Martial's partner gives birth and the resultant hell from two warring factions

[Hisha]

A left channel forward who is made to play with partnering forward like Lukaku or Rashford who are equally channel strikers.
Martial is better at playing a bit deeper with the ball at his feet to take on the direct central defenders. He has a decent ability to play quick intricate passes from CF to CF.

He struggles against a fullback due to his lack of career as a winger as well as his games becomes predictable highlighted by his inability to take his man on by the touch line - he can only cut inwards as a winger - not the case when he plays centrally leaving him plenty of space in between the central defenders as well as the space between the central defender & the fullbacks.

To get the best of martial play :

Martial - Lukaku

With martial playing a slightly bit deeper but to the left the same way that Lukaku is better playing off the right of the central defender.

None of our strikers are target men they are all channel strikers.


All his goals for United apart from one are two arise from him playing centrally around the diameter of the box. He is nothing like wingers like hazard or neymar who have the ability to be clinical or accurate with their goals & assists from out wide. Martial is just makeshift at LW.

Even the goals for Jose - whilst placed as a winger comes in positions which are more associated to a striker/CF.

What a load of crap!!!

Are you saying that a LW should score goals from his LW position only without coming to the striker territory? A LB, for ex: Marcelo scores handful of goals, and most of those goals are from striker/attacking positions. So, you want Marcelo to play in a striker/attacking position as his goals are from a Striker position? Almost all the goals are scored from the striker's territory even if they are scored by a defender, midfielder or a striker. What's the point you are making? I know that you are desperate to post crap here, especially to put Jose in negative light. Are you a United fan in real? I highly doubt it.

Re: Martial, if he is a best suited to be a striker or a winger is a different point though.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

What a load of crap!!!

Are you saying that a LW should score goals from his LW position only without coming to the striker territory? A LB, for ex: Marcelo scores handful of goals, and most of those goals are from striker/attacking positions. So, you want Marcelo to play in a striker/attacking position as his goals are from a Striker position? Almost all the goals are scored from the striker's territory even if they are scored by a defender, midfielder or a striker. What's the point you are making? I know that you are desperate to post crap here, especially to put Jose in negative light. Are you a United fan in real? I highly doubt it.

Re: Martial, if he is a best suited to be a striker or a winger is a different point though.

Dear oh dear - just answered your question.

Obviously Marcelo scores goals as a striker ( even though he does score goals to the left of the pitch in positions resembling Lam) - however that's not the point. Martial scores goals for us in positions that resembles a striker - watch that video - his goals comes in positions of a left channel forward an absolutely nothing as a wide winger.

If Martial is historically a striker then why are we playing him as a winger?
If Martial is scoring goals in positions that resemble a striker why are we not trying to get him to do more of that? - by guess what - playing him as a striker! That's where the fault is my friend - we are playing to martial's weaknesses by playing as some random incapable winger instead of playing as a striker which he seems to resemble much much more.

Even if you don't believe me there is difference from Marcelo scoring goals & turning him in to a striker in comparison to turning griezmann from a winger to a SS/CF isn't it? Oh dear

He has a strong ability to play within the box in comparison to playing outside of it. That is seen by his goals, assists & over all performances. As a winger he can barely put a cross in - so how can you regard him as a winger?

He is made to play as a winger purely for his ability to dribble & his bit of pace when taking a man on. That is the only strengths he has as a winger. Can't cross, can't take his man on on the outside, is good at dribbling but not particularly skillful to the level of neymar, hazard and so much more that do 5 or 6 step overs before crossing accurately etc..

Tell me why he is a winger? He struggles so much there.

If he is made to play as a winger yet most of his match winning decisions are coming from a central position why isn't he playing as a striker?

When he can assist lilke this:


In comparison to his 1 in 10 ratio of a good cross - why is Jose playing him there .

A player like Hazard has the ability to score goals & assist centrally as seen through the season when he played centrally but he is predominantly capable to do exactly that & much more as a wide midfielder - especially when it comes to initiating pure attacks & assists.

Martial is historically grown up as a striker who continues to score & be much more influential towards the centre of the pitch than out on the sides - he is absolutely abysmal out on the sides; so he should be played as a striker.

 

[Hisha]

Dear oh dear - just answered your question.

Obviously Marcelo scores goals as a striker ( even though he does score goals to the left of the pitch in positions resembling Lam) - however that's not the point. Martial scores goals for us in positions that resembles a striker - watch that video - his goals comes in positions of a left channel forward an absolutely nothing as a wide winger.

