I didn't say take Zlatan's place. But surely he could play the last 15 minutes of games like today. Zlatan doesn't need to play 90 minutes every time. Throwing on as a winger is doing him no favours.
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I didn't say take Zlatan's place. But surely he could play the last 15 minutes of games like today. Zlatan doesn't need to play 90 minutes every time. Throwing on as a winger is doing him no favours.
Yeah, his off the ball movement needs to improve. Especially with Ibra up top.
Hopefully this will be the start of him getting consistent games. Good game from Martial. Underrated goal too.
It's a definite weakness. Mata can barely move yet he always seems to make a few brilliant little runs in behind. If Martial could add that to his game it would bring him up a level imo.
We could finally have what everyone thought was our best front three at the start of the season in Martial/Ibra/Mikhi, which could be devastating if they all fire on all cylinders.
Love the guy, fecking hate this thread though.
Hope that's him as our number one option on the left because he's by far the best option.
Hope that's him as our number one option on the left because he's by far the best option.
I love Martial...He is going to be a superstar if not for us for somebody else.Talent like his don't come around very often and we are lucky to have him.Hopefully he stays for many years to come and he is too good to be on the bench.
Mata's movement is fantastic. Hadn't appreciated it much before today.
That was class when it was picked up on the microphone.
It really is. He's a clever little fecker.
Jose mentioned few times Martial came in because of his increased effort in training, so it is completely plausible he wasn't putting in the effort required which is why he hasn't been playing lately.
Only just noticed in his celebration he made a heart with his hands then tapped the badge. Good lad.
While we have all this debate about performance levels, mentality, training etc. the likely reason why Mourinho didn't fancy Martial was due to all the nonsense that was coming from his agent. Those exit speculations weren't invented, the papers are usually tipped off by the player's agent and that in my opinion really annoyed Mourinho.
As soon as Martial distanced himself from the speculation, he's back playing and I am not surprised.
As soon as Martial distanced himself from the speculation, he's back playing and I am not surprised.
It does when that's mainly who you play against and the others barley perform against anybody. When your attack is shit and someone is performing well, he has to play.
But he didn't??!!!
I think Martial is the business, has got amazing talent and should go on to become one of the best in the world.
I have been really disappointed in his performances this season however, when judged by his own standards and what i think he's capable of. I'm just grateful Jose had the bollocks to really test our players to see what they're made of. It'll stand them and us in good stead in the long run and if it bring Martial back to his best then it's completely worth it.
I understand both sides of the argument because even though he's not been at his best he's still been better than the alternatives. But they made a good point on MOTD about Jose and how he has handled our players in that he's asking them the question as to whether they are worthy of being part of the team that he is looking to create.
I have been really disappointed in his performances this season however, when judged by his own standards and what i think he's capable of. I'm just grateful Jose had the bollocks to really test our players to see what they're made of. It'll stand them and us in good stead in the long run and if it bring Martial back to his best then it's completely worth it.
I understand both sides of the argument because even though he's not been at his best he's still been better than the alternatives. But they made a good point on MOTD about Jose and how he has handled our players in that he's asking them the question as to whether they are worthy of being part of the team that he is looking to create.
Mourinho is just being a dick, Mourinho is blind fans know best, Mourinho is just taking credit when he was throwing players under the bus before, Mourinho is just back-tracking because he knows he's made a mistake, Mourinho has a big ego and likes to wreck clubs, press is just making things up, Martial is our best player and a consummate professional but Mourinho is scapegoating him because he doesn't like players bought by LVG, Mourinho doesn't like youth, fans know best because they watch a lot of Football, fans know best because the manager simply can't know as much as them even though they watch players training, fans know best because they are well-trained Psychologists, lip-readers, body-language experts, etc etc etc.
Since his debut, though. That was last season wasn't it? How is that so relevant? Rooney is the club's highest scorer so he should be playing every match you know, because stats.
Yes agree that an 80% Martial is better than a 100% Lingard or Rashford. Well, even a 60% Angel Di Maria may have been better than most of our players.
