[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

He ain't a winger. He is a wide striker or a striker who could play in a two. Forcing him to play as a winger will do no good to him.

He’s not a striker at all - he’s not got anywhere near enough to his game. Everyone wants to be a ‘wide striker’ or a no 10, because that’s where the glory is, and is perceived that you don’t have to do as much defensive work.

Martial needs to pull his finger out, and play where he is put. He had a great opportunity yesterday, and he blew it. I don’t care about players missing chances, or getting crosses wrong or trying things that don’t come off. But a bit of effort and determination in the minimum requirement for a footballer, and this is the reason we get beaten by teams like Brighton because they don’t have completed passengers.

Doubt we will see him in the team for a while.

 

[SSSSnake]

Maybe he should show us the player he is. You don't need to be in form to move better and put more effort in than he is now.

The Sanchez thing is a total cop out. As someone else pointed out - look at City. Did Sane cry when Mahrez got signed and he went even further back in the pecking order, despite scoring a tonne last season?

Agree with this 100%. So easy to blame Jose....and now it's just a lazy argument. If Martial can't stand a bit of competition then he hasn't got the right attitude to be here. Our team lack winners. We need much more then footballing talent. We lack the mental strength all over the squad.

 

[Decomposing In Paris]

He didn't play well in his first game of the season, having missed a chunk of preseason, in a game where hardly anybody played well. I'm not looking to defend him, but some of the assumptions made about him are frustrating. He's accused of sulking in one breathe, whilst being accused of apathy in another. Something there doesn't add up.

To me it's pretty clear he needs a goal, like most forwards. Then the belief will start to flow again. An Anthony Martial without self-belief isn't much use to a club like Manchester United... but get a goal or two and he could start to look like a star again.

Tempting as it may be, we can't make too many sweeping assessments based on the last game.

 

[Affirmation]

I think we should of tried to include Anthony Martial in a swap deal with Borussia Dortmund for Christian Pulisic. They were reportedly very interested in the Martial and I honestly think Pulisic is the type of player we need. Martial doesn't seem to be that interested in playing for the club and is obviously unhappy with his situation while actively seeking a transfer. It would of made so much sense considering the previous swap deal we persuaded but that's a thing this club seems to be lacking a lot of.

I understand he didn't have much of a preseason but I honestly think that this is currently an unsolvable situation considering where things stand with both the player and the manager.

 

[finneh]

Seems mad and stupid to start a player who wants to leave. Wtf was supposed to happen yesterday ? Why is Mourinho doing this to himself ?

It seems like Mourinho expects his players to be professionals, which is an absolutely fair expectation.

Man Utd are holding up their side of the contract Martial signed when he joined the club in 2015 by paying him on a monthly basis; you don't see the club sulking that he's not putting in the performances that warrant him earning his salary and this forum would be absolutely up in arms if reports came out that the club weren't paying him. Therefore I think it's quite fair to expect Martial to hold up his side of the contract and put in the effort required to perform to the standards expected.

The lack of professionalism with some of our players these days though is astounding... Pogba going into a match with the wrong attitude... Martial going AWOL and on his return lazily sulking around the pitch... Valencia coming back from his vacation in a poor condition.

The closest comparison I can make to the prima donna attitudes of some members of our current squad is to the drinking culture when Fergie took charge. These players need a swift dose of the hairdryer treatment, followed by being shown the door if it continues.

 

[kouroux]

It seems like Mourinho expects his players to be professionals, which is an absolutely fair expectation.

Man Utd are holding up their side of the contract Martial signed when he joined the club in 2015 by paying him on a monthly basis; you don't see the club sulking that he's not putting in the performances that warrant him earning his salary and this forum would be absolutely up in arms if reports came out that the club weren't paying him. Therefore I think it's quite fair to expect Martial to hold up his side of the contract and put in the effort required to perform to the standards expected.

The lack of professionalism with some of our players these days though is astounding... Pogba going into a match with the wrong attitude... Martial going AWOL and on his return lazily sulking around the pitch... Valencia coming back from his vacation in a poor condition.

