Martial has got to remain at United | No, he hasn't been unfollowing United players on Instagram

[Sky1981]

We aren’t privy to that. As much as this is all speculation, being bad afraid of competition seems to be the least substantiated by the rumor mill.

Maybe there’s a frustration there, but I’d be reluctant to take that big step of saying it’s fear. There’s a big difference between an elite young player feeling he’s not given the chance he’s earned versus being scared of competition.

Could be a number of things. Exactly what’s driving him—maybe demanding a full market value wage in keeping with United’s financial stature—is beginners us outsides.

I don't speculate on anything, the only fact that's indisputable is that he rejected the contract offer. Why? It's for everyone to guess, but the fact is that we offered him a contract, which he rejected.

Besides, chance given are relative. For some 20 games / season is good enough, for others 40 games a season is too little. It's all subjective. I'd say Martial has been given enough chances, not too much not too little, United value his contributions and thinks he's one for the future hence we offer him a new contract. There's no such thing as Jose / United tries to sell martial, or sidelined him, or actively wanting him sold. If he's not happy with the chance given then call it what you want, but for me that's entitlement he hasn't earnt.

 

[Sky1981]

What bullshit. He coped fine at the start of the season with Rashford. He put his head down and deservedly became first choice as his performances were better than the competition. If he 'ran at the first sight of competition' he wouldn't have even got into the team earlier in the season as he wouldn't have been bothering.

So basically he thinks he can't compete with Sanchez for the LW position?

 

[SteveW]

Lukaku is untouchable not because of favoritism, but because of how the team set up. We need a strong big CF to play in our system. Having martial playing up top means the whole team approach has to change as he has other area of strenght and also weaknesses. It's only logic.

I don't think Jose has anything personal against Martial, his reputation and job performance is at stake and I don't believe the notion that he doesn't play Martial because he doesn't like the guy.

What would you do if you were Jose? Bench Lukaku? Move Sanchez to the right even to the detrimental of the team? Not buying Sanchez because Martial could "potentially" be better than Sanchez in 3 years time?

Agreed on Lukaku. Personally I think Martial left, Sanchez right would be our strongest lineup. Either way, that's not what my point was about.

Somebody suggested Martial was asking for a guaranteed place in the team. My point is he's probably not asking for anything like that. He most likely just needs to feel that if he plays better than Sanchez he will have a chance of getting the position, ie genuine competition for places. Sanchez taking his place based on name alone and keeping it despite poor form would suggest this competition may not exist under Jose. In that scenario he'd be an idiot to stay.

I don't share your idea that Martial is greatly inferior to Sanchez and to play him or move Sanchez weakens the team. At least I've certainly seen nothing so far to suggest that's the case. Martial has been better than Sanchez all season. Sanchez needs to up his performances a lot before that idea stands up. I also see no reason why Sanchez can't play on the right. He's played brilliantly in the right for much of his career

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

So basically he thinks he can't compete with Sanchez for the LW position?

Yes? Because Jose is hardly going to bench Alexis or play him on the right, no? He’s one of the ‘untouchables’, like Lukaku and Matic.

It’s one thing being a Coman or Asensio, playing a squad role but have a clear path for progression with their seniors getting on in years. Martial has a player in his prime, earning astronomical wage standing in his path. The practical course, unless you get assurances from the manager, would be to move and get consistent game time. This is a crucial point in his development, 2 years down the line if he’s still in the same spot then that’s his career at the very top fecked, for the most part. Football is a unforgiving business.

 

[Sky1981]

Agreed on Lukaku. Personally I think Martial left, Sanchez right would be our strongest lineup. Either way, that's not what my point was about.

Somebody suggested Martial was asking for a guaranteed place in the team. My point is he's probably not asking for anything like that. He most likely just needs to feel that if he plays better than Sanchez he will have a chance of getting the position, ie genuine competition for places. Sanchez taking his place based on name alone and keeping it despite poor form would suggest this competition may not exist under Jose. In that scenario he'd be an idiot to stay.

I don't share your idea that Martial is greatly inferior to Sanchez and to play him or move Sanchez weakens the team. At least I've certainly seen nothing so far to suggest that's the case. Martial has been better than Sanchez all season. Sanchez needs to up his performances a lot before that idea stands up. I also see no reason why Sanchez can't play on the right. He's played brilliantly in the right for much of his career

I don't think Sanchez will occupy Martials' place.

