I'd say stop paying attention to what pundits say, it's pretty clear they just recycle the same cliches about Martial and it takes a long time for any adjustment in that regard. The only opinion I value regarding Martial is Ole and his teammates, and they're all on the same page in that regard, he is a key player having a great season.
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 48
- Goals
- 23
- Assists
- 8
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
Wouldn’t mind seeing him switch with Rashford sometimes.
Thought he was good again.
Thought he was good again.
I see today he was very eager to be in the box as soon as possible which is a good sign that he wants to score goals. Today he didn't get much sniff in dangerous areas but he just ought to be patient and trust the team that he'll get handed services.
I don't want to come across as being negative but I have a problem with Martial being our main striker if it goes into next season. He already has 19 goals and they seem like they are really good stats, but I just don't think he has developed the skill sets yet to become our main man who we can rely on to come up with scoring crucial goals next season if we are having a bad game or if we want to win the league. He is more of a winger/playmaker who has excellent dribbling skills but he is still not someone who can get in at the end of crosses from the likes of Wan Bissaka or from Rashford/Shaw in the left wing. His movement inside the box is static and even when there is a cross/cut back in the box he's gonna wait for the ball to come to him instead of him coming towards the ball and more times often than not the defender's gonna get in front of him or there will already be someone to clear the ball away. The likes of really world class strikers, Ronaldo who always makes or finds space for himself in the box or gets in front of the defender to score his goals or Ibra who is gonna drift away to the corner to find space or move away from the defender in the box to score goals. Martial still is not doing that, and he still doesn't look like the kind of player who can hold the ball up and get the rest of the team in the game. I am not doubting his ability to be a top world class player, because his talent is immense. I just think he used to be a LW who used to dribble and run towards the defenders which suited him and now he's suddenly a striker and he may still develop these attributes in the future if OGS continues to deploy him as a Striker. It's just frustrating at times because his talent is already there, he just has to put in some more effort/hard work to be right up there amongst the best.
I think we'll be fine with him. Our first 11 has so much quality that even if he isnt firing other will pull through. That was the case today. Dont forget that this new 11 are still getting used to each other and Martial like the rest of our attackers are seeing more activity this month than theyve seen the past 5 years.
He got 90 minutes before, he isn't good enough to start long term post. Thats an improvement in itself from usual 15 he gets after scoring in the previous game 
I actually think his hold up play and getting others involved is quite good. He's got decent strength, but he often holds it up using his dribbling ability and then dishes off once his teammates catch up with the play. His presence in the box could still use some work, but to be fair, Brighton aren't exactly pushovers defensively. I've noticed a marked improvement from him throughout the year in this regard, so I think he can continue to get better.
Played well today. Glad we kept patience with him.
Very much quiet last night, had a tough time against very physical CB's. Didn't get much service either, but those are the #9 performances that will happen from time to time.
I liked that even though he wasn’t getting any change out of Duffy and that he kept making himself a nuisance. Nothing was dropping for him mind.
I was really impressed with the pressing. The whole team actually had spells where the pressing was really good. I think around the 18th minute the whole Unit goes full effort for a good few seconds until they force the mistake. A good few times he was the lead man.
I was really impressed with the pressing. The whole team actually had spells where the pressing was really good. I think around the 18th minute the whole Unit goes full effort for a good few seconds until they force the mistake. A good few times he was the lead man.
Phil Neville's analysis of him was absolute garbage last night.
You would think there is only one type of striker.
Pretty depressing this is a seasoned coach.
You would think there is only one type of striker.
Pretty depressing this is a seasoned coach.
This dude was our coach once too
I like the part where he brought up Liverpool as an example of a strike force and the numbers ours should be putting, when in reality our front 3 of Rashford, Martial and Greenwood actually have more goals combined compared to the Liverpool trio. These pundits just never do their research and are just lazy.
He went on how we miss a 25 goals striker(both Martial and Rashford on their way there this season alone) and brought up Liverpool and how their lots chip more goals than ours. I just had to roll my eyes listening to that nonsense after realizing how these people don't do any research because had he done so, he wouldn't have dared bringing them up to argue about numbers given our trio put bigger numbers than Liverpools.
