9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 48
- Goals
- 23
- Assists
- 8
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
it was a shite joke. When I get a notification I’m here thinking maybe someone agrees with me that he might be injured because he isn’t trying as hard given how important the game was but nope, shite jokes. Really wish Ole would inform us if martial is struggling with something so we can make informed criticism. I remember criticizing rashford for having terrible performances while scoring and he was also slightly injured. I remember seeing posts stating he might be playing through injury but I kept dismissing it.
Sorry dude, it was a shite attempt at a joke. It wasn't really a joke in some sense of the word as I genuinely think he is what he is and that's all he'll ever be but I shouldn't have singled out your post to make my point, I'd just read 2 pages of previous posts and felt exasperated. Martial has almost everything in his locker and could be a one man weapon up front if he learned how to use all his tools.
And I don't buy all the 'he doesn't get decent service' either. No he doesn't but I do see him wasting chances to make runs and I don't ever see him playing the percentages like all great strikers do from time to time.
If Martial is genuinely struggling with something then why is he even playing? I don't buy it.
The crazy thing is he is very fast and can dribble it's just he is not aggressive with it. Some players get the ball and always want to attack and be direct
His goal was a proper strikers goal. I wanna see more headers from he and Rashford.
I think that at the moment he is being asked to play Rashford's role, which Rashford is clearly better at because he's far more direct. What you seem to be neglecting is that before Rashford was injured and before the break in general, he was playing as a false 9, which is his best position when he has goalscorers around him.
We see Liverpool with a model similar to this, Firmino playing as the main link in attack with Salah and Mane as the goalscorers. This type of player helps the team play better when the team around them is right for this set up, which is why Rashford was banging them in for us only when Martial was fit.
I think Martial has made noticeable improvements this season in his heading, movement, work rate and left foot, yet you're still trying to claim that he hasn't improved. The only metric you're using is a totally unquantifiable one which only really works for out and out goalscorers, which Martial is not.
i do agree that he isn’t as driven as rashford and wouldn’t run himself to the ground like James but on his day he is better than those 2 in my opinion. I also feel like you that he could do more in the terms of getting to the end of chances even though the probabilities of success is low. Most of the best strikers do that. Still looking at our squad I will always take quality over workrate especially in attacking areas. We just don’t have the quality and finesse in attack to suddenly think about selling a player like martial. He is the least of our problems. He is also have by a decent season statistically.
Also we played rashford through injury so that should tell you that it’s possible we could be doing the same with martial. We lack options upfront even with ighalo.
He wasn't great but he looked so isolated again as he has so often lately, being next to James is like being next to no one at the moment. He needs Rashford to succeed so the opposing defence can't just concentrate on marking one threat out of the game. Fantastic header though, really nicely done.
Comparing him to Firmino, in simple terms I know which I would prefer but i know what you're saying. But I would just say that (painful as it is), we are not Liverpool. Without Rashford and another top scorer playing alongside him Martials limitations are clear. With Rashford out and James, while he's a decent little player for what we paid, not being prolific it is largely up to Martial to keep the goals coming. There is no point in Martial being a link, or even needing a link, when we don't have other players scoring regularly around him.
Martial has always spoke about his preferred position being bang in front of goal. You wouldn't know this by watching him. What I would say is that I look forward to seeing what he will do with the service that Bruno will bring. I don't doubt Bruno will be asking more of Martials play in terms of running and getting on the end of passes that have been missing from our play for ages.
You say you'e seen noticeable improvements in his movement and workrate? Really? If he's improved then from what he has improved from says it all. As I said, I don't doubt his talent or his skill, I just question whether he is the right player for us and whether or not he's as good as a lot on here seem to still think. I personally don't think he is and if you ask whether I'd want a link player or an out and out goal scorer I know which I'd prefer.
No, we've had 4 years of this over and over. It's the romantic's choice to think that consistency does not constitute one of the most important if not the most important aspect of 'talent'. One can only look at the past and the caliber of former Man United players to know what real quality is. He isn't.
Anonymous.
