[V.O.]

That said I thought Martinez was fantastic, I doubt it came through on tv, but the speed at which he gets back into position is excellent, his all around game was solid and I already saw him barking orders to Varane telling him where to be and Varane listened!

I noticed this as well. There was one situation where he went in for a 50/50 on the halfway line and lost out, but span with his man and was in position to compete again when they tried a ball into what would have been the space he vacated - and dealt with the threat the second time.

Every fecking game we see Maguire go in for that challenge and then be stranded in the centre circle like a beached whale while the opposition attack what's left of our shorthanded defence as he starts his three point turn to point back towards our goal. It was a lovely change of pace (and er, agility and awareness as well) from the usual.

 

[NoPace]

Comfortably first choice at DM and LCB after an hour or so of football here.

 

[arthurka]

Don't know if he got what it takes as a CB but I could see him getting games as a DM.

 

[Scarecrow]

He should’ve been subbed in for Fred yesterday. I was screaming at the tv.

 

[Adamsk7]

Very composed performance. If this is him on his debut with a makeshift team after little minutes in the squad at all, it really bodes well. It also tells me that he’s likely to have a base level of about 7/10, same with Eriksen, which is what we need.

 

[El Jefe]

I was there today and Falcao was very high between the CBs and always towards Martinez’s side. He maybe could have showed for it more but the whole team was at fault.

A few times Garner and Eriksen came deep into the gap left but neither even looked to turn they just played it back to Heaton which hurt us.

That said I thought Martinez was fantastic, I doubt it came through on tv, but the speed at which he gets back into position is excellent, his all around game was solid and I already saw him barking orders to Varane telling him where to be and Varane
listened!

very excited by this guy.

I was already excited about him but your bit on your observations from the stand have me even more excited

 

[11101]

That can be dangerous. Even after watching him play for us for nine years, one of the criticisms that some would make of Smalling was that he was slow despite him actually being one of the fastest players in our squad. Some people just see what they want to see if they don't like a player.

Smalling had the agility of an oil tanker. He could sprint but he wasn't quick.

Martinez looks miles away from that and if he continues nobody will be trying to find reasons to like him.

 

[Rossa]

That can be dangerous. Even after watching him play for us for nine years, one of the criticisms that some would make of Smalling was that he was slow despite him actually being one of the fastest players in our squad. Some people just see what they want to see if they don't like a player.

Strangely, that is true. Smalling was rapid. Vardy said he was the toughest defender to play against, and Smalling made mince meat out of fast players like Willian in foot races, but apparently the Caf found him slow.

 

[Rossa]

Smalling had the agility of an oil tanker. He could sprint but he wasn't quick.

Martinez looks miles away from that and if he continues nobody will be trying to find reasons to like him.

He really didn’t though. He was quite agile for his size, and when playing RB, very few wingers got the better of him one on one.

 

[Abraxas]

Smallings problem was his 50p feet and ridiculous brainfarts. I don't remember many up in arms about his speed, but they definitely were when he handed teams a comical goal.

 

[GueRed]

solid

 

[Borys]

You guys who keep shoe horning Martinez into a CDM position are very likely going to be disappointed. Don’t be surprised to see him not play a single game in that position. He’s made his name as a CB.

It's not about him being a CB, it's about our squad obviously.
I would be happy if he never plays DM because that would mean we've figured out midfield situation.
As things stand he has a very high chance of playing in midfield as stop gap.
Our third choice midfielder, in case one of McTominay or Fred can't play, is actually a nominal no10. Therefore it's not that crazy to see him being tried in midfield.

 

[11101]

He really didn’t though. He was quite agile for his size, and when playing RB, very few wingers got the better of him one on one.

He couldn't turn or change direction quickly enough because he was often positioned wrongly.

But anyway, he's long gone now.

 

[Rossa]

He couldn't turn or change direction quickly enough because he was often positioned wrongly.

