, but from various sources I believe Sanchez is on about 350-400k. Somebody should correct me if I am wrong?
Do you believe anything the media reports about United? Or do they just make up all transfer fees and wages based on absolutely nothing? How do you do your picking and choosing? You'll only believe the reports that seem agreeable to you?You should know not to believe bullshit from the media then.
He has probably been killing himself in pre-season to be fit. We can cut him some slack. Let's see him in the next game.
Oh so the "he just needs to settle first" excuse is still running even though he's been here since January?
I believe it's £390k plus £75k for every match he plays in. Then there's reportedly a £1.1m bonus per year too.
Do you believe anything the media reports about United? Or do they just make up all transfer fees and wages based on absolutely nothing? How do you do your picking and choosing? You'll only believe the reports that seem agreeable to you?
He's not a winger...never in a million years. Martial remain our best option on that left side. Play Sanchez closer to Lukaku.
Mourinho would have been able to do that if he had bought a fecking LB. The other option is to play another midfielder closer to the left side like Matuidi did during the world cup.
He's not a winger...never in a million years. Martial remain our best option on that left side. Play Sanchez closer to Lukaku.
Mourinho would have been able to do that if he had bought a fecking LB. The other option is to play another midfielder closer to the left side like Matuidi did during the world cup.
The moment Lukau came on his game improved. I also think that a front three of Martial, LUkaku and Sanchez should be the starting line up
Pre-season is meaningless, no point talking about thatHe looked good in pre-season, but I thought he was playing more centrally. The minute he goes back to LW he turns shit again. Why can’t Mourinho see this?
Oh so the "he just needs to settle first" excuse is still running even though he's been here since January?
One friend of mine has been annoying me saying that if we hadn't signed Sanchez in January, we would have gone for Ronaldo. I don't actually believe that myself but Woodward would be kicking himself if that were true.
He got a assist in the first match of the season. Fortunate, but he deserved an assist for setting Lukaku one on one so it balances out.
But yeah let's not like him anyway.
I feel like he just doesn't give a feck anymore; that he was just after one last big "retirement package". How many years did he sign for? 3? 4? 5?
Those cheeky "haha he turns 40 in 11 years" jokes aren't really funny anymore eh?
I believe it's £390k plus £75k for every match he plays in. Then there's reportedly a £1.1m bonus per year too.
If that's true that's fecking nuts! I can't believe how stupid we are to pay those ridiculous figures. It's not like we were signing peak Messi ffs. We really are a shambles
I feel like he just doesn't give a feck anymore; that he was just after one last big "retirement package". How many years did he sign for? 3? 4? 5?
He signed for 4.5 years. I think he does give a feck, but I fear his legs are going a la Rooney. Which is a bit weird as he seems to take better care of himself. Goes to show it's always a bit risky to sign aging players. Though, the signs were there in the first half of last season for Arsenal.I feel like he just doesn't give a feck anymore; that he was just after one last big "retirement package". How many years did he sign for? 3? 4? 5?
We should agree to disagree over this. You talk sense and you probably have seen him more during his early and Arsenal days. But I maintain that we must fit Alexis and Lukaku, with one of Martial/Rashford in the front 3, preferably Alexis on the RW. That's not because I don't rate Alexis, contrary, because I do, and feel that he can have just as big impact from there, while covering a glaring hole in the attack.
Shifting him on the RW, I don't take as a he has failed, nor should anyone really. Playing him on the LW instead of Martial/Rashford I feel made things even worse for some fans, for their obvious affection of our young stars. I would take it as a needed sacrifice from an experiences pro, that would bring balance to the team. But it's not to me. I will point out to the Chelsea game last season at Old Trafford, if I'm not mistaken Martial and Alexis started each on one side but, interchanged and both of them were good.
If it meant that our attack improves to the level it should be? Yes of course.
Our need of energetic movement and penetrating runs should not be put on shoulders of one player, but instead of team play and organization. Giving that spot in the attack to a player who brings those qualities but lacks in other more fundamental at the highest level handicaps the attack massively.
Probably should be playing behind Lukaku, but seems like Mourinhos going for a 3 man midfield.
