I think a few still think this, even Solskjaer, but this notion is what gets managers fired. Look at the managers Balotelli got sacked over the years.
Martial agent looking for a new club for him
- Thread starter dinostar77
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Yeah, I've said that Solskjaers loyalty to some players that don't deserve it, will be his downfall. I hope that's not the case, but you do wonder.
This guy needs a sports psychologist and a fresh start somewhere else with less pressure, his cycle here is done.
Thanks for your service Tony, but please move on.
Thanks for your service Tony, but please move on.
This. I’ve never really understood his conversion to striker. He can actually be very dangerous coming in off that left wing on his right foot. He’s not a true striker and never will be. He just doesn’t have the instinct or hunger to be an elite level striker. His main skill set is his close control dribbling and ability to just effortlessly glide past a defender. It’s rather beautiful to watch in full flight. He had at least one moment like this against West Ham yesterday. He’s a big reason why we got so many Pens over the last couple seasons. His close control dribbling in the box. He also plays very nice one-touch passing in and around the box. Example, see his performance for France in the recent qualifiers. Can’t remember who they were playing, but it was the game where Griezmann scored a brace. He didn’t score, but was crucial in a couple of the goals due to his intricate touch passing with Benzema and Griezmann, in the box. Probably his best game he’s had in recent memory. He is a good player, but not a ‘lead the line’ striker. I think he’d shine playing as a 2nd striker, just under the main striker, similar to the role Jesse played for West Ham last season. Unfortunately, we don’t have a need for that type of player at the moment, given the options we have at our disposal. Probably best for all parties he move on, however unlikely due to his wage. There is a player in there though. His languid style also doesn’t do him any favors. With his high-level technical ability, he’d do well for a top 4 Serie A club.
We will be lucky to find a buyer at this point. No manager in this league is looking at him as a potential no 9, which he isn't, he's a winger.
The lack of runs in behind yesterday was embarrassingly bad, Mason comes on and within 10 seconds demonstrates a run in behind that Martial could have been doing for 70 minutes.
I don't mean this disrespectful but I genuinely think he's a thick player, no intelligence to understand what's required in a game and implement it. I mean at this point, after a season of pure shite from him last season, you think you would at least see the penny drop over the aspect of needing to make runs. At this point he's either thick or lazy. Might sound harsh but I was absolutely done with him last season anyway.
The lack of runs in behind yesterday was embarrassingly bad, Mason comes on and within 10 seconds demonstrates a run in behind that Martial could have been doing for 70 minutes.
I don't mean this disrespectful but I genuinely think he's a thick player, no intelligence to understand what's required in a game and implement it. I mean at this point, after a season of pure shite from him last season, you think you would at least see the penny drop over the aspect of needing to make runs. At this point he's either thick or lazy. Might sound harsh but I was absolutely done with him last season anyway.
Unfortunately for him, we have about 5 players in the team who have that same exact trait and he's well down the pecking order.
I don’t know what’s happened to him but he looks a shadow of his former self. Time to move him on now we’ve got better options.
Yeap pretty much.
He was great a few seasons back when playing off the left.. then he decided he wanted to be our main no9 striker, and he really really isnt that type of player. He just doesnt have the drive for it.
My main problem with him now, is he just doesn't give a f*ck. not one.. Just walks about with no effort to make himself available or making darting runs into free space, which what i expect to see from a striker (see cavani). Then he looks miserable and pissed off when being asked to do something or being replaced. It drives me mad sitting at OT just watching him walk about always wanting the ball to his feet.
I actually remember a game about 2 seasons ago where he was stood in the D at edge of box and whilst the ball was being played around him he didnt move once, and Mata made about 4 darting runs past him to try get a pass, and he still hadnt moved. I was stunned at the lack of effort.
A club with United's stature shouldn't pander to anyone with an attitude like this.. Straight out the door, Ole needs to be ruthless now. He's behind Ronaldo, Cavani, Greenwood & Rashford now up front.
