Attitude is a cop out. He lacks of the ball movement and is extremely one sided in his control which is why he looks terrible on the right. His hold up is very overrated on here and his interplay and touch passes aren't great which is why he constantly loses the ball when he receives it high up. For me, all he does is cut inside from the left. It's not just attitude, he has certain attractive skills, but his general ability is overrated due to this.
Should we give up on Anthony Martial?
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
- Start date
He is clearly off the pace in that game, Ole's failed judgement to field him, but come on now, let him get some form going before saying he is finished.
I agree. It is not like he is trying and things don't work out for him. He gives the impression that he doesn't even want to try.
Unfortunately, I don't think there are any teams who would like to buy Martial from us.
Absolutely. He had his moments and he's not a bad player. But he's a bad player for us and has been for a while. Never reached any kind of consistency. Maybe he can go somewhere where his career will be reignited. But the thought of him drudging along not even pretending to care makes me sick. He should go.
He's lost a lot of the explosiveness and close control that were his best attributes. He's quite a poor player now imo.
He had a horrible season that ended with him on a long injury layoff that he just recently fully recovered from. He's clearly not match fit either. I think we'll see the best of Martial this season, and I can see him linking up well with Sancho.
Yeah this is what’s scary for me. Whatever was lost with his lack of off-the-ball movement was (kinda) made up for with his explosiveness and close control. Now all that seems to be gone (Compare Sevilla EL semifinal with Soton: Different ends of the season and fitness notwithstanding, the difference in performance is jarring.)
Football is a 90 minute game. In that 90 minutes, as a striker, you may have the ball at your feet for about 3 minutes (I am pulling this number out of my @SS so now reason to prove me wrong by showing a 4 minute stat. you get the point). So what are you do for the other 87 minutes makes a huge difference for how good you are. Especially if you're a #9. Strikers probably have the least amount of touches than anyone on the field. So what are you doing without the ball? Martial likes to walk around, drift out to the left, or show for the ball. His biggest problem is that he doesn't see space. He doesn't have that "strikers instinct". He doesn't get tap ins. He wants the ball at his feet, and he wants to dribble. His hold up play is actually pretty good. But after he holds it up and passes it off he often acts as if his job is done. If Luke Shaw and Pogba have the ball out on the left wing, he should be making a near post run (while the right winger makes a far post run). Instead, Martial is often out on the left wing with them. He's just not a striker. He doesn't see the game. Some talk about James not having a football brain. James may make some odd choices with the ball at his feet, but he makes better runs than most of our players without the ball. If Martial could learn what to do without the ball he could probably be a very good player. I just don't see it happening...
Great analysis, great post.
Martial is still a good player but he has not done enough to earn a starting place. He should be used as a sub until he scores more.
I agree with you, there was a massive knee jerk reaction to the last game to the point where everyone's finished or needs to be sold, and Solskjaer isn't good enough. I've repeatedly said it's too early to go in hard on Martial yet but his lack of movement is seriously worrying.
Martial is as good as he’s going to be, and that’s not good enough for Man Utd.
Well said. That also explained why our central mid field always lost the battle when Martial was in the line-up , as Bruno had to constantly make the run into box to use the space when Martial drifting to the left . When we lost the ball trying to pass it to Bruno in the box, Martial did not have the awareness to press or cover up the ground for Bruno and our central mid field was left 2 against 3, that gave opponent huge advantages to counter attack.
I don't want to start criticism on Ole, but Martial clearly was not match fit in the Southampton game and his shape looks like a 35 year-old Andy Cole. It's ridiculous if we tried the "play to find form" tactics as it would cost us the title chance in early stage, especially we had Sacho on bench and Greenwood in form at CF position. Or the coach team did not notice Martial was not match fit, then that would be pure incompetency.
On the other hand, Paul Pogba now well in shape compared with last half season. That shows incentive and self-drive (maybe just for earning a big fat contract, who knows) , and Martial right now totally lacks of it.
A fresh start would be best for both parties.
He has regressed in recent years and is a shadow of what we thought he would become.
I think he lacks the desire to be a top, top player. Shame because I think the talent is there.
He has regressed in recent years and is a shadow of what we thought he would become.
I think he lacks the desire to be a top, top player. Shame because I think the talent is there.
I think we should loan him out and see if he can refind himself. That way we can get a better fee for him in a years time.
Not a bad idea. I think if he started a whole season he would benefit from that. If we can get in a replacement, of course.
Martial has a ballon dor clause in his contract which is almost laughable. The guy is a lazy striker who will never make it at the top top level. Would he be doing what Cavani is doing at the same age? I don’t think he would, do you?
He has had enough chances. He is just a Lazy Lazy player.
Gave up on him a couple of years ago to be honest. Offers nothing at all.
If we can get Haaland in January then that will most likely happen but we should just outright sell him next summer while Inter are looking to replace Lukaku
This sums it up nicely.
The fact that City want to get rid of Bernardo Silva, a player who has contributed far more for them then martial has for us speaks volumes about where we are as a club. They're ruthless when they need to be. Meanwhile we keep persevering with a player whos been so bad for over a year now and is showing no signs whatsoever of improving. Knowing us, we'll probably reward him with a new contract.