But anyway, he's long gone now.

One on one he was most often excellent, but he had his limitations elsewhere. He had one season or so under Mourinho where he looked less agile, but playing with a broken toe will do that and more.

but yeah,long gone - not improved upon, yet.

 

[AndyMUFC]

Good on the ball and showed his aggresiveness a couple of times also, which are two things that people said about him and two things that we lacked last season for sure. Hopefully gets up to match fitness fast.

 

[lex talionis]

Outstanding performance by the The Butcher.

 

[caleb2003]

Don't think we saw anywhere nearly enough of him because Rayo forced play to Varane so Martinez wasnt in possession too often

 

[horsechoker]

I don't know whether he'll start against Brighton. Maguire and Lindelöf are much more match fit.

Then again, maybe it's better to start him now because you don't want him making his debut in an away match or against Liverpool.

 

[Borys]

Don't think we saw anywhere nearly enough of him because Rayo forced play to Varane so Martinez wasnt in possession too often

That was actually quite impressive how quickly Rayo adapted to our setup. Indeed the Butcher was cut off effectively.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

He was brought in as a centre back.

ten Hag has already said, “I analysed and United last year were quite vulnerable over the left part of the defence. [Lisandro Martinez] is left-footed and that is an advantage in possession but also in defending". He has also said he doesn't think Martinez has the running capacity of a midfielder.

 

[sullydnl]

He was bought as a centre back.

ten Hag has already said, “I analysed and United last year were quite vulnerable over the left part of the defence. [Lisandro Martinez] is left-footed and that is an advantage in possession but also in defending". He has also said he doesn't think Martinez has the running capacity of a midfielder.

Given two of the three signings we've made so far are a LCB and LB, it's probably fair to say the vulnerability he saw in the left side of our defence was no small problem.

 

[Terranova]

Apparently he did play there semi regularly last season for ajax but one disastrous performance changed Eric's mind.

Apparently you need to check your sources. He played CDM his first season at Ajax, but the season after he wasn't good enough anymore according to EriK. Not due to one disastrous performance, just ETH reasoning.

 

[Ekeke]

I think he played a few times for Defensa y Justicia as a CDM but seldom for Ajax.

He's not a CDM by trade, maybe an emergency one. ETH used him as a CB and he'll continue there

Pretty much all games for Defensa as a CB. Played DM a whole bunch for Ajax

 

[General_Elegancia]

He performed well in his first game with United, I always have soft-spot for this player( since I like short cb with aggressiveness).

 

[Chief123]

He gives me vibes of a more aggressive and agile Frank De Boer.

 

[Ekeke]

Given two of the three signings we've made so far are a LCB and LB, it's probably fair to say the vulnerability he saw in the left side of our defence was no small problem.

It could easily be down to who was available. He liked the leftback and wanted him for Ajax but the player wouldnt go there from Feyenoord, so now he has the oppertunity to sign him. And Lisandro if we believe the media was 2nd choice and we went for Timber first who would have been RCB.

The unarugable fact is we signed 2 defenders. So he wanted improvement in defence obviously

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Outstanding performance by the The Butcher.

Odd nickname, considering he looks like he could play an entire game while holding a coffee in one hand.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Odd nickname, considering he looks like he could play an entire game while holding a coffee in one hand.

Until he smashes you out on the touchline, sure

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Given two of the three signings we've made so far are a LCB and LB, it's probably fair to say the vulnerability he saw in the left side of our defence was no small problem.

He’s not wrong to identify that as a problem which needed fixing.

Although my personal opinion is that our porous left flank was primarily down to having our wide left attackers treating tracking back and defending as entirely optional, compounded by CMs who hadn’t a notion of where to best position themselves from a defensive perspective (other than Matic anyway, whose declining physicality meant his positional sense was basically all he had to offer)

All of which means all the left sided defenders in the world won’t solve that problem and we might have been better off investing in other positions instead. Hopefully I’m wrong though.

