[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

Despite his flashes of brilliance sometimes, I still don't trust him not to lose the ball when we have a rare decent attacking opportunity.

Even his brilliance is vastly over stated. It's usually a finish. Not actually anything someone like Son or Vardy do weekly. When was the last time you actually saw him beat two players and score or make a run off the ball. Seems so selfish and wanting the ball 40 yards from goal so he can show off his dribbling.

Glad if he was sold for mega money.

 

[el3mel]

I blamed Mourinho on starting him on the right but he looked even worse on the left in the second half.

 

[kouroux]

He only dribbles the same way. Very predictable.

 

[Devil81]

Shoved outright to accommodate Sanchez, exactly the reason I was worried about the transfer.

We've got to find a way of playing Martial on the left with Sanchez in the team.

 

[acnumber9]

Shoved outright to accommodate Sanchez, exactly the reason I was worried about the transfer.

We've got to find a way of playing Martial on the left with Sanchez in the team.

Like the second half when he did nothing?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Shoved outright to accommodate Sanchez, exactly the reason I was worried about the transfer.

We've got to find a way of playing Martial on the left with Sanchez in the team.

We did. For the whole second half. When we were absolute dog shit. The only time in the game we looked like creating anything was the first 20 minutes or so, with him on the right and Sanchez on the left.

 

[Silas]

Somehow played worse on the left.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Well he was far better on the right than the left tonight.

Most attacking players who are considered up there with the best have the ability to play across the front. He’s shown he has ability in each position, but tonight wasn’t his night amongst a shower of shit. It was neither because of him or despite him.

 

[kouroux]

We did. For the whole second half. When we were absolute dog shit. The only time in the game we looked like creating anything was the first 20 minutes or so, with him on the right and Sanchez on the left.

That shot on his left, if he laid it to Sanchez, it would have been said that Mourinho made it a good tactical change. I honestly hope this isn't about to turn into a bit like Rashford with him showing greediness when his place got under serious threat to eventually lose it.

 

[bosnian_red]

He can be fine on the right. Just needs to be a 4-3-3 and Mourinho needs to feck off with his 4-2-3-1 as that's never going to work. Can't blame him, Lukaku or Sanchez for this game. Even Lingard. Lingard just shouldn't have started at all, I don't care about form, you pick a system that works and deal with it. None of this "deserves to play". Martial, Sanchez and Lukaku are all better at their roles, so that's all there is to it.

In the first half the few times he got on the ball, he was a huge threat and showed good moments. It's not his fault the rest of the team was horrendously unbalanced.

 

[Devil may care]

Crafted our best moment on the RW funnily enough, when he wass moved to the left he had no support aS Pogba was too deep and Young had to stay back to minimize the damage he'd already caused.

 

[Jazz]

Barely had any support and we kept hoofing the ball and then seeing it coming right back down to our end. Jose needs to work this out properly as to where Sanchez, Martial et al are supposed to be playing imho.

 

[Sylar]

Think he plays better in a 433 than a 4231 because hes closer to their goal. In a 4231 he seems to be deeper and has more men to beat and less space.

 

[Silas]

Think he plays better in a 433 than a 4231 because hes closer to their goal. In a 4231 he seems to be deeper and has more men to beat and less space.

Definitely. Also doesn't help when he's partnered with Young who also likes to cut inside.

 

[Oldham]

I thought he was ok/good first half.
Second half...oh dear

 

[Sayros]

Whole team was garbage, not really putting much stock in this game for Martial or any other player. I actually like the idea of Sanchez and Martial switching wings throughout the game, giving the defense different looks rather than once a half.

 

[Manny]

Poor half from Martial. Lack of movement and not showing enough for the ball.

We can't afford for him to go missing when our midfield are getting so outnumbered.

I posted this after the first half and it was pretty much the same in the second half.

It was criminal how static he was today when our midfield were being overrun. Just stuck to the wing and did nothing to affect the game.

 

[BluesJr]

I love him, but he needs to add more intensity to his game.

 

[He'lmurderyah15]

Actually thought he played alright tonight. Our most threatening player first half. He's going to have to look at Sanchez though and realise to be that level of player you need to be far more aggressive without the ball. He's so passive its crazy. To still be picked by Mourinho while being that passive just shows the quality that he has on the ball. He can be a match winner, but needs to become far more aggressive in his work without the ball.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I love him, but he needs to add more intensity to his game.

And more unpredictability to his dribbling.

I've no problems with him just cutting inside if it's working, but it didn't today. Should have mixed it up.

 

[ash_86]

I wish he'd look up while dribbling. Sanchez was waiting in the middle of the box and he could have squared it

 

[Rajma]

I like him, but his lack of tenacity drives me nuts sometimes.

 

[Canagel]

Martial wasn't too bad on the right actually. The switch between him Sanchez and Lingard didn't work in the 2nd half.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

He only dribbles the same way. Very predictable.

Usually works tbf.

 

[pocco]

Like Pogba he has a lot to work on. As much as I rate Martial, I still don't think his all round play has approached anything near his first season.

He has good stats this season but his first season was far more exciting and unpredictable. He used to roast the fullback going inside or outside. His ability to go down the outside then cut across the full back into the box used to cause absolute havoc. I don't understand why he stopped because it has made him too predictable at times.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Not sure why he got pushed to the right, but a he has to take it like a pro and give his best. I still don't like the way he daydreams off the ball so much, he should be getting right in on the back of that early Lukaku chance but instead is on his heels not even looking to get right in there into the box! So frustrating!

