Goals do win games. As has been discussed in this thread, we score more and win more when he's on the pitch regardless of whether he's scoring. That what truly matters.
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Goals
- 7
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
And still, United are first in the league.
Imagine if they all will regain their form... frankly, they do need to do it asap
I don’t think you quite get it pal. Goals win games. Martial best in the team at pressing do me a favour...
Yes the stats don’t lie in that respect, but ultimately when the season finishes he’ll be judged on how many goals he himself as our number 9 has scored.
I think most will agree two this season is a poor return thus far considering he’s on two hundred plus grand a week.
Yes and if he is helping “The Team” score goals by passing, taking up positions, holding the ball up that wins games. Do you get it?
It’s kinda silly to only judge a player on goals scored or assists when so much goes in to the game to make a team successful. People used to say players like Carrick and Modric weren’t good becuase they didn’t have enough assists, does that mean they aren’t/ werent good players Doing their bit for the team?
No one is saying Martial has been a revelation this season, he’s actually been quite average, but recently looked like he’s coming in to for, but there is no doubt we perform better with him in the team than without him.
As for the pressing may I suggest you maybe watch him more closely and how he organises our press.
I agree.
I don't even think Bruno's role as the trigger has improved the efficiency of our pressing. Back when Martial was leading the front line in a coordinated press, we constantly forced teams who tried to play from the back to punt the ball up-field. One of the few things, if not the only, thing our workhorse midfield was very good at was the press. But they only started applying their pressure when the opposing team had passed through our frontline traps and moved the ball into midfield. Our defensive solidity was so much better and it all started from our coordinated press by the frontline. Nowadays as soon as a team starts playing from the back, Bruno has already left his position to press beyond our frontline and it leaves our entire midfield disjointed.
Slightly on a tangent but I would really love to see Bruno use his energy further back in midfield and leave the forwards to play their game. I believe this would also eliminate the need to constantly need both McT and Fred to provide the hustle. It is not like the time he came into the team when we didn't have any other midfielder on his creative level, and sharing the creative workload and forward position with another number 8 like Pogba or VdB would make our midfield and attack more dynamic and hard to contain.
Why doesn’t he do anything?
I feel like Bruno does that under instruction. He doesn’t really play as a midfielder anyway so kinda finds himself up there and if Fred and McT are in midfield with Martial covering central, Rashford one side cutting the path to the full back and say Greenwood on the other doing the same then Martial is the central cut off. Guessing the logic is those 3 kinda save their legs for breaks.
Against City however both Martial and Bruno pressed them more both until City sort of changed the shape so it was a back 3 that meant they nullified the two of them and we quickly changed back to Bruno being the active presser whilst Martial covered the central paths.
I do agree that I sometimes wish Bruno would step in to midfield and do his work there along with not having to play a killer ball all the time but think that is something we are always just going to have to live with and accomidate in our play. As for Fred and McT I kinda feel like in Oles setup they are somewhat essential to what he’s trying to do. They maybe just don’t have the desired quality. Like I’m sure they are instructed to fill in the half space when Shaw or Bissaka push up and Pogba is supposed to move more central to fill the space left by Bruno when we attack.
Whole team is pretty much still a work in progress but it looks to me anyway like Ole is certainly getting close to what he wants tactically.
As for Martial some sort of signs of regaining form and hopefully he does soon but where he’s been good some games in others he’s been a bit meh.
I didn't mean to imply that Bruno does his pressing under his own volition if that's how you took it, but rather I was going against the tactic of using him as the trigger so high up the pitch. Especially given we tend to play with 3 forwards who would all rather do most of their work up field, and have previously shown that they can execute a coordinated press very well. I understood keeping him upfront when we had no other creative midfielder while one of our key forwards was injured. Now that we no longer have those issues, keeping him in his high position strikes me as Ole's inability to coach a dominating midfield out of such quality as Bruno, Pogba, Fred and now VdB. I hope I'm wrong and it turns out that those players actually cannot function together. Our midfield set up and his in-game management are the main things that keep me doubting Ole for being the real deal.
I don't see the need to play McT all the time as he rarely brings quality on top of his hustle unlike Fred, unless of course it is to compensate for deficiencies elsewhere like having your third midfielder playing as striker or playing two relatively slow CBs in a league awash with pacey forwards. I actually think Bruno can be a world class number 8 but not 10, despite his amazing goal and assist numbers I believe he can do more for the team as a proper midfielder.