My main problem with him now, is he just doesn't give a f*ck. not one.. Just walks about with no effort to make himself available or making darting runs into free space, which what i expect to see from a striker (see cavani). Then he looks miserable and pissed off when being asked to do something or being replaced. It drives me mad sitting at OT just watching him walk about always wanting the ball to his feet.
I actually remember a game about 2 seasons ago where he was stood in the D at edge of box and whilst the ball was being played around him he didnt move once, and Mata made about 4 darting runs past him to try get a pass, and he still hadnt moved. I was stunned at the lack of effort.
A club with United's stature shouldn't pander to anyone with an attitude like this.. Straight out the door, Ole needs to be ruthless now. He's behind Ronaldo, Cavani, Greenwood & Rashford now up front.
I don't know him or his preference but there is an ocean between Monaco, Lille and Lyon as cities....
I agree with your comment about his game intelligence but not so much about the example with Greenwood's run. Watch the replay, Greenwood is the third man run (which is a classic space stretching tactics) and Martial actually plays a significant role in the play.
I would argue that Jesse's positioning deeper and Mata's lack of pace hurt Martial's options to make successful runs in behind. There's no point in him making a run if nobody else will make a run to stretch the defence.
Used to love him and was so excited about him, a real shame what's happened with him. Agree that he probably needs to move on, he's not going to get the chance to play his way back into form with us and mentally it just seems like he needs a reboot.
He has time to still have a great career, but I don't think it will happen with us
He has time to still have a great career, but I don't think it will happen with us
Martial FC is going to be in the conference next season at this rate.
I used to be a big fan, but he seems to have totally lost it. Dunno if its just a confidence issue.
I mean it was just one example but sticking with it for argument sake, Greenwood just played a simple pass wide, kept his momentum within the move and made a really good run which almost forces the players behind him to play that ball over the top to him, it doesn't really matter about what Lingard and Mata are doing, they don't dictate Martials movement, I would ague it to the contrary, with Martial's sheer lack of movement limiting the options for Lingard and Mata.
It sounds simplistic but one simple action would transform Martial as a number 9 (or at the least give him a chance there) but I don't think he's capable of it, or should I say willing or intelligent enough to do it...
That's to receive the ball, pass it simply wide or back into the midfield and spin in behind give the defenders a problem, stretch the play, vary the attack. He will refuse to do this, time and again for entire games.
He refuses to do the basics of a number 9 and make a run in behind the defence. Instead he drops deep where defenders can predict him, he want's it to feet, holds the ball, turns and tries to run past five defenders. His dribbling is good but not good enough to entirely ignore the fundamentals of number 9 play and to make zero runs off the ball.
He's basically learned nothing from Ole or Cavani especially which further strengthens my feeling of it being a lack of intelligence.
At some stage we’ll have to re-evaluate how ‘talented’ he actually is. What are his stand out skills? He can’t pass, he can’t cross, his movement is abysmal, his dribbling is shite. The one skill that he had that he continued to display past his first season here was his finishing. Even that was one particular type of finish when he could open his body up to side foot into the far corner. He’s incredibly easy to defend against because any smart defender will know that’s the way he’ll score 90% of his goals.
Players like Martial are part of the reason we've been so inconsistent, they come here with huge reputationc earn big wage and suddenly stop to improve their game.
At this rate if we can get a £25m fee for him we should take that and run, all this talk about rating him at £50m is laughable.
Anyone knows what OGS said about him after another poor performance?
At this rate if we can get a £25m fee for him we should take that and run, all this talk about rating him at £50m is laughable.
Anyone knows what OGS said about him after another poor performance?
Martial's dribbling most definitely isn't shite, especially not for a striker. It's not the most refined, but his use of the ball when moving used to be really effective - he was agile and was able to burst past defenders with ease. His passing is also more than adequate and he's able to link up play productively when in the mood. We've seen how good he can be, he's demonstrated his ability and quality numerous times here. The problem with Martial is in his head but it's such a problem that it's massively debilitating. There's no need to revise his talent, that's not the issue. Unfortunately he's lost his way massively and he needs to go elsewhere to give himself the best chance of having a career that he can look back on and be proud of.