If Martial is historically a striker then why are we playing him as a winger?
If Martial is scoring goals in positions that resemble a striker why are we not trying to get him to do more of that? - by guess what - playing him as a striker! That's where the fault is my friend - we are playing to martial's weaknesses by playing as some random incapable winger instead of playing as a striker which he seems to resemble much much more.

Even if you don't believe me there is difference from Marcelo scoring goals & turning him in to a striker in comparison to turning griezmann from a winger to a SS/CF isn't it? Oh dear

He has a strong ability to play within the box in comparison to playing outside of it. That is seen by his goals, assists & over all performances. As a winger he can barely put a cross in - so how can you regard him as a winger?

He is made to play as a winger purely for his ability to dribble & his bit of pace when taking a man on. That is the only strengths he has as a winger. Can't cross, can't take his man on on the outside, is good at dribbling but not particularly skillful to the level of neymar, hazard and so much more that do 5 or 6 step overs before crossing accurately etc..

Tell me why he is a winger? He struggles so much there.

If he is made to play as a winger yet most of his match winning decisions are coming from a central position why isn't he playing as a striker?

When he can assist lilke this:


In comparison to his 1 in 10 ratio of a good cross - why is Jose playing him there .

A player like Hazard has the ability to score goals & assist centrally as seen through the season when he played centrally but he is predominantly capable to do exactly that & much more as a wide midfielder - especially when it comes to initiating pure attacks & assists.

Martial is historically grown up as a striker who continues to score & be much more influential towards the centre of the pitch than out on the sides - he is absolutely abysmal out on the sides; so he should be played as a striker.

 

[TwoSheds]

Strikers who don't make runs won't get games at Manchester United. Even 34 year old Ibra used to make clever runs and he was much more of a battering ram and more technical than Martial will ever be.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Even the goals for Jose - whilst placed as a winger comes in positions which are more associated to a striker/CF.

Don’t most goals come from positions associated with strikers, I.e in the box and 7/8 yards outside it?

 

[Smores]

Don’t most goals come from positions associated with strikers, I.e in the box and 7/8 yards outside it?

By his definition Giggs should have been a striker too then i guess

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Don’t most goals come from positions associated with strikers, I.e in the box and 7/8 yards outside it?

By his definition Giggs should have been a striker too then i guess

It's not that complicated. Whilst most goals come in the box - martial's strengths are in the box as a striker..

He has very accurate finishing with his right foot. Has the ability to take the central defenders on with quick, incisive moves that beat the defense rather than particularly skillful ones. Has the ability to take his man on both on the inside & the outside centrally. Has the ability to head the ball as a striker. Likes to come deep alot centrally to receive the ball & absolutely waste of the thing to do out wide. Has the ability to pass quickly as a CF in positions to enable others to enter play.
Not the best in the squad but has the ability to hold up the ball to a decent level as a supporting striker should be able to do (not a target man)

Now why is he a winger?

Can't cross, can't beat his man on the outside touchline & tends to drift inwards & is easy to read. Has pace & ability to dribble but not skillful can't undertake a couple step overs together. Spends too much time on the ball in comparison to a striker where he is much more instinctive. Does martial have the pure ability to initiate an attack for the team that someone lilke Giggs or hazard can do by beating a defender by enticing a defender in towards them? No martial's dribbling consistently forces the defence to tremble backwards instead which is much more problematic for central defenders than fullbacks on the wing.

Giggs was played as a winger because he was a better winger than a striker Smores. I was trying to show martial's goals and assists centrally at how quick & capable his finishing is - whilst how instinctive his overall play his. He is a striker & he is historically a striker except for Jose mourinho who only regards target men as strikers because of his poor tactical flexibility.

A winger needs a complete different level of skills & technique to a striker. What is happening to martial now is the same thing that would have happened to Henry if he continued to be a winger for Wenger after moving from Juventus. To many holes as a winger & much more capability to play as a striker.

Tell me Smores in detail -

Why in your eyes is Martial not a LF/CF and we are getting the best out of him as a LW who's main goal is to supply Lukaku the target man

Tell me. Why is martial benefiting from being a winger instead of a striker in partnership? Don't tell me about his inability to be a target man - target men are not the definition of a CF.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

I am so surprised he is still with Man Utd when he made it clear in the end of last season he wanted out. What's the point to keep an unhappy player? Next summer it will probably even hard to get 30M for him.

 

[ash_86]

Any idea if he's back to US yet?