Martial hasn't delivered in terms of goals so far, but he has been key to our attacking play and chance creation. It is only in the first 3 or so games of the season that I thought his all round game was supbar. It's such a shame that he has a mob after him ready to pounce whenever he doesn't score or assist and make it seem like he is useless. Reading some of the things said of him, you would think he's barely capable of being a winger in the championship let alone a center forward on a top PL team.
I’ve just watched Aubemeyang score a goal (v Newcastle) that’s simply not in Martial’s DNA to score. He took the defender on and although not in the clear he created enough space from the defender to lash it into the roof (it should be ceiling, but we all call it roof) of the net.
We know all about Martial’s talent, but I see very little venom in his approach to the game. Fix whatever goes on in his head and we’ve got a 25+ goal a season striker. What’s he on now, 2 or 3, through half the season?
We know all about Martial’s talent, but I see very little venom in his approach to the game. Fix whatever goes on in his head and we’ve got a 25+ goal a season striker. What’s he on now, 2 or 3, through half the season?
Aubameyang has 3 goals and 1 assist this season, Martial is outperforming him.
A lot has been made of Liverpool's recent goal drought, but we have 2 goals in our last 4 games. Hope we're firing on all cylinders soon or I fear we'll start dropping points against the smaller teams
you stick to your FIFA lad, I hear he’s a revelation on there... organises our press I’ve heard the lot now...
His goal tally this season just isn't anywhere near good enough.
Our main striker , halfway through the season and he's scored 5 goals, only 4 from open play. I know his all round play recently has been fine but he's our number 9, 4 goals from open play all season is just appalling.
He badly needs to improve.
Our main striker , halfway through the season and he's scored 5 goals, only 4 from open play. I know his all round play recently has been fine but he's our number 9, 4 goals from open play all season is just appalling.
He badly needs to improve.
5 goals and 5 assists from 1500 minutes play. It's not great but it's not terrible. We've played him with Greenwood and Rashford 3 times this season. Maybe that's why none of them have been clicking into form. Bring back the 3Ms.
Don't know what people expect from him.
He performed an extremely disciplined role against Liverpool. Tracked TAA up and down the field diligently and fed on scraps on the counter. When he had the ball in deep positions he used it intelligently and did not lose possession. We got dominated in possession the entire first half and 20 mins of the second half. Martial got substituted in the 60 min. There was nothing much he could do better really.
He performed an extremely disciplined role against Liverpool. Tracked TAA up and down the field diligently and fed on scraps on the counter. When he had the ball in deep positions he used it intelligently and did not lose possession. We got dominated in possession the entire first half and 20 mins of the second half. Martial got substituted in the 60 min. There was nothing much he could do better really.
He has massively improved his attitude and workrate. Its nearly all there, the talent and attitude. Just needs to regain his finishing.
Greenwood and he are our best forwards
Greenwood and he are our best forwards
With the grand total of 3 league goals between them, matched by mighty McT and AWB.
I've only just realised how dire his goalscoring record for France is. 1 goal in 25 is remarkable no matter how many times you only played the last twenty mins.
It sounds like bias.
1: Martial sees that Pogba wins the ball, sees the space in behind Fabinho and drags Trent with him, makes space behind him for Fernandes
2:
Pogba attempts the ball to Martial but it ends up with Bruno instead
Martial makes the run in behind Trent and receives the ball, but his cross to rashford is blocked by Fabinho. Does exactly what you're pretending he refuses to do.
The situation you're referring to is later, and completely different
Rashford gets the ball, Martial makes a run in behind but Rashford delays the pass and plays it wide to Bruno:
Since Rashford delays the pass, Martial is already in an offside position when Bruno receives and controls the ball.
The problem is simple, there's 1 United player in the box about to be surrounded by 3 liverpool players and he has to get onside again as well, any movement towards the direction of Bruno will make Bruno's area more congested
I agree totally. When the season closes, where we sit will be influenced heavily by whether our attack gets its mojo back. Richard Fay in today's Manchester Evening News says "United have an attacking line which isn't functioning but Solskjaer continues to persist with it - if they want to win the Premier League this season then something has to change." It's a worthwhile read because he talks about our forwards with a little more detachment than we're seeing here currently.
