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

MyOnlySolskjaer

Creator of Player Performance threads
Joined
Nov 27, 2014
Messages
27,879
Location
Player Performance Threads
When Lukaku was gone, the big question was whether: Martial/Rashford could fill the void, particularly Martial for the position of a #9. As Rashford has come into his own on the left.

So the question is, in your eyes - has he done enough to be our long-term starting #9?

Taking into account we're a side that don't want to be sitting on the sidelines whilst Liverpool look set to be competing for a while.
 
Him and Greenwood competing against each other for the CF spot has us sorted for a long time.
 
You don't just give someone a long term position. At the moment he's our best striker, and we've got much bigger fish to fry in other positions on the field. So once that's all sorted, hopefully that's one more full-season under his belt as our striker and then the club can make a decision on the back of that.

As a club you've always got to identify where you can improve the most and what's available on the market. We need to prioritise other positions first, and there isn't a sure thing on the market anyway.
 
Next season is huge for him. I’m a fan of his but not 100% confident. If we can get a good source of goals from the right and Rashford continues to kick on we’ll be fine.
 
He's done more than enough to get next season as number 1 and I expect he'll only be replaced should we be able to get Haaland
 
I don’t think he’ll ever score enough goals on a regular basis to be a top striker, so no.
I prefer a Rashford up front, but he might have the same problem.
 
He's improving. Jose butchered his confidence which takes time to repair. He's earned the right to start for another season.
 
Him and Rashford have both shown that for some reason they struggle on the right side of a 3. It can't be that hard, as James came in and changed side.

Will we play a two that often? If we did, then we could bring another big striker in, but doing so and playing one main central striker would put the writing on the wall for him.
 
If we manage to sign Sancho then a front 3 of Sancho, Martial and Rashford is really well balanced and all at a very high level and good enough. Especially goal threat from Bruno in midfield. Greenwood the long term rotation player until he's ready to take over. Doesn't make sense signing a striker to replace, whereas a striker like Ighalo makes perfect sense.
 
No such thing as ‘long term’. How many times have we heard her will be our x for the next 10 years’? He’s done enough for us to not worry about his role next season. Next season, how he plays will determine whether his role is a concern going forward, and so on and so forth.
 
bosnian_red said:
If we manage to sign Sancho then a front 3 of Sancho, Martial and Rashford is really well balanced and all at a very high level and good enough. Especially goal threat from Bruno in midfield. Greenwood the long term rotation player until he's ready to take over. Doesn't make sense signing a striker to replace, whereas a striker like Ighalo makes perfect sense.
Click to expand...

Agree with you whole heartedly. The proposed front three will have potential to be as lethal as Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez. And I am sure Greenwood is going to give whoever is in no9 position, a run for their money.
 
Rashford and Greenwood out wide is a great tactic that would require a striker like Martial to play to get the best out of them. I dont want to hear sh*t about a striker like Kane's ability to play with Rashford- seeing them playing together for england is just pure dull and will forever be.

Sancho on the left, Martial as false 9 and Greenwood on the right covers alot of the problems the Rashford injury gave us.

On the other hand, Rashford out left with Greenwood in the centre and Sancho on the right is a nice tactic with some creativity coming from the right hand side and deadly players being on the left hand side.


I think Ole has shown that he is a flexible manager - playing 352 & 433 or 4231 and if players aren't ready to fight nor share their positions then they wont be here long.

Martial has never been a player who complained about being the main striker at United - he complained about not having the chance of playing as a striker at all, only ever being used as a LW.

We do need the out right poacher goal scorer in our squad but that doesnt mean we just ship out Martial either. Right now, he gives us a different type of striker in the squad and is too much of a useful player to just chuck away due to our ability to change our formation and tactics. (he is much more useful to the players around him rather than him being the main goalscorer of the team himself).

A bit like yorke in the squad - find ourselves the next Ole, sheringham or Cole which allows us to adapt our tactics to the match and our opponents.

I'd say get rid of Ighalo and invest in a better option to allow us to adapt our tactics once and for all.
 
I sincerely hope Greenwood ousts him during next season. Martial is good but not good enough in my opinion.
 
He and Rashford deserve alot of credit.

They scored goals without a creative midfielder and no right winger and no fullbacks that can cross at a high level.
 