The closest comparison I can make to the prima donna attitudes of some members of our current squad is to the drinking culture when Fergie took charge. These players need a swift dose of the hairdryer treatment, followed by being shown the door if it continues.

In ideal world I would definitely agree with you 100% but we know the players we have are like babies, we know how they are which means Mourinho knows them much better than us. Were you honestly surprised by yesterday's performance ? I know I wasn't.

 

[RedorDead21]

He didn't play well in his first game of the season, having missed a chunk of preseason, in a game where hardly anybody played well. I'm not looking to defend him, but some of the assumptions made about him are frustrating. He's accused of sulking in one breathe, whilst being accused of apathy in another. Something there doesn't add up.

To me it's pretty clear he needs a goal, like most forwards. Then the belief will start to flow again. An Anthony Martial without self-belief isn't much use to a club like Manchester United... but get a goal or two and he could start to look like a star again.

Tempting as it may be, we can't make too many sweeping assessments based on the last game.

He doesnt do the basics right for Mou. Positionally he's not very self aware, doesn't run the hard miles, certainly doesn't get up and down that flank much either. Coming across as a luxury player and we are years away from being able to turn one of those into a vital cog. We needed a Perisic when Mou identified him.

 

[finneh]

In ideal world I would definitely agree with you 100% but we know the players we have are like babies, we know how they are which means Mourinho knows them much better than us. Were you honestly surprised by yesterday's performance ? I know I wasn't.

Truthfully I wasn't surprised by yesterday's performance, but by the same token I think any manager has to allow his players to sink or swim.

We have a very thin squad at the moment so the manager probably felt in terms of fitness Martial was his best option. I imagine he also felt it would be a great test for the player, one where he came out to prove the manager wrong in selecting Sanchez over him towards the end of last year, as well as proving the club wrong for fining him for going AWOL.

If he'd have put in a man of the match performance it would have shone him in a fantastic light. It would have put pressure on the manager to continue playing him, pressure on the board to offer a greater salary and would have put him in a positive light to both fans and other potential clubs.

The fact that he put his own petulant ego above the team is no surprise to me... However the fact that he put it above his own career is a damning indictment as to the players mentality. It's certainly extinguished any doubts I had about getting rid - it's now beyond all reasonable doubts in my view that he'll never have the mentality to become the player his ability warrants.

 

[sunama]

Who actually thinks that?

Ball on dor winner elect - many people believe this.
There are many on here, who think that this guy is so good, that if he gets sold, Jose should instantly be sacked.
The same fanboys said that his shirt number should not be changed or given to Ibrahimovic.
Some have even mentioned Martial in the same breath as Ronaldo. The same Ronaldo, who at Martial's age was actually (in reality), vying for Ball on dor, while Martial is bench warming for MUFC and he when he does play, he stinks up the place.

A terrible performance yesterday (which, tbh, can be levelled at all our other players, too), but it was his pre-season performance (arguably the worst performance of any player, I saw during pre-season) that really made me think that that we need to sell this guy now, before his value drops further.
A great dribbler, but other than scoring a goal against LFC on his debut, I struggle to see anything special about him.
His last good game for us was in mid January and it doesn't help that the guy always looks like he is sulking.

I gave Shaw a really hard time, but yesterday, I saw Shaw fighting and attempting to make things happen in attack. Shaw is slowly playing himself back into form, winning back fans, while Martial remains abysmal and is living off of his decent debut season.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Sanchez has his off days... His passing can be erratic, he often gives the impression he's trying too hard but, he can never be accused of not showing up. He will always want to get on the ball.

As for this joker...Well...

Pretty much all his days for us have been off-days.

 

[.Rossi]

Pretty much all his days for us have been off-days.

And yet, he still manages to look better than The Sulk.