Rashford, Martial and Greenwood are all 3 forwards with 2 playing at angles due to their clinical abilities and one playing centrally due to their ability to hold the ball, drop deep and make passes, link the front 2 together, link the front 3 to the CAM - he isn't just there to be our main goal scorer just because he is central, it's infact the opposite- the main goal scorers will be Rashford one day when he is hopefully back on form making runs off Martial's one twos and Greenwood the more he grows up.
Do people really need a false 9 that scores goals every game?
Do people really need a false 9 that scores goals every game?
Yawn, Martial doesn’t score and the same rodents crawl back out. Gets really tiring, doesn’t get anywhere near the respect he deserves.
I was really impressed with his hold up play and lay offs today. It was something that I always felt was lacking from his game if he wanted to play as a number 9 and I wasn't sure he even wanted to learn such was his attitude on the pitch in previous years. If he keeps working on that and continues to improve his positional sense within the box, scoring tap ins, another thing he was lamented for he's going to be some player.
There was plenty of the same positive movement from him, but like Rashford never quite got into any real positions to score, nothing to worry about and it's fantastic that he can have a quiet game and we still win 3-0. I fully expect him turn up against Bournemouth now.
I thought he had quiet game, he tried few flicks which didn't come off. Still he is very important player for the team, his link up play, ability to hold the ball, playmaking is what makes him good fit for us. Wanted him to be on the scoresheet as he is bit closer to top goal scorer in league. Couple of braces here will put him in the contention as Vardy is completely off form, Aguero is injured. Rest all are just 1 goal ahead with Ings being the exception.
Quiet game for him, and thought he could have been stronger at times with his back to goal, but overall didn't do a lot wrong. Was let down twice from cutbacks from Shaw that should have been tap-ins.
I usually don't watch the pre game and post game programs, watched it last night and instantly remembered why I stopped watching.
You could see how tightly marked he was any time he was close to the opposition box, they know if he gets a chance there's an extremely high chance he's burying it. I felt it afforded other players around him a bit more space whilst making him look fairly quiet. I found it a little frustrating that he wasn't making it to the ball in the box and seemed to always find himself behind one of the centre halves but like I say, it allowed for more space for others.
Other than that, I thought his hold up and link up play was great as usual. Now that we're scoring from all over the front line it's going to make it very difficult to just mark him out of the game because Greenwood will bang one or Bruno will net 2. It will be interesting to see how teams try and contain us now.
Other than that, I thought his hold up and link up play was great as usual. Now that we're scoring from all over the front line it's going to make it very difficult to just mark him out of the game because Greenwood will bang one or Bruno will net 2. It will be interesting to see how teams try and contain us now.
Lewandowski: "I will be 32 soon but I feel like 27, maybe younger. I want to play at the highest level for many years. I don't see any limits for myself. I feel that I did not use my full potential this season, I played at 90%. I want to keep crossing my borders and score even more goals."
Once Martial develops appetite for goals like this and adds consistency to his game, he would be a world class no.9
Once Martial develops appetite for goals like this and adds consistency to his game, he would be a world class no.9
He’s comfortably better than Bobby No Goals I know that much.
People have to start understanding that this is the point of having a team with threat from everywhere. When you have our front 5, the team gelling and putting up numbers is what matter rather than individual stats. It's because the threat is spread everywhere that we can see various players of that front 5 shine in attack on any given day.
Against Spurs Pogba was the outstanding player, against Sheffield Martial was the one, against Brighton, Greenwood and Bruno were the outstanding ones. And all of this is because we have threat everywhere in that front 5 which means some of them can afford to be marked out in a game(which in itself help open up the game for others) while the rest could still do damage.
It's not only about goals contribution but our overall play. The third goal for example Rashford's run dragged the defender that would have gone with Bruno otherwise and left him free and open alone. Martial occupied their CBs which allowed space for Greenwood to find himself in dangerous areas close to the box with the ball. The threat possessed by our front 5 means they can help open up space for each other which is what some people are failing to see.
This is a team game after all.
Anyways I'm expecting him to bag against Bournemouth, he hasn't gone 2 games without scoring in the league since Bruno arrival. I also doubt they'll have 2 big CB on him.
Against Spurs Pogba was the outstanding player, against Sheffield Martial was the one, against Brighton, Greenwood and Bruno were the outstanding ones. And all of this is because we have threat everywhere in that front 5 which means some of them can afford to be marked out in a game(which in itself help open up the game for others) while the rest could still do damage.