We care because it actually matters for the overall performance of the team. If a player puts in one of the worst performances on the pitch for the first 44min, loses the ball constantly, doesn't press etc then that will make it much harder for the team to win the game. I mean who would you rather have in your team, a prime Tevez who works his socks off and creates a few good chances for his team and scores one goal, or me who would lean against the post for 90min and score by being shot at to deflect the ball into the net? It shouldn't be a difficult choice, but if you only care about goals scored then you would have to say that I was just as good as Tevez.
I also don't get why it matters if you lose the ball due to a poor touch or if you lose it by simply being too weak physically, a lost ball is a lost ball.
I wonder what has happened to his hold up play which used to be quite good? Confidence? Now he is like lukaku. World class goal though.
I agree but 'on his day' sums up pretty much everything I have against the guy. Every player has better games than others but at what point to you look at a player and want more than they are giving?
It's a difficult thing to weigh up. Quality or workrate? You won't win titles without either so I'm a firm believer in both. Players with both qualities exist and I think one of the positives of Ole's reign is the type of player he is bringing in. I'm pretty sure workrate and attitude is high on Ole's list of priorities. It will be interesting to see if Martial's position in the squad is the same next season or if Ole brings in a replacement.
We do lack options but I've never understood the decision to play injured players, never ends well, you'd think they'd learn.
He done my head in for the first 30 minutes then had 1 or 2 tidy runs, a great header but on the whole still not enough to be our leading 9.
I think you're being fairly short sighted here. It is pretty obvious that James is not going to be the long term solution to our right wing and that Greenwood and possibly Sancho are being targeted as the goal scoring right forward I'm talking about. I think in the long term, James will be back up to Rashford.
If you agree that he can play as the provider up top, what is your problem withh him once we have more goalscorers?
You're speaking about players in title winning teams with world class players all around them. Do you not see the difference in circumstances?
And He's been here for years. Surely He has to take some responsibilities. I was hoping for Haaland, don't know who else We can bring in really.
While I can't agree with your slight insult on me
I can agree with your comment on DJ, I've literally just posted the same thing in his performance thread. But there's nothing to make me think we won't be having this same conversation about Martial next year when / if Sancho comes (I don't think he will by the way although it would be great if he did). I just think we'd be in the same situation. There's nothing to suggest AM won't be just as inconsistent and frustrating in 12 months time.While I agree he can play as provider, it doesn't mean I rate him or think he couldn't be upgraded. I mean, I get what you're saying, I just don't agree with your judgement on the player. In my view, his stats for the season are flattering. Stats are one thing, my eyes are another and there's too many moments with him where I roll my eyes or wish he'd done something different or even worse ... just done something. He could be so much more but I don;t think he will become it.
This. He's not a newcomer who has to adapt to the league,he's been here for 5 years. And ok, maybe he hasn't gone backwards but he sure as anything hasn't improved massively either. He is now the player that he is and will continue being, I can't see there is anything more to come and if that's the case then we can do better.
Don’t know what your point is because the other poster was joking but I wasn’t. Lingard needs to find a new club.
Do you literally "despise" Lingard's "very existence"?
The goal he scored was beautiful header, something i didn't think he was capable of. Was very frustrating before that apart from few moments. He was struggling to hold the ball and there was one move where we had counter on, James was making the run and Martial just jogged casually.
Anyways in the end he scored very important goal, which is very good contribution. He is having good season, hopefully score even more goals. He is capable of that.
Anyways in the end he scored very important goal, which is very good contribution. He is having good season, hopefully score even more goals. He is capable of that.
I guess only time will tell, what I would say is certain is that he will be here next season so this debate will continue.While I can't agree with your slight insult on me
While I agree he can play as provider, it doesn't mean I rate him or think he couldn't be upgraded. I mean, I get what you're saying, I just don't agree with your judgement on the player. In my view, his stats for the season are flattering. Stats are one thing, my eyes are another and there's too many moments with him where I roll my eyes or wish he'd done something different or even worse ... just done something. He could be so much more but I don;t think he will become it.
Circumstances don't really apply to aspirations. The measure of a player would in theory be based on whether he would be deemed good enough to play for past iterations of Man United. As a sub, maybe. As a 200k pound per week man, never.
