[Lj82]

Come on man, the ball bounced over his head and the incoming defender sold himself. It was then all the space and time in the world to play a simple pass.

I’m not trying to rip him for shit but for such a good player people really do cream themselves over the simplest things.

Wtf. It was good thinking and reaction, coupled with good timing to release the ball to Mata to beat the offside trap. He took out two players in that move.

 

[Wheato]

I have noticed that Martial really comes alive in a counter attacking situation. Usually when Rashford picks up the ball and runs at the defender, you can see him busting a gut and making all sorts of runs. But tonight, we only had 7 minutes of Marcus. James showed glimpses, but mostly ran into trouble. On the whole, Martial was playing with his back to goal, and this isn't his strength, he's much more effective running towards goal. This is why, on occasions when we have to play different formations, we need a variety of Strikers. Not 4 very similar ones.

 

[Sayros]

He did what he could with a team that was simply not clicking today, and got the assist that led to the winning goal; solid output from Martial.

I'm happy with him this season, couldn't care less what a couple of trolls have to say about him, it's business as usual on the caf, but you can't argue with the output he's put up since he's been back from injury despite having a less-than-stellar creative midfield.

 

[MikeKing]

I have noticed that Martial really comes alive in a counter attacking situation. Usually when Rashford picks up the ball and runs at the defender, you can see him busting a gut and making all sorts of runs. But tonight, we only had 7 minutes of Marcus. James showed glimpses, but mostly ran into trouble. On the whole, Martial was playing with his back to goal, and this isn't his strength, he's much more effective running towards goal. This is why, on occasions when we have to play different formations, we need a variety of Strikers. Not 4 very similar ones.

Good post, agree with everything. Martial has never been that good on the ball with his back to goal, as witnessed when Mourinho played him left midfield as to keep width in the middle of the pitch. It is very annoying, but to me he is an excellent instinctive dribbler that has great technique but he thrives on improvisation. It sounds stupid but it is almost like he doesn't think anything else is fun enough to do so he struggles a bit to do the easier things. Like a left brain right brain thing... If he could just learn one effective standard move or something with his back to goal, like a clever first touch that always set him up for the next movement, it would be great. At the moment the ball gets too easily lost between his legs etc. and it's just so totally unnecessary, should be an easy fix.

 

[Bebestation]

I have noticed that Martial really comes alive in a counter attacking situation. Usually when Rashford picks up the ball and runs at the defender, you can see him busting a gut and making all sorts of runs. But tonight, we only had 7 minutes of Marcus. James showed glimpses, but mostly ran into trouble. On the whole, Martial was playing with his back to goal, and this isn't his strength, he's much more effective running towards goal. This is why, on occasions when we have to play different formations, we need a variety of Strikers. Not 4 very similar ones.

I think martial is great with his back towards goal though because he normally has a great first touch before bringing someone in to play.

The problem today was that he played with James who isn't a forward like Saido Mane or Rashford and plays with the ball at his feet - so he couldn't link with with Martial well.

Soon as Rashford came on Martial started getting better because those runs off the ball came that martial starts playing with his back towards goal usually feeding someone else's run.

Rashford is like Mane in the way he plays, Martial is more like Firmino, Greenwood is the closest to a left footed Salah and James is like a faster version of Shaqiri. I say Shaqiri not to highlight a difference in quality but the difference in the way that James or Shaqiri plays to someone like Mane or Salah who are much more lethal forwards rather than crossing some of their chances in good areas aswell.

 

[Skills]

Delivering almost every game at the moment.

 

[Adisa]

I am not averse to criticising him but he had very little to work with. We were poor.

 

[romufc]

Exactly. Came in to say this, but instead see people describe his performance as "abysmal" and "shite"

His play to hold up the ball against three defenders and releasing Pereira was very good, as was his dribble past two players in the box towards the end of the game. We already know martial has a full bag of tricks. Now he is adding guile and graft and taking up greater responsibility as our focal point in attack. Yet some people here are only interested in picking apart his game and criticise him.

This forum is really toxic

Completely agree.