The wikipedia page for "sunk cost fallacy" should have Martial face on it. It's a problem at United.
That, and awarding big contracts to anyone who shows any kind of good form for a couple of months.
That, and awarding big contracts to anyone who shows any kind of good form for a couple of months.
Ole came in and immediately Martial had his best season with us - that's no coincidence and it suggests he's not self-motivated. Then, after his best season, Greenwood emerged, we signed Cavani, constant talks of signing a proper long-term CF like Haaland and us being seriously linked with Sancho for over a year, all coincide with his drop off in form and all these are players that occupy his supposed best positions.
It has to be psychological with him because if he truly gave himself to his profession, he'd be among the best in the world, he really does have that much ability. If I had to hazard a guess at where his head is at, going off his effort and body language, even before his injury, I would guess that he's given up on us as his rationale could be that he thinks the club don't believe him in being first choice, so why should he care too much? I don't believe he has the drive him in to cement first choice status at either LW or CF and I think in the back of his mind, he knows he doesn't have the drive to get there and stay there. I'm not holding it against him, not everyone has that unmitigated desire to reach the top, it all depends on his experiences at grass roots and his home life, we're all human at the end of the day. However, I will hold it against Ole if he keeps picking him to start ahead of people that show real desire to want to play.
It has to be psychological with him because if he truly gave himself to his profession, he'd be among the best in the world, he really does have that much ability. If I had to hazard a guess at where his head is at, going off his effort and body language, even before his injury, I would guess that he's given up on us as his rationale could be that he thinks the club don't believe him in being first choice, so why should he care too much? I don't believe he has the drive him in to cement first choice status at either LW or CF and I think in the back of his mind, he knows he doesn't have the drive to get there and stay there. I'm not holding it against him, not everyone has that unmitigated desire to reach the top, it all depends on his experiences at grass roots and his home life, we're all human at the end of the day. However, I will hold it against Ole if he keeps picking him to start ahead of people that show real desire to want to play.
Strikers better than Martial:
- Ronaldo
- Lewandowski
- Muller
- Lukaku
- Morten Gamst Pedersen
- Martial 2 years ago
- Martial 5 years ago
- Kevin Davies
- Tshabalala
- Emile Heskey
You would say that, wouldn’t you?
He was terrible last season and we didn’t miss him. This season Cavani is our main no 9, Greenwood can take the 2nd spot while Rashford can the 3rd spot. Although, I would keep him but if 40m offer comes in, we should just give up on him and take the money without even thinking about it.
I think he was good for us when we were fighting for a Europa League place but with better players around him the club has out grown him unfortunately. Like a lower division striker who’s team have been promoted and it’s just a stretch too far for him.
He was the first to break the pogba story and is generally a reliable Journo.If Duncan Castles is your source
I'd loved to be able to keep Martial as a bench player (our Gabriel Jesus etc) on bench wages.
However, paying him as one of the most important players when he isn't is just wrong.
Plus we just always seem to be stacked at LW - elanga for example has just joined the number of players we have alongside Sancho.
However, paying him as one of the most important players when he isn't is just wrong.
Plus we just always seem to be stacked at LW - elanga for example has just joined the number of players we have alongside Sancho.
One thing I have noticed about him over the last 12 months is that he really struggles to get past players. His take on success rate must be horrible during this period. It’s almost like he tried to reinvent himself as a classic 9, and forgot how to play as a wide forward. Then his goal scoring left him too so now he is basically a nothing player and I wonder whether we may be better off recalling Pellistri from loan and giving him the time or alternatively playing Elanga
I've given up on him at any point being a #9.....he either has to play on the left wing or you might as well sell him otherwise he's wasting a squad space by trying to force him into playing up top
We (mainly Ole) needs to be ruthless if we want to improve. We have to many bystanders, Martial is one if them. Either bench or sold
The problem I have with Martial is that when things don't go his way he is just a terrible player to have. I honestly can't recall when was the last time he had a good game from the bench. If you bring on Rashford from the bench you just know he is going to give his all with his directness and pace. Cavani will bleed on the pitch. Even lingard and James sometimes have excellent substitute performances. There is no point of keeping him as an option. I honestly would rather see anyother player given 20 minutes to change the game then Martial.
One season wonder that’s all he is…waste of money and LVG was to blame for that
Manchester City wants to keep Bernardo Silva. It's the player who wants to force a move, he wants to go back to spain and La Liga.
He's got 2 years left on his contract and has had Jorge Mendes spend all summer trying to get him out of there.
I'm not sure why you'd go on the internet and tell a lie.
It's not all a one way street. Silva wants to leave, city don't mind him leaving and won't stand in his way. In fact they even offered him to Tottenham as part of the Kane deal.
My original point still stands. I'm not sure why you'd go on the internet and tell a lie.
Yes they're not standing in his way because its club policy to let players who WANT to go, go, as long as they can find a new club. Offering Silva in a trade was an attempt to make that happen.
That's also the same club policy that Mancester United have.
You double lie, shame on you.
Sure, it's exactly why we still have players like jones, lingaard, dalot, martial, Matic all at the club. We're not ruthless when we need to be.
But clearly you're more interested in internet forum clout, so carry on.
I'm just being interested in being right. You made an argument which was incorrect.