 

[Hughes35]

I think he will be a big hit tbh. Interesting to see who ETH makes first choice CB partnership to start the season.

I'd like it to be Varane and Martinez but Maguire is still captain so that might make it more difficult?

 

[Borys]

He’s not wrong to identify that as a problem which needed fixing.

Although my personal opinion is that our porous left flank was primarily down to having our wide left attackers treating tracking back and defending as entirely optional, compounded by CMs who hadn’t a notion of where to best position themselves from a defensive perspective (other than Matic anyway, whose declining physicality meant his positional sense was basically all he had to offer)

All of which means all the left sided defenders in the world won’t solve that problem and we might have been better off investing in other positions instead. Hopefully I’m wrong though.

This is my view as well. Actually I don't rate our defenders as low as majority on this forum, and I believe strengthening the midfield and improving attackers contribution to defensive side of game would make more of a difference than signing another CB.
Martinez is a great addition as long as it doesn't prevent us from strengthening the midfield area - after all he did cost a lot of money. But yeah, I may be too pessimistic here with a lot of time left to sort out our pain points.

 

[Red the Bear]

Apparently you need to check your sources. He played CDM his first season at Ajax, but the season after he wasn't good enough anymore according to EriK. Not due to one disastrous performance, just ETH reasoning.

I just paraphrased what I saw here, nonetheless I doubt we'll see him start there aside from cases of emergency, he's made his name at center back and seemingly that's the position ten hag bought him for.

 

[golden_blunder]

He’s not wrong to identify that as a problem which needed fixing.

Although my personal opinion is that our porous left flank was primarily down to having our wide left attackers treating tracking back and defending as entirely optional, compounded by CMs who hadn’t a notion of where to best position themselves from a defensive perspective (other than Matic anyway, whose declining physicality meant his positional sense was basically all he had to offer)

All of which means all the left sided defenders in the world won’t solve that problem and we might have been better off investing in other positions instead. Hopefully I’m wrong though.

I hear what you’re saying but having a left winger track back more doesn’t make up for Shaw being unfit too much, or not busting a gut to get back into position. It doesn’t excuse telles shocking contribution but defensively and offensively. It doesn’t excuse maguire or Lindelofs ineptitude as defenders littered with individual errors.
glad that we’ve got a coach who recognised it straight away and thought im not having that shite

 

[Infordin]

Looks composed. Genuine question. How quick is he?

Somewhere in the middle between Maguire and Mbappe

 

[Borys]

I just paraphrased what I saw here, nonetheless I doubt we'll see him start there aside from cases of emergency, he's made his name at center back and seemingly that's the position ten hag bought him for.

Nobody will argue on this one, it just seems very likely the emergency will come quite fast.

 

[Terranova]

Somewhere in the middle between Maguire and Mbappe

good acceleration not that great top speed

 

[Red the Bear]

Nobody will argue on this one, it just seems very likely the emergency will come quite fast.

True, I do like to think he'll suddenly become world class at that position and finally emancipate us from pursuing a dm but I doubt it would be the case.

 

[Borys]

True, I do like to think he'll suddenly become world class at that position and finally emancipate us from pursuing a dm but I doubt it would be the case.

I very much doubt that as well, but our midfield options are as far as it gets from "World class" anyway, that's why we're talking about emergency exits.

 

[Red the Bear]

I very much doubt that as well, but our midfield options are as far as it gets from "World class" anyway, that's why we're talking about emergency exits.

True, I imagine he'll be away one scott and Fred injury away from starting there.

 

[Yagami]

I was there today and Falcao was very high between the CBs and always towards Martinez’s side. He maybe could have showed for it more but the whole team was at fault.

A few times Garner and Eriksen came deep into the gap left but neither even looked to turn they just played it back to Heaton which hurt us.

Exactly why I’m not a fan of either of them. Frenkie in that role and he turns and punishes their press.