9
I don't think it's effort, he just seems to lack the sheer hunger for a goal that the best strikers and good poachers and target men have. Really should be in a front 2, but few play that way anymore.
Interesting stat. It just goes to show what having an actual focal point in attack can do for the team. We really need him to stay fit.
Don’t think he needs slack, he’s been good this season when he’s played.
Yea, I agree. Him and Rashford has been two lights up front in a season where the defence and midfield are the most improved parts of the team so far.
I'd have to disagree. I think we as a team are much better with him as the 9 as compared to with Rashford in that postition. Martial is much better at holding up play and bringing others into play as a 9. And from the left Rashford is much freer to run in behind. Martial ain't perfect, but for what we are going for I think they are playing in the correct positions.
But that’s the point. Theoretically he is better than Marcus in the 9 spot, but he keeps drifting left and then he and Marcus are falling over each other almost. He has to be better disciplined positionally was my point or we are effectively playing without a striker at all.
This is a terrible take. He plays how ETH wants him to play which is also to drop deep and connect the play. Also where is he an Rashford getting into each others ways? It's a fluid front line so from time to time you'll find Martial drifting left while Rahford roam centrally. It's supposed to be like that.
Martial isn't old, he's 27! By his age profile alone, he should have several years before seeing any sort of physical decline. At his age you would expect him to be pretty close to his peak.
Anthony too. He was admittedly shit by any possible metric but it definitely doesn’t help him that when he cuts inside to cross he hardly ever has a conventional number 9 to pick out with a cross.
Definitely. When you watch the highlights of Antony from Ajax, plenty of assists from the inside-out cross to a striker. Played a beaut yesterday. Of course our strikers were awol. One of Antony's best skills is creating that yard from the right and whipping it in towards the back post. But given Rashford doesn't make that run from the left and Martial wants it at feet, tis definitely useless. A Haaland-type would love it though.
He has several muscle injuries and hamstrings.
I'm a bit confused. You said it'd be better to play Martial left and Rashford centrally, I said I thought the opposite was better and now you say that's the point? But I might've misconstrued your original post.
Sorry but I think this is a bit of a weird criticism, if anything I think Bruno enjoys playing with him as when Martial drops deep, Bruno can run in behind. They’ve always seemed to enjoy playing together and Martial even mentioned it in an interview recently:
I'll give this to you, you lots are relentless. I kind of admire that never give up attitude.
It’s literally not “as good as it gets” though considering he’s already scored more than that before in his career.
And he hasn’t had this many consistent injuries before in his career. Many players have had high scoring seasons and never gone on to better them, Martial will be one of those players. The past is no measure for future achievements.
I've barely commented on Martial this season. You're 4th highest in this thread? If there's one of us that's relentless.I'll give this to you, you lots are relentless. I kind of admire that never give up attitude.
Also how could you tell someone was sweating or not from that rain that was puting yesterday?
And any professional player looking out of breath after 60 minutes should be cause for concern.
It was a tame effort and a goalkeeper mistake.
again - one of the criticisms in 19/20 was that he doesn't score ugly goals. well, here it is - ugly goal! movement! even the goal against city was a rebound tap-in header. the goal against villa was a tap-in after a run.
This is clearly agenda posting. What about his form under Ten Hag justifies this type of post? He has played well under ETH so far, and while he wasn't spectacular last game, he was still decent enough and still contributed to us winning.
You've quickly gone to the agenda argument. You can do better.
No we judge players with how they fair with the regime/coach they are playing for. This place was all up in arms in favor of getting rid of Dalot yet here we are with him blossoming under Ten Hag. Same could be said about Rashford and I could go on. The point is Martial has looked good under Ten Hag and should be judged based on his performances under him.
That is 3 years from 30 in fairness.The usual tripe that Martial isnt a 9 is trying to gain foothold again, mixed in with predictions that he's past it at 27
Even if I went along with this new criteria of only judging a player on his last few games, I still couldn't see Martial as the long term solution.