 

[sunama]

See we're back to scapegoating that one player we don't like for awful teamwide performances. I'll be in the Young thread then

Mate, the entire team were bad...even DDG.
But if Martial wants to get into the first team, he needs to grab opportunities and put in MOTM performances when he gets the chance.
If his skill is lacking on the day, then at least put in a grafting shift (which is what Sanchez does). At lease he can tell the manager that he worked harder than any other player on the pitch.
With Martial, we are not seeing the skill or the hard work. What use is he?

 

[JohnnyKills]

And yet, he still manages to look better than The Sulk.

He doesn't.

One runs around like a headless chicken, loses the ball and bangs his fists on the ground like a child.
The other lopes around half-arsed, loses the ball and shrugs his shoulders like a child.

Neither of those attitudes is what we need. The idea that somehow Sanchez is better because he is more expressive is wrong; it's like when England fans talk of players having 'passion' as if that's more important than skill and composure.

Hopefully one, or both of them can step up.

 

[Irish Jet]

He never seems to play well away from home. A passenger in 90% of them but yesterday was something else.

He's a disgrace to be honest. Whatever else about the performance, he clearly wasn't putting in effort. Doesn't want to be here so either sell him or throw him in the U23's until his contract is up and isolate him from the first team.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Ball on dor winner elect - many people believe this.
There are many on here, who think that this guy is so good, that if he gets sold, Jose should instantly be sacked.
The same fanboys said that his shirt number should not be changed or given to Ibrahimovic.
Some have even mentioned Martial in the same breath as Ronaldo. The same Ronaldo, who at Martial's age was actually (in reality), vying for Ball on dor, while Martial is bench warming for MUFC and he when he does play, he stinks up the place.

This is Martial FC is full flow - the guy may turn out to be a good player, but has zero chance of winning an award for the world’s best player! I can only assume people got carried away due to the payment schedule when we bought him.

He looks like he will follow the many youngsters who earnt too much money too early, and now doesn’t show the determination to become a good player.

Multi-millionaire footballer by 20, on the scrap heap by 25. It’s a well trodden path, except this time we paid £35m for the pleasure, rather than it being a youth team player like Januzaj, Morrison, Wilson etc.

 

[.Rossi]

He doesn't.

One runs around like a headless chicken, loses the ball and bangs his fists on the ground like a child.
The other lopes around half-arsed, loses the ball and shrugs his shoulders like a child.

Neither of those attitudes is what we need. The idea that somehow Sanchez is better because he is more expressive is wrong; it's like when England fans talk of players having 'passion' as if that's more important than skill and composure.

Hopefully one, or both of them can step up.

Where in God's name have I said he's better because he shows more passion?

 

[Mercurial]

Seems mad and stupid to start a player who wants to leave. Wtf was supposed to happen yesterday ? Why is Mourinho doing this to himself ?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. The player wasn't putting the work needed into it, at the end of day and with that type of talent there are no great excuses for any of it when you are under a highly paid contract and backed by a substantial portion of the fans.

 

[Mercurial]

It seems like Mourinho expects his players to be professionals, which is an absolutely fair expectation.

Man Utd are holding up their side of the contract Martial signed when he joined the club in 2015 by paying him on a monthly basis; you don't see the club sulking that he's not putting in the performances that warrant him earning his salary and this forum would be absolutely up in arms if reports came out that the club weren't paying him. Therefore I think it's quite fair to expect Martial to hold up his side of the contract and put in the effort required to perform to the standards expected.

The lack of professionalism with some of our players these days though is astounding... Pogba going into a match with the wrong attitude... Martial going AWOL and on his return lazily sulking around the pitch... Valencia coming back from his vacation in a poor condition.

The closest comparison I can make to the prima donna attitudes of some members of our current squad is to the drinking culture when Fergie took charge. These players need a swift dose of the hairdryer treatment, followed by being shown the door if it continues.

Jose doesn't have the formal or informal mandate or the financial backing for that it seem.

 

[Patrick08]

He’s not a striker at all - he’s not got anywhere near enough to his game. Everyone wants to be a ‘wide striker’ or a no 10, because that’s where the glory is, and is perceived that you don’t have to do as much defensive work.

