Without a doubt. They have all fit right in, have all addressed obvious weaknesses, and have all been catalysts to better performances around them. Martinez remains the first name on the team sheet every game. He's our Roy Keane. He just feels like someone who would literally, not figuratively, chew your ear off if you got too close to him - such is his ferocity - yet when you analyse his play, you see that what makes him so good is his reading of the game, and his excellence on the ball. His ability to step out from the back and win the ball high up the pitch, is second to none. It transforms the way we play, and so often kills an opponents attack before they've even got it going. There was an instance at the end of the first half where Spurs had a dangerous breakaway, and Martinez nipped in and took it off Kane's toe when if he'd been allowed to take a touch, or flick it on, we'd have been in deep shit. But he read it perfectly and was so aggressive but precise with his intervention. Superb. And then you put the ball at his feet, and his passing out from the back is as good as anything out there in world football right now. Brilliant fecking signing.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 44
- Goals
- 8
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 8
- Status
I fecking love this guy. Bleeds United already and he’s an absolute warrior. What a signing.
Yes exactly. Martinez has been brilliant. Pressing high, getting tight, not letting players take an easy touch or turn AND not conceding a foul is momentum changing stuff and something not seen in stats. I don't think we've had anyone do that since Smalling. That's just one aspect of his play from many as well. Love him.
getting more settled with every game.
taking players on for fun now, he’s obviously adjusting nicely to the league
taking players on for fun now, he’s obviously adjusting nicely to the league
I don't think constantly coming inside into a crowded area is the most optimal play. Part of the reason we've not scored many goals this season.
City before this season had no one to head the ball but they manage to work good positions for cutbacks and low crosses to the back post, balls flashed across the 6 yard box etc. where they score an awful lot of goals.
I understand where you're coming from but the poster is right in that we're not set up or have the players for crossing/cut backs at the moment. I actually think cutting inside and having inverted full backs is a very good tactical instruction because it means we play 'conservatively' with our chance creation. I don't trust us in transition or being countered when a cross gets cleared or blocked.
Plus coming inside also suits the nature of our fleet footed players, who prefer to be on the ball. It's sort of a half full or half empty view. I think it's better to give the ball to Sancho, Rashford, Antony etc and let them cut in rather than rely on width because if they lose it whilst trying a one-two or deep dribble in their box, most of our players will be facing the opposition to deal with that ball loss.
On the whole though, I agree there has to be an improvement as our forwards need to be much better for example when it comes to late runs into the box or far post. Antony's tendency to cut in and cross from the edge of the area should create at least one or two chances that players like Sancho and Rashford on the opposite side should really be taking advantage of.
This can all change though when/if we finally get a striker, who has the penalty box instincts....or Martial finally gets fit and can stay in the team.
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I thought this was one of his better all round performances. Gave Spurs a lot to think about.
What a shit performance - 100 million for this dud and he doesn't score a goal yet again
fecking love him
fecking love him
Feck it the white text
Every game you know he’s going to…attack the FB, hold the width, have 1-2 very good shots with his left, and occupy at least 2 players.
He is a very consistent player, and brings the average quality of the team up.
He is a very consistent player, and brings the average quality of the team up.
He offers workrate as well.
I thought that was his best performance yet. Gave us a valuable outlet and kept possession moving very well.
I think the last two players I saw do that were Blind for a short while, very intelligent footballer (but without the same aggression and physicality), and before him Ferdinand. Smalling was very front foot forward but didn’t have anything like the same ability to use the ball once he’d intercepted it. None of that is a rebuttal of your statement, more just to say how remarkable it is to see Martínez combine all those qualities.
Disclaimer (I always have to add this when I make comparisons), I’m not saying he’s as good as Ferdinand.
He's been brilliant. Scored goals but he's very sound technically. Very fast off the mark and over distance. If United get a player of similar calibre on the right side that is a great balance to offset opposition defences. Leao comes to mind.
Totally agree. Already a legend.
He is such a good footballer. He has the skill to beat defenders when possible, his football brain and link up play are quality, he's already given us goal threat and he has the right mentality / work rate.
Early days but really happy with this signing. Players who have both intelligence and skill are just what we need.
Early days but really happy with this signing. Players who have both intelligence and skill are just what we need.
—————Martial——————
Rashford—Bruno——Antony
——Ericksen—Casemiro——
We need a striker really badly, I’d love to see this for 90 mins really badly also.
Rashford—Bruno——Antony
——Ericksen—Casemiro——
We need a striker really badly, I’d love to see this for 90 mins really badly also.
Absolutely loved his performance last night. Spurs were scared as shit as soon as he had the ball. Never lost the ball even in tight spaces and had the composure to pass it to the right player to start the attack again. Too bad he couldn't score, deserved one based on his performance. Apart from this, his work rate was pretty solid, there were moments late in the game where he ran back and quickly closed the space and helped Dalot.
He’s really so good and nice to watch. Some of his dribbling is sublime
His quality on the ball is obviously a big reason why we bought him but what I love to see is his effort and intensity off the ball. It's something that Sancho hasn't consistently shown so far and having players like Antony in the team can only encourage others to adopt a more intense approach to the game.
If only he'd know how to score a goal which isn't a tap in.
