He was a bit rusty but I thought he did alright. Unlucky not to score.
Has Martial done enough to be backed as our long-term #9?
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I’m sure he’ll regain form and have his moments, but he’s not consistent enough if we want to win things. You can’t have no movement from your striker and expect him to change games.
Bit bloody weird.
Still hasn't scored 11 league goals in a single season as of yet. He most likely will do this year but he's got to massively improve those numbers for me. Not convinced he's the long term solution to win us titles. In fact I'm certain he's not.
We really could do with a top striker within next few windows. Looking likely it won't be this summer though with Igahlo staying till January.
We really could do with a top striker within next few windows. Looking likely it won't be this summer though with Igahlo staying till January.
I'm ok with him. It's obvious that Greenwood will take his spot. Both need to buy a striker. All we need to do is getting a rotation going between them till Greenwood takes over permanantly
No he's not doing it for me. Had a clear chance yesterday. A top striker would have anticipated Dyers challenge kept possession and slotted it home. Not clinical enough for me.
It shouldn't really be a problem right now as we have Greenwood who is a RF/RW to balance things out. Ole's just reluctant to start him right now, and starts James over him for some reason.
The perfect balance would be Rashford (LW/LF) - Martial (LF/CF) - Greenwood (CF/RF). All moving around the pitch based on circumstance.
I honestly think if we'd won the race for Haland, and played him where Martial plays, we'd be safely in top four now
That's bollocks. We were scoring a ton of goals before lockdown and Martial was part of that. He's a great finisher he's just relatively inconsistent. He has a place in the team for me.
We're 5th because our defenders are slow and thick, and our midfield is weak and inconsistent.
We need someone to provide width to stretch the opposition's defence, especially when our full backs are not particularly good going forward. While we have Rashford cutting in from the left, it's understandable to have a wide attacker hugging the touchline on the right, but James obviously lacks the quality needed.
AWB provided width well enough when James came off. James hugging the line hurt our combination play badly in the first half, that right hand side was brutally basic.
And besides, our CM's tend to pull wide and operate from there at times, so there's plenty of opportunity for tinkering with the lineup behind that front 3.
He's clearly one of our most talented players but it seems he's destined to not find his niche with us. I think his last opportunity to cement a regular spot will be in a front 2 if we shift to the diamond. He's just not capable as a lone front man - we need a ruthless finisher up front.
I don't know how this game confirms anything either way. Players have had longer time out than end of season to the start of a new season so everyone will be rusty and a bit rubbish.
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Especially when he made the movement for both chances and the control of Bruno’s fizzed in pass was outstanding but of course every striker in football can do that under pressure...
Pogba + Bruno + Martial = Goals
Not suprising to see people using a game where everyone was rusty as evidence of him not being good enough.
He did some fantastic things and was very unlucky to not have scored, even being rusty.
He has always been a player that needs games to get into form.
James offered nothing and the improvement for that front line with someone like Sancho is so much more important than getting a better no9.
Greenwood will be the perfect person to challenge him for that spot next season too.
He did some fantastic things and was very unlucky to not have scored, even being rusty.
He has always been a player that needs games to get into form.
James offered nothing and the improvement for that front line with someone like Sancho is so much more important than getting a better no9.
Greenwood will be the perfect person to challenge him for that spot next season too.
What was weird was Gary Nevilles commentary for it. He Martial makes a great move to creat the space for the ball from Bruno, excellent touch then he goes for the shot and Diar gets across. Gary however says he delayed the shot letting Dier back in. I don’t recall seeing any delay, but Gary stuck to his guns and peddled that narrative then I saw people repeating it this morning.
I went to have a look for it this morning in highlight packages but Sky don’t seem to show that bit of play for some reason. So maybe I missed it but there certainly didn’t look like a delay.
If anything the one Neville praised him on I would have thought was a worst touch as he knocked it quite far from himself and slightly behind.
Standard people saying his movement was terrible as well which yeah there was maybe one or two incidents where he maybe should have made a run but there were plenty of runs that didn't get noticed at all.
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You know he’s already on 11 this season in the PL alone?
He also scored 11 in his debut season?
In other season he hasn’t been playing as a striker and yet still got an impressive return for any winger in the PL despite a lack of gametime. In fact in the PL alone with 137 appearances (9360mins) he has 45 goals and 21 assists. That’s a goal or assist every 141mins which is the best of anyone his age or younger in the PL. You have to go abroad to find better stats and even then it’s in much weaker leagues.
