06 Mar 2020 09:46:53
I must admit Ighalo surprised me last night. I know it was against a championship team but he found space, held the ball up well and brought the wingers into play before making dangerous runs into the box, of which resulted in goals. I know Martial has been scoring goals but I do not think he fits best in a system where he is the sole striker.

What are your thoughts?


1.) 06 Mar 2020
06 Mar 2020 10:19:11
Considering we are only starting to see the early signs of some sort of system developing, i think its harsh to come to any sort of definitive conclusion on Martial as a lone striker.

We have not had a professional footballer at right wing all season and we just got a proper no 10 in february.

Personally i think martial has done well to score as many goals as he has with the poverty of service he has received. Pretty much nothing of note from the full backs, lingard and pereira have been hopeless as number 10s and no service from the right hand side of the pitch.


2.) 06 Mar 2020
06 Mar 2020 12:54:12
Ighalo will be to the benefit of AM and help him improve his game when playing through the centre.

I think Ole has been quite cute with how he is trying to get AM playing, trying to get him in to the box earlier and encouraging him to play more central. AM has always drifted out left and too often dropped out of the game which Ole recognises as sinful for such a talented player.


3.) 06 Mar 2020
06 Mar 2020 12:59:29
I think it’s perfectly reasonable to make judgments on Martial as a striker.

Ighalo is a decent player. The team plays better when Ighalo has played as a central striker. Primarily because he acts like a central striker and makes runs behind the defence, thereby creating more space for the wingers/ attacking mids.

Martial has more ability than Ighalo, but is not a central striker. He is always dropping back looking for ball to feet, and rarely makes runs to get onto the end of through balls/ crosses.

I would use Martial as a lw until Rash is fit, and look to sell him in the summer to bring in a top class striker with Ighalo and Greenwood as backup.


4.) 06 Mar 2020
06 Mar 2020 13:58:43
I was sceltical of the signing in jan but he’s impressed me massively.
I was guilty of wanting a big name striker when we got him from China and I admit it was pure snobbery on my behalf, the lad has done exactly what we needed him to do.


5.) 06 Mar 2020
06 Mar 2020 14:15:17
Totally agree 2Toms!
there is a clear transformation to our play over last month whereby although we haven't a typical right winger the play moves to the right side more than it ever has over the past 6 years. We almost always crowded to the left which made us very predictable to defend against and its paying dividends :just look at the goal tally.


6.) 07 Mar 2020
07 Mar 2020 23:09:28
What wingers?