[AneRu]

You need to look at the second goal. He was terrible for it.

He got done and his odds in that duel were made worse by our nonexistent midfield which just allowed runners from deep to step into our box unmolested, a privilege we were obviously denied at the other end. Its just basic stuff, if Goss has Casemiro or Scott with him there then Lisandro stands a better chance to intercept instead he has had to lunge in because three or four players got done by an ordinary one yard pass.

He is not at his best but what is being asked of our defense is ridiculously too much.

 

[Sammy McIlroys fan club]

I thought he was poor today on and off the ball. Deservedly substituted, and I'm generally a huge fan.

 

[RPT_Reddevil]

Its amazing that most of the players progress at other clubs, but here they regress.

 

[Bobski]

He is still recovering from a bad injury, will likely need a couple of months to get full match sharpness. He can't afford to be physically off, he is small and rather slow over distance, but when 100% his anticipation, aggression, and agility allows him to mostly negate those weaknesses. Doesn't help playing alongside someone as soft as Lindelof.

 

[Malone_Post]

Worrying start to the season. I’ll be absolutely gutted if that injury has ruined him. There seems to be a bit of a trend of people downplaying his performances last year, because he’s started this season poorly. Which is absolutely mental. He was genuinely fantastic last season. This season…not so much.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Fear that injury has really changed his mindset. Last season it’s honestly not exaggerating to say he was best 1 or 2 CB in the league, looks much more hesitant now although the shot show of a midfield ahead of him doesn’t help.

 

[Oranges038]

You need to look at the second goal. He was terrible for it.

The problem with that goal is how easily he gets into that position and how easily the ball makes it to him.

Martinez sells himself too easily, but you have to give credit to the dummy. That was a smooth move by Groß, he sold 3 players with it.

 

[Skills]

There's a reason an ancient Otamendi starts over him for Argentina

 

[Cassidy]

There's a reason an ancient Otamendi starts over him for Argentina

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

He's been poor since his return.

The Heinze comparisons some posters made regarding him might be true.

 

[Bondi77]

Along with Lindelof this would be the weakest CB pairing in the League.

 

[DownRiver]

What do we do to these players? During his first few months, he was terrific: he had passed through lines and was very physical. He had been going downhill even before his injury.

 

[Chief123]

Since his injury you mean, and people wouldn’t have it when I said it was a career ender.

Ffs imagine trying to rescue yourself from that shocking post calling it a career ending injury.

 

[tentan]

Good character but hardly world class is he. Wish we signed KMJ this summer.

 

[Cassidy]

Could have done better for the second goal, but not really seeing the major issue here
Needs to get back to playing those line breaking passes though

 

[CM10]

Martinez was great last season but his start to this season has been hugely disappointing. The same is true for Casemiro, although he was already beginning to tail off towards the back end of last season. Those two were both really important in shaping our determination not to get beaten at the start of last year and both seem to have lost that grit. It's a bit worrying and I hope they can both restore themselves to that level.

 

[Leftback99]

I go back to my point that I have made from the beginning - it doesn't make sense to me to sign a player with obvious deficiencies/limitations. He's world class on the ball, nice and aggressive, a good tackler, reads the game well...but...in my opinion...I maintain you can't be a world class centre half in the modern era and be as slow and as small as he is

Yep. There's a reason everyone else signs CBs with obvious CB qualities, strength, pace, aerial ability.

 

[KikiDaKats]

Interesting player

 

[OverratedOpinion]

There's a reason an ancient Otamendi starts over him for Argentina

Martinez is better than Otamendi.

Take a breather.

 

[PSV]

Martinez is better than Otamendi.

Take a breather.

Yeah, you tell them! I'm sure the team that's just won the WC is wrong.

Martinez is very overrated.

 

[TsuWave]

I'd be starting Maguire over him soon if he continues playing like this.

This fanbase - you guys aren't serious people

 

[elmo]

His performances so far this season is a mixture of him still recovering from his injury and trying to get back to his best and struggling with Lindelof (never in the right position to defend anything) and Casemiro (who's about 5 seconds too late for everything so far this season).

 

[Varun]

This fanbase - you guys aren't serious people

They are, which is the scary thing.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Still getting up to speed following his injury. His pointless trip to join up with the Argentina squad probably didn't help, either.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Think our CB’s are maybe struggiling a little bit as they are being super aggressive and following people in to midfield as instructed but if they don’t win the ball or someone doesn’t win the 2nd ball they are then out of position.

I’d say it’s compounded by our midfield being just non existent, no energy in it and no one fills in the gaps. Think it’s more issues with the system that is stemming from the midfield.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Was good against Arsenal but he hasn’t been the same since his injury vs Sevilla. Hopefully he returns to form.

 

[crossy1686]

Ffs imagine trying to rescue yourself from that shocking post calling it a career ending injury.

Not trying to rescue anything, just owning it. And if he doesn’t play well again I was right

 

[Chief123]

Not trying to rescue anything, just owning it. And if he doesn’t play well again I was right

Owning a terrible take. Do you know what career ending injury means?

 

[crossy1686]

Owning a terrible take. Do you know what career ending injury means?

I’m joking mate, and I said an Achilles injury anyway, not a metatarsal break. But it does seem the injury has affected him, he hasn’t managed a full 90 minutes yet has he?

 

[Leftback99]

His defending for the 3 goals would be clipped up as evidence that he's useless and going viral on twitter if it was Maguire.

 

[VorZakone]

If he's recovering from an injury, then why is ETH starting him? It's costing points.

 

[Cassidy]

If he's recovering from an injury, then why is ETH starting him? It's costing points.

You think Maguire or Evans would cost less?

 

[VorZakone]

You think Maguire or Evans would cost less?

If Maguire is fully fit, he might not do worse than a recovering Martinez.

 

[AdamColeBebe]

Its amazing that most of the players progress at other clubs, but here they regress.

It is absolutely bizarre. Why does it happen? I'd love to take on say Bellingham or Haaland and see if they too would become a shadow of themselves in the United shirt.

Who have we signed since Fergie left that has played at the ability they are expected to?

 

[jesperjaap]

I thought he was poor today on and off the ball. Deservedly substituted, and I'm generally a huge fan.

Agree, I think he has been decent this season ad been overly criticised like he was in his first 3/4 games at the club. A big fan too and I am not concerned about him, but he was very poor yesterday

 

[Cassidy]

If Maguire is fully fit, he might not do worse than a recovering Martinez.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

With him, Casemiro and Bruno horribly out of form plus a new goalie and striker, the spine of the team is lost.

 

[Lentwood]

There's no connection though the spine of the team. Onana has gone from sweeper keeper to Subbutteo goalkeeper. Martinez and Lindelof are disconnected from Casemiro. Casemiro is seemingly disconnected from the entire team. Bruno is playing all XI positions at the same time. Hojlund has shown some promise but he's a kid.

I still think these are 'good' players, they're just really struggling with this system. If we dropped into a boring old 4-2-3-1 from next week I'm convinced we'd still finish 4th.

Problem is, whenever we try and kick on from that and play in a more progressive, attack-minded manner we immediately do our best impression of a pub team full of drunken old blokes

 

[Litch]

Cant deny Im a bit worried, we only have had one season body of work and we dont know if this is a blip or if he is a one season wonder?

 

[GueRed]

Does he still have an achilles issue? Because he looks totally lost and compared to last season defensively has been absolute dogshit

To be fair to him it doesnt help when others around him have been poor too. Ten Hag needs to get this team sorted pronto