Martial isn't, and probably will never be a natural #9. That much should be obvious by now. But then he doesn't have to be. He could still be part of a very good functioning forward line. Sancho, Martial and Rashford with Greenwood as rotation option is as good as you can get, on paper at least. We had Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo like someone pointed out earlier. No natural #9 there either but great together.
 
No.

Thinking back, only Rooney managed to achieved that "long-term" striker.
The rest doesn't last that long as it should be -- it's one of the key position and needs ruthless assessment in getting rid and replace with someone who can do the job better.

Martial proved to me this season he can actually do it, however what's left is for him to do it at a more consistent basis. He has my confidence but I'm not fully confidence, at least maybe not yet. He needs to do more. Not enough yet.
 
Not really, as he isn't as good as previous first choice strikers we've had or indeed those that some of our rivals have. Unless he steps up to that level there's no reason to think he should be our long term first choice.
 
If we get a bonifide ‘World Class’ right winger & Rashford continues his development in the inside forward role then yes.

He exhibited in his first season that he has the tools to be a no.9 when given a run in a proper set up; with Pogba + Bruno alongside proper wide players I back him.
 
No. Ole has done well to get a tune out of Tony who tends to be a frustrating player although clearly talented.

It’s my opinion and hope that Greenwood will show us he is a level above Martial once he’s a regular in the team.

I don’t want to get rid of Martial but he doesn’t deserve a ‘long term position’ and nobody does for that matter.
 
Not sure if I'm ready to answer this question, but I'd definitely go into the next season with him as our starting number 9 and, hopefully, Sancho joining the gang. There's not a realistic target on the market that is going to be a certain upgrade on him — Kane would cost way too much money, Icardi is a bit limited in terms of his all-round game (suits PSG well as they have such creative players around him, I won't be surprised if he signs for them long-term), Jović is probably attainable but is equally unproven... maybe Werner, but I doubt that we're going to be in for him as Liverpool is his most likely destination.

Greenwood, Ighalo and Rashford provide enough cover and it's a good mix between talent and experience. Provided that Ighalo stays with us for the next season, obviously, but I don't see why not — he's obviously eager to stay in any capacity and he has proven himself quite worthy what little money we had paid for him. Chinese football clubs also need to offload their foreign stars due to the new wage restrictions.
 
No but enough to keep his spot next season. The alternatives are spend big or put Rashford there, neither of which seem like better options. Greenwood will be pushing him too so it’s a pretty good situation as it stands.
 
I think the club could get good money if they sold Martial. Greenwood is younger, with more room for development and seems to be more eager to learn.

Greenwood partnership with Rashford is the future. For all of Martial's ability, he is far too... not consistent.
 
For next season, without a doubt. These things aren’t set in stone for years to come though. In my opinion he has deserved another chance next season, we have other more pressing concerns, but there will be a new evaluation after next season. As long as we doesn’t win championships or CL we have to be constantly analyzing where we can improve.
 
He's probably fine for now but would prefer to replace with a proper #9 (maybe Haaland if he develops that way) after next season.

United should always have a WC CF playing upfront. Martial should have his chance to prove himself in a set and firing team but we should really be playing a Ruud / Rooney / RvP level striker upfront.
 
No. If we can get an upgrade for his position we should do it. For example, I would take Aubamayang in a second and make him first choice striker. Martial could fight for his minutes which might make him a better player, but I doubt it because he is not a smart player.
 
In my eyes he is a scorer of good goals rather than a good goalscorer. Don't think he's ever gonna be that RVN/RVP type striker we need but I think for now he is sufficient and we have still got bigger holes to fill in our 11.

I'm thinking we'll either have bought a new striker or Greenwood will take his place in the side within the next two years.
 
Art Vandelay said:
Nope and Greenwood will eventually take the spot from him if we don't bring someone else in before that.
Click to expand...
Agreed! When I look through the league about 8/9 teams have at least one striker I'd take before Martial.

I'd bring in someone like Aubameyang if he's available. That gives Greenwood a few years to really learn his trade without putting too much pressure on him while he's too young. I mean Greenwood is 18, he shouldn't have to even think about being number 1 for 3/4 years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sultan
No way. Martial will never be player that the club can rely on. He's ok in spells, but cannot be counted on to be the primary goal scorer. Martial has twice the talent than Igahlo, but we all saw the difference in the team when a proper #9 was slotted in the XI. The team was all of a sudden a much bigger goal threat.

