You mean the one that ends today or the end that starts tomorrow? Or both?!?
How long before Martial gets the call?
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
International players are important. If he gets a call and can be good with the current world champion team, it means that for the next 3 years, we have ways to show that Ole somehow managed to get a striker in lack of confidence back on track. It will do wonders in term of story telling to all the new signings we are trying to get and that are playing hard ball because we are struggling in the league right now. And we need those players to play the way Ole wants to play, as it's a very demanding one that require staff rotation, etc... beyond the tactical aspect.
So I for one root for Martial to get the call, for United's sake.
Down the road, it would be fantastic if Williams and Greenwood could also get a call for the English team as well, this is what could save Ole's job by being able to convince other players. They see how he makes players progress. It's the only way for him right now, since everyone keeps bringing up irrelevant CV stuff.
You missed the joke.
Hes No where near good enough to get into that France squad.
It's good for him to be competing for a place with the likes of Fekir, Coman, Dembele, Lemar, Ben Yedder etc. All talented players in the same kind of bracket, ability-wise. We have all seen that potentially Anthony is the most gifted of all of them so if he wants to take that spot it's down to whether he can show the drive and desire to take it.
What someone like Coman has over Martial for me, if I'm Deschamps, is intensity. He will try again and again until he makes something happen. When Martial shows that sort of football for a whole season, he will be impossible to leave out.
What someone like Coman has over Martial for me, if I'm Deschamps, is intensity. He will try again and again until he makes something happen. When Martial shows that sort of football for a whole season, he will be impossible to leave out.
It would be fantastic for United if he makes the squad for the Euros. It will mean he's put in consistent top performances for United.
This season has shown how pivotal a player he is. If Martial plays well, United play well.
This season has shown how pivotal a player he is. If Martial plays well, United play well.
You must haven't watched him much. The best description of him should be the one Jose gave to Sneijder:
"“A number 10 for me is an eight-and-a-half when the team loses the ball, and the number 10 is a nine-and-a-half when the team has the ball."
When the team loses the ball he'd track back and tackle really hard and surprisingly he's really good with his tackling. He somewhat always reminds me of our Rooney in his heyday. What a shame he didn't come to us.
Of course his defensive contribution can't be the same as an actual midfielder. However if I have to chose between what he can offer both offensively and defensively and what some midfielder can I'd definitely choose him.
The total defensive contribution of him, Pogba and especially Kante is more than enough to ensure the balance of a midfield imho.
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Hopefully never.
In an ideal world, we'd keep all our players out of international football.
In an ideal world, we'd keep all our players out of international football.
Giroud must be the worst striker in WC history to win a medal - no goals and not many shots at goal...how he manages to keep his place in that talented team is an enigma...
He seems to understand the system and not make too many mistakes - not to mention he seems to have an ego to match that of the other French players. I'm saying the latter somewhat tongue in cheek, but I think it does help keep his place.
Coman has suffered a long term injury so I guess it increases Martial's chances but he will need to be consistent
Check out his overall scoring record for France then. Without Giroud scoring 0 goal even, France doesn't win the World Cup.
Giroud is getting in based on looks alone. Martial is not getting ahead of Mbappe, Griezman, Dembele and Coman. The first 2 are simply the best players in French setup and reliable performers.
Dembele and Coman are rather injury prone, like Martial. The difference is both Dembele and Coman dominate their respective league when they are fit while Martial has only been pretty good so far. Those that think Dembele is not any good, need to take a look at his Dortmund days. He was even better than Sancho.
Martial can battle it out with Ben Yedder, Lemar or Fekir. Deschamp's maybe keeping the latter to beef up his midfield stock.
Dembele and Coman are rather injury prone, like Martial. The difference is both Dembele and Coman dominate their respective league when they are fit while Martial has only been pretty good so far. Those that think Dembele is not any good, need to take a look at his Dortmund days. He was even better than Sancho.
Martial can battle it out with Ben Yedder, Lemar or Fekir. Deschamp's maybe keeping the latter to beef up his midfield stock.
In what alternate reality is Dembele dominating his league? He's a bordeline flop at Barca so far. Conan also isn't dominating his league either, although he isn't a flop like Dembele at barca.
Also Martial isn't injury prone like those 2. Martial has had a few bad injuries lately but in no way is he injury prone(just check his injury record) let alone Dembele level of prone.
You clearly don't watch either of these players.
I watch Dembele a lot when he was at Dortmund and he was easily the best winger in Bundesliga (Robben and Ribbery on decline). His career at Barcelona was very unfortunate to say the least, somebody should seriously check for horcrux in his locker. He got constantly injured but when he's briefly fit, you can see the lad from Dortmund and Rennes. But I get where you're coming from if you only factor in his time in Barca.
Coman is a good winger with explosive speed and guile but unfortunately he's also injury prone. Despite his average stature, big defender like Van Dijk bounced off him. He does not score that much at Bayern admitedly but when he plays, he's very hard to handle.
I think Deschamp would like to maintain high pace on either side of his wings when Mbappe moves inwards occupying CF position. That's where Dembele and Coman come in handy. Unless Martial is a starter on the setup, it's hard to imagine how he'll figure in Descamp Euro squad. Ben Yedder (and even Mbappe) is a better no.9.
Dembele has next to no chance to start for France because he creates imbalance which is something that Mbappé already does, they are both dreadful defensively and France becomes extremely vulnerable. The type of formations that you have in mind works at club level because you have players everyday on the training pitch and can work on these things but for a nation like France that can't rely on a backbone of players that play in the same club and are familiar with a particular tactical approach, pragmatism is everything.
Like we've seen with Rashford's form, the wide players for France would perform better with Martial up top, he's miles better than Ben Yedder and Mbappe is best on the wing.
Neither is Martial so far though. He has his chance, like any of them do. It's up to him to grab it and stay away from the injuries when it matters.
I think we can agree to disagree on this one although who knows, perhaps Deschamps will start that formation some day and they will prove me very wrong. I'm of the opinion that Wayne Rooney in midfield experiment did not work out.
That front three will hardly be contributing anything to defense, which puts even more pressure onto the midfield for winning control. If Kante had a positionally disciplined partner next to him who can sit back and control the flow I can see it work, but I don't see Pogba fitting that role.