23 May 2019 21:56:02
I see no one's mentioned it, but it's been revealed today that none other than our own Anthony Martial is statistically the most clinical player in the EPL. 10 goals from 39 shots.
Maybe we should get him in shooting positions more rather than expecting him to track back.
23 May 2019 22:51:18
Do me a favour shappy.
Maybe HE should get HIMSELF into more shooting positions.
Csm and i had this conversation. His stats are great in that respect he scores 1 in 4 which is good. But you have to question why he does not get into better positions more often.
Countless times he either just doesn't see the runs or just can't be arsed to make the runs. At 23 i don't know which is more concerning.
For me as much as he appears to lack desire and movement he appears to lack real football intelligence and understanding.
His decision making a is often worse than poor his final ball is poor and he often doesn't see the right pass or ignores it.
He has talent he has good physique he just doesn't seem too work heard enough on his game.
Salah mane sane sterling alli all work back very few don't actually.
Martial needs to work harder or face the risk of wasting his talent.
If he is such a good striker why have none of his coaches ever played him there for sustained periods.
I wanted to see him play as striker in our last 4 or 5 games when rash was obviously struggling. But even then ole didn't play him. Why? I really don't know.
I don't enjoy watching him play, much the same way i didn't like watching nani play. I find him frustrating to watch. You have to watch 88 mins of crap in the hope that the 2 mins he can make a great play and score.
I would also hate to play with him.
Personally i don't like his demeanour but i know that's very subjective
The penny may drop for him but its got to drop soon.
No queue of clubs wanted him when he was up for sale. He was offered to a club last month as per ed002 but they didn't want him.
Lets hope it clicks for him here because at 250k a week we will have another sanchez like financial situation with him if we dont. Very hard to shift underperforming players on that sort of money.
Martial has a lot to prove.
23 May 2019 23:11:13
There's definitely a player in there. I'm not all for wingers being defenders first and attacks second, I'm with you on that Shappy, but he doesn't even work hard to win back the ball when he loses it. I'd love to see him get an extended run of successive games next season. He has bags more potential than any other forward in that squad but I'm not sure Ole is too impressed with him.
23 May 2019 23:45:21
Only problem is Martial has non-existant movement. You never see him make darting runs in behind like the other wide forwards in the league. No point in being clinical if you can't get into positions.
23 May 2019 23:50:33
Give him a go as our number 9. That's where he's looked his best for us. Best finisher at the club in my opinion.
24 May 2019 03:54:58
Shappy. I have always said this. when he was playing CF in first season. he was immense and happy. With our lack of quality on wings, he been moved to left and started suffering because he doesn't feel happy there. I am still by my words to make him CF. Not Rashford. Like Rooney in later years, he is also suffering from his multi positions ability. he should have been rigid and asked to get back to No9 role or leave where he can satisfy himself.
24 May 2019 04:10:10
He is not a number 9. He's a wide forward.
He should study Sterlings movement and runs, positioning and effort to retreive ball. He could easily do the same.
So many times he just doesn't bother to make the run into the 6 yard box when the ball's in the right channel.
Ole made comment to him not making enough scrappy or tap in goals and I agree completely. If he just focused on that, and then did a job of getting back goalside to shield his fullback then he would be 10 times the player. No one is asking for defensive player of the year awards.
Should also consider that Pogba as the left side midfielder offers very little cover for him. Herrera on that side would have covered him a lot more than PP.
24 May 2019 06:15:16
Agreed Dodgy. I can't stand Martial as a player and I look forward to when he is no longer at Utd.
He's lazy and sulky, doesn't make any runs, doesn't create, can't be bothered defending and offers no encouragement to his team mates. All he does is pick up the ball and make head down runs towards goal. Most times he runs into traffic and gives the ball away when others are in better positions.
Occasionally by the law of averages he manages to get the ball past a few players and he does have a decent finish so he can score a goal. But when you look at what Sterling does for City, Martial's occasional contribution is not nearly enough.
He exemplifies everything that is wrong at Utd at the moment.
24 May 2019 06:21:19
Agree with everything Ken said.
There is serious lack of hunger in him.
I would replace Martial with Joao Felix if there was a chance.