This despite regular positional and managerial changes at a very young age I think is fine for now. Next season though 16 plus league goals please.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ant...verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=GB1&pos=&trainer_id=
I think there is often a very unfair and unhealthy narrative peddled by those who are maybe more casual observers. He’s still young and will improve with Pogba and Fernandes.
I’m glad you noticed this too.
It’s very frustrating hearing people regurgitate an opinion and not make their own mind up by actually analysing the moments themselves.
On today's evidence Harry Kane is now past it. Barely a sniff. Championship player
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And yet some would have us pay the £150m to get him.
Really don't understand why people are blaming Martial for yesterday - had some good hold up and nearly scored a good striker's goal if not for a wonder save from Lloris. The chance where Bruno fizzed it into him is only a chance because of his great first touch.
He didn't play great but he didn't play badly either - there were about 7 or 8 players who performed worse so not sure what some of you lot are going on about.
He didn't play great but he didn't play badly either - there were about 7 or 8 players who performed worse so not sure what some of you lot are going on about.
Could've got a couple yesterday, just lacking some match sharpness. I wouldn't give up on him just yet.
He's scored 1 against us in about 12 games or so hasn't he.
And not just that, he usually looks utterly threatless.
No, too much discontinuous
As opposed to you making up your own mind without actually analysing the moments yourself.
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I’m not sure what your point is?
I see an outstanding control of a difficult ball and a brilliant defensive recovery to prevent a goal?
I don't have a problem with Martial, and feel based on this season, he has done enough to be backed. Yes, he wasn't as involved as we'd have liked, and it'd have been nice to see him get his shot off quicker, but that will come back with match sharpness. Martial will continue to shine very soon. Fancy him to bag against Sheff Utd.
I agree with those comments by Giggs - needing a striker to play against teams who defend deep. We can't go into next season without a different option in the team (Ighalo should just be a backup).
Do you think Neville was wrong to say 'he delayed the shot letting Dier back in'?
Dier just did very well there.. doubt many other strikers would have gotten a quicker or better shot off in that situation.
His game changed when Pogba came on. Martial is a player who normally disappear from the game yet could score in a moment of brilliance. The Rashford chance was more clear cut in delaying than the Martial opportunity.
People are acting like Martial missed a one on one. Why not praise the defender for recovering fast like we would if it was Wan Bissaka that did that to Kane. Why not blame it on match fitness like we would if it was Rashford that did that. Side note. Lukaku would have fumbled that Bruno pass
Martial against teams that drop deep is a problem. The type of striker needed would be one that attacks the box. Constantly a threat inside. Whereas Martial would prefer to drop deep and link up play. Thats his style that becomes a weakness when you are facing a team that parks the bus. because there is no need to be dropping deep to midfield to link up play since the opponent's players are back
Martial couldn't have controlled that any better. He didnt delay the shot.
That was simply super defensive work
Dier have to turn and catch 2 steps behind.
Martial could be faster in releasing the shot
Martial could be faster in releasing the shot
There needs to be a clinical #9 in the team, a player that you know if you give him the ball he will score.
When we had Ibra in the team you knew if he got the ball in the box he would punish teams.
You don't get that feeling with Rashford or Martial, the team direly needs a true #9 thats not an inverted winger.
When we had Ibra in the team you knew if he got the ball in the box he would punish teams.
You don't get that feeling with Rashford or Martial, the team direly needs a true #9 thats not an inverted winger.
He can’t take the shot until he moves his body to get in position to take the shot. He takes the shot as early as he can.
I don’t really want to say a better touch and he can take a shot quicker. It was still a great touch from a pass fired in at him, killed it and moved it infront of him from 1 touch.
Personally I think Gary said something in the moment without viewing it properly and decided to stick to his guns instead of back tracking it and looking silly.
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Didn’t Zlatan have the most missed chances in our team and was one of the highest for missed big chances in the league. The overrating of Zlatan is still rife on the forums which is good to see.
He didn't delayed though. He controlled the ball with his right foot and in order to shoot with his right foot, he has to reset his feet which he does relatively quickly. That's why you are taught to control the ball with a foot and play it with the other, in this case it wasn't possible because Fernandes played it for Martial's right foot and Dier was well positioned.
Can see the argument both sides, but have to agree that a more composed striker would have anticipated a sliding Dier, who was very close to him to begin with. Perhaps a weaker but more lofted shot, or a small cut back to his left.