Him and Martinez are becoming my favourite United players and they both joined us a few games ago!
Best performance yet, as his confidence is growing you can see the difference in him taking his man on.
As soon as he realises he’s good enough to be a Man Utd player he will be scary.
As soon as he realises he’s good enough to be a Man Utd player he will be scary.
I get Neymar vibes from him sometimes.
Happy that he seems to have settled in well and is managing to hit the ground running.
Happy that he seems to have settled in well and is managing to hit the ground running.
I would really like to see him get into the box more... both on and off the ball.
When he's running down the line he seems to always stop short of the box to cut back inside - which I get sometimes as he wants to whip in a cross/have a shot... but it would be good to vary it up a bit I think and do so in the box, not least because defenders will be scared to put in a challenge someone like him.
Then off the ball, he needs to be getting into that back post area when the ball is on the other flank. I know he's not the tallest, but you don't need to be to sneak in at the back post and get an effort away. Think once or twice Shaw put in balls into a good area there and we just didn't have anyone to attack it.
When he's running down the line he seems to always stop short of the box to cut back inside - which I get sometimes as he wants to whip in a cross/have a shot... but it would be good to vary it up a bit I think and do so in the box, not least because defenders will be scared to put in a challenge someone like him.
Then off the ball, he needs to be getting into that back post area when the ball is on the other flank. I know he's not the tallest, but you don't need to be to sneak in at the back post and get an effort away. Think once or twice Shaw put in balls into a good area there and we just didn't have anyone to attack it.
Tried to find this but couldn't.
I think you meant the moment at 56:24 in the game, at 1-0, though?
His striking is very, very Robbenesque. That's amazing. I hope that the coaches double down on it and start focusing on that even more. There's a potential of a god tier left-footed finesse shooter whose accuracy and placement is just top top notch.
I expect to see double-digit seasons in goals-assists, he has it in him.
I expect to see double-digit seasons in goals-assists, he has it in him.
I think that's been a bit of an issue on both flanks. Perhaps it's the way ETH wants to play but very often when one of the wingers is wide with the ball there aren't many if any options in the box and the opposite winger hangs back ready to be in a position to receive the ball if possession is recycled. It helps us maintain attacks but also less of a threat from wide positions. We are a team very weak aerially from an attacking perspective (aside from Ronaldo) so perhaps it's more by design?
looked dangerous. The only thing that annoyed me was Dalot seemed lazy on the overlap so Antony was expected to do it himself. he coped well but I feel Dalot needs to get fitter and Antony will benefit
Love this kind of player who has actual control over what he's doing. And he picks the right pass after the skill which is important.
He's the only United attacker who puts me on the edge of my seat right now.
If Sancho had just a fraction of Antony's boldness then we'd be a menace on the wings. Our lack of a top level center forward would be a lot less apparent then.
If Sancho had just a fraction of Antony's boldness then we'd be a menace on the wings. Our lack of a top level center forward would be a lot less apparent then.
Yeah it probably is by design - as you're right, Sancho does do the same thing (though maybe that's just down to Sancho not being arsed!) - still we generally also have Dalot pretty high too, so you'd think he could be the one to pick the ball up from a deep cross.
Just think we sometimes need a bit more options in the box, we basically had Rashford and Fred as our only two in there most of the time, as Bruno also likes to hang back.
Maybe I don't remember Di Maria that good, but I don't see many similarities between him and Antony. Di Maria was explosive but also chaotic, Antony seems much better at keeping the ball and drawning attention. His shooting is also much better, but crossing is weaker.
He's missed a few chances this season but wonder if Casemiro will be given more of a licence to get into the box at times as he's actually good in the air. Crossing for Fred or Rashford in the middle or Antony or Sancho at the back post seems pointless unless they are going to be in acres of space. They probably won't win it and if they do it's probably not on target.
They look kinda similar on the pitch. Tall and skinny, good close control and sweet left feet. They don't actually play that similarly though
Not a dig at all but it always amuses what people class as tall for a winger. He's 5 ft 8
I never thought Di Maria close control was that good, he just seemed to run quickly with the ball, that's why he was moved to midfield in Madrid as he was a great ball-carrier and good long range passer. Antony control I think is much better, hope he can improve his passing a bit.
Overall Antony looks more like Robben if we're into comparisons. Maybe my memory is blurred a bit though.
Hopefully players will start feeling more confident in gambling runs forward knowing the defence will sweep the ball up.
Usually unless midfield camped on the edge of the box Maguire/Lindelof would be heading back to the our penalty box faster than road runner.
Against Spurs and Newcastle we gobbled it up nicely. That front foot aggression is vital to keeping teams pinned in. We've already seen Casemiro and Fred getting into the box way more than our midfielders used to.
I think the biggest issue is we just don't have an aerial threat. Rashford/Bruno/fred/Sancho/Antony are all pretty poor in the air.
The high press was our main weapon last night. If we keep nicking the ball back in transition we go back to our main strength which is counterattacking. Martinez, Fred, Varane and Casemiro are all excellent at squeezing the pitch. Antony and Sancho will also start finding much more dangerous situations than running into two players and a packed box over and over
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I've been pleased with him so far, he'll be a great addition.
- Status