Martial needs to pull his finger out, and play where he is put. He had a great opportunity yesterday, and he blew it. I don’t care about players missing chances, or getting crosses wrong or trying things that don’t come off. But a bit of effort and determination in the minimum requirement for a footballer, and this is the reason we get beaten by teams like Brighton because they don’t have completed passengers.

Doubt we will see him in the team for a while.

Martial needs to put his finger out, Sanchez needs to pull his finger out, Pogba needs to pull his finger out, enough of this I must say. Now Mourinho needs to pull his finger out and play players on their strengths.

 

[Acole9]

He's a modern day le sulk. He's so overrated it's untrue, people are still dining out on his first season, he's done very little since then. So predictable to watch, it's no wonder he rarely plays.

 

[Irish Jet]

Looking like a missed opportunity to sell him to a rival.

 

[Miscemayl]

Very much like Januzaj who had an amazing first season but once teams started working him out, he became useless.
Sadly for us, instead of using his immense talent to try to learn new tricks and be less predictable, he decides to sulk and stink up the place.
I would not really care if he left even in this window, he's not going to offer us anything this season.

 

[Lash]

Get him out, he's was so unbelievably one dimensional against Brighton. Shame we won't be able to get a replacement, but I'd rather promote a youth team player than watch him stink up the pitch again.

 

[duffer]

Had an extra week after his long summer holiday. Something wrong with your memory?

My memory is fine. Your poor knowledge of Madonna songs meant you missed the fact that my post was not to be taken seriously.

You should be ashamed.

 

[Berba's_Flick]

Alexis for as shit as he has been still puts in more of a shift than this waste of space. SO SO talented, but such a waste!

 

[MancFanFromManc]

When I saw the team sheet and Martial was in for Sanchez I was quietly impressed with Mourinho for being so brave. I didn't know Sanchez had picked up a knock, but after his poor showing v Leicester I did think Martial deserved a chance. Well what a way to waste that! This was great opportunity for him to step up and give Mouringo a selection head-ache. He gave us a head-ache all right, but not a selection one. So much talent, so much pace, so much time wasting his opportunities. Poor 4/10 for me

 

[Foxbatt]

According to Scholes it was not his fault that he did not play well. He never got the ball from our midfield. I was also saying that why is all of our attacks going on the right side when Mata and Young are so poor while Shaw and Martial would attack with pace down our left flank. Blame our midfield for not giving the ball to him. They should have been overloading our left side and Martial definitely had the beating of their right back while Mata could not even beat a snail.
When he is playing give him the ball early where he has space to use his speed and his dribbling skills. Give it to him early. No we faff around too much.

 

[Ban]

According to Scholes it was not his fault that he did not play well. He never got the ball from our midfield. I was also saying that why is all of our attacks going on the right side when Mata and Young are so poor while Shaw and Martial would attack with pace down our left flank. Blame our midfield for not giving the ball to him. They should have been overloading our left side and Martial definitely had the beating of their right back while Mata could not even beat a snail.
When he is playing give him the ball early where he has space to use his speed and his dribbling skills. Give it to him early. No we faff around too much.

It's his fault when he has a shit attitude.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

His lack of movement is such a worry, but it seems attitude linked and if he doesn't want to be here he needs to go into the reserves and play there and feck right off. Absolutely pathetic behavior.

I didn't realize when I was ill I had MUTV on non stop, this guy has a documentary already! 20 goals into his United career he has a two parter. Absolutely ludicrous. What next, Tahith Chong: I was on the bench against Real Madrid in pre-season? Part two: I almost made it on the pitch.

 

[Kostur]

According to Scholes it was not his fault that he did not play well. He never got the ball from our midfield. I was also saying that why is all of our attacks going on the right side when Mata and Young are so poor while Shaw and Martial would attack with pace down our left flank. Blame our midfield for not giving the ball to him. They should have been overloading our left side and Martial definitely had the beating of their right back while Mata could not even beat a snail.
When he is playing give him the ball early where he has space to use his speed and his dribbling skills. Give it to him early. No we faff around too much.

