Questions to consider.Martial is over-rated; we'll be giving him his testimonial in a couple of years, and we are still asking ourselves if he is good/consistent enough.....I'd rather play Ighalo, a proper striker.
Thank you, and yep, as the team improves and he gets more game time in the role I'm expecting him to increase his output and hit another level because I think he's fully capable of doing so. Even the jump from his last 3 seasons to this season has been evident in terms of his output and performances. I find myself coming back here often due to my frustration at reading some of the posts . There's nothing wrong with criticism and varying opinion - not everybody has to rate him as highly as I do but sometimes it feels like people criticize for the sake of criticizing. Posters in here jumping on the 'he's not a proper number 9' narrative seem to think a 'proper' number 9 offers us everything Martial offers and more, when in actuality we had a 'top end' pure number 9 last season who we sold for nearly 80m pounds in Lukaku and when comparing them Martial is better technically. has better hold up play (although Martial can still improve in this aspect), makes the players around him better, has a better record in big games and most importantly is better for the team and the style of play a team like United wishes to play so where does the truth lie? I hope Martial stays on this trajectory, and like you said if he doesn't then we can definitely replace him but its absurd to do so now when it seems he's on his way.Top post, not the first time either coming from you. Agreed with everything you've said. Martial deserves more respect for what he has done despite the circumstances, but as this team tries to go from rebuild to contender, he now has the creativity you'd want to have his best season. I think most people will agree he deserves to show what he can do as the main man up front, and if he falls short then we can move from that idea to making him a squad player that can cover both left wing and up front.
That is the perfect point. We had a No. 9 that everyone who says "proper no 9" and he got us goals yet we moved on. The type of football Ole wants to play, does not require a target man No. 9, we need a player who will be clever in his runs and movement.when in actuality we had a 'top end' pure number 9 last season who we sold for nearly 80m pounds in Lukaku and when comparing them Martial is better technically.
Yep, most posters here would be screaming for Lukaku had he not played for us. The obsession with having a proper 'number 9' is bizarre given arguably our best ever front 3 consisted of Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez - none of whom are target men.That is the perfect point. We had a No. 9 that everyone who says "proper no 9" and he got us goals yet we moved on. The type of football Ole wants to play, does not require a target man No. 9, we need a player who will be clever in his runs and movement.
What alot of people dont seem to grasp is the football is a team game and you need your forwards to have an understanding. The way Martial and Rashford link up completely suits us because when Martial decides to drift, Rashford goes central. Martial allows the front 3 to be flexible and even allowing Bruno to get ahead of the play if need be.
Last season the ball popped into Lukaku and the players kind of didnt know what will happen? more often he started a counter attack for the other team.
Replacing Martial means, selling Martial, finding a ST who will fit the team - no one can even give 3 options of who we could sign and would come to United.Yep, most posters here would be screaming for Lukaku had he not played for us. The obsession with having a proper 'number 9' is bizarre given arguably our best ever front 3 consisted of Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez - none of whom are target men.
I wouldn't say embarrassed, because I've held a view since he arrived under LVG that he displays a moodiness in the way he appears sometimes to be highly talented and at others to be disinterested, so couldn't be attributed just to the way he was managed by Mourinho. Watching our matches from this season during the hiatus, though, I've definitely revised my view that he would be a risk as a long term striker.I think to be fair at least on this thread there is a greater appreciation now of the context behind Martial and dare I say a sensible amount of optimism to combat those who think he isn’t good enough with no reasonable alternative suggested.
Ive said it once and I’ll say it again.
I think a lot of posters will look back on their views of Martial and be embarrassed.
