Neither Rashford nor Martial are number nines like Kane. Does Ole want a centre forward if so why did he sell Lukaku? Martial seems a moody so and so but I’m sure he really wants to perform when he plays. He has had enough opportunity this season to impress but hasn’t so try someone else, one of the kids maybe.
Could have been that Lukaku wasn't suited for what Ole was after at that time? I remember Ole went through a phase of playing split strikers with Lingard almost as a false #9. If, at that time, Ole was thinking that was the way forward, he may have thought Lukaku didn't fit that role or Lukaku could've decided he didn't fit that role. Maybe Lukaku wasn't patient enough to see what his role would be once Ole was done trying different things?
He needs to be played on the left wing (rotated with Rashford) or not at all.
The only thing that's good about Martial wide left is he can dribble. However, he has looked pretty awful in that position all season. Unless he's getting ball to feet he's not an effective winger. He doesn't really get up and down the touchline, he doesn't put balls into the box, he isn't even really taking shots. He plays on the left like its a chore for him. He has it in his head that he's a centre forward.
IMO Martial has all the gifts of a centre forward. He's quick, he's strong, he has great close control, he's been a good finisher (even if his finishing has been dire lately). However, he seems to lack the nous/instincts to put it together. Martial's failings as a striker have nothing to do with talent. If he wanted to get more goals he could, just by copying the centre forward movement of other players. Honestly, if he just made more near post runs when the ball was wide he'd get more goals. However, he's so often switched off and only comes alive when the ball is played directly to him. Only he can remedy that.
Towards the tail end of last season he was scoring the scruffy ones, he was making himself a nuisance in the box and backing into defenders and spinning them. Now he's just ambling about. He'll be a good striker for someone if he just adds a bit of movement to his play in the box. Starting to think it won't be for us though.