24 May 2019 06:36:05
Agree with Ken here. He plays as part of a front 3, same as Mane and Salah. But he doesn’t have even a fifth of the impact on a game as either of those two. His workrate doesn’t even register on a chart. I dare say he’s the laziest player in the Premier League. It’s so frustrating to see a player with the world at his feet yet zero desire to reach the top. He could be up there with the best, a Manchester United and PL legend, he should be on twice as many goals by now with his pace and finishing. I think we signed the wrong teenager from Monaco.
24 May 2019 08:11:34
Wazza has hit the nail on the head. Incredible player, could destroy defences, but complete lack of work rate and desire. And that is unforgivable in my book.
{Ed025's Note - in mine too AAA..
24 May 2019 09:07:02
AaA
Incredible player?
Really?
At his best he is above average.
At his worst a hinderance to the team.
24 May 2019 10:25:08
I am not sure with Martial. I have seen Shappy say before that Olly may go for 2 up front in a 4222 so we could see him in a more central position to score more.
Also the comment by Dodgy Banter about Sterling. Well its only been these past 2 years he would've put up there which shows that he needed some coaching/ development to bring the best out of him so maybe Martial needs that.
For me he ultimately needs to improve this year whether down the middle or LF.
24 May 2019 10:53:16
Martial will prove a few off the experts on here who let a personal grudge against a player they have never meet cloud there judgments.
It's always the same people saying the same things about a certain player, until he starts playing well then they will move on to some one else .
Interesting to compare him to someone like salah who was older than martial is now when getting shipped out of Chelsea?
Talented individual who will thrive in the the right system. Time will tell but I'm sure he will prove a few wrong.
24 May 2019 11:23:26
My comment was not intended to be an assassination of the guy like some seem to have taken it.
Agree jred, sterling in first year at city looked poor. Good coaching has turned him into a player that scores for fun. Ot is no accident that he gets so many tap ins at the back post or through balls finding his runs down the outside channel of CBs.
Martial needs to start getting himself into better positions to be a better influence on the game.
Defensive side has been exposed partly by PP. His attitude rings out as negative, but when his confidence is up this has been less in the past. Feels like his body language suchs the life out of the team
I seem to remember Sterling having similar sulky period when pep first started to coach and influence him in first season? He is the role model to success for AM.
24 May 2019 12:46:22
A bit like yourself jred when you feel free to critisise players or coaches you never met.
24 May 2019 13:32:44
Jred, I have no interest in him as a person. I'd just like him to run around a bit for 90 minutes once or twice a week which I don't think is too much to ask.
24 May 2019 16:21:55
The problem is he’s largely an extremely lazy player who isn’t busy enough.
24 May 2019 16:38:23
He needs to make more effort.
24 May 2019 16:57:54
In martials defence re tap ins that would require someone from our right hand side to square the ball to him for a tap in
we hardly ever attack down the right, when we do it's normally Ashley Young whos crossing is poor and it's going to be a cross from deep or near the by line so not a tap in style cross more a back post header job
As united attack generally down the left it means martial is involved in the build up play so thus is deeper so isn't on the defenders shoulder. As the world and his dog knows we don't have a right side the opposition usually packs our left side.
Soon as we sort the right side out I believe we will see a lot more from martial in an attacking sense at least and if not the excuse has gone.
24 May 2019 18:09:44
The whole reason I believe these stats to be pointless is they can be manipulated to make somebody look good or look bad. Martial has one major problem and the same can be said for Pogba they don't try hard enough. Martial had a good little spell, he got his new contract and he just went back to his normal self. I do believe he can be a great player for us, if we surround him with the right players and move him more centrally. But he will need to start working harder or he will waste his career.
24 May 2019 18:54:24
jred, if Martial starts playing well people will hopefully change their opinion. You seem to suggest that’s a bad thing. Martial is clearly lacking in the effort department, if that changes, I for one will be happily proved wrong.
Until then, I think he’s very lazy and wasting the massive amount of natural talent he has.
We are talking about a player who plays like Thierry Henry for 1 game a season, but Terry Wogan for the rest.
24 May 2019 19:51:01
Wazza that's a great point.
Peoples opinions on players will mostly be dictated by their form.