Even Ole has demanded more from him.Thank you, and yep, as the team improves and he gets more game time in the role I'm expecting him to increase his output and hit another level because I think he's fully capable of doing so. Even the jump from his last 3 seasons to this season has been evident in terms of his output and performances. I find myself coming back here often due to my frustration at reading some of the posts . There's nothing wrong with criticism and varying opinion - not everybody has to rate him as highly as I do but sometimes it feels like people criticize for the sake of criticizing. Posters in here jumping on the 'he's not a proper number 9' narrative seem to think a 'proper' number 9 offers us everything Martial offers and more, when in actuality we had a 'top end' pure number 9 last season who we sold for nearly 80m pounds in Lukaku and when comparing them Martial is better technically. has better hold up play (although Martial can still improve in this aspect), makes the players around him better, has a better record in big games and most importantly is better for the team and the style of play a team like United wishes to play so where does the truth lie? I hope Martial stays on this trajectory, and like you said if he doesn't then we can definitely replace him but its absurd to do so now when it seems he's on his way.
THANK YOU!!!!! How people cannot grasp this I fail to understand. Look at how Firmino allows Salah/Mane to be at the top of their game due to how much space he creates for them and his link up play. This "proper no9" thing is overrated especially the ones with hold up play and technique as average as Lukaku`s. Greenwood is the only ST in the team we should be looking to build the team around in the near future due to how well al rounded he is himself on top of being VERY clinical. Even historically during our last Golden Era we didn`t have a "proper no9" in Rooney/Saha and Rooney/Tevez and our football was terrific.That is the perfect point. We had a No. 9 that everyone who says "proper no 9" and he got us goals yet we moved on. The type of football Ole wants to play, does not require a target man No. 9, we need a player who will be clever in his runs and movement.
What alot of people dont seem to grasp is the football is a team game and you need your forwards to have an understanding. The way Martial and Rashford link up completely suits us because when Martial decides to drift, Rashford goes central. Martial allows the front 3 to be flexible and even allowing Bruno to get ahead of the play if need be.
Last season the ball popped into Lukaku and the players kind of didnt know what will happen? more often he started a counter attack for the other team.
I cannot tell you that, I struggle as well. You have to play with players that suit the team and the system.THANK YOU!!!!! How people cannot grasp this I fail to understand. Look at how Firmino allows Salah/Mane to be at the top of their game due to how much space he creates for them and his link up play. This "proper no9" thing is overrated especially the ones with hold up play and technique as average as Lukaku`s. Greenwood is the only ST in the team we should be looking to build the team around in the near future due to how well al rounded he is himself on top of being VERY clinical. Even historically during our last Golden Era we didn`t have a "proper no9" in Rooney/Saha and Rooney/Tevez and our football was terrific.
It is true. Kane has done nothing. Rashford was in the pocket. Bit harsh to dig out only Martial here. James was like lower level player.Kane's done crap all either. Our whole team has been crap.
If we dont win - people start shooting at this guy.
Ole made some stupid decisions playing Daniel James as a RW again and again when he had a whole season to see the lad cant cut in on his right foot, he crosses with his eyes on the floor and not at other players and there is no reason to play such a player when Martial himself is supportive too.
Should have just played Greenwood. We need left footed players on the right hand side and why people have a go at Martial whilst literally the whole team did shit all is literally dumb. Literally not one chance was created where he messed up the chance.
It's a fair point.Martial did more in the second half than Rashford did all game. If Martial did what Rashford did just before that second 'penalty' you lot would be absolutely slating him now.
It just is what it is tonight. I'm not saying we should slate Rashford by the way. This first round of fixtures is going to be weird for a lot of people.
Let's just let this promising team play together and see what happens. Pogba, Bruno, Rashford and Martial and hopefully Greenwood, can finish this season very strongly.
This is how I feel as well. These guys haven't played football in months. they're going to be rusty. He got very little service throughout the majority of the game, but had two chances. Admittedly didn't do too well with the first, but could hardly have done more with the second.It would be harsh to judge him on that game alone. It's never easy going up against a Jose backs-to-the-wall special.
He took too much pace of the pass. Stopped the ball dead so it was slightly under his feet. With a pass like that he needed to use the pace of the pass to push the ball slightly ahead of him.He should have scored that chance when Bruno laid it on a plate for him.
Just took too long to react.
