What was once arguably his biggest attribute has completely disappeared. His finishing has been outright atrocious since Copenhagen last season. Sitter after sitter missed. What the feck has happened to him.
The curious case of Martial’s finishing
- Thread starter Schmeichel's Cartwheel
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Listen to the latest United Hour Podcast episode here. In it, Alex, Jamie and Nik revel in United's 3-2 victory over the old enemy in the FA Cup. The lads have high praise for Rashford, Pogba and even Ole himself, before they consider another draining midweek encounter, this time against the lowly Blades.
We're 3 points clear at the top for the first time in almost a decade.
Please, no complaints tonight.
Please, no complaints tonight.
His confidence is shot and that affects you the most in front of goal. His overall level has been wank this season and if he doesn’t score his I don’t give a crap attitude stands out so much
There is nothing curious about it. He is just in a rough patch.
He looks slower and more sluggish than his former self. He used to be such a silky player. His hold up play has really improved but his finishing and dribbling have fallen off.
It's mad ...
At Martial's absolute worst, one thing you could count on was that he was ice cold in front of goal. Now, no matter how big the post is, one would be forgiven to think he actually aims for the keeper!
At Martial's absolute worst, one thing you could count on was that he was ice cold in front of goal. Now, no matter how big the post is, one would be forgiven to think he actually aims for the keeper!
It's been very poor this year, but recently no-one has finished clinically in our team. It's a collective issue that needs to be addressed somehow.
That said, we got the job done tonight and are top of the league!
That said, we got the job done tonight and are top of the league!
He does his own thing man
To be fair, he did apparently injure himself while taking the shot. But yeah, he's way off form. Still believe he's a great footballer who's performing poorly at the moment. Wasn't that bad today, though, in my opinion.
He's going through a drought, and his confidence is really low as a result. Happens to the best strikers, but he needs to get out of the slump soon.
Half a season? He's never really been good enough for United to be a starter as a striker. He hardly developed since he joined us. It's much worse than a patch.
Nah, he’s right. Top of the table is just a curse if you use it to mask your weaknesses.
He's been very poor, consistently takes that extra touch that gets his shot blocked. He was on a little run and now it's gone. Too much hot and cold to be the front man long-term, this was the season where he needed to validate last season's performance to answer his CF critics. He's not lived up to it.
That being said, I think Martial is still a very important player to United's best moments as presently constructed. I wouldn't be as shocked as some that he gets it together in the coming months and has a big impact, but he's not going to be the CF of the future for this club. He can make his place on the left wing and compete with Rashford. RW is most important, CF is next.
That being said, I think Martial is still a very important player to United's best moments as presently constructed. I wouldn't be as shocked as some that he gets it together in the coming months and has a big impact, but he's not going to be the CF of the future for this club. He can make his place on the left wing and compete with Rashford. RW is most important, CF is next.
Bet you're wild at parties.
I think Gary was being generous there. Looked to me like he pulled it when he was chasing down the defender.
He just brings everyone around him into the game. You can see why Ole moved Rashford wide and not Martial
It’s good to be where we are, but everyone will be rightly furious if any complacency was to be shown here and our form suddenly dropped off.
If you want to go drive around Stretford beeping your horn, go ahead.
Been a long rough patch..
But his finishing was always good prior to this season. Him not being United quality(nailed on starter that is) is a debate but his ability to finish was never in doubt before this season
Lacking confidence. That's all it is, he hasn't suddenly become terrible or lost all of his attributes, but you can see that he's trying to get the ball perfectly set up or clear of all defenders to ensure a clean shot and he's overthinking it. Needs to start just lashing it when it comes to him, because his technique is good enough that he's already set up to shoot after his first touch most of the time yet takes another.
Like someone said he just seems to have put on some weight as he looks or seems so sluggish which much hinder his natural way of playing football, reminds me of aghbonlaor when he out on some muscles so he could handle the big centre halves but lost some of his explosiveness.
But his confidence is really shot to pieces he just can't shoot properly anymore so strange about him this year hopefully he rediscover his finishing touch.
But his confidence is really shot to pieces he just can't shoot properly anymore so strange about him this year hopefully he rediscover his finishing touch.
It’s not a complaint it’s an observation that our number 9 seems to have completely lost his composure in front of goal. The only reason for the thread is because he used to be so cold one on one. He’s been atrocious at them for 6 months now.
He needs dropping. It might make him buck his ideas up. He knows he can put a shit performance in and Ole will still pick him.
It’s a confidence game, most strikers go through a rough patch in their career, this is it for him. Luckily it’s not costing us games.
I don’t think he’s a centre forward like Cavani. You give that chance at the end to Cavani and he buries it for 2-0.
Hes better as a wide forward for me.
Hes better as a wide forward for me.
He needs a few goals to get his confidence up, he seems to overthink every chance now, it used to be so natural for him, and now you don't really feel much certainty he's going to take a chance.
Confidence thing. He better finds form soon. I actually think that his overall play is fine but those chances he misses... Damn
Was desperate for him to put his laces through that big chance at the end and see the net bulge. Hopefully he’s not injured too badly, we need all of our first team players fit these next few weeks.
Finishing and composure have always been his thing. Such a strange period. Looks devoid of any confidence around the box, when before thats when he came alive. His all round game is greatly improved, but his end product has gotten to be so poor.
Just needs to keep at it, it'll pass, but its very annoying. He has no conviction in anything around the box.
Just needs to keep at it, it'll pass, but its very annoying. He has no conviction in anything around the box.
Cavani missed a big chance as well
Got the yips in front of goal.
Seems to constantly take an extra uneeded touch
Seems to constantly take an extra uneeded touch
I don't know where's this idea coming from that Cavani is some super-clinical, Van Nistelrooyesque predator. He's been PROLIFIC throughout his career, sure, but he was always considered a quite wasteful striker. I mean, that 6-1 at Barcelona isn't primarly remembered for his contributions but he could have put that tie to bed multiple times that night.
As for Martial, he played better than Cavani in this game but he's never going to be a consistent, prolific goalscorer. He's just way too much of a confidence player for that and while I don't know him personally, his confidence seems really fecking fragile. He can do better than what he's shown this season though, that's for sure.
Tbh, I dont think I would've felt overly confident had Cavani been in the same situation. I just dont think our forwards are on-it this season for whatever reason.
Like the commentary team said it looked like he was concerned at a muscle tightening by that last few mins chance.
Didn't want to risk blowing his leg off.
Hope he's fine for Sunday.
Didn't want to risk blowing his leg off.
Hope he's fine for Sunday.
Limped off with a tactical hammy after his wank finish.
It always looks like everything needs to be set up in an absolutely perfect way before he takes the shot. Just sluggish at times.
I think it's a bit of a myth that he was ever a great finisher. Due to his calm (relaxed) style and body language, he looks extremely composed in front of goal, doesn't smash the ball, always attempts to finesse it in, so when they go in it looks classy as feck and he looks like a great finisher.
Most of the best finishers though, the goals won't always look pretty but they find the back of the net consistently. That's never been the case with Tony.
Most of the best finishers though, the goals won't always look pretty but they find the back of the net consistently. That's never been the case with Tony.
Suffering a bit of the Andy Cole's. Just can't put it away. Maybe if he got Razored, it could help him out, it might work twice.
He was scoring more goals than expected basing on chances, one of the best in the League anyway for a few seasons. Last year he was 1st or 2nd (him and Greenwood).
For example Rashford oscillates around average on that stat. Martial was on different level.
I have no idea what happened to him, he's been in such a poor form for a few months now.