As a striker, you surely cannot expect a striker to hold the ball up and not lose it at all for the whole game?

This forum has become a place where a player is not allowed to make a single error. You can do 10 things right but the focus will always be on the 1 thing that is wrong.

Poor.

 

[NoPace]

Did well, all his good work came from the left side, hopefully the next manager realizes both Martial and Rashford are best out there and gets them interchanging.

 

[Ashish Negi]

Did well, all his good work came from the left side, hopefully the next manager realizes both Martial and Rashford are best out there and gets them interchanging.

No Martial is best as a no 9.

 

[Meep]

I have noticed that Martial really comes alive in a counter attacking situation. Usually when Rashford picks up the ball and runs at the defender, you can see him busting a gut and making all sorts of runs. But tonight, we only had 7 minutes of Marcus. James showed glimpses, but mostly ran into trouble. On the whole, Martial was playing with his back to goal, and this isn't his strength, he's much more effective running towards goal. This is why, on occasions when we have to play different formations, we need a variety of Strikers. Not 4 very similar ones.

I think this is because Martial becomes too static (as the attack as a whole) when we have the ball and the opposition defence is organised. Just standing still or taking shorter runs in between lines. This is on OGS to improve the attack as a whole and give Martial better instructions (orders).

Rapid, technical players grow up playing their strengths and save energy til the next time they can have the ball their way, in Martial's case that would be some scenario where he comes towards goal. Also where he does best at parked teams is when he comes in from the left side and sometimes goes by two defenders before a shot or pass.

 

[NoPace]

No Martial is best as a no 9.

Yeah I don't mean as a LW, I mean that when he's up front like against Wolves he likes to occupy a space on the left. Watch the short official highlights, everything he does is from there. Henry was the same way for instance, while playing as a 9 for Arsenal.

 

[mariachi-19]

Is going to tear Liverpool a new arsehole tonight. He's due a big game performance.

 

[AndersB]

Did well, all his good work came from the left side, hopefully the next manager realizes both Martial and Rashford are best out there and gets them interchanging.

I see what you did there

 

[OldTrevil]

We're due a massive game from Anto. With him as our only recognized goal threat today, he'll be facing multiple teams and I'm looking forward to him taking on the challenge. Let's hope he creates a good Anfield memory for us like Mata did in 2015

 

[Dan_F]

Will he actually get any service though?

 

[Brwned]

Is going to tear Liverpool a new arsehole tonight. He's due a big game performance.

He's a one man attack with 0 creative players supporting him against the best team in Europe. Expecting him to perform miracles is just setting him up for failure. If he can hold the ball up and bring others into play while creating a few half-chances, he'll have done well. That's the most we often got out of Rooney in similar scenarios never mind Martial.

 

[Bebestation]

I feel sorry for the guy - the guy is going to get hated upon today playing as a support striker for Daniel James.

Why not pair him up next to Greenwood?

 

[sherrinford]

I feel sorry for the guy - the guy is going to get hated upon today playing as a support striker for Daniel James.

Why not pair him up next to Greenwood?

Do you think Greenwood is the correct person to exploit the space behind Robertson in transition, directly up against Van Dijk?

 

[FootyGirl88]

Will he actually get any service though?

Tbh Pereira always tries to get the ball to him.

 

[Amar__]

Very disappointed in his all around play tonight.

 

[432JuanMata]

See Aguero yesterday ? That is the level a striker has to get close to for a team aspiring to get back to the top. Just can’t see Martial scoring 20 league goals a season. He is no longer a kid he is 24 he has to perform week in week out.
I think he is good enough to be here I have question marks of him being our main Striker for the next few years

 

[izec]

Has to score there, shows glimpses of his talent, but just not consistent. I feel an injury is around the corner as well with him.

 

[Yagami]

Should've scored.

Aside from that, he did well. Got pretty much no service, and the only times we played something resembling football was when he dropped deep.

 

[Bebestation]

Knew this was coming!

 

[Raven]

Knew this was coming!

You called it to be fair. Only player with any quality besides Fred today.