He just happens to join in midseason while we have 2nd place to play for. Probably (and this is me guessing), jose just need to be ruthless since there's only half a season to go, and any proper head count and force restructure will be done after the season ends where proper assessment and repositioning will be smoothered out.

Martial needs to give it a few more months, after the season ends to see what Jose has in plan for him, if he doesn't like it then he's free to go. I hope everything will work out.

 

[Oyibo]

I hope he stays, but will probably go somewhere like Juventus for 60 Million, become an instant hit, score a load of goals, then be sold to Real Madrid for 150 Million ...

 

[SteveW]

I don't think Sanchez will occupy Martials' place.

He just happens to join in midseason while we have 2nd place to play for. Probably (and this is me guessing), jose just need to be ruthless since there's only half a season to go, and any proper head count and force restructure will be done after the season ends where proper assessment and repositioning will be smoothered out.

Martial needs to give it a few more months, after the season ends to see what Jose has in plan for him, if he doesn't like it then he's free to go. I hope everything will work out.

Hopefully you're right. I think he'd stay if he feels he has a fair chance of earning a place on merit. Otherwise he might as well be Sergio Romero and sit on the bench every week. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[Random Task]

Hopefully you're right. I think he'd stay if he feels he has a fair chance of earning a place on merit. Otherwise he might as well be Sergio Romero and sit on the bench every week. We'll have to wait and see.

I think Martial will get his chance tonight, whether he takes it or not is another matter. He's playing for his future at this point, hopefully he rises to the challenge.

There will be genuine cause for concern (if there isn't already) should Jose choose to omit him from the starting lineup tonight. With CL football secure, surely Jose will be looking to give the youngsters as much gametime as possible leading up to the FA Cup final.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

It was intresting that Jose moved Sanchez to the right in the last game and put Martial on the left. I don’t really get why there is this myth forming that Sanchez can’t play on the right when at Udinese he was brilliant there. He and Di Natalie were awesome to watch. At Barca if I recall he mostly played RW or striker with Messi being moved centrally maybe he did play LW at that period when Cesc was the striker. Haven’t really followed much of his Chile career so can’t comment on that but when you consider how Mata plays and how he is afforded the free role to basically go where ever he wants you would think Sanchez would love that.

To me our best forward line is Martial (lw) Lukaku(st) Sanchez (RW) just need fullbacks to provide that width because both of those guys are going to want to operate inside.
Also I’d say Pogba is rested or whatever I don’t see why we can’t play Martial and Lukaku up top with Sanchez inbehind them in that 352 formation. Sure it doesn’t get the best out of Pogba but it gives us options.

 

[SteveW]

It was intresting that Jose moved Sanchez to the right in the last game and put Martial on the left. I don’t really get why there is this myth forming that Sanchez can’t play on the right when at Udinese he was brilliant there. He and Di Natalie were awesome to watch. At Barca if I recall he mostly played RW or striker with Messi being moved centrally maybe he did play LW at that period when Cesc was the striker. Haven’t really followed much of his Chile career so can’t comment on that but when you consider how Mata plays and how he is afforded the free role to basically go where ever he wants you would think Sanchez would love that.

To me our best forward line is Martial (lw) Lukaku(st) Sanchez (RW) just need fullbacks to provide that width because both of those guys are going to want to operate inside.
Also I’d say Pogba is rested or whatever I don’t see why we can’t play Martial and Lukaku up top with Sanchez inbehind them in that 352 formation. Sure it doesn’t get the best out of Pogba but it gives us options.

He's played on the right heaps for Chile too. Completely agreed

The idea that Sanchez supposedly can't play on the right is really just being pushed by people trying to explain Jose's decisions.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

He's played on the right heaps for Chile too. Completely agreed

The idea that Sanchez supposedly can't play on the right is really just being pushed by people trying to explain Jose's decisions.

I think Sanchez prefers the left and considering he was bought in Jan, it only makes sense to play him where he feels most comfortable to try and get him up and running asap.

I don't think Mourinho will have any issues playing him on the right if Martial can show what a top talent he is and force Mourinho's arm.

 

[MP1711]

If this is the kind of thing Jose is seeing from him in training, then goodbye and good riddance.

 

[Toddler]

The sad thing is, he has been one the best today...

 

[Stretfordender]

Martial - get rid hopeless end of.

 

[Chiken138]

Bye Martial, sorry but this is unacceptable. When u are bad atleast show passion

 

[Donnie Brasco]

The sad thing is, he has been one the best today...

