[PlayerOne]

He was good in the first half, the pass to Lukaku was excellent. Not good in the second-half though.

I hope Mou sticks with him though, he seems to link-up well with Lukaku and they have a good understanding of each other, hopefully that grows more. Liked the role he was given today, it does need some work but hopefully he gets playing time there to improve. Could be excellent linking-up with Sanchez and Lukaku

 

[pocco]

He badly needs to inject some desire and determination into his game. He'd be a much better player for it. Such a talented player but he lacks intensity at times.

 

[Return of the Manc]

We signed depay & martial the same season - one was a left winger & the other one is not. Why do people expect him to be this naturally gifted winger?
Do people remember him wearing the number 9 shirt at all, or is it just me? He is a striker & was bought to be one.

Martial doesn't have the killer instinct a top class striker usually has, the sense of a poacher who position himself in the right spot to receive the ball and score every time. He's best suited for the left forward position, allowing him to isolate the back and go 1v1 with him so that he can use his dribbling to create havoc and score. Every part of his style says that is his best position.

• What makes you think he doesn't have the killer instinct to be a striker exactly? He did this at the start of his united career very well- at a time where the team overall was much worse off. This poacher thing is not right in my opinion- the centre forward who plays for Liverpool for example is not a poacher CF; he is someone who plays in-between two wider forwards - there simply not one type of centre forward & there is Support strikers, on the ball strikers, on the shoulder strikers. Martial has plenty ability to do many of them but not the ibrahimovic, lukaku, morata & Giroud type striker that our manager prefers.
• His dribbling skills have been mistaken by fans here as someone who is supposed to isolate fullbacks, cut in and shoot. If you actually watch the way he runs with the ball; he does not dribble like wingers do - he prefers to drift with the ball- he plays like that because he is used to taking on central defenders not fullbacks. Wingers have the ability to dribble and take their man on skillfully both on the inside and the outside as well as provide a cross, pass or a shot. Martial's natural game is more to drop to one side of his shoulder & to directly take on one of the CB's to try and find himself in space by enticing the CB to take him on as he drifts in - this would then allow him to either be one on one with the goalkeeper or find him in open space to make a opening pass.
• The same thing has happened with Rashford; who is lucky to have broken through as a ST during LVG's final games rather than a RW or a LW - otherwise Jose would have utilised him soley as a LW or RW purely for his ability to take on fullbacks with pace & to isolate the full back to play cross or take a shot when cutting in. Martial being more than average as a LW has made people angry that he is an average LW.

 

[Freak]

He regressed as the game went on.

 

[BigCaine]

Yes you’re correct, I do have a problem and that’s watching the inconsistency from this lad on a game by game basis, seriously lacks the fight and mentality to be a united player. If he’s not on it he may as well not be on the pitch..

So our 2nd highest scorer and 2nd highest assists maker is inconsistent and thus needs to be sold, what does that make the others who have clearly been outperformed by him this season? Should everyone else be sold too? Because this inconsistent mental midget who lacks any fight is clearly out performing most of them.

 

[VeevaVee]

I see Martial FC have moved from demanding he be played on the left to now needing to be played up front when he disappoints on the left.

 

[RedCurry]

This game aside, where he obviously didn’t play well, this is his best position. Left forward where he can cause menace centrally and drift wide. Too bad the formation had no width and we can’t really play it against smaller teams.

 

[King.of.Red]

Beside his assist for Lukaku, he was bad. Well, I only can wish the best for him. He has great potential to be superstar in United, it's up to him.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Superb assist, but it almost feels like he doesn't really know what he is doing on the flank. Really stop start and hesitant and often unable to trust his team-mates to cover him and get on his bike into threatening positions. It is strange! But we will continue to back his talent.

 

[el3mel]

We signed depay & martial the same season - one was a left winger & the other one is not. Why do people expect him to be this naturally gifted winger?
Do people remember him wearing the number 9 shirt at all, or is it just me? He is a striker & was bought to be one.

• What makes you think he doesn't have the killer instinct to be a striker exactly? He did this at the start of his united career very well- at a time where the team overall was much worse off. This poacher thing is not right in my opinion- the centre forward who plays for Liverpool for example is not a poacher CF; he is someone who plays in-between two wider forwards - there simply not one type of centre forward & there is Support strikers, on the ball strikers, on the shoulder strikers. Martial has plenty ability to do many of them but not the ibrahimovic, lukaku, morata & Giroud type striker that our manager prefers.
• His dribbling skills have been mistaken by fans here as someone who is supposed to isolate fullbacks, cut in and shoot. If you actually watch the way he runs with the ball; he does not dribble like wingers do - he prefers to drift with the ball- he plays like that because he is used to taking on central defenders not fullbacks. Wingers have the ability to dribble and take their man on skillfully both on the inside and the outside as well as provide a cross, pass or a shot. Martial's natural game is more to drop to one side of his shoulder & to directly take on one of the CB's to try and find himself in space by enticing the CB to take him on as he drifts in - this would then allow him to either be one on one with the goalkeeper or find him in open space to make a opening pass.
• The same thing has happened with Rashford; who is lucky to have broken through as a ST during LVG's final games rather than a RW or a LW - otherwise Jose would have utilised him soley as a LW or RW purely for his ability to take on fullbacks with pace & to isolate the full back to play cross or take a shot when cutting in. Martial being more than average as a LW has made people angry that he is an average LW.

Every time I have seen him as a striker I didn't see a poacher sense or a killer instinct that any striker has. That doesn't mean he won't score goals in this goal. He's capable of scoring great goals, like Everton one, but won't be scoring consistently week in week out like players like Kane or Aguero. He will need the wingers he's playing with to be extremely productive in their goals number to play in this role the whole season. If you're mentioning Ferminio, he's not their top scorer, and his numbers aren't comparable to the likes of Aguero and Kane.

Argument about Martial being striker not left forward will always remain even when I'm pretty sure he'll spend most of his career there because it suits him better than any other position. Most of his success here has been in this position. He's not a left winger as you are mentioning,I don't disagree on this, as he's not someone to hug the line. I said he's a left forward and there's difference between LW and LF. LF always tends to be more central and always cutting inside rather than staying on the touchline and this the best Martial's qualities.

 

[Smores]

I see Martial FC have moved from demanding he be played on the left to now needing to be played up front when he disappoints on the left.

Pretty much which is hillarious, so quick to make excuses for him that they won't just accept he's inconsistent and needs time to mature. He's a left wide forward he's just not perfected his game yet, it'll come with time hopefully.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I see Martial FC have moved from demanding he be played on the left to now needing to be played up front when he disappoints on the left.

 

[KM]

It's worth pointing out that in the match against Chelsea, it was Sanchez's attacking prowess which was sacrificed and Martial was given relatively a free role. I think in first half, he did a very good job and was our best player but his second half cameo(as he played about 20 mins) was pathetic.

 

[roonster09]

He didn't have a good game but made a good impact which led to the equaliser. This season his end product has improved so even when not playing well, at least he is making some good impact. Hopefully we see more consistent Martial. He also set up very good chance for Sanchez. When he takes on defenders, he creates so much in the box, either chance or some confusion for everyone.

It was good decision to sub him out as Lingard added lot of energy and movement to the side.

 

[Thisistheone]

God he was bad yesterday. Alright first half but utterly useless 2nd half.

Him casually walking off when subbed was annoying as well. We were drawing in a big game. Get a move on. Don't know whats wrong with him sometimes.

 

[Return of the Manc]

I see Martial FC have moved from demanding he be played on the left to now needing to be played up front when he disappoints on the left.

Pretty much which is hillarious, so quick to make excuses for him that they won't just accept he's inconsistent and needs time to mature. He's a left wide forward he's just not perfected his game yet, it'll come with time hopefully.

Similar things were said about Jesse Lingard when everyone was complaining about his performances out on the left and right wing. A couple of supporters who could see his strengths were saying his strengths were playing centrally in the pocket behind the striker.

That happens more this season than ever before and suddenly he is Messe Lingod? To top it off Jose is supposed to get some significant credit by playing a player in their natural best position. It's easy to see where martial should be playing- a CF or a LF; not a LW. You look at the goal he set up for Lukaku, that is where he should be playing; not trying to beat fullbacks & trying to cross the ball in to Lukaku. You look at his history as a professional footballer; it is easy to say the same.

He was shifted their to accommodate Depay's lack of form & Rashford's rise to the first team- not because he is some natural LW. I don't think Jose see's technical players like Martial as strikers and prefers his Bulky Gym-going FC; probably why he was so quick to destroy any sort of form martial was gathering as a makeshift left winger and gave it over to our new bodybuilder Sanchez. Jose's FC is very Strong physically but very weak tactically.

 

[charlenefan]

God he was bad yesterday. Alright first half but utterly useless 2nd half.

Him casually walking off when subbed was annoying as well. We were drawing in a big game. Get a move on. Don't know whats wrong with him sometimes.

I took it that he was just disappointed he was going off, as were I at the time as I felt Sanchez should have been the one to be brought off

 

[haram]

Just dont think he has the desire to really improve his work rate and movement off the ball. With someone like Lukaku I can see how badly he wants it.

 

[Ole90+3]

Doesn't run enough.

 

[Varun]

Doesn't run enough.

Naah, its more about not knowing how to make runs off the ball. He's more than happy to drive forward with the ball, it's without the ball that's the problem. Always moves towards the guy on the ball wanting it on his feet than making runs into space. Needs coaching.

 

[Raees]

Don't buy the poor passer argument, he's a good crosser of the ball and is usually really good at link up play and threading balls whilst on the run. His problem is inconsistency and when he's not fully focused, or looking lethargic.. then suddenly he starts running into players, hitting passes into players. It is a lack of focus problem.

When he has a sustained run, he wasn't mishitting passes left right and centre.. but it is definitely something he needs to tighten up, and not get sloppy.

 

[Thisistheone]

I took it that he was just disappointed he was going off, as were I at the time as I felt Sanchez should have been the one to be brought off

Possibly, and maybe it was just the heat of the moment but it annoyed me. I thought part of the crowd became annoyed as well? It seemed like bad attitutde at the time.

Anyway, he's a young player. Need to remind myself that sometimes because he's very frustrating to watch.

Sanchez was also poor, agree.

 

[Smores]

Similar things were said about Jesse Lingard when everyone was complaining about his performances out on the left and right wing. A couple of supporters who could see his strengths were saying his strengths were playing centrally in the pocket behind the striker.

That happens more this season than ever before and suddenly he is Messe Lingod? To top it off Jose is supposed to get some significant credit by playing a player in their natural best position. It's easy to see where martial should be playing- a CF or a LF; not a LW. You look at the goal he set up for Lukaku, that is where he should be playing; not trying to beat fullbacks & trying to cross the ball in to Lukaku. You look at his history as a professional footballer; it is easy to say the same.

He was shifted their to accommodate Depay's lack of form & Rashford's rise to the first team- not because he is some natural LW. I don't think Jose see's technical players like Martial as strikers and prefers his Bulky Gym-going FC; probably why he was so quick to destroy any sort of form martial was gathering as a makeshift left winger and gave it over to our new bodybuilder Sanchez. Jose's FC is very Strong physically but very weak tactically.

Lingard had a lot of previous playing as the second striker, he did it very succesfully at Brighton for instance and even for us at times before Jose joined. Him being played wide was forcing him into a position he had never had great succes in.

Martial has not shown any consistent ability as a striker. If he was playing their for France and being succesful then yeah sure.

Clearly his suitability as a CF is a matter of opinion but i fail to see how someone with such poor movement off the ball is capable of playing there for us. As a rotation option maybe but thats it.

 

[Parma Dewol]

I'm a Martial fan - he's my favourite United player - but he seemed to really struggle yesterday. Couldn't get involved often enough and the game seemed to pass him by. Yet, despite that, he created a golden opportunity for Sanchez (who should really have scored) and then got a very good assist for the all-important equaliser. Even on a bad day he can impact proceedings.

Would just like to see more desire and workrate - if he applied himself like Lingard, he could become a real force.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Wow this is an agenda ridden thread.

 

[diplomat]

Martial is not the only one lacking intensity in our games. I think he will thrive when played consistently and when the team becomes better at opening up spaces by playing quick one-twos and being faster on the transitions. The only one releasing the ball quick enough is Sanchez and as soon as it happened vs Chelsea, Martial was getting behind Moses and Azpilicueta with ease.

Martial is a deceptive player and a lot of his qualities get neglected due to his style and appearance on the field. Him and the whole team will be transformed if we played with intensity. Our best attacking players are absolutely rapid, we need to start utilising this a lot more in the future.

 

[OldTrevil]

So our 2nd highest scorer and 2nd highest assists maker is inconsistent and thus needs to be sold, what does that make the others who have clearly been outperformed by him this season? Should everyone else be sold too? Because this inconsistent mental midget who lacks any fight is clearly out performing most of them.

Well put.
There is fair constructive criticism and then the OTT criticism littered all over this thread that makes you wonder whether it's the same Martial people are watching. Good thing there is an ignore button.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

To be fair to him and some extent also players like Rashford and McTominay, its much easier to deal situations when the action is involving you but what to do when you aren't directly involved requires a lot of intelligence and experience. I think that is why successive managers LvG and Jose love Lingard even if fans see his on-ball abilities to be sub-par. He has the intelligence and maturity to affect games even when not directly involved.

 

[haram]

To be fair to him and some extent also players like Rashford and McTominay, its much easier to deal situations when the action is involving you but what to do when you aren't directly involved requires a lot of intelligence and experience. I think that is why successive managers LvG and Jose love Lingard even if fans see his on-ball abilities to be sub-par. He has the intelligence and maturity to affect games even when not directly involved.

Lingard's movement and runs off the ball paired with his work rate is amazing.

 

[VanGaalEra]

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[Return of the Manc]

Lingard had a lot of previous playing as the second striker, he did it very succesfully at Brighton for instance and even for us at times before Jose joined. Him being played wide was forcing him into a position he had never had great succes in.

Martial has not shown any consistent ability as a striker. If he was playing their for France and being succesful then yeah sure.

Clearly his suitability as a CF is a matter of opinion but i fail to see how someone with such poor movement off the ball is capable of playing there for us. As a rotation option maybe but thats it.

And Martial hasn't had good performances as a striker? This is where he started for us at United & he did considerably well (never mind lingard & brighton); especially considering his age. He was also good for both Lyon & Monaco in the same position. You consider him starting at a number 9 and taking his number taken by Jose & Ibrahimovic- is Jose the only right manager? No. Jose has deemed Martial to be firstly a rubbish CF; with a a complete lack of proof & now a rubbish LW too because he got Sanchez - Martial is being shifted because the player is simply not Joses style; that doesn't make this Martial FC - it just simply does not make it Jose FC. He prefers the 24 year old Lukaku- who needs the whole team and to be a central figure to get the best out of him & even then only for a couple minutes a half at max. What Lingard did with brighton has minimal input to Jose suddenly using him at CAM; that is the type of blind support of Jose we fans see; that some fans think we show towards Martial. It's not Martial FC; Unfortunately- it is Jose's bodybuilding FC & luckily it is not United's style & luckily for martial - Jose is looking weaker and weaker tactically every week.

You look at the goal yesterday- It looked like this

Martial- Lukaku
Sanchez

Why is it so hard to play like this? Play him as a centre forward slightly leaning towards the left hand side. He showed he can assist yesterday am i wrong? Guess what? If we play say something like the 352 - lingard, Rashford, Lukaku, Martial, Sanchez can rotate around an organised 2 striker and one withdrawn striker/CAM role.

Jose is tactically poor to get the best out of someone like martial. Highlighting this is not Martial FC; it is more fans being an anti- Jose FC. Scraping through an average Chelsea team this season doesn't cover our tactics with glory & suddenly everything is rosey. Jose is a historically a very short term manager unable to think about getting the best out of certain players in the long term.

• He blocked Martial's & Rashford's chance of playing as strikers & strikers together by buying and making Ibrahimovic the 34 year old main man
• Now blocked Martial's & Rashford by buying Lukaku aswell as being very stubborn with a 4231 or a 433 where martial & rashford are wingers; not forwards
• Mkhitarayan who was also in his prime/older and got completely outshone by Lingard the CAM which happened due to Mkhitarayan being rubbish - not because Jose was some wonderful manager who has the intention to get the best out of Lingard
• The younger players like Tuenzebe & TFM have been blocked significantly by a complete pointless CB purchase who is overrated as being a ball playing CB & a good performance from him is when he still makes 2 mistakes per game.

Being happy with this is indicative for support of Jose- which is clear to see as every week goes & bears minimal support towards Manchester United due to his ever apparent weaknesses. Jose has unfortunately been a waste of time & the fans who were excited for his arrival are ultimately scraping for some sort of success story.

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

DOn't think he progressed much from his first season here and it's simply down to his attitude, he's just not hungry enough. So I would take Lingard/Rashford over him now easily. Also would like to note that dribbling and overall technical ability on the ball is only a small part of a player if he cannot match it with hard work don't think he will be ever good enough to start for us

 

[Mr PG]

Martial is tired and performances have tailed off just like every other young player..Rashford, Asensio, Pogba etc. But he could do with more effort. Might be the kind of player to require performance related bonuses.

 

[snk123]

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It is not a good assist - nothing special

white text

 

[VanGaalEra]

It is not a good assist - nothing special

white text

Nice celebration too

 

[Womp]

Similar things were said about Jesse Lingard when everyone was complaining about his performances out on the left and right wing. A couple of supporters who could see his strengths were saying his strengths were playing centrally in the pocket behind the striker.

That happens more this season than ever before and suddenly he is Messe Lingod? To top it off Jose is supposed to get some significant credit by playing a player in their natural best position. It's easy to see where martial should be playing- a CF or a LF; not a LW. You look at the goal he set up for Lukaku, that is where he should be playing; not trying to beat fullbacks & trying to cross the ball in to Lukaku. You look at his history as a professional footballer; it is easy to say the same.

He was shifted their to accommodate Depay's lack of form & Rashford's rise to the first team- not because he is some natural LW. I don't think Jose see's technical players like Martial as strikers and prefers his Bulky Gym-going FC; probably why he was so quick to destroy any sort of form martial was gathering as a makeshift left winger and gave it over to our new bodybuilder Sanchez. Jose's FC is very Strong physically but very weak tactically.

I genuinely laughed out loud at this, thanks.

 

[nutmegrush]

Needs to take a leaf out of Lingards book to realise dribbling past the fullback or cutting inside to shoot aren't the only routes onto goal. I'd like to see him make more incisive runs into space and increase his presence in the box. Although, I'm sure that's as much about his instructions and teammates perceptions of his strengths (they always send balls into an alley for him to chase).

 

[Greek9]

Need Rashford back, at least his workrate will be usefull as well as his pace and passion he shows on the pitch, i'd say have Martial only as a supersub at least for this season, it works more often than not. I can't remember how many times he lost the ball yesterday, must have been so many!!

 

[Adnan]

He's a player with obvious qualities and some people should watch this video to see what the player is capable of when he's on his game. He's a fantastic player with very high technical qualities and only 22.

 

[RedStarUnited]

He's a player with obvious qualities and some people should watch this video to see what the player is capable of when he's on his game. He's a fantastic player with very high technical qualities and only 22.

Was in Wembley for this game, Martial was unplayable that day. It was fitting that he got the last minute winner.

Lukaku in the same game could have killed us, but he had a mare in front of goal.