 

[Raw]

Any idea if he's back to US yet?

Don't think so. Only have one more game in the US (Real Madrid tonight) so there's not much point.

 

[AR87]

I am so surprised he is still with Man Utd when he made it clear in the end of last season he wanted out. What's the point to keep an unhappy player? Next summer it will probably even hard to get 30M for him.

No it won't. Ox was sold for 35m with a year left on his deal.

 

[Craig Ward]

If we don't buy a RW then we should keep him and just keep playing him in on the right. I get the feeling if he just got a goal or two under his belt from that position he could make it his own.

The only problem is he'd have to play quite narrow with an overlapping right-back to get the best out of him from that position, but we haven't even bought said right-back.

I hate this logic.

Lets just play everyone out of position cos the club seem incapable of signing a RW.

Martial is frustrated at not getting opportunities at utd as a striker and as a LW. He was dropped for Sanchez and continued to be benches when Sanchez was in poor form and has been questioned by his own manager publicly. But forcing him to play wide right will suddenly make him happy and discover his best form? I don't see it personally, but we can all dream right.

Martial and Mourinho seem way off - Martial wants game time, Mourinho wants better commitment/work rate etc. It just is not working for the player under this manager. Its happened at plenty of clubs, countless times.

You cant force a player to be happy and content

 

[ash_86]

Don't think so. Only have one more game in the US (Real Madrid tonight) so there's not much point.

Ah okay, Didn't realize that.

 

[We need an rvn]

I am so surprised he is still with Man Utd when he made it clear in the end of last season he wanted out. What's the point to keep an unhappy player? Next summer it will probably even hard to get 30M for him.

Because I think he wants to be at United but not under Mourinho and maybe United don't want to make the same mistake that Chelsea did in selling De Bruijne and Salah under Mourinho. Don't want to jump on this negative vibe thing but maybe there are some worried board members who don't want to sell an asset with the potential he has given Mou's behaviour this summer

 

[acnumber9]

Because I think he wants to be at United but not under Mourinho and maybe United don't want to make the same mistake that Chelsea did in selling De Bruijne and Salah under Mourinho. Don't want to jump on this negative vibe thing but maybe there are some worried board members who don't want to sell an asset with the potential he has given Mou's behaviour this summer

They should then be worried about what happens if he decides he doesn’t like the next manager too.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

Because I think he wants to be at United but not under Mourinho and maybe United don't want to make the same mistake that Chelsea did in selling De Bruijne and Salah under Mourinho. Don't want to jump on this negative vibe thing but maybe there are some worried board members who don't want to sell an asset with the potential he has given Mou's behaviour this summer

Mou just signed a contract extension so he is going to stay. You can loan Martial out, hope he will get a good performance elsewhere, and then boost his resale value next summer. James was under similar situation under Zidane and Real Madrid loan him out to Bayern too.

 

[ash_86]

Mou just signed a contract extension so he is going to stay. You can loan Martial out, hope he will get a good performance elsewhere, and then boost his resale value next summer. James was under similar situation under Zidane and Real Madrid loan him out to Bayern too.

It's sad that we rarely do loan options for the players we want to keep. Plus he needs to sign a contract for that to happen

 

[Frank Grimes]

What's a fair price for Martial? I think we'd do well to get over 65m pounds from abroad. Obviously wouldn't sell below 80m to a PL club.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

They should then be worried about what happens if he decides he doesn’t like the next manager too.

No need as he hasn't struggled under previous managers. Only the manager with a habit of messing up players like this for clubs is Jose mourinho who has complained about the same habits for players he has re-bought a couple years later or are in the opposing title winning team!

Infact this forum was all together on the fact that one thing Jose should do upon signing here is to get the best out of martial & Rashford - the only positives about LVG tenure.

Alot of our fans would not hold on to martial if he struggled under a different manager that isn't Jose. If he struggles under someone else then it is pure obvious that the lad is not good enough. However struggling for Jose? Can't jump the gun on that - has consistently managed to restrict players capability on the pitch never mind his poor tactical ability to get the best out of some World class players at his disposal.

Just a couple more months or a season - then martial can go after anpther manager has had his turn okay? Not long to go!

 

[King_Cantona07]

I hate this logic.

Lets just play everyone out of position cos the club seem incapable of signing a RW.

Martial is frustrated at not getting opportunities at utd as a striker and as a LW. He was dropped for Sanchez and continued to be benches when Sanchez was in poor form and has been questioned by his own manager publicly. But forcing him to play wide right will suddenly make him happy and discover his best form? I don't see it personally, but we can all dream right.

