[Regulus Arcturus Black]

How many goals did Lukaku have by this point last season? And keep in mind that we at least had Pogba fit to help with our creativity.

I said a pumped Lukaku in fairness, not the shit version of himself that showed up last year and that everyone hated, who, for what it's worth had scored about the same amount as Martial by now right?

Don't get me wrong, Martial did some decent things today and generally held the ball up alright, but long term leading the line? I just don't see it, and I think it's another in a long line of issues in the side.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Exactly. People would come up with every reason as to why Martial should be the single attacking player to lay all the blame on. James and Rashford get leeways just because.

James should get no leeway, he was awful today and has been in way too many games now, and his numbers are awful.

Rashford has 14 goals and 5 assists, scoring against top sides in doing so also, so I'd say he's the only one of the front three who's shown he's a good enough option long term.

 

[Santoryo]

There were a few times when the ball bounced off him or he was outmuscled. Im a big fan of Martial but just telling it how I saw it.

1 or 2 moments of failing to hold the ball under pressure with back to goal doesn't negate his overall good hold up game throughout. No player keeps a 100% success rate of keeping the ball while being pressurized.

 

[thegregster]

Hmm yeah would be interesting to see how he performs with better players around him. He frustrates me at times so I was probably a little harsh.

18 games for France. 1 goal.

 

[Dr Foo]

I'd gladly accept this pos never playing for us again

Amazing. Once a certain impression has been set, there's no way of changing it in a large segment of fans. It does seem like we were watching different games. Martial was miles ahead of all our attackers today. Take him out and see what happens. There was no service today and he tried to be the service and led the pressing. We have far deeper problems than Martial

 

[Andersons Dietician]

1 or 2 moments of failing to hold the ball under pressure with back to goal doesn't negative his overall good hold up game throughout. No player keeps a 100% success rate of keeping the ball while being pressurized.

One of those he slipped as well.

 

[Santoryo]

Also it doesn't help when the likes of Neville, Keane have you targeted too. Fans being credulous, take their words as Gospel because "legends" etc, despite the fact that both were rubbish at managing and coaching.

James should get no leeway, he was awful today and has been in way too many games now, and his numbers are awful.

Rashford has 14 goals and 5 assists, scoring against top sides in doing so also, so I'd say he's the only one of the front three who's shown he's a good enough option long term.

But he does. My point is, we should criticize our players and call them for it but criticism should be fair but that's not the case anymore with Martial because he's obviously being targeted which means everything he does well get dismissed while the poor plays get overblown and used as an excuses to throw every kind of expletives at him and claim that we need ridding of.

 

[SmallCaine]

So obviously you get leeway when you're productive most weeks, if however you lead the line for United and have 7 goals (the same as a 18 year old) by Christmas, you're gonna be questioned.

Martial is never going to be good enough as a CF for me, he's simply never going to be goal hungry enough. Swap him for a pumped Lukaku this season and we're a lot more points better off.

Whose going to create chances for this pumped up lukaku? the biggest reason we looked rubbish when martial was injured is because he seems to be the only one who can create chances for others, because the midfield hasn't helped even slightly. Today he should have had atleast a couple of assists, he was the one who made the pass when lingard blew his chance, it was his pass that rashford missed from in late stage. But somehow everyone's complaining here as if he is the guy at fault for us losing and not scoring today.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Also it doesn't help when the likes of Neville, Keane have you targeted too. Fans being credulous, take their words as Gospel because "legends" etc, despite the fact that both were rubbish at managing and coaching.

Kin hell man, you don't need to make a million excuses for him. He's leading the line for United in his favourite shirt and position and so far he's doing as shit a job as Lukaku did in his worst Premier League year ever.

Keane, Neville and co will shut the feck up when Martial bangs in at a similar rate to Rashford this year. That's why Rashford's thread is quiet, not because of today but because of the entire season.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

But he does.

Bollox @Santoryo but I guess you see what you want to see.

Honestly, this guy is a squad player. He needs to be replaced in the first team as he is very limited.

He is a quick player and can put in a decent cross, but he lacks in technical ability in terms of dribbling and passing.

I cannot see him ever becoming a prolific goal scorer or creator, which is something we need on the right-wing. I think we have to sign a top-class right-winger in the summer.

Should have been dropped after Everton, the season has caught up with him

Was nowhere to be seen today

A bit of a old school winger. Quick and a decent cross. However that is an old tactic.

With a striker like Martial you need someone who plays like Salah and cuts inside. Not someone who plays like James.

Besides that i also dont think he should be a starter.... not that he cant become one but there is a reason he was a Championship player last season.

James strikes me as an impact off the bench player, I don't believe he's technically good enough to start for a club pushing for Champions league.

Wheels are starting to come off for James. He started the season brilliantly but it was inevitable his performance will drop to its base level unfortunately. Still a good player, but I'm sure we'll have to upgrade on him for a more consistent starting player with more tools up his feet, as James is very uni-dimensional and he's still just a kid playing his first PL season.