Well, yeah. I was just making the point that he is a good player, being played out of his best position. He may be playing in his preferred position, but certainly not his best.
I agree that Martial's natural game is run with the ball at defenders, not find corridors to run behind. And that's something that makes him super limited. No doubt about it.
My previous comment was more about that particular run from Greenwood and how it was only made possible because Martial and another player (can't remember who it was)ade runs as well, taking defenders out of position.
Do Everton want him? They normally go for this sort of player.
What about Inter?
What about Inter?
Everton, Arsenal, Lyon or Inter are probably our best options for flogging him.
Inter were apparantly interested in him in the summer of 2020 to replace Lautaro Martinez who was then going to Barcelona.. Lautaro is still at Inter, and they are broke now, but maybe they would take him on loan.
They have better players in the two positions Martial plays in.
I was hoping all game that after his bad performance he was going to score one easy goal, but no, not even a possible tap in that he had.... He just dont want to play at the same level as the rest.
Probably one of the biggest enigmas I've seen wearing our shirt. He' gone from fantastic to shite to fantastic to shite in an endless cycle. Time has come where a move would benefit both parties. Inconsistency like this is what hinders us from taking the next step. We have far too many players like this.
Once Rashford and Cavani are back from injury, he won’t even get in the match day squad. He needs to be prepared to play for the U23s and prove himself.
I'm not sure a club would risk £25m on him at this point - looks totally lost
Wow, how fickle fans are eh. 
Looking at a 27 million pound fee, maybe five million more in ad ons. 50 million no one will touch him.
I think £15m loan with obligation to buy is the best shot we have when you consider his wages
I never want to see him playing again for United.
2 years too late.
But.. better late than never I suppose
But.. better late than never I suppose
I would not mind if he was actually playing for United. But in reality, he is just in the starting lineup. Very little actual playing.
He needs to resurrect his career in the Bundesliga where there's minimal scrutiny and more so with Dortmund if they can afford his wages.
For mid table club like Everton and Arsenal, they need fighters to fight and chase for every ball. France with all the talents can carry Martial, but not Everton, Arsenal or Aston Villa. Arsenal couldn't carry Ozil and Everton couldn't with James. No one bar PSG, Chelsea, Man City can afford his salary either. Inter's chinese owner is close to bankruptcy now and won't pump money to the club anymore. Martial doesn't have the work rate and fight in him to play for mid table club in EPL i am afraid.
Edit
I would take Daniel James instead of Martial, just like what Leeds united did. For the money 50m quoted for Martial and his wages, I would go for Adama Traore instead.
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I think the ideal position for him would be to take the wage cut and try get to a side that play some good football but are lower down in terms of both status and expectation. An Atalanta, Lyon type of vibe. Spend the next 18-24 months raising his CV back up and he's 27 with the stats that are far more appealing to another bigger side.
How realistic that is... Probably not very. We gave him the mental wages, he's entitled to sit on his arse on it. How interested those types of club would be too, eh...
How realistic that is... Probably not very. We gave him the mental wages, he's entitled to sit on his arse on it. How interested those types of club would be too, eh...
true story
To be clear, I don't think Arsenal need Martial but I do think that Edu and the gang are clueless enough to panic into buying Martial if he was offered at a decent price. If Arsenal's new transfer strategy is going to stick then there's no chance he'd end up there.
Barcelona could do with a player capable of producing magic, and we are not asking for that much.
Or throw in a waddle of cash on top and get Frenkie de Jong (not likely I know).
Or throw in a waddle of cash on top and get Frenkie de Jong (not likely I know).
He used to be able to dribble. How often does he actually do it and when was the last time he did effectively and regularly? The occasional successful dribble isn’t evidence of somebody really talented at it.
His passing is mediocre at best. His ability has been shown sporadically over 6 years. Which is why I question how ‘talented’ he actually is.
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