But that doesn't mean that players should be aloud to coast below their full potential. You'd want your players to be giving close to their 100% if possible. It's one of the reasons why Di Maria didn't work out even if he was undoubtedly talented.
Hope he really kicks on to another level and finds the form he was on last season. He could be the difference maker in a lot of close games at this crucial part of the seasons for us. Games coming in thick and fast, and not just in one competition, an in form and relatively fresh player of his calibre is a fortune to have.
I don't think Rashford has been outputting 100% of his potential neither. I think at this point of their young career, it's about effort & how close they follow the manager's instruction, which Martial seems to fail.
With them still away from fulfilling their potential, it's important for them to put in 100% effort to use all whatever best abilities they have at the moment.
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Mourinho finally seems to be happy with Martial's performance. He has also praised him for his last 2 weeks of training. I think this will encourage Martial to keep training hard and playing a lot of games for the rest of the season.
He really has to start games even if he has a poor game or two. Rashford looks good as well when he comes on against tired legs.
You are most likely right. I was speaking of them applying themselves 100% to achieve their potential.
Oops. Apologies.
I'm curious to know is it also logical to question Mourinho's treatment of Martial especially knowing his poor track record in managing the talented youth in his previous teams.
The youth some of which later went on to become world class.
I think this is Mourinho's way of keeping players on their toes. Possibly the same thing with Mkhi earlier in the season, and Shaw now. He simply won't allow players to play beneath their level, and I think that's an attitude that's been completely evaporated post-Fergie.
An environment where players are never allowed to take it easy, is an environment that breeds winners. Just think about all the Roy Keane-stories, like Ferdinand getting an absolute bollocking for choosing an easy pass to Neville in one of his first training sessions.
An environment where players are never allowed to take it easy, is an environment that breeds winners. Just think about all the Roy Keane-stories, like Ferdinand getting an absolute bollocking for choosing an easy pass to Neville in one of his first training sessions.
I agree. Its been far too long now that we have allowed players to become complacent.
The only issue I have is that it doesnt apply to all players (Pogba and Ibra)
Really? I'm glad he doesn't. You really want Pogba to be on the receiving end of the Mkhitaryan/Shaw treatment?
Is that what I said? No
He needs to get subbed at the very least when hes having a shocker. Like Liverpool at home.
Also if he is not putting in 100% for a period then yes he should be dropped.
I'm not so sure. I don't think you could argue that Pogba/Ibra doesn't apply themselves. Sure, you could argue that they're not always been great, although I think Ibra in particular has been very, very good, but I don't think they're coasting at all. They're putting their bodies on the line for us which is what I think Mourinho is trying to communicate.
Also, even Fergie did allow certain players some leeway. Like Cantona or Ronaldo.
They dont even get subbed. Even when Ibra is on his last legs and we could bring on Rashford in his place.
Yup, I kind of agree with this.
But then I get back to the Cantona comparison. I don't think he got subbed a lot either.
Well you agreed with a post that was commending the approach to Martial and Mkhitaryan and said you wanted it applied to all. So yeah, it is what you said.
Him getting subbed when having a shocker, yeah that's fair enough. That though is very different to what has been happening to Martial.
Not Martial case. SAF used different approaches to different players. Remembering he used to said about Tevez 'not training intensively, so need to play regularly'.
Training is just other criterion, like individual social life - never a vital, a player should always be judged by his performances on the pitch, as long as he plays well and other replacements cant compare with in contribution for the team, this player should never be dropped. In his past 8 games Martial has been involved in 9 goals, our left wing was paralytic many times when Martial was missing, it s the fact and unless Jose plays him more often, disappointed Stoke + Hull draws will probably happen again
I actually agreed with a post which said we had allowed complacency to creep in since Fergie
I also said that in the post.
Training has not got anything to do with what I wrote.
5 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 games shows that he is coming into form. Mourinho screaming at him from the sidelines 'GO GO GOOO' yesterday shows that he wants him to be more proactive, direct and positive.
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