 

[Santoryo]

Kin hell man, you don't need to make a million excuses for him. He's leading the line for United in his favourite shirt and position and so far he's doing as shit a job as Lukaku did in his worst Premier League year ever.

Keane, Neville and co will shut the feck up when Martial bangs in at a similar rate to Rashford this year. That's why Rashford's thread is quiet, not because of today but because of the entire season.

Martial was injured for a sizable time this season. Sure his goal output should soar up higher given he's leading the line but let's not pretend that there weren't outside circumstances which are also reason as to why his goal output isn't that high.

And Agendas are still Agendas.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Martial was injured for a sizable time this season. Sure his goal output should soar up higher given he's leading the line but let's not pretend that there weren't outside circumstances which are also reason as to why his goal output isn't that high.

And Agendas are still Agendas.

I have no agenda against Martial (nor does Gaz Nev I'm sure), I love his type of player that can embarrass opponents, but after so many years I'm certain he's not a CF, yet is he a LW? He doesn't seem happy there so I've no idea.

But you defo have an agenda if you can't understand why Martial's position as CF is being questioned much more than Rashford's position as LF; and if you completely ignore that most fans are now seriously questioning our right wing.

 

[UncleBob]

So obviously you get leeway when you're productive most weeks, if however you lead the line for United and have 7 goals (the same as a 17 year old) by Christmas, you're gonna be questioned.

Martial is never going to be good enough as a CF for me, he's simply never going to be goal hungry enough. Swap him for a pumped Lukaku this season and we're a lot more points better off.

Seems like you didn't understand the point, but given your post it's easy to understand why.

Martial was easily one of our better players today, barely put a foot wrong and created most of our chances. Obviously doesn't say all that much, given how atriocious the rest of the team was today, but he was one of very few players that actually had a positive contribution. Yet he somehow ends up as one of the most criticized players with this being one of the most active threads, Rashford barely gets a mention (Almost an hour for someone to even make a post in the thread), it's a bit bizarre to see the amount of bias towards players.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Seems like you didn't understand the point, but given your post it's easy to understand why.

Martial was easily one of our better players today, barely put a foot wrong and created most of our chances. Obviously doesn't say all that much, given how atriocious the rest of the team was today, but he was one of very few players that actually had a positive contribution. Yet he somehow ends up as one of the most criticized players with this being one of the most active threads, Rashford barely gets a mention (Almost an hour for someone to even make a post in the thread), it's a bit bizarre to see the amount of bias towards players.

So you've no idea why posters are questioning the CF position after our season so far and are less concerned about our LF after our season so far? Ok.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

1 or 2 moments of failing to hold the ball under pressure with back to goal doesn't negate his overall good hold up game throughout. No player keeps a 100% success rate of keeping the ball while being pressurized.

Hence why I said the few times he got the ball, he could have done a bit better.

Listen, im a big fan of Martial and would never go out my way to put him down, but I genuinely thought he could have done better on a few occasions.

 

[Bebestation]

So obviously you get leeway when you're productive most weeks, if however you lead the line for United and have 7 goals (the same as a 18 year old) by Christmas, you're gonna be questioned.

Martial is never going to be good enough as a CF for me, he's simply never going to be goal hungry enough. Swap him for a pumped Lukaku this season and we're a lot more points better off.

Poor understanding of football.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Poor understanding of football.

Sure, I mean Inter are now joint top of Serie A and a pumped Lukaku helped United finish 2nd... but yeah, it's me that doesn't get it

 

[In Rainbows]

Thought he was pretty good today. Wasn't perfect, but still combined well with others because of his great touch.

 

[Bebestation]

Sure, I mean Inter are now joint top of Serie A and a pumped Lukaku helped United finish 2nd... but yeah, it's me that doesn't get it

Mate Conte has used that type of striker since forever. He knows how to make that type of striker work. Ole doesn't.

Lukaku doesn't work at United because he doesn't work with the players around him. The only thing that has changed is Daniel James & if that's what we should be building our game plan around - Daniel James & Lukaku then fair enough, I will let you win.

Lukaku under Ole

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Lukaku under Ole

Love a green smilie you. Remind me @Bebestation of OGS best result as United manager so far.

 

[Vidyoyo]

18 games for France. 1 goal.

Don't worry. I just couldn't be arsed to argue with Martial fans.

 

[Hugh Jass]

He strikes me as a player who can do it in patches. But he cannot do it 50 games a season.

We need a striker and a ten badly (unless Pogba gets moved there). Two MFs as well.

 

[Bebestation]

Love a green smilie you. Remind me @Bebestation of OGS best result as United manager so far.