Martial and Mourinho seem way off - Martial wants game time, Mourinho wants better commitment/work rate etc. It just is not working for the player under this manager. Its happened at plenty of clubs, countless times.

You cant force a player to be happy and content

He just not have the attitude. Mbappe played right wing for France which is not his natural preferred position. He did his best and helped the team win. I’m sure when in future number 9 position opens up for France he will get his chance there. That’s how things work. Martial is no ronaldo to say he will only play LW or ST positions

 

[acnumber9]

No need as he hasn't struggled under previous managers. Only the manager with a habit of messing up players like this for clubs is Jose mourinho who has complained about the same habits for players he has re-bought a couple years later or are in the opposing title winning team!

Infact this forum was all together on the fact that one thing Jose should do upon signing here is to get the best out of martial & Rashford - the only positives about LVG tenure.

Alot of our fans would not hold on to martial if he struggled under a different manager that isn't Jose. If he struggles under someone else then it is pure obvious that the lad is not good enough. However struggling for Jose? Can't jump the gun on that - has consistently managed to restrict players capability on the pitch never mind his poor tactical ability to get the best out of some World class players at his disposal.

Just a couple more months or a season - then martial can go after anpther manager has had his turn okay? Not long to go!

Except Didier Deschamps.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

He just not have the attitude. Mbappe played right wing for France which is not his natural preferred position. He did his best and helped the team win. I’m sure when I’m future number 9 position opens up for France he will get his chance there. That’s how things work. Martial is no ronaldo to say he will only play LW or ST positions

Mbappe is a left winger made to play RW after being apparently bought up to play as an AM.

Martial is a pure striker only who played LW only for Manchester United & no one else. So he was flexible enough to play LW from St - now after being replaced as a LW you want him to go to a RW too? He is playing positions he has no idea how to play. Atleast mbappe being a winger it's merely just switching sides.

You need to understand what you are saying before you type it. Mbappe and Martial are different players & have history/positional understanding of different roles.

So so many players would struggle if they played in different positions. Remember when Lukaku played as a RW for Jose? What about De bryune the RW? You can't just place players randomly & expect the best. Simply won't work. Already halving martial's impact by playing him at LW & now he needs to play at RW

What about Ribery? Fantastic on both sides but robben would not be as good playing on the LW as he does on the right. The same with Sanchez so why do people expect martial to do well when he was not even a winger 2 years ago!

Some of our legends alone would struggle playing on the opposite flank - football doesn't work like that.

@acnumber9 Deschamps didn't chose martial & lacazette for the world cup because he has too many striking options - especially when martial has been a terrible striking option for Jose mourinho. Why would he be chosen for France. Got absolutely nothing to do with his attitude & has everything to do with the fact that Martial is a rubbish LW for Manchester United but is forced to play there because Jose is unable to play football without target men.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metr...acazette-frances-world-cup-squad-7555557/amp/

 

[Art Vandelay]

What's a fair price for Martial? I think we'd do well to get over 65m pounds from abroad. Obviously wouldn't sell below 80m to a PL club.

Probably the same as Dortmund want for Pulisic, both young players with potential that have yet to prove themselves. The issue seems to be that no one is looking like they want him enough to pay it.

 

[Greck]

Mou just signed a contract extension so he is going to stay. You can loan Martial out, hope he will get a good performance elsewhere, and then boost his resale value next summer. James was under similar situation under Zidane and Real Madrid loan him out to Bayern too.

The higher ups obviously want to keep him. A lot of the stuff you see reported are Jose's stance on the player not necessarily the entire United hierarchy. Same for Pogba. Selling Pogba was likely never on the table. And Jose signed a contract extension for a grand total of one year. The board haven't fully committed to a long term future under him. If they do I can see Martial getting sold

 

[Abou7]

Any idea if he's back to US yet?

His girlfriend said on Instagram that she had some complications after giving birth and she thanked him for supporting her and the child. That may explain why he hasn't returned earlier..

 

[King_Cantona07]

Mbappe is a left winger made to play RW after being apparently bought up to play as an AM.

Martial is a pure striker only who played LW only for Manchester United & no one else. So he was flexible enough to play LW from St - now after being replaced as a LW you want him to go to a RW too? He is playing positions he has no idea how to play. Atleast mbappe being a winger it's merely just switching sides.

You need to understand what you are saying before you type it. Mbappe and Martial are different players & have history/positional understanding of different roles.