It's not only about goals contribution but our overall play. The third goal for example Rashford's run dragged the defender that would have gone with Bruno otherwise and left him free and open alone. Martial occupied their CBs which allowed space for Greenwood to find himself in dangerous areas close to the box with the ball. The threat possessed by our front 5 means they can help open up space for each other which is what some people are failing to see.
This is a team game after all.
Anyways I'm expecting him to bag against Bournemouth, he hasn't gone 2 games without scoring in the league since Bruno arrival. I also doubt they'll have 2 big CB on him.
Jose came in and cause unnecessary problems for martial
They are trying hard to be right despite being wrong.
Yeah, when this is the case you don't have to worry about your strikers or main scorers not scoring in few games as others will chip in with goals. In the first half of the season, if Martial and Rashford didn;t score then we didn't win. Now that's not the case as we have players like Pogba, Bruno, Greenwood and even Ighalo to rely on.
I think Evra will make a great manager.
He's our Firmino, but a better finisher and goalscorer. A slightly lesser Benzema, maybe.
Essentially, he's a facilitator of play just as much as he is a scorer of goals.
Essentially, he's a facilitator of play just as much as he is a scorer of goals.
I almost made that assumption in the black player stereotype thread but refrained myself because I have no proof of it and don't really know which informations they are given during production meetings. But as an avid American sport watcher, the difference is massive in terms of quality input, some pundits are useless and clearly don't do have a clue but many do their homework and from what I understand they do it by themselves, they prepare their broadcast as if it was their job to be informed because it's their job to be informed. Baseball is particularly good for that, you can watch a game where you know nothing about the players and after a few innings you know all the basic things that need to be known.
There's nothing wrong with any of our front 3. People need to stop getting on all their backs. We are playing well finally. Enjoy it.
Rashford Martial n Greenwood have outscored Salah, Mane n Firmino this season amazingly. That's some going.
Rashford Martial n Greenwood have outscored Salah, Mane n Firmino this season amazingly. That's some going.
Alot of people have agendas with certain players.
Martial is looking really good for us. Rashy will hit form. lets give them support.
Good on you. Sometimes refraining is tougher than pouring all our thoughts out.
The pundits especially the Liverpool ones are a bore to watch. Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher do seem to provide a little better analysis than the old folks.
From the entertainment perspective, Roy Keane is a joy to watch as a Pundit. The guy is genuinely funny.
Mourinho as much as I don't like him as a Manager is a very good Pundit. His analysis during the Fifa World Cup 2018 for Russia Today was very good though. Even LVG is quite liked when he is doing TV/Pundit works. I can recall people liking Arsene Wenger as a Pundit too.
So, it seems like Top-tier managers when doing punditry works are insightful. The rest just seem to repeat useless old tripes and spout pithy nonsense.
But you mentioned managers when I'm talking about professional pundits. Current Managers and recently retired ones have insight because it's directly linked to the potential results of their teams. Professional pundits are generally bad when it comes to informations, Gary Neville uses clichés and narratives most of the time, he was very good at first but with time he has become like the rest.
Any video of this circulating? I could do with a laugh.
That is exactly my point too. That the professional pundits - that would include Gary and Jamie (though better than the old folks) are not worth watching at all.
And I don't watch them anymore even during the breaks unless to kill boredom.
The only good pundits now are recently out-of-work (Fired Managers) or Retired top tier Managers before they join their next assignment (could be next club or National Teams).
I totally misread your point. Sorry about that.
Just to keep feet on the ground, their forwards aren't playing in the Europa League where I can imagine Salah hitting hatricks if he wanted. That said he probably wouldn't even play!
I am impressed we have matched them mostly in goals in UK.
In the PL, on a minutes per goal basis we are actually better, Greenwood-Martial-Rashford score a goal every 149.85 minutes while Salah-Firmino-Mané score a goal every 183.56 minutes. Neville did us a service by mentioning Greenwood instead of James, with him the amount of minutes goes to 210.
This is not true in the Premier League.
Premier League front three
Liverpool (40 goals)
Salah - 17
Mane 15
Firmino - 8
Manutd (With Greenwood - 34 goals; With James - 31 goals)
Rashford - 14
Martial - 14
Greenwood/James - 6/3
If I am not mistaken, 40 goals are more than 34 goals.
I know people are probably including Europa League, but I don't count that as it is not a fair comparison to the Champion's League. The Champion's League is much harder to score goals in. Europa League is full of trash teams in the early phases.
- Status