He is symptomatic of the team; not good enough. In 4 years, he's never had the same level of progress as others. The closest being Rashford, who is more valuable to the team and has more to show for it as well.
It's the hope that kills you but there's only so much one can see with their own eyes until the illusion is gone. You take him out right now and you replace it with someone younger, hungrier and more impactful like Haaland and you'd see an immediate improvement.
He's obviously not Shearer, but he's always had that in his locker. I remember another very good header he scored against CSKA Moscow in his first season if I remember correctly.
We just need to consistently provide better service in the box and he, and others, will put them in.
CSKA header was easy one, he had too much space and no pressure. This is completely different, the way he attacked it and got it on target was impressive.
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Actually, just looked it up and you're right. It was a bit easier than I remembered
He hit the post in the fa cup final with a really good header as well (under LvG).
Absoultely. Same amount of goals as Rashford from the open play this season and in fewer minutes. Guess which one United fans say is having a great season and which one is the lazy fecker that should be sold?
Spot on
The amount of people willing to shit on and give up on him constantly always surprises me when he's been having a good season on a very inconsistent side. He's not been near one of our more pressing concerns and is a part of the solution rather than a problem as he's constantly being painted and singled out as.
Looking forward to him and Bruno forming a solid partnership as he had/has with Pogba given that their chemistry seems to be developing off the pitch. It can only be to the team's benefit.
Hate how our fanbase picks and chooses preferred scapegoats at times where everyone is struggling, it's toxic and brings zero benefit to us or the team/players
Before his goal, I was raging at him. Too casual, not holding it up, not pressing, no running in behind, etc. Ultimately, a striker is judged on goals and thankfully he bagged one yesterday, which was a fantastic header. He needs to do more, though.
We have so little tolerance for flair players as a fanbase. An hardworking, low quality grafter can play here for a decade without fuss but the more talented ones are expected to be in form every game, and play well without support. We sacrificed a striker to play both Shaw and Williams and of course he will suffer when he has much less support. James being so poor now doesn't help things.
A big reason a lot of the hate came is because this guy did not come & now everyone is chucking middle fingers at Martial when he is so damn obviously 2 different type of strikers.
Literally feck Haaland until he decides to have the balls to join us & leave that cnut raiola.
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I hope so too.See you here next year then @Raven - I hope you get the chance to say 'I told you so'
Sorry, but that is precisely what does happen with Martial. His hold up play is just woeful, which makes him entirely unsuited to being the focal point of the attack. If you want to see what a United striker should be capable of doing in terms of hold up play, check out some old footage of Mark Hughes.
The goal he scored from Wan-Bissaka's cross was excellent, but as the main striker he should be getting into that sort of position frequently, several times in a game. It's the type of goal, a header from a cross, that is the bread and butter of central strikers, but it's memorable in the case of Martial because we see it so rarely.
Our leading 9, the way we play, doesnt play like a traditional 9. Our main output is from Rashford on the left, who benefits greatly from Martial (as do others, as he does an excellent job at bringing others in and linking up). Get a similar goal threat like Sancho on the right and that's what our pretty clear goal is. Rashford can get ~25 in all competitions with pens. Martial is around 20 goals in all competitions. Sancho would be around 15. Greenwood as a squad player would be around 15 too. Our #10 should be adding 10-15 too. We don't have or need 1 player who scores 30+ goals, who is the main leading #9 that all chances fall to. That's not how our team is being built and not the direction we're going in. It's going in a direction where they're all versatile and can all pitch in, and Martial, Rashford and Greenwood are all already on pace to reach those totals individually.
His playstyle, work rate and woeful attitude are fitting of a club like Arsenal, not us. When some random from the footballing mecca Nigeria (no offense, love Ighalo) comes in and makes a mockery of your whole game in 5 minutes that's when you know...
Martial could have all the talent in the world and he still would be awful for Manchester United. He simply hasn't worked out, and we've given him more than enough time to sort his attitude and workrate.
Martial could have all the talent in the world and he still would be awful for Manchester United. He simply hasn't worked out, and we've given him more than enough time to sort his attitude and workrate.
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- Status