It never actually is.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

He feels like Nicolas Anelka mk2.0.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

People here have the memory of a fish.

Remember when Rooney was moping about being useless on the pitch and refused to celebrate with his teammates on our opening fixture in 13/14 when he was angling for a move to Chelsea? Then played like a demon once the window shut and earned a new bumper contract a few months later.

This is no different. Even if his output doesn’t improve, his effort will once its September and he’s still here. It’s on Mourinho who decided to play a player agitating for a move in a tricky away fixture. Yes, it’s unfair to us fans, but that’s how the game is played nowadays. Players are out for themselves, forget the whole schpiel about ‘loving’ or ‘respecting’ the name and tradition of the club. It’s always about a mutually beneficial relationship, the moment it ceases to exist, things like this happen.

There’s really no need to over-analyze this.

 

[CA1]

Get him out, he's was so unbelievably one dimensional against Brighton. Shame we won't be able to get a replacement, but I'd rather promote a youth team player than watch him stink up the pitch again.

He's been like that since day one. Literally. I've said it for nearly 3 years about him. Why people think he's really talented I have no idea.

 

[Litch]

Which players are actually playing well under Jose? DDG doesn't could cause he shouldn't be this busy anyway....

 

[Lash]

He's been like that since day one. Literally. I've said it for nearly 3 years about him. Why people think he's really talented I have no idea.

It was effective at one point and he could go past people!

 

[CA1]

It was effective at one point and he could go past people!

You need to add more to your game. Defenders watch loads of videos now. There are no secrets.

Martial has been a terrible buy for United and to rub salt into the wounds he's asked to leave the club. If you ask to leave the club you should be gone in my opinion.

 

[kouroux]

People here have the memory of a fish.

Remember when Rooney was moping about being useless on the pitch and refused to celebrate with his teammates on our opening fixture in 13/14 when he was angling for a move to Chelsea? Then played like a demon once the window shut and earned a new bumper contract a few months later.

This is no different. Even if his output doesn’t improve, his effort will once its September and he’s still here. It’s on Mourinho who decided to play a player agitating for a move in a tricky away fixture. Yes, it’s unfair to us fans, but that’s how the game is played nowadays. Players are out for themselves, forget the whole schpiel about ‘loving’ or ‘respecting’ the name and tradition of the club. It’s always about a mutually beneficial relationship, the moment it ceases to exist, things like this happen.

There’s really no need to over-analyze this.

Just because Rooney did it, doesn't mean Martial will do the same.

 

[Lash]

You need to add more to your game. Defenders watch loads of videos now. There are no secrets.

Martial has been a terrible buy for United and to rub salt into the wounds he's asked to leave the club. If you ask to leave the club you should be gone in my opinion.

I wouldn't say terrible, as he has contributed, just not as much as we expected. He will probably be looked back at what could have been, if he applied himself. Whether he does that elsewhere is yet to be seen.

 

[UncleBob]

One stick to beat Martial with, one for rashford, one for sanchez, one for lukaku.

Mint.

 

[Craig Ward]

He had a poor game, he's had lots of poor games.

same can be said for a lot of our players, even the one's same claim to be "world class"

Lukaku, Pogba, DDG - our 3 elite level players we're all ATROCIOUS against Brighton. I'm not one for singling any player out, but as soon as I saw Martials name in the starting line up, away from home, when he has had no pre-season, wants to leave and is being forced to stay by the board when Jose is open to selling him - I just knew he'd have a shocker.

Martial, like a lot of our players look awkward in Jose's system and his head isn't in the right place to warrant a starting spot. No confidence, issue's with the manager, actively wants to leave. Martial should have been sold, and I'm not basing this on ability because he is talented.

Talent without application and hard work and the will to use it for the good of the team is useless. He was sadly a passenger for us and will continue to be one in his current situation.