 

[Bebestation]

Do you think Greenwood is the correct person to exploit the space behind Robertson in transition, directly up against Van Dijk?

Today I don't see why we would not pair up martial in partnership with Greenwood behind someone like Mata & try atleast create something together.

Martial isn't an aguero type striker as he is much more of a creator for strikers around him. Daniel James isn't a forward that benefits off that whilst Greenwood is - the tactics are all over the place by Ole it really is confusing.

 

[Sayros]

He was the only real threat, missed a big chance that he created out of very little, created some good dangerous passes. He had a couple of runs early in the first half that anybody with a decent pass would have found to get him 1v1, but James struggled to get any kind of delivery.

Him and Fred are the two main players that can leave with their head held high.

 

[The United]

Today I don't see why we would not pair up martial in partnership with Greenwood behind someone like Mata & try atleast create something together.

Martial isn't an aguero type striker as he is much more of a creator for strikers around him. Daniel James isn't a forward that benefits off that whilst Greenwood is - the tactics are all over the place by Ole it really is confusing.

James got some spaces and passes. He just messed them up. I think playing James is ok but obviously, Ole can't come in for him and play him like the way he would imagine. I thought we did pretty decent in term of attacking them considering our injury list and the game being at anfield.

 

[MAME DIOUF 32]

He just can't be relied upon. Good player on his day, but he doesn't have that many days.

 

[Nep77]

He created both the chances we had and should have scored from but his touch was on and off.

 

[Santoryo]

People acting like they've never seen a striker missed sitters. Bringing up Aguero, the dame Aguero has also missed sitters. Bringing up the level he's shown the past 2 games when his team was utterly dominant compared to a player struggling to get scrapped.

Some of you lots need to get a grip and assess things in context.

Martial should have indeed buried his chance but that blunder alone isn't something to use as andrgument that he's not up for it. He usually doesn't miss chances like that, and every striker has horrible misses here and there. Feck this game alone Salah missed an open goal, yet it doesn't say anything about his quality as a player.

Is it that hard to simply stay objective and rational after a loss or bad result? A result which by the way many were expecting to happen.

Martial wasn't abysmal, awful or whatever superlative some would like to throw in this game. He created our most dangerous plays in the game despite hardly getting on the ball.

 

[Canagel]

Our only footballer today, next to Fred. Most of the others should be on the track and field instead of the pitch

 

[The United]

It was a decent chance and he should have hit the target. But, people act like it was a sitter. It was not.

 

[Santoryo]

Some people need to be sat through all these other strikers games were they face overwhelming superior oppositions and see how they "dominate" or whatever other nonsense they like spouting.

Maybe when they watch full games were the likes of Kane spent entire games quiet against far superior oppositions, some people might start contextualising things and argue with some bit of perspective.

 

[Superunknown]

He clearly missed having a pacey/hard working striker to bounce off. I think Martial looks better when Rashford is on the field and he really missed him today. He couldn't really get into the game and had nothing to work with. Tough gig for him in this kind of match.

One thing I do find incredibly frustrating is how often he drifts out wide when we do have the ball in the opposition's half. Given that our players are so reluctant to get into the box, this type of movement makes it worse for us. I'm not convinced that he is an out and out number 9. Maybe we should just bite the bullet in the next game and have Greenwood as the number 9 and Martial slightly off him.

 

[Santoryo]

Also people have to look at how many chances Mane and Salah missed in this game alone but it didn't matter because Liverpool kept creating.

 

[thepolice123]

Created two chances out of nothing.

The way he engineered the space and killed the pass was just brilliant. Shame he didn't have the finishing touch to go with it.

 

[KennyBurner]

Salah also missed a sitter today, so did mane. The difference is that their team kept providing for them. He had a decent game but he should have done better with that opportunity. Our attackers will keep struggling with little to no support. James and pereira were embarrassing today. Especially pereira.

 

[charlenefan]

I thought he was good today, surprised he didn't bury the chance but then how about some credit to actually create the opportunity in the first place? Need him to carry us while Rashford is out