If any players plays crap for 3 seasons he will and bloody well should be questioned.
If the player answers those questions and improves their form that will change opinions.
Shaw i would have sold last summer. I still think he has a long way to go not withstanding his poy award. But i think he deserved his contract after improving so much. He has expressed his gratitude very publicly to jose and credited him and his influence with that turn around in form.
He wants to play in the england and united team so he needs to continue with his improvement.
If martial improves and plays well then people will stop asking questions. Surely that's a good thing.
24 May 2019 20:56:15
Not sure about that Ken. I think people's opinions are shaped more by the commitment a player shows.
24 May 2019 21:26:34
Manc man if a player is playing well most will ignore a bit off attitude.
24 May 2019 20:39:43
I cannot recall ever seeing martial getting himself to slide in at the back post to finish a chance. this is telling.
24 May 2019 21:50:54
Exactly Ken.
Pogba got a lot less stick when he played well at the start of Ole’s reign.
Now his form is poor and people criticise his laziness. And rightly so.
If somebody isn’t putting in any effort they don’t deserve praise. This applies to many things in life such as work and relationships.
25 May 2019 00:56:37
Ken, I see your point but even when a lazy player is playing well we still don't respect them because we know they can and should be doing better. Anyway, it's no big deal.
I like it when the supporters give lazy players the bird like Pogba got at the end of the season because strolling round the pitch is taking the micheal and these players should be hounded out of the club. They have no place at Manchester Utd.
25 May 2019 08:23:22
On the subject of Martial I think he has talent but not the right attitude and you can’t be a great or even a good footballer without both. Phlegmatic at times, the tries sometimes not others attitude isn’t good enough, he got upset over the number on his shirt, how ridiculous, it’s not about the number it’s about being in the team. In terms of being a good finisher, yes when one on one but goal hanger is not workable in 11 a side and that is what he seems to want. At least they don’t have to wash his shirt after games. In the must improve his attitude and effort category.
25 May 2019 09:33:06
Would sterling be performing to his current level if he was part of the United set over the season compared to how he has played for city .
It's not a computer game a lot of things are involved in producing a squad of players that play well as a team .
People just think it's a case of buying x y and z .
Its am armchair view but each to there own.
25 May 2019 10:25:40
Jred. Do you think martial has been putting in enough effort in most games?
And do you think he has been doing well?
You are always very good at telling people they are wrong and jump in to rubbish belittle and critisise people opinions.
So oosters can understand why you always react the way you do it would be great if you would share your opinions
I think you wanted poch as our manager. I can totally understand that opinion but I've no idea apart from that.
What areas of the squad to you think we need to strengthen?
Which positions do you think we should prioritise?
Which players would you like to see come in?
Which players do you think ole should sell and why?
If ddg goes who would you like to see targeted?
Who do you think should be our no1 cf next season?
What do you make of our full back options and how would you like to line up there next season?
Who would you like to see as 1st choice cb pairing next season?
Do you want pogba to stay?
What would you do or what do you think will happen with lukaku.
These are all popular discussions on here along with lots of others.
I really would like to hear your opinion on these topics rather than critiquing or jumping in to rubbish others opinions. It would provide clarity if you shared your views so that we can understand what you think or what you would like to see happen.
25 May 2019 12:04:57
Ken
I've covered them all to bits, you where to busy trying to ram your opinion down my throat to actually read them .
Which areas should we strengthen? We should like every other team strengthen the squad as a whole . I would look and expect the club to look for a RB with Tony going, a player that will strengthen and complement and improve the back 4 . As well as stabilizing the cm and adding to attack . That said I've heard Dalot could be used in this role .
With Herrera moving we need a cm
Who would I like to sign? There are many players out there, we need to build a squad, stay away from the Sanchez style signing. The club will buy young this year and get back to building a team.
Who should we sell? Impossible to say, selling rojo for example for 20 mill will make little to no difference, he has played a couple of games, so him being at another club will make very little difference . Finance wise there is so many other issue it's not even worth discussing.
I don't think mata fits our system, that said he is a very good player and if we switch it up tactically he will do great . That is the case for several of our players and it's not a computer game and not as simple as you think .