I would much prefer him come back to the left and then Sanchez go onto the right.

 

[kouroux]

Usually works tbf.

Yes because of his speed mainly, a little change of directions won't hurt the confusion he could create when facing defenders.

 

[Mr Smith]

Shoved outright to accommodate Sanchez, exactly the reason I was worried about the transfer.

We've got to find a way of playing Martial on the left with Sanchez in the team.

I thought he looked pretty dangerous on the right...

 

[RooneyLegend]

He's not as far in his development as some would have you believe. Still not much of a link up player and has average passing. What we know is he can finish and dribble, at this point it seems that's all he wants to do.

 

[ti vu]

His effective zone is too narrow for the like of his talent. He mostly only comes to life in the final third. With Rashford who likes to run in behind, it may be hard to see. Now we have Alexis in the team we can see the contrast of Martial lack of involvement to help carrying the ball from middle third of the pitch toward oppisition goal.

In first half on the right wing, despite not being his favorite position he was better because he found chances to be attack in final third. As the game went on with Pogba Lingard got subbed, we failed to,move up the pitch, Martial disappeared as he was not in zone. Pogba as bad as he was this game still be able to help get the ball up the pitch from time to time. Fellaini and Herrera mean that we would go direct and rely on Lukaku to hold up,play, which at this point in time he is still not up to task.

 

[MadDogg]

He barely got involved in the first half when he was on the right. When he switched over at half time he looked much better for the first 10 or so minutes, after that he started drifting out of the game again and trying to do too much and gave the ball away a lot.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I thought he looked pretty dangerous on the right...

More dangerous than he did on the left, that’s for damn sure. His whole cutting back onto his right foot shtick is looking more and more one dimensional. The Spurs defenders read him like a book. At least when he was on the right there was an element of doubt about what he might do next.

 

[Ole90+3]

His attitude was the most disappointing thing for me last night. He backed out of several winnable challenges and 50 50s. Is he a player we want out there in a red shirt in these type of physical battles?

Sanchez showed him and a few others up a bit. He's a warrior.

We need Bailly back. Get a but more steal into our team.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

His attitude was the most disappointing thing for me last night. He backed out of several winnable challenges and 50 50s. Is he a player we want out there in a red shirt in these type of physical battles?

Sanchez showed him and a few others up a bit. He's a warrior.

We need Bailly back. Get a but more steal into our team.

Yeah, he pulled out of one tackle with Sanchez when he would have been through on the wing if he won it. Very disappointing.

He made one run in the first half and that seems to be enough for his fans to come out with 'our most dangerous player' etc.

Second half on the left he was awful. Twice the ball was passed out of play to him through a lack of understanding with his team mate.

 

[redIndianDevil]

More dangerous than he did on the left, that’s for damn sure. His whole cutting back onto his right foot shtick is looking more and more one dimensional. The Spurs defenders read him like a book. At least when he was on the right there was an element of doubt about what he might do next.

It's not the only thing that Martial does, he attempts a lot of quicks one-twos in the final third, a lot of attempts at passing through the middle but since our entire team is abysmal in quick passing it never comes off. Put Sterling or Son or Salah or any another successful wideman from this season in Martial's place, they'd look one dimensional too. Unlike City or Liverpool or even Arsenal our attack is completely dependent on individuals pulling off good moves, that's why Martial is reduced to cutting in from the left, Young puts in aimless crosses instead of overlapping and combining with Martial, the same in the other wing too.

 

[MichaelRed]

People saying Martial was awful on the left need to take a look at the game. I think it's more the case that United were awful in the 2nd half. Not saying Martial was great on the left but I don't think switching from the right to the left was the reason for his dip in performance. It was clear the whole team was shot after the ridiculous own goal from Jones.

 

[Number1]

Some people (including me) thought he was poor game before Spurs and the game before that and the game before that and the game before that.

This thread was getting bumped no end people going on about how poor his all-round play has been recent weeks, even Martial's fans admitted he was poor, then you had a few of the MartialFC crew not having it (as per) bringing out the stats, then a few saying "he was poor by his standards" what does that mean? What's his standards? For me, Martial's standard's have been poor for a long time but hiding behind stats getting a goal or a assist whilst playing poor.

Personally i think it's time for him to be benched again and see how Rashford does.

 

[IAmAWinner]

It was obvious that when Sanchez was signed Martial was going to play on the right. Sanchez hasn't played on the right since 2013/2014 and he has shown his best football on the left or as a striker. Sanchez is arguably our best outfield player and there is no way Jose was going to play him on the right.
It's something Martial needs to come to terms with.

 

[bosnian_red]

It was obvious that when Sanchez was signed Martial was going to play on the right. Sanchez hasn't played on the right since 2013/2014 and he has shown his best football on the left or as a striker. Sanchez is arguably our best outfield player and there is no way Jose was going to play him on the right.
It's something Martial needs to come to terms with.

That's not even that big of a problem though. Martial in the first half, whenever he got on the ball, showed very good moments. Both him and Sanchez can play floating roles where they change sides behind the main striker, or just play one of the 2 as the main striker and drop the untalented lump we have playing up top right now and we'll be better for it. The problem is giving them a platform to perform on from midfield and defence, and they can't do shit when nobody is giving them the ball early enough and there is no cover behind them.

 

[Jaybomb]

Looked back to his old sulky self again.

And of course his fanboys are making excuses for him. He was poor, simple as that.