Of course he has. Even when he's shite he's never at fault and all the other are worse.

Hope's he leaves so we can add to our transfer budget we need to strenghten many areas of the team.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Like I’ve been saying for months,

overrated, nothing player

See ya later Tony.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Maybe I'll be wrong but I don't think he's a WC player in the making. He's a good player but I really wouldn't care if he chose to leave. I would prefer he stay.

 

[Seanus]

Get rid

 

[breakout67]

World class player in the making, and this is exactly what we'be been missing. You can see how much we've benefited from him in games like Brighton, Huddersfield and Newcastle.

white text

 

[El Zoido]

He’s so average it’s unreal. But yeah let’s cry about Jose being a big meanie.

 

[MiceOnMeth]

The feck.. he was our only threatening player today. Why isn't there calls for pogbas head when he was far worse? Ridiculous.

 

[maniwin]

Overrated , couldn't care less if we sold him.

 

[Ban]

Not Ballon Dor potential.

 

[dove]

Would add Rashford to the deal as well. One is clearly talented but lazy, another one not so much talent but has physical attributes. Neither of them contribute much to the team.

 

[Sayros]

The feck.. he was our only threatening player today. Why isn't there calls for pogbas head when he was far worse? Ridiculous.

Because it's easier to blame everything on Martial since he hasn't renewed his contract or is not running like a headless chicken the whole game.

 

[JohnnyKills]

The feck.. he was our only threatening player today. Why isn't there calls for pogbas head when he was far worse? Ridiculous.

Because people are desperate to defend Mourinho and bury their heads in the sand.

 

[Random Task]

The sad thing is, he has been one the best today...

He was completely ineffective, though. Yes he worked hard and he showed for the ball as much as possible, but his end product was non-existent.

 

[3KDré]

Because people are desperate to defend Mourinho and bury their heads in the sand.

 

[Festive Sandvich]

Martial - get rid hopeless end of.

Go home mate, you're drunk. Messi would've looked like Jordi Cruyff in that team tonight.

 

[2cents]

The feck.. he was our only threatening player today. Why isn't there calls for pogbas head when he was far worse? Ridiculous.

Pogba's getting plenty of criticism. They were both absolute shite.

 

[bdspeedy]

What percentage of times does he lose the ball trying to dink it past a defender? Must be 75 percent. I'd love to see him excel here but I'm not sure it's going to happen.

 

[MP1711]

He was completely inaffective, though. Yes he worked hard and he showed for the ball as much as possible, but his end product was non-existent.

64 games in the league in the last two years, eleven goals.

 

[breakout67]

The feck.. he was our only threatening player today. Why isn't there calls for pogbas head when he was far worse? Ridiculous.

This is a thread about Martial, go to Pogba's performance thread and he is getting slated as well.

This is Rooney all over again, has a cult following that tries to make him untouchable. The exact same thing happened when he was shite in a game.

'Not the right tactical setup'
'other players were worse'

The sad thing is that Rooney is our record goalscorer and earned that cult following. Martial is a nobody and has the same level of protection.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

And there we have it, that is why Sanchez and Lukaku start ahead of Martial and Rashford. Both are no where near good enough to be starting.

 

[JohnnyKills]

This is a thread about Martial, go to Pogba's performance thread and he is getting slated as well.

This is Rooney all over again, has a cult following that tries to make him untouchable. The exact same thing happened when he was shite in a game.

'Not the right tactical setup'
'other players were worse'

The sad thing is that Rooney is our record goalscorer and earned that cult following. Martial is a nobody and has the same level of protection.

People would say the same about the mourinho apologists mate...

 

[haram]

The flick he played for Mata centrally is where I think he is best. Just lacks something when out wide.

 

[Damien]

64 games in the league in the last two years, eleven goals.

13 in 55 (36 starts) according to transfermarkt

Edit: You're on about Rashford, right? This is the Martial thread. Your stats are right for Rashford - though now it is 65 games with 11 goals.

 

[JohnnyKills]

And there we have it, that is why Sanchez and Lukaku start ahead of Martial and Rashford. Both are no where near good enough to be starting.

So was Martial not good enough to be starting when he scored those goals in January?

Btw nowhere is one word. As is brainless.

 

[Gbenger]

The flick he played for Mata centrally is where I think he is best. Just lacks something when out wide.

What do you think about Rashford out wide? or even as CF?