[Devil81]

British media is already chewing him up. Feel sorry for him.

To be honest it's deserved, whoever sanctioned 50 million on Martinez should be sacked.

I'm all for giving a manager what he wants but this just stinks of us signing a player because we knew we could get him, we've struggled with signings all summer and we snatched at him. I find it a joke nobody questioned his height and put a stop to it.

 

[Ayoba]

To be honest it's deserved, whoever sanctioned 50 million on Martinez should be sacked.

I'm all for giving a manager what he wants but this just stinks of us signing a player because we knew we could get him, we've struggled with signings all summer and we snatched at him. I find it a joke nobody questioned his height and put a stop to it.

That'll be ten Hag then!

 

[Andersons Dietician]

To be honest it's deserved, whoever sanctioned 50 million on Martinez should be sacked.

I'm all for giving a manager what he wants but this just stinks of us signing a player because we knew we could get him, we've struggled with signings all summer and we snatched at him. I find it a joke nobody questioned his height and put a stop to it.

Apparently they kinda had, he was someone looked at previously and deemed not the right fit by the scouts and was removed from any CB list. Pau Torres was supposedly the clubs number 1 CB target but ETH over ruled it. The Martinez move has been ETH driven.

 

[Biggins]

I want to see him with Varane in the next 5 games before passing any judgment.

in the past 3 seasons, all Maguire’s partners looked terrible which is quite telling.

 

[spiriticon]

We got to give him time to adapt his play and body to the league, but he also has to learn fast.

We can't be losing every game 3-0 while he learns.

Unfair on him? Yes. But this is our sorry reality at the moment

 

[sugar_kane]

That'll be ten Hag then!

It’s genuinely astonishing how in every corner of the internet Murtough is escaping blame for our transfer window, even though he is DoF.

Why is it so difficult to understand that just because Ten Hag wanted a player it doesn’t mean we had to sign him - the DoF should be calling the shots not letting the manager run the show, that’s the whole reason we changed our background set up.

Murtough either had no plan, or didn’t have the experience and authority to implement it. Hence Ten Hag’s preferences filling the vacuum.

 

[Castia]

please point out ANY moments that were a worry?

I genuinely want you to pick out a moment you saw him in trouble today?

I've seen some posters saying he was a worry and he got bullied, when he barely lost any challenges? at one point he ragdolled Toney to the floor and Mbembo bounced off him too.

Yes he is small but he leaps very well.

Are you serious?

He got beat on the far post when they scored the header?

Did you watch the game? The targeted him time and time again and he was hooked at half time? Jesus he was awful.

 

[Cloudface]

Are you serious?

He got beat on the far post when they scored the header?

Did you watch the game? The targeted him time and time again and he was hooked at half time? Jesus he was awful.

Martinez and Mee slipped and it bounced off Mee's head into the goal. He wasn't beaten, but that entire set piece was ridiculous anyway.

 

[Castia]

Martinez and Mee slipped and it bounced off Mee's head into the goal. He wasn't beaten, but that entire set piece was ridiculous anyway.

He was bullied out of it before the header, he tried pushing Mee and it was like a ant trying to move a wardrobe.

 

[Bobski]

Mct's shit first touch has never lead directly to a goal, must mean it is not a problem then and does not effect how the team plays, or defends in Lisandro's case.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Hag has to accept in this league his limitations will be targeted as a CB. So, I think we'll start seeing him in midfield or as a LB in no time.

 

[Castia]

Hag has to accept in this league his limitations will be targeted as a CB. So, I think we'll start seeing him in midfield or as a LB in no time.

How scary is that though. Spend 55m, the majority of the summer budget on a CB you could argue wasn’t even priority anyway then shift out of of position after a few games because he’s not good enough.

Then add in Rabiot and Morata and this squad is a complete fecking mess.

 

[FrankDrebin]

How scary is that though. Spend 55m, the majority of the summer budget on a CB you could argue wasn’t even priority anyway then shift out of of position after a few games because he’s not good enough.

Then add in Rabiot and Morata and this squad is a complete fecking mess.