You seem to love one too as well sunshine

 

[Steamboat Willy]

He’s lazy as feck! He slacks when we’re behind. And worst off all, he’s not the goalscorer we hoped to get from Monaco back then. We need a new top striker! (And a CAM, CM, RW, LB and judged by the performance today a GK too)

 

[JPRouve]

18 games for France. 1 goal.

He generally didn't play with better players at the exception of cameos at the end of games. He has 1 goal and 4 assists mainly playing with the B team and from the wing which represents less than 800 minutes. Now Martial doesn't play more because he doesn't fit with the A team 442/433 hybrid and he isn't good enough to justify a tactical change.

 

[soapythecat]

I’m starting to feel he’s the answer to all our problems.
Needs competition and quickly.

 

[UncleBob]

So you've no idea why posters are questioning the CF position after our season so far and are less concerned about our LF after our season so far? Ok.

Ah, the straw man fallacy, mint. People can question whatever they want, but the performance threads are also to discuss individual performances after a match and not only the average performance over the past x months and/or future at the club. Martial was easily one of our best players today, yet he somehow ends up as one of the most criticized even though he barely put a foot wrong. Not that it's much of a surprise coming from you.

 

[UncleBob]

I’m starting to feel he’s the answer to all our problems.
Needs competition and quickly.

It sounds like you need help then.

 

[soapythecat]

It sounds like you need help then.

You think he’s doing a good job of leading our attack?

 

[UncleBob]

You think he’s doing a good job of leading our attack?

First and foremost you wrote "all our problems", now you're referring to only attacks, where he certainly isn't doing a bad job.

Main problem is getting the ball to our attacking players at the right time.

 

[-Supreme-]

Only Martial and Pogba are capable of playing against sides where we expect to have more possession of the ball, I expect his performance to improve vastly when we have more creative players on his wavelength

I think Ole saw this too, as Rashford got shifted to the central position when Pogba came on

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Vs park the bus teams, he and Rash shud swap positions.

Made more creative impacts in tight spaces than what Rashford can.

Vs big teams, more spaces, Mart central, Rash left.

 

[Oldham]

Did well today.
Only one creating something...

 

[JohnnyKills]

I thought he played OK today. Have been critical of him recently but he created plenty of chances and gave them problems in the second half.

The way he spun and played people in during the first half should be the template for him as a CF. He's brilliant at it and he'll create loads of chances for Pogba if he continues to do it.

 

[Devil may care]

He created 3 decent chances today, in a jointless team performance that was something I guess.

 

[M16Red]

He is not a 9, he drops to deep to play there. When he does run the line he is offside like 95% of the time. We need a real 9 think Vardy type player because this clearly isn't working.

 

[Dante]

Martial and Lingard both played 9 1/2 today, interchanging constantly throughout the first 60 minutes. Then after Greenwood and Mata came on, Martial switched to the left. I'm not sure what Ole's logic was with that, but there's evidently some question marks about his ability to spearhead the attack.

The biggest indictment of Martial is that he doesn't get on the end of enough chances. If he were more effective at that part of his job, the chances that his teammates missed would be falling to him instead.

It's ironic that Rashford, Greenwood, Lingard and James get criticised for getting into scoring chances with good movement and then ending with poor finishing. But Martial gets an easier ride for not getting into scoring chances in the first place because of his poor movement.

For whatever reason, it seems that Martial doesn't trust himself to outmuscle defenders at the near post. Almost every single attack sees him hang back at the edge of the box. If he could fix that, he'd be considerably more prolific.

 

[OL29]

Martial and Lingard both played 9 1/2 today, interchanging constantly throughout the first 60 minutes. Then after Greenwood and Mata came on, Martial switched to the left. I'm not sure what Ole's logic was with that, but there's evidently some question marks about his ability to spearhead the attack.

The biggest indictment of Martial is that he doesn't get on the end of enough chances. If he were more effective at that part of his job, the chances that his teammates missed would be falling to him instead.

It's ironic that Rashford, Greenwood, Lingard and James get criticised for getting into scoring chances with good movement and then ending with poor finishing. But Martial gets an easier ride for not getting into scoring chances in the first place because of his poor movement.

For whatever reason, it seems that Martial doesn't trust himself to outmuscle defenders at the near post. Almost every single attack sees him hang back at the edge of the box. If he could fix that, he'd be considerably more prolific.

On what planet does Martial get an easier ride? And that’s a weird inference from Martial moving out wide, couldn’t it be spun positively to say he was moved there because Ole thought he’d get more joy out of their full back, which subsequently happened?

 

[Dante]

On what planet does Martial get an easier ride? And that’s a weird inference from Martial moving out wide, couldn’t it be spun positively to say he was moved there because Ole thought he’d get more joy out of their full back, which subsequently happened?

He started the match deep and finished it on the left. The inference comes from the fact he was never given an extended period up against the CBs.

 

[OL29]

He started the match deep and finished it on the left. The inference comes from the fact he was never given an extended period up against the CBs.

He drops deep naturally, pretty sure he started as a lone striker?