Has Martial done enough to be backed as our long-term #9?

Incredibly talented player but he's not gonna make it with you guys. Ole is slowly weeding out the weak willed players who aren't willing to give everything for the team and he's one. So much talent but hasn't the drive to push on. Reminds me a lot of Nasri.
 
Unusual for a player to be so clinical in front of goal one week and wasteful the next. For me, he had to kick on this season and so far it hasn't happened, again. Happily see an upgrade coming in but they are not easy to find, or cheap to buy.
 
padr81 said:
Incredibly talented player but he's not gonna make it with you guys. Ole is slowly weeding out the weak willed players who aren't willing to give everything for the team and he's one. So much talent but hasn't the drive to push on. Reminds me a lot of Nasri.
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Pretty much. He's not got the hunger Ole wants, all the talent and raw materials you could wish for, but if you can't get it together it doesn't matter.

I don't see him ever being a starting number 9 for a top CL side, it would take a real turn around in his performances.

I'd still love nothing more for it to happen for him here, but I can't say I have any faith in such events occurring.
 
The curious case of Martial. He ended last season in flying colors then started this season terribly. He showed some glimpse of a good #9 last season, but his inconsistency and poor finishing are a great concern. He wastes very silly chances. He can score stunners, but then misses sitters. For us to be contenders, we need a proper #9. What does that leave martial with? A back up player I guess. Someone to rotate rashford and the new #9 with. Cant see him replacing rashford on the left as a starter
 
united for life said:
The curious case of Martial. He ended last season in flying colors then started this season terribly. He showed some glimpse of a good #9 last season, but his inconsistency and poor finishing are a great concern. He wastes very silly chances. He can score stunners, but then misses sitters. For us to be contenders, we need a proper #9. What does that leave martial with? A back up player I guess. Someone to rotate rashford and the new #9 with. Cant see him replacing rashford on the left as a starter
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think he’s going through a phase all strikers go through, Rashford went through a similar stage for 12 to 18 months at the end of Mou where the term rashbeck was coined, I’m not worried the lad is mustard, his output has been good for the prior 3 games, hopefully finding form
 
He's alright in a front two/three alongside a proper striker, as is Rashford. Neither of them will ever be #9s.
 
4 assists and 2 goals in his last 3 appearances. I'd say he is doing fine and is also starting to warm up. Yes, he has missed some opportunities, but his link up play has been exceptional. He is still earning his keep IMO.
 
Chinchy98 said:
think he’s going through a phase all strikers go through, Rashford went through a similar stage for 12 to 18 months at the end of Mou where the term rashbeck was coined, I’m not worried the lad is mustard, his output has been good for the prior 3 games, hopefully finding form
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he is still very wasteful in front of goal. It’s ok if we are up 5-1 against Leeds, but it is not ok when we are at 0-0 or behind and in need of goals from our main striker. Cavani yesterday reminded us of how a proper #9 plays. Though i doubt martial will evolve into a proper #9 ( i hope he proves me wrong), i think he should keep learning and benefiting from having cavani train in the same team as him.

in the longer term, i see martial as a back up option for RW and ST. This isn’t a bad thing as at united we need good backups. Teddy sheringham and ole’s day’s as back ups in the late 90s were a joy.
 
Martial is 1st choice unless you can get Haaland. If you can get Haaland, you get him.

Martial and Cavani are good enough for now and #9 is not even in our 3 biggest squad issues.
 
SinNombre said:
Martial is 1st choice unless you can get Haaland. If you can get Haaland, you get him.

Martial and Cavani are good enough for now and #9 is not even in our 3 biggest squad issues.
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Depends on what Martial shows up. The one from the 2nd half of last season or the one from the first half of this season. If the latter we need a new CF more than anything else.
 
SinNombre said:
Martial is 1st choice unless you can get Haaland. If you can get Haaland, you get him.

Martial and Cavani are good enough for now and #9 is not even in our 3 biggest squad issues.
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Martial over anything to do with Raiola all day mate.
 
Prem this season, 16 games, 2 goals. He’s thieving £250,000 a week from Utd.

ffs get rid him.
 
Got to be worth £40m+ to someone. He’ll post good numbers in Italy, can’t get away with it in the PL though. Sell him and put the money towards his replacement.
 
How has he gone from scoring 23 goals last year without taking pens and being injured for a spell, to this..

He doesn't have the excuse of being young anymore. Would always defend him previously but he has to go at the end of the season.
 
If he stands unopposed to that centre forward role, then all is well for him.

When you bring in competition like Zlatan, Lukaku, Sanchez and now Cavani, he just seems to drop away.

Like he’s not up for the fight with his own teammates for a place in the XI, let alone against the opposition.
 
He’s the stand out most regressed player this season

Also Jagieka was their centre back today it’s embarrassing the levels he’s dropped
 
I'm a big fan of Tony but and I think he'll still come good again this season but he's showing that he just can't be relied upon.

This season he had to kick on from last and he's just disappeared completely. He's not a no.9. He's not making runs into the box when we've got players wide. His play is slow and unambitious.

He looks totally devoid of any confidence or idea of what he's supposed to be doing. Cavani should be starting every game now.
 
He needs to be taken out of the team, and asked to work much harder to have a chance of getting back in.
 
He’s the opposite of most, when there’s competition he shrinks. When he had the position completely to himself last season he was one of our best players. I think he lacks fight.
 
I'm sure there's a good explanation for his Housdiniesque -- except that he never reappears -- performances, but whatever the root of the problem with Anthony is, this has gone on far too long. I supported starting him today as I thought Jagielka would be a suitable defender for Anthony to regain some kind of form, but he was a colossus of a disaster for us, a nonentity who hoovered valuable real estate that would have been better used by Cavani or Greenwood.
 
He’s never bettered his first season with us and that was a long time ago now. He needs a new club and we need a new player, sadly.
 
I'm probably being melodramatic as the loss is still raw, but today is the day when I've given up on Martial. He was just diabolical.
 
(With apologies to the Stretford End lads and their original version)

Tony Martial - he came from France
British Press said, he had no chance
50million - down the drain
Looks like the press were, right again....
 
Unfortunately can’t see him going anywhere.

He’s contracted till June 2024 and he’s on £250,000 per week, no other club would pay him that.
 
One of the keys to success is deciding when to cut your losses.

We're never going to move up a level with Martial as our number 9. I don't doubt his talent but just isn't the answer up front. Sell him and invest intelligently in a replacement.
 
SinNombre said:
Martial is 1st choice unless you can get Haaland. If you can get Haaland, you get him.

Martial and Cavani are good enough for now and #9 is not even in our 3 biggest squad issues.
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Turns out, no.9 is our biggest Squad issue after all.

We would be sitting 10 points clear at the top if we had 15+ goals from our no. 9

No question about that. Forget wingers and centerbacks, we spunk out the triple figure on Haaland and we win it all.
 
U.N.C.L.E said:
(With apologies to the Stretford End lads and their original version)

Tony Martial - he came from France
British Press said, he had no chance
50million - down the drain
Looks like the press were, right again....
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It's taken them half his football career to be proven right. Hardly anything to write home about.

He's been mismanaged plenty as well since he's joined the club when he was in great form. This season has been awful though.

Mods, can we have a poll here, please?. Something like 'Stay', 'Sell now', 'Loan', etc?
 
Wilt said:
Unfortunately can’t see him going anywhere.

He’s contracted till June 2024 and he’s on £250,000 per week, no other club would pay him that.
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What the feck is wrong with our fecking board. They must be the thickest most useless bunch of tossers in football. How many times do they want to dish out these mega fat contracts before they finally get it.
 
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