So so many players would struggle if they played in different positions. Remember when Lukaku played as a RW for Jose? What about De bryune the RW? You can't just place players randomly & expect the best. Simply won't work. Already halving martial's impact by playing him at LW & now he needs to play at RW

What about Ribery? Fantastic on both sides but robben would not be as good playing on the LW as he does on the right. The same with Sanchez so why do people expect martial to do well when he was not even a winger 2 years ago!

Some of our legends alone would struggle playing on the opposite flank - football doesn't work like that.

@acnumber9 Deschamps didn't chose martial & lacazette for the world cup because he has too many striking options - especially when martial has been a terrible striking option for Jose mourinho. Why would he be chosen for France. Got absolutely nothing to do with his attitude & has everything to do with the fact that Martial is a rubbish LW for Manchester United but is forced to play there because Jose is unable to play football without target men.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metr...acazette-frances-world-cup-squad-7555557/amp/

Just contradicted your own words stating martial is a pure striker ( which he is not according to me, doesnt carry many required skills for a striker ) and then following up with Deschamps didnt select because he was a terrible option as a striker for United under Jose.

Martial has played up front for united and never showed so called pure striker capabilities. He is at best when playing left forward and no other position which is why he gets pushed out when a player who fits more into team tactics is keeping him out at LW. He wont start at any big team LW position either until he fixes his running off the ball.

 

[ZlatMan]

What's a fair price for Martial? I think we'd do well to get over 65m pounds from abroad. Obviously wouldn't sell below 80m to a PL club.

Do you think a club like Bayern or PSG are going to pay 65m pounds with that attitude of his? Martial is immensely talented and can easily fetch us 90m pounds but right now he is disappearing on and off the pitch and that's no good for us. What Martial should right now is roll his socks up and set his mind strictly on football. If he can do that, we got ourselves a potential Man Utd great.

 

[acnumber9]

Deschamps didn't chose martial & lacazette for the world cup because he has too many striking options - especially when martial has been a terrible striking option for Jose mourinho. Why would he be chosen for France. Got absolutely nothing to do with his attitude & has everything to do with the fact that Martial is a rubbish LW for Manchester United but is forced to play there because Jose is unable to play football without target men.

Too many striking options? He had one striker in his squad. At best two if you’re counting Griezzman. He had a striker without a shot on target in the tournament start 6 games. The squad was filled with midfielders and wide players.

 

[We need an rvn]

They should then be worried about what happens if he decides he doesn’t like the next manager too.

Oh very true but I have not seen a manager be this negative in pre-season for a long time (eg. quotes from the press from him from questions they ask and nothing what we know goes on backstage) and thus I think the next manager we get, if we do get one for that matter, won't be as harsh on his players than Mourinho has been. Martial seems to be like he's have been amazing under Fergie who had a better instinct in wrapping his arms around players who need it more than Mou does.

Martial just seems that player to me who needs to be loved by his manager to perform, not publicly slated. But I also know that this approach would fire up a Beckham or Keane if a manager were to do that as Keane would have knocked out someone for wrapping an arm around him and giving him a soft talk.

 

[JPRouve]

Too many striking options? He had one striker in his squad. At best two if you’re counting Griezzman. He had a striker without a shot on target in the tournament start 6 games. The squad was filled with midfielders and wide players.

He had three strikers, Griezmann, Giroud and Mbappé. The problem with Lacazette and Martial is that they don't fit with Deschamps's tactic and on Lacazette there is an attitude problem but no one gave any details about it.

 

[spiriticon]

I am so surprised he is still with Man Utd when he made it clear in the end of last season he wanted out. What's the point to keep an unhappy player? Next summer it will probably even hard to get 30M for him.

I'm sure if we received the right offer he will be sold in a flash. The problem is actually receiving an offer.

 

[acnumber9]

He had three strikers, Griezmann, Giroud and Mbappé. The problem with Lacazette and Martial is that they don't fit with Deschamps's tactic and on Lacazette there is an attitude problem but no one gave any details about it.

And two of them spent the majority of the tournament out wide. I’d say lack of striking option given Mbappe and Griezmann weren’t playing up front was just about France’s only weakness in the tournament.

 

[acnumber9]

Oh very true but I have not seen a manager be this negative in pre-season for a long time (eg. quotes from the press from him from questions they ask and nothing what we know goes on backstage) and thus I think the next manager we get, if we do get one for that matter, won't be as harsh on his players than Mourinho has been. Martial seems to be like he's have been amazing under Fergie who had a better instinct in wrapping his arms around players who need it more than Mou does.