If ddg goes? It would depend who is available I wouldt be surprised if we looked at Gianluigi Donnarumma, but he is young for a keeper and moving leagues etc would be a big ask . Romero is decent, nothing more but it would make little sense to spent 100 mill on someone like obalk. Is he a better player than Romero? Yes imo. is he 100mill better? Not if it was my money .
I would have Romero in nets before I spent 100mill plus wages etc on a obalk signing . It wouldn't be a big enough improvement, balanced against the cost and risk . Which is at the base of every transfer
Do I want pogba to stay? Yes, I want him to stay and produce his best football same as lukaku martial rash etc . If we can get everything in line to get the best out of our players we will be fine . But we need to get the best out of the current squad and players before we expect any new players to come in and play well .
With everything in place at the club pogba and martial for example will do very well as they are both very good players. If not they will continue to produce football below there standard, but if we haven't got everything in place and go and spent 200 mill on sancho and felix they 2 will have the same problems as pogba.
Just because a player plays well for a certain team, in a different environment etc doesn't mean they will replicate that form in a completely different environment.
Flip it round and if pogba moved to a team and the right environment he would do very well
What would I do with lukaku? Nothing, the lad has scored goals everywhere he has been and has scored goals when ever we have played well as a team.
It is a team sport and when everything is right the team will play well and individuals will play well .
Lukaku martial etc have all shown the level they can play at and when we have played well as a team have played well.
But again there are a million other factors, it's really not a simple question.
25 May 2019 12:08:45
Pressed send a bit early, but we have the youth set up to look at, what us the plan over the next 3to 4 years etc . Its not just about starting next season with x y, z. And that has a bearing in everyone of your question .
Ed always fans should getting involved with money, that should be be running a club.
25 May 2019 12:38:49
So you want rash lukaku and martial to stay and you think they all should be playing as a cf as you have said on many occasions that cf is their best position.
Do you not think that's 3 players for 1 position as ole plays 1 up most of the time? That will cause issues imo as none want to play from wide so it leaves us very short out wide.
So who do you see as our best cf?
25 May 2019 13:14:52
Ken
What's with all the question lol.
I've given my opinion several times on all the above .
If all you can do is ask another silly question from all the above, it just sums you up .
If that's the hole you are trying to pick from the above then it speaks volumes.
Cf is there best position, but 2 up top could work, we could play an inter changing front line, rash can play wide, David villa, Eto are just examples of players who have done the above I could go on etc etc . wait what's the point . I'm wasting my time .
Let's be honest I'm wasting my time, your last question in the context of the above speaks volumes.
25 May 2019 13:33:07
Whats wrong with the question?
If we keep 3 players who all want to lead the line and none of them perform to their best out wide nor are they happy playing there what's the point in that?
From your post you really want to keep all our squad and wait another year for them to start playing well. Even if they are unhappy and can't play in their favoured position.
It makes no sense to me.
If ole plays 2 up top then there is merit in keeping all 3 but he has preferred to play 433 or 4411 with a ten type player which none of those 3 are.
Maybe you think its a stupid question because you can only come up with a stupid reply resorting to insults because you struggle to articulate what you mean.
Martial is not happy not leading the line. Nor is lukaku nor is rashford there is not enough game time playing 1 up top to keep the all happy. I feel if they are forced to play out of position it will cause problems.
25 May 2019 13:40:58
Lol ok Ken.
25 May 2019 14:07:20
You could be right little man. Sticking your head in the sand keeping all the players continue to play them out of position in a totally unbalanced side and doing all the same things but expecting different results couldd be the way to go.
We did try that last season it didn't work but it might work next season. If it doesnt.
Then you will be calling for another managers head because he can't get these players gelling yet again.
The vast majority think otherwise.
Lets hope we see 7 or 8 leave that would be ideal and give us the best chance of moving forwards.
I really hope we don't keep 3 cf for 1 position and have no wide players i think its been proven that doesn't work by finishing 6th yet again.
25 May 2019 14:33:42
Ken
Yawn nobody said any of what you have put in your last post .
Like I have said I'm wasting my time .
Keep digging the hole, it speaks volumes, but is very boring 😂😂.
{Ed002's Note - Nailed on then.}
{Ed001's Note - he could have signed months ago.}