I don't hate Martial or anything, but his mentality is so poor and he's really a luxury player and our current squad he doesn't really fit anywhere. He's best on the left, but Rashford pull well in front of him this season and I wouldn't really want to displace him at this point and eventhough I think Rashford is better at #9 as well, it's not his best position if you're trying to get both on the field.
 
Yes Martial has earned his place as 1st choice #9, but doesn't mean we don't need backup. I like what Ighalo has produced within a short period of time, since he is inexpensive, content with backup role, I think we should finalise his deal. Stop all these Kane non-sense.

This doesn't mean we should stop improving the frontline, get a seasoned Right Wing, James is not ready yet.
 
No. Never. I’d rather Ighalo start.
Sell martial and buy a replacement in the next 2 years.

Ighalo backup. Haaland striker.
Greenwood competes with Haaland rashford and sancho for a starting place.

The above is muppet territory but gives an insight into how I think squad management should progress in terms of our forward line.

We have always had a backup striker who is older who has desire but one who wouldn’t cry to much if left out. It’s good for morale.

sheringham, Owen, Larson now ighalo. I think we would have the right blend with replacing martial.
 
MyOnlySolskjaer said:
When Lukaku was gone, the big question was whether: Martial/Rashford could fill the void, particularly Martial for the position of a #9. As Rashford has come into his own on the left.

So the question is, in your eyes - has he done enough to be our long-term starting #9?

Taking into account we're a side that don't want to be sitting on the sidelines whilst Liverpool look set to be competing for a while.
Click to expand...
This need a poll.
 
Has Ole done enough to be backed as our long term manager?

No - but he has done enough to go in to next season as our manager.

Martial will be our number 9 next season & his ability to interlink with Rashford and even players like Bruno Fernandes so quickly on has been important to us and under valued.
 
Sandikan said:
Him and Rashford have both shown that for some reason they struggle on the right side of a 3. It can't be that hard, as James came in and changed side.

Will we play a two that often? If we did, then we could bring another big striker in, but doing so and playing one main central striker would put the writing on the wall for him.
Click to expand...

Martial and Rashford both like playing as an inverted winger, Rashford especially. Not hard to then work out why they don't do well on the right is it really?
 
Redrum1982 said:
Agreed! When I look through the league about 8/9 teams have at least one striker I'd take before Martial.

I'd bring in someone like Aubameyang if he's available. That gives Greenwood a few years to really learn his trade without putting too much pressure on him while he's too young. I mean Greenwood is 18, he shouldn't have to even think about being number 1 for 3/4 years.
Click to expand...
Yeah and that would also give Greenwood someone to learn from too along with a clear pathway into the team if he works hard and develops.
 
PieCrust said:
No way. Martial will never be player that the club can rely on. He's ok in spells, but cannot be counted on to be the primary goal scorer. Martial has twice the talent than Igahlo, but we all saw the difference in the team when a proper #9 was slotted in the XI. The team was all of a sudden a much bigger goal threat.

I don't hate Martial or anything, but his mentality is so poor and he's really a luxury player and our current squad he doesn't really fit anywhere. He's best on the left, but Rashford pull well in front of him this season and I wouldn't really want to displace him at this point and eventhough I think Rashford is better at #9 as well, it's not his best position if you're trying to get both on the field.
Click to expand...
On what planet is he a luxury? The guy scored winners against Man City, home and and away as well as a winner at Stamford Bridge and plenty of other important goals, if he’s a luxury player he’s certainly a necessary luxury.
 
Of course it's nice to see Martial improve his goal tallies, and I'm glad that he's moving towards the right direction.

However it's also undeniable that he's deficient in some areas, which are important in modern football. His (lack of) center forward play is one of the reasons why we struggle to break down smaller teams, and his consistency is still a debate. When other top strikers are in bad form, they can still create chances and spaces for their teammates; but when Martial is having a bad day, it's like we are playing with a man down.

Having said that, I don't think it's urgent for us to sign a striker, especially with Ighalo as a reliable backup. But if Martial can't improve on his off-the-ball play, we have to reconsider our choices. Chicharito was a potent goalscoring poacher but he was poor in other areas and failed, I'm reluctant to see Martial follow his path.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.