It's also interesting that Frank Lampard is today talking about Chelsea's chances of winning the title being undermined by not having a goal-scoring machine like they have had previously.
Setting aside whether Werner will come good, the bigger point is they and we don't have someone who will hit 25+ goals per season.
You can win silverware without such a player but that needs goals coming from all over the squad with regularity. We aren't currently achieving that and don't look like doing so.
Martial is a problem but he's by no means the only problem we have up front.
I do wonder when we try someone from the U-23s. Elanga is at the age when Rashford got his first chance, I believe, so if he's fit and ready, maybe he should have a run off the bench?
I think it's pretty terrible. 5 goals in 22 appearances when you're the main striker for Man Utd ? 2 league goals? That's just not good enough.
Desperately need him to start scoring again, if he hits form again in the 2nd half of the season then we really will have a chance of winning the title.
The delusion people have with him are approaching Liverpool's fans with Dirk Kuyt.
He's a striker and he needs to score more goals, end of story. Pressing and all is great, but that's just the icing of the cake, I wouldn't give a shit about him not pressing if he scored 40 goals a season consistently like what Ronaldo/Messi does.
Martial's paid like one of the top players in the league but his contribution to the team doesn't reflect it at all.
He's a striker and he needs to score more goals, end of story. Pressing and all is great, but that's just the icing of the cake, I wouldn't give a shit about him not pressing if he scored 40 goals a season consistently like what Ronaldo/Messi does.
Martial's paid like one of the top players in the league but his contribution to the team doesn't reflect it at all.
For a player who has all the attributes to be a top striker he really flatters to deceive. Has not had a good season thus far and if we are any chance of winning the league then surely he has to find some form and start scoring again.
Totally agree. We're getting to the Lingard levels of protection with all these 'No goals/assists but he runs around a lot and holds up play!!" excuses.
Aye he can run that's nice, but I want my centre forward to actually have a bit of final product. He's the one that kicked up a fuss about wanting to be the no.9 because he's too cool to be No.11, so fecking go and train harder to be one.
He's a decent and skillful player, but he just doesn't fit the bill where HE wants to play.
He doesn't and that's the issue. The expectation is too high and isn't justified
he quite clearly does - he's just suffering from confidence right now.
Last season he was playing fantastically well as the striker, but we can't afford the inconsistency which is the issue.
You can tell that Solsjkaer likes him a lot and like the great goalscorer he was i trust him completely about Martial. I'm pretty sure he is going to score a lot from now on.
Yep, I hope so. I have a feeling Martial is about to kick into gear and score 7 in 7 or something along those lines.
But even last season would be classed as a below average season for a top striker like Kane/Lewandowski/Aguero/Suarez etc. it was just a big step for Martial
How about Benzema? Or what about Firmino? Not every team is set up so that the striker is the main goalscorer, although last season Martial did both. This shite about, oh he's good but he's not scored as many as this list of world class players who have had the team set up around them and are now in their 30s and still in their primes, needs to stop.
Has he been poor in front of goal? Absolutely. Does that nullify the fact that he had an excellent season last season, being directly involved in 35 or 36 goals? Absolutely not.
The problem as I see it is whether he can regain his form because he's easily good enough if he starts banging them in again.
Tony needs to start his season. Yes, I know he’s had a couple of moments, but has he had anything close to a great 45 minutes?
No, and with that my biggest disappointment this season.
You’re naming a handful of world class strikers who aren’t easy to find or buy.
martial was a 1 in 2 striker while bringing great playmaking, hold up skills. He wasn’t an issue for us last season, but he hasn’t hit those heights this year so far.
thats probably the story of martial, huge ceiling but low floor, you never know where he will land.
Fulham 1:2 Man Utd
WTF is wrong with him? He doesn’t even seem to be trying hard anymore, he seems incapable of getting his confidence back. Is this jus mental fragility?
Still don't know what his best position is. Looks devoid of any confidence and spirit.
Wank.
I absolutely don't rate Firmino. Also I am not bothered about Martial's goal scoring. Thats not the point I was making as he has never been a prolific scorer anyways
He looks lost. Needs a goal or two.
- Status