Oh its a potentially hilarious disaster, more so when Hag was quoted in the past commenting on the PL's height and physical rough-and-tumble nature and how you need to adapt to the the league if you want any form of success.

The funny thing is though, Martinez has a very adapt skill-set which could make him more effective in midfield for us than defense. He's incredibly energetic, brilliant on the ball and has very good composure and has a good array of passing skills.

Dump him in midfield I say.

 

[Danny]

To be honest it's deserved, whoever sanctioned 50 million on Martinez should be sacked.

I'm all for giving a manager what he wants but this just stinks of us signing a player because we knew we could get him, we've struggled with signings all summer and we snatched at him. I find it a joke nobody questioned his height and put a stop to it.

Yeah, none of that is actually Martinez’s fault though is it. How he “deserves” it is baffling.

 

[yamo123x]

Scapegoat.

Has awful players around him, Shaw, Dalot and Maguire.

Needs time to adapt, will be a top signing in time...

 

[Marwood]

Bunch of over reactions. The entire team is dog shit and focus is on one guy? Yeh because the stupid collection of meat next to him is so good being 6 ft+

Have you read the rest of the forum. Looked in any other player threads?

 

[crossy1686]

He's a CB lads, if you think for one second playing him in DM will get the best out of him then you're admitting he was a terrible buy.

 

[Borys]

Said it in preseason, I will say it again. We should've gone for a midfielder and have McTominay as a backup CB/rotating CB. He's a CB by nature, and no way he's going to make it as a midfielder for Ten Hag.

As for Martinez, decent defender if he doesn't need to fight for his life against big players targeting him. So yeah, someone underestimated the EPL challenge. Lisandro is hardly to blame really.

 

[Richrip]

Said it in preseason, I will say it again. We should've gone for a midfielder and have McTominay as a backup CB/rotating CB. He's a CB by nature, and no way he's going to make it as a midfielder for Ten Hag.

As for Martinez, decent defender if he doesn't need to fight for his life against big players targeting him. So yeah, someone underestimated the EPL challenge. Lisandro is hardly to blame really.

Not worst idea…….doesn’t he play there for Scotland?
I worry we are stuck with Mct in midfield to essentially cover Martinez at set pieces. Remember LVG doing similar with fellaini and blind.

The potential ways around it……

shift Martinez to Left back.
switch to 3 CBs
play Martinez as a DM

Having a small CB os compounded by having a goalie who won’t come off his line and dominate his penalty box…..I think in time under a well drilled possesion based team martinez can shine but in the immediate term it’s a huge issue.

 

[christinaa]

I think he needs to be given the Fred role in our team.

 

[Devil81]

Yeah, none of that is actually Martinez’s fault though is it. How he “deserves” it is baffling.

He doesn't deserve it, the idiots that sanctioned the transfer deserve it.

50 million plus his weekly wage for five years and it's pretty clear after two games were already discussing how we can accommodate him in our team so that he's not a liability.

Thomas Frank said it himself, we knew we'd get at least a few second balls off him.

 

[Longshanks]

Bullies. They should pick on someone their own size.

https://www.skysports.com/football/...rgeting-manchester-united-defender-in-4-0-win

Exactly as predicted, teams are targeting high balls into his area and looking to profit of the scraps. Essentially making any attempt at us high pressing null and void.

Serious questions, I predicted this would happen how come our manager and coaching staff didn't? How come our director of football didn't? We have signed a 57m CB that can't play at CB.

 

[avgp_1]

Are you serious?

He got beat on the far post when they scored the header?

Did you watch the game? The targeted him time and time again and he was hooked at half time? Jesus he was awful.

He was not awful, he had one error but otherwise looked fine and in control.

 

[Leftback99]

Exactly as predicted, teams are targeting high balls into his area and looking to profit of the scraps. Essentially making any attempt at us high pressing null and void.

Serious questions, I predicted this would happen how come our manager and coaching staff didn't? How come our director of football didn't? We have signed a 57m CB that can't play at CB.

Yep, and there's very few teams in the league (no big guy up front) where this won't be a fruitful tactic if we don't take measures (eg. tall DM, 3 at the back) to negate it.

We could have the best high press in the league but its irrelevant if every team can just launch it and get rewards.

 

[FrankDrebin]

When we sign managers, they go dumb.

 

[DatIrishFella]

He's not shit. He just became shit once he joined us.

 

[Xaviboy]

I'm blaming Maguire. He is dirt lads make any other CB look crap.

How is he even captain. Trying play out from back and is so slow on the ball and off ball and suicidal playing high line.

Love for him to be dropped just to see how we get on. Varane and Martinez or Lindelof.

 

[Castia]

He was not awful, he had one error but otherwise looked fine and in control.

He played 45 minutes in which we conceded 4 goals and was generally one of the worst half’s of football in our history. He was at fault for at least 1 goal if not more.

Fine and in control? there wasn’t a player on the pitch fine and in control pal

 

[Dan_F]

When we sign managers, they go dumb.

Manager’s shouldn’t just be selecting players they want to sign. At Ajax he had a great team around him and clearly their scouting system is set up for identifying players that can play in a system that has been defined for decades.

The narrative seems to have done a complete 360 on this. After Ole, everyone wanted a sporting director, who set the vision and worked with the manager to identify targets for their system. Now we’ve just gone back to “backing” the manager by trying to sign players he wants. And people in the media and fan base were praising this before the Brighton game.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Manager’s shouldn’t just be selecting players they want to sign. At Ajax he had a great team around him and clearly their scouting system is set up for identifying players that can play in a system that has been defined for decades.

The narrative seems to have done a complete 360 on this. After Ole, everyone wanted a sporting director, who set the vision and worked with the manager to identify targets for their system. Now we’ve just gone back to “backing” the manager by trying to sign players he wants. And people in the media and fan base were praising this before the Brighton game.

Agree.

 

[Borys]

He's not shit. He just became shit once he joined us.

He's not shite, he just isn't a good fit for current United side.
And it's frustrating because majority of the Caf and Stevie Wonder saw it coming.

 

[Cassidy]

He's not shite, he just isn't a good fit for current United side.
And it's frustrating because majority of the Caf and Stevie Wonder saw it coming.

2 games does not make anyone right.

 

[Marcelinho87]

He will be fine.

Maguire actually messed up with weak headers more than Martinez yesterday, one where he played it BACK into the box, but it's expected to it just gets ignored now.

 

[avgp_1]

He played 45 minutes in which we conceded 4 goals and was generally one of the worst half’s of football in our history. He was at fault for at least 1 goal if not more.

Fine and in control? there wasn’t a player on the pitch fine and in control pal

As I said apart from that error, where he was already handicapped by a lot of the actions preceding the header that went in, he was in control of what he had to do. He was in the heat of the battle and more often than not was winning them

He was clearing everything coming into the box. Was very good positionally, can't fault him for the team capitulating entirely and calling him awful as you did.

 

[golden_blunder]

I thought he was holding his own until the 3rd goal

 

[Tibs]

Our partnership this season will be Varane and Martinez...Maguire is getting dropped.

 

[Borys]

2 games does not make anyone right.

It does make people right actually, those who said he will be targeted because of his size and keeper afraid to leave the line. 2/2, experts and managers already admitting so I very much doubt that will change.

He might improve that aspect od the game, but until he does he's proving people right.

 

[Cassidy]

It does make people right actually, those who said he will be targeted because of his size and keeper afraid to leave the line. 2/2, experts and managers already admitting so I very much doubt that will change.

He might improve that aspect od the game, but until he does he's proving people right.

Being targeted and being a problem are 2 different things. He won duels against both Toney and Mbeumu but that doesn't suit the narrative. We didn’t concede a goal from the left channel being targeted but that doesn’t fit the narrative.

 

[Champ]

He had an absolute shocker of a game.

Was fine on the ball, but got beaten and targeted by Brentford repeatedly.

It's a definite worry moving forward if teams keep doing that, which they will.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Maybe too small to be a CB in this league, but our recruitment team would have known that. Perhaps the plan is for him to play at right back, or even as a back up defensive midfielder