Now that we have a proper CDM, stop asking for Martinez to play there ffs. He is a fecking CB and will play there.
6
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Martinez is actually very good playing forward. No reason we can be progressive with Bruno/Eriksen infront. That back 4 need protection though, we leak far too many goals and that has to stop.
Casemiro's arrival should put an end to the clamoring for his shift in to midfield unless Erik comes up with some weird ultra defensive style formation for specific games.
Having casemiro in front of him should in theory allow to function better.
Having casemiro in front of him should in theory allow to function better.
Mentioned already in the thread that (according to The Athletic at least) ETH's tactics when Martinez was coming up against someone like Haaland was for a midfielder to drop deeper during goal kicks etc. for extra support.
Casemiro should be pretty ideal for that. Very capable in the air himself (6ft 1 ish and with a 93% aerial duel win rate last season) and will massively help in terms of winning the second balls which was where Brentford really got any advantage in targeting Martinez.
Casemiro should be pretty ideal for that. Very capable in the air himself (6ft 1 ish and with a 93% aerial duel win rate last season) and will massively help in terms of winning the second balls which was where Brentford really got any advantage in targeting Martinez.
Exactly. Having a Casemiro in front of your defense makes the defense 2x better.
He will also be an important part of defending set pieces, that team Utd put out against Brentford was just asking for trouble in those situations. Small team and keeper reluctant to leave his line.
Really interested in how midfield sets up, Casemiro and who? Does Casemiro/Fred as the deeper 2 have enough playmaking ? Casemiro/Eriksen enough legs? Is Bruno under threat as a Fred/Casemiro/Eriksen trio might be well balanced, or is this an opportunity for someone like Donny to play as more of a box attacking midfielder?
Which is completely unrelated to Martinez‘ height. Ten Hag said statistically he is dominant in the air. That‘s what I saw.
That is the point of the videos, to show that he won most of his duels.
I'm expecting him to get games at LB and in midfield as well as CB this season. I think he'll be EtH's utility man - able to assist in the build up with his wand of a left foot wherever we play him. Timber would have performed a similar utility role (albeit on the right side of defence/midfield) if we'd managed to get him this instead summer.
Would make sense to play him in midfield today.
In general he's going to be our LCB, because he's a centre-back and our team is built to use him as a centre-back.
In a one-off game like this against superior opposition before Casemiro arrives though, I could definitely see him being used in midfield.
In a one-off game like this against superior opposition before Casemiro arrives though, I could definitely see him being used in midfield.
I'd love to see him at CDM today. He's got the dynamism and intensity to stifle Liverpool's quick turnovers. Fear for us if we go with McTominay/Fred and Eriksen as the midfield axis.
Kinda what I was thinking too. He’s being targeted as CB and will take some time getting used to the increased physicality. Was hoping McG gets dropped and see if Rafa/VL pairing could work.
Not sure why are people so against him playing at CDM. I think he'd do much better than Scott and Fred, he looks calm and clean passer of the ball. A combination of Maguire, Varane and Martinez looks much better to me, than anything combined with any of the Shit and Shittier duo.
If he does play in CDM today, then it will massively add to the dumb media narrative...but ignoring that as best we can for a moment.
It would help the team for one game before Casemiro is ready.
It would help the team for one game before Casemiro is ready.
He will be at CB with Varane tonight.
Out of the games we've had so far, playing Martinez as a holding midfielder tonight would make the least sense, as I cant imagine Liverpool will play the long game that Brentford and Brighton played.
This is my ideal first choice partnership. We're not going to see it with Casemiro tonight, but I'm keen to see how it works out with him in front of us.
We've got bigger issues at left and right back than wondering what to do with Martinez, imo.
The thing is, people got caught up in the aerial targeting talk so much they tend to forget that Martinez was poor against Brighton in many aspects. I think it would be prudent to not expose him to Liverpool. Playing him at CDM with Maguire and Varane behind I think will help him actually.
Maguire isn’t starting today by the looks of it. This is his chance to step up and announce himself. No better game.
So play him out of position in an important game instead of his preferred position? Right.
Also, the whole team was poor against Brighton. That was his first game in England.
He will start with Maguire today. Varane will be the backup CB who we will definitely need once defenders are on yellow. I do think this will be a "first real test" since there will be various challenges and I don't expect us to do much attacking.
Playing Maguire hasnt helped anybody lately. First few games Martinez has been forced to run over and away from his position to cover for Maguire and by doing so Martinez been labeled as bad. Playing Maguire against Darwin might have made sense, playing him against the quick and agile Liverpool forwards will just add material for his youtube meme compilations.
Christ you found a way to blame Maguire for Martinez being bad. Forget just Maguire, do you think McT and Fred have been good enough as comparison? Because my point was as a core trio, I think we have better chances than what we will be able to field with Martinez at CB.
I am not saying he should play as a GK, but in a position he is supposedly capable of playing. And the whole team being poor does not excuse him of being shit just like everyone else, and what I am suggesting is because I think it helps his long term future here. Whether that was his first game here or not the opposition hardly care, and he is one of the most expensive CB ever, not some transfer punt from the Spartak Moscow.
I think the criticism in the media have been over the top. I watched Chelsea game yesterday, Koulibaly who cost a decent fee and is much heralded looked woeful. Not saying he's a bad buy but there will be an adjustment period. The pace of the game, the intensity and also the standard will be much higher than playing in Dutch league for Martinez. With the added cover Casemiro will provide I think the backline in general will start to look more solid.
I am not saying he should play as a GK, but in a position he is supposedly capable of playing. And the whole team being poor does not excuse him of being shit just like everyone else, and what I am suggesting is because I think it helps his long term future here. Whether that was his first game here or not the opposition hardly care, and he is one of the most expensive CB ever, not some transfer punt from the Spartak Moscow.
Martinez doesn't decide his transfer value and nor does his game improve or decline as per the money paid. A new league, a new team, just a couple of training sessions and the first game of the season. The team should have helped him settle and help him play his natural game, instead he was running around trying to cover the mistakes the midfield and Maguire made around him. So, i can totally excuse him for his game, when players who have been at the club didn't help him settle down, i cannot blame him for his game.
Also, when he is still settling in his original and preferred position, you want to put him in CDM against a team known for pressing? Won't work. Let him settle down and let United finish the transfer window and get in the players EtH wants and i am sure we will see his game shine through.
Also a certain transfer punt from Spartak would have been at least 70-80 million in this window and he would also have struggled in this team in his first game. He had players like Ferdinand next to him and still took his time
Was he, though? Honestly, it didn't look like he struggled in any of the games for me but maybe I'm being more lenient because he's a new player.
I'd start him today with Varane, but I can't see Maguire getting dropped
Sounds like it might be him and Varane tonight. Huge game for them as a partnership.
Man Utd 2:1 Liverpool
Excellent.
keep talking about his height you dumb fecks 
what a performance
what a performance
Fantastic tonight and has passion in buckets
Absolute warrior
can’t you?
Very impressed with him today. Aggressive and good on the ball. Him and Varane did excellent as a pair.
MOTM today
The Beast. The Butcher. The Terminator. The Punisher.
Terrific performance.
Terrific performance.
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