Martial just seems that player to me who needs to be loved by his manager to perform, not publicly slated. But I also know that this approach would fire up a Beckham or Keane if a manager were to do that as Keane would have knocked out someone for wrapping an arm around him and giving him a soft talk.

Well he was a better manager in just about every area so he may well have got he beat out of Martial. I’m not sure he’d have put up with sulking about squad numbers or not reporting for training when asked though. The questions is whether he’d have behaved that way under Alex Ferguson and we’ll never know the answer to that. Alex Ferguson for all his skills at developing players wasn’t one for putting up with players not giving their all. He got rid of Paul Ince and David Beckham at the drop of a hat when they got too big for their boots and they had accomplished a lot more than Martial has.

 

[We need an rvn]

Well he was a better manager in just about every area so he may well have got he beat out of Martial. I’m not sure he’d have put up with sulking about squad numbers or not reporting for training when asked though. The questions is whether he’d have behaved that way under Alex Ferguson and we’ll never know the answer to that. Alex Ferguson for all his skills at developing players wasn’t one for putting up with players not giving their all. He got rid of Paul Ince and David Beckham at the drop of a hat when they got too big for their boots and they had accomplished a lot more than Martial has.

again I really do agree 100% with the part in bold. I honestly feel like Martial needs a different manager than Jose to get the best out of him, as did Salah and De Bruijne - not give up so early on them as well. Not putting aside the players he upset at Real. Inter he did well as I don't think they expected to achieve what they did with him and the players he got in he lucked out on in that they adored him.

I think he's a great manager but I just think he treats players like the 3 just mentioned too harshly when they just need a bit more. But as always this is just what we see in public and not what happens behind the scenes. For all we know Jose is having weekly chats with Martial and a sports psychologist to help him

 

[ash_86]

His girlfriend said on Instagram that she had some complications after giving birth and she thanked him for supporting her and the child. That may explain why he hasn't returned earlier..

Thanks.

 

[JPRouve]

And two of them spent the majority of the tournament out wide. I’d say lack of striking option given Mbappe and Griezmann weren’t playing up front was just about France’s only weakness in the tournament.

If Coman was fit things would have been probably different or if Dembélé wasn't defensively hopeless, also the WC was the worst stretch of games played by Giroud he has been a lot better for France. But concerning Martial, among the competent widemen he is probably the worst player in terms of talent and fit. It's not a criticism of United or Mourinho but the only way to play for France would be for him to have momentum and play week in week out at club level, at this point he isn't special enough for France. If that makes sense.

 

[acnumber9]

If Coman was fit things would have been probably different or if Dembélé wasn't defensively hopeless, also the WC was the worst stretch of games played by Giroud he has been a lot better for France. But concerning Martial, among the competent widemen he is probably the worst player in terms of talent and fit. It's not a criticism of United or Mourinho but the only way to play for France would be for him to have momentum and play week in week out at club level, at this point he isn't special enough for France. If that makes sense.

Yeah it does. France have a lot of talent and not getting picked doesn’t make somebody a bad player. I just think the lack of a great striker is the only reason there was any doubt over France. Anytime I’ve seen Griezzman as the lone striker he’s looked uncomfortable. Mbappe should have all the attributes to be a great striker though.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

Too many striking options? He had one striker in his squad. At best two if you’re counting Griezzman. He had a striker without a shot on target in the tournament start 6 games. The squad was filled with midfielders and wide players.

The earlier people realize Giroud is a key element of how Deschamps wants the France NT to play the better.

 

[acnumber9]

The earlier people realize Giroud is a key element of how Deschamps wants the France NT to play the better.

He may very well be. Doesn’t mean a striker who is actually a great player wouldn’t make them much better.

 

[Sayros]

Too many striking options? He had one striker in his squad. At best two if you’re counting Griezzman. He had a striker without a shot on target in the tournament start 6 games. The squad was filled with midfielders and wide players.

We had one target man in the squad. The problem is Martial, even if he tore up the league all last season, simply doesn't fit with Deschamps' tactics. France needed a guy like Giroud to be a target man that can bring the ball down from the air while holding off defenders, there's not many players outside of Pogba and our defenders who can even do that on the national team consistently. Martial not being a part of the team doesn't have much to do with Mourinho or the player himself, it just wasn't going to work because the team needed a target man for Deschamps' tactics.