The Anthony Martial Issue....

I was disappointed he wasn't at least on the bench at weekend but I think we are guilty of reading too much into these decisions
He'll probably start on Thursday and in the next league game as well

Mourinho started the season with Martial as first choice on the left side but he had to drop him as his head clearly wasn't right
He's definitely getting some tough love from Jose however if he knuckles down and listens it will make him a much better player because there are a lot of aspects of his game that he seriously needs to improve (especially his movement)

Rashford's had a lot of game time this season and Lingard's played quite a bit as well so I don't buy the whole Jose is ruining the youth angle

It's true he has a poor record of promoting youth players from the academy however he has a bought a lot of young players and made them top players over the course of his managerial career

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

Rashford's had a lot of game time this season and Lingard's played quite a bit as well so I don't buy the whole Jose is ruining the youth angle

rashford has started less league games than fellaini, less than darmian, less than lingard... on the other hand only 10 players have started at least half the 22 matches.

but i don't think rashford has started a single league game through the middle has he? that's the point.

fair enough, mourinho hasn't £#%&!ed all the youngsters off completely. but it's a fact that he hasn't given a single player from within the club a debut in the 1st team either - a complete seed change from last season. it's also a fact that tfm has 6 appearances, with just 2 starts.

basically it's gone exactly as expected so far re the youth policy.

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

I was disappointed he wasn't at least on the bench at weekend but I think we are guilty of reading too much into these decisions
He'll probably start on Thursday and in the next league game as well

Mourinho started the season with Martial as first choice on the left side but he had to drop him as his head clearly wasn't right
He's definitely getting some tough love from Jose however if he knuckles down and listens it will make him a much better player because there are a lot of aspects of his game that he seriously needs to improve (especially his movement)

Rashford's had a lot of game time this season and Lingard's played quite a bit as well so I don't buy the whole Jose is ruining the youth angle

It's true he has a poor record of promoting youