[charlenefan]

Need him back for the Liverpool game but it ain't looking great

 

[VeevaVee]

Well he’s not Mbappe quality yet. We really need him back though.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

He will never be an elite player unless he gets a manager like Pep . I have not seen another attacker like him who never ever makes an off the ball run . Just see all the goals city score from cutbacks and Martial just stands next to the line hoping to get the ball and go one on one Vs the defender . Manager after manager just can't seem to change him . He is a good player but way off the top

 

[Amar__]

He was shocking in the first half, I have no idea what that was. Still has too many Rooney moments, I cannot understand how he can't catch couple of very good games in a row. It's always mixed games for him, after good games he is usually disappointing, then he has another good game followed by poor/average. I reckon he has maximum two or three good games in a row before disappinting performance where he looks like he is literally sleeping on the pitch.

 

[Frank Grimes]

He was dreadful even before he got injured. didn't touch the ball for the first 20 minutes and then can't control a simple ball on the counter. 2/10.

 

[Devil may care]

Couldn't get into the game bar one nice pass to play Shaw in, and then got injured, sad night for him.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Disappointed in him. Very sloppy.

 

[Habs]

When you're getting paid £250K a week you need to have a certain baseline level of performance, I find he has far too many truly awful games like tonight, and then in another game he'll be unplayable. There is nothing in between with him, sometimes it feels like he gives up when he has a poor start in a game. I think he is a decent player, but honestly I've never felt the same optimism as the rest of our fans that he'll become a WC player, he's just too inconsistent.

 

[Andrew~]

In my opinion, there is literally no point to playing him that wide against elite fullbacks.

 

[kundalini]

Well and truly marked out of the game before his injury.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

“Marked out of the game” seems to be the excuse of choice for popular players who perform badly (see also Pogba thread). Being marked is something all top attacking players need to deal with.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

On MOTD after the Fulham game, when everyone was drooling after he scored that worldie, they showed a compilation of misplaced passes and bad decisions from the same game. He really needs to sort that shit out. To be fair, Ronaldo had similar flaws when he was a similar age. Still, though, there’s only one Ronaldo.

 

[Canagel]

“Marked out of the game” seems to be the excuse of choice for popular players who perform badly (see also Pogba thread). Being marked is something all top attacking players need to deal with.

Being marked is a sign of respect. It should then create space for others not marked to exploit. Not using as just as an excuse but it's true.

The more players we can get that will be "marked" the better.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Being marked is a sign of respect. It should then create space for others not marked to exploit. Not using as just as an excuse but it's true.

The more players we can get that will be "marked" the better.

Everyone gets fecking marked. It’s not a sign of respect. It’s how to play football.

 

[el3mel]

His main problem is that he doesn't get involved much. Even in the games he scores he seems to suddenly appear with moment of brilliance, a dribble or a shot while the rest of the game he appears quiet.

Our coaches need to tell him to run more, challenge the defenders continuously, move behind them and try his luck with shots. He's not going to score every game so he needs to be doing the other things when he's not. With Martial whenever he doesn't score or dribble it's immediately a poor game as he does nothing else.

 

[NinjaFletch]

Being marked is a sign of respect. It should then create space for others not marked to exploit. Not using as just as an excuse but it's true.

The more players we can get that will be "marked" the better.

Well the problem with Martial in games like tonight is that he can be marked out of games by stationary objects. He's improving under Ole but it's odd he's got as far as he has without having those flaws addressed.

 

[arthurka]

Being marked is a sign of respect. It should then create space for others not marked to exploit. Not using as just as an excuse but it's true.

The more players we can get that will be "marked" the better.

With both him and Pogba being marked out on the left side there was plenty of space on the right Rasford, Lingard and our captain couldnt string a pass together with acres of space for the whole match. Rashford had a bad game and Young had his usual huff and puff with little else game. Lingard worked alot and had some good moments.

 

[Habs]

Being marked is a sign of respect. It should then create space for others not marked to exploit. Not using as just as an excuse but it's true.
The more players we can get that will be "marked" the better.

Who was he marked by? The opposing fullback? Being marked out of a game is when you have players doubling up on you, or a single player who's only job in the game is to follow your every step regardless of where you are on the pitch, like Marquinhos on Pogba today. Martial just failed against the fullback, like he does quite often if we are being honest.

 

[Canagel]

Everyone gets fecking marked. It’s not a sign of respect. It’s how to play football.

Not really. You cannot say someone like Herrera got similar attention to Pogba for example.
Else you would've blamed Hazard for being marked out by Herrera himself.

I'm not excusing their performances because it couldve been better but the more "marked" players we can assemble the better off we will become. Because you won't keep all of them quiet for 90mins

 

[Sayros]

He will never be an elite player unless he gets a manager like Pep . I have not seen another attacker like him who never ever makes an off the ball run . Just see all the goals city score from cutbacks and Martial just stands next to the line hoping to get the ball and go one on one Vs the defender . Manager after manager just can't seem to change him . He is a good player but way off the top

Then you must have not seen him play these last few games.

 

[Frank Grimes]

He is not a prospect anymore. He needs to start playing well now on a consistent basis, not next year. Was disgusted with his lack of urgency tonight, if he can't get up for a CL game then he is a luxury we can't afford.

 

[Yagami]

Thing is I saw him make a few good off the ball runs. We just didn't try and play the ball through to him. Bar our first three games under Ole we've still been a conservative team. We've reverted back to prioritising the safe passes.

 

[Kamprad]

Most overrated player on this forum. He is too arrogant. Even sloppy at times. His overall game is awful. What saves him is that he has his moments. But those moments are too few to make up for the times he ruins attacks imo.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

Then you must have not seen him play these last few games.

I have seen most of the United games mate . He is ok on the counter attacks when there is lot of space to run into but otherwise he doesn't run forward without the ball at all . How many times can you actually remember him recieving the ball behind the defender ? Majority of times he gets the ball it's in front of the full backs and at this level it is very hard even for Mbappe & Messi to dribble past the full backs everytime . Just watch some city games and see how many times the likes of Bernardo Silva, Sterling and sane get the ball behind the defender on the run in space . I understand that the rest of the team and tactics matter a lot as well but Rashford & Lingard do manage even at United to get behind the defenders at times but hardly ever for Martial

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

I keep getting posts about how I am mad for calling martial's dribbling overrated.

He can't play as a winger against a fullback - he simply can't beat his man on the outside & is well easy to read. Even just by watching the match I can see where he is heading when the ball is at his feet.

He needs to play away from fullbacks to directly target CB's instead.

Martial's finishing & short passes from dropping deep needs to be utilised more so than him attempting to beat his man & only finding himself in a position cross if he does.

Either play him as a LF or use him as a false nine as a player that can interlink the midfield to the attack - which we seriously lack.

 

[Sayros]

I have seen most of the United games mate . He is ok on the counter attacks when there is lot of space to run into but otherwise he doesn't run forward without the ball at all . How many times can you actually remember him recieving the ball behind the defender ? Majority of times he gets the ball it's in front of the full backs and at this level it is very hard even for Mbappe & Messi to dribble past the full backs everytime . Just watch some city games and see how many times the likes of Bernardo Silva, Sterling and sane get the ball behind the defender on the run in space . I understand that the rest of the team and tactics matter a lot as well but Rashford & Lingard do manage even at United to get behind the defenders at times but hardly ever for Martial

I agree with you that his off-the-ball movement was an issue in the past, but he has made big strides this season. I have seen many runs he and others have made but if Pogba isn't on the ball, it's not getting to those runs. Just read back a couple of pages and people being please with his improvement in that specific area.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Off the ball runs are useless when there is no one to pass the ball.

We lost today because of that very exact reason.

PSG had Draxler, Verrati, Di Maria & paredes later on supplying passes that can cut through the midfield whilst we had no one. Even on top form it's only Pogba who can do that & he is much more of a player that you hope to be the secondary creator in the team than the main one.

Martial has been making more runs both forward & back this season - but his natural game is to drop deep & to receive the ball to feet.

That's why he needs to be the replacement for Lingard as a false nine who drops deep in to AM roles & makes shorts passes that interlink the attack together. Anyone remember the goal against Cardiff?


Look at the game he wants to play & can play with ease. He needs to be deep & central. He can break through CB's with one faint of his dribble but struggles out wide where he is awfully easy to defend against.

Why don't we see more of that even if its just against Cardiff? Because his position doesn't allow him to do so.

 

[Patrick08]

Well and truly marked out of the game before his injury.

He had a moment he was one on one, and just ran into the full back.

 

[Snow]

He had a moment he was one on one, and just ran into the full back.

He was injured at that point.

 

[KennyBurner]

His main problem is that he doesn't get involved much. Even in the games he scores he seems to suddenly appear with moment of brilliance, a dribble or a shot while the rest of the game he appears quiet.

Our coaches need to tell him to run more, challenge the defenders continuously, move behind them and try his luck with shots. He's not going to score every game so he needs to be doing the other things when he's not. With Martial whenever he doesn't score or dribble it's immediately a poor game as he does nothing else.

I think the question is how do we get him involved more during the game. It’s becoming a regular saga similar to how do we unlock pogba? I’m guessing the only way to improve him would be to overload the right wing. We need a similar threat of a player on the right so martial can remain anonymous on the left. Still it doesn’t answer the fact he is very lazy of the ball.


There were times when he was near a player but wouldn’t close them down or harass them for the ball.

 

[snk123]

Wtf are people going on about? We hardly gave him the ball at all in the first half and at 35 min onwards he was injured. Everytime he had the ball, he looked dangerous!

The lingard pass he couldnt control was behind him. The one on one he was injured and could barely run. Just because hes got a new contract doesnt mean people should close their eyes while watching the games

 

[Patrick08]

His main problem is that he doesn't get involved much. Even in the games he scores he seems to suddenly appear with moment of brilliance, a dribble or a shot while the rest of the game he appears quiet.

Our coaches need to tell him to run more, challenge the defenders continuously, move behind them and try his luck with shots. He's not going to score every game so he needs to be doing the other things when he's not. With Martial whenever he doesn't score or dribble it's immediately a poor game as he does nothing else.

The problem is we have 4 strikers at the club and Zero wingers. Each of Rashford martial Sanchez and lukaku are best suited as strikers who are all very different. Out of all, rashford is best as a winger as well.

We really should be playing 2 up top with better full backs.

 

[Skills]

He had a moment he was one on one, and just ran into the full back.

It was Veratti. Should've just knocked it past him and beat him in a foot race.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

He's too inconsistent. Turns up or doesn't. If we aspire to be better, then we need to improve in these positions either with the players we have or buy someone else.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

The problem is we have 4 strikers at the club and Zero wingers. Each of Rashford martial Sanchez and lukaku are best suited as strikers who are all very different. Out of all, rashford is best as a winger as well.

We really should be playing 2 up top with better full backs.

This is the truth.

The same people who complain about martial at LW are the ones who were tired & giving up on Rashford at LW/RW for us in the last 2 years.

 

[pocco]

He will never be an elite player unless he gets a manager like Pep . I have not seen another attacker like him who never ever makes an off the ball run . Just see all the goals city score from cutbacks and Martial just stands next to the line hoping to get the ball and go one on one Vs the defender . Manager after manager just can't seem to change him . He is a good player but way off the top

Yeah spot on. I was super excited after his first year and thought he'd go on to be one of the best with a bit more experience etc. Yet the same issues still undermine his ability.

I've said the same many times and get the usual 'Martial FC' feckwits saying he's world class etc. Well they're very wrong. He's got the ability but right now there's a lot missing from his game. If he had a different mindset i think he'd be twice the player, yet he wants to play an ineffective game that only comes up with something every 3 or 4 games. It's not enough at the level we want to be at, so he needs to learn.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Very frustrating player because he has great ability but he seems to get isolated and not involved enough, it's almost as if he's going around in a trance forgetting there is a football match going on at times.

 

[Sayros]

The whole left side was bad, Shaw and Martial just were not involved. Martial touched the ball less than De Gea in the first half. It takes the two of them to make things happen through Martial IMO. He's capable of the odd solo effort, but Shaw needs to do more on the left side and he was a passenger tonight along with Martial.

 

[Fracture90]

Invisible in the first half tonight like our whole attack, unlucky with that injury. Hopefully that injury will prove to be nothing serious.

 

[Mcking]

He is not dynamic enough, and plays with next to no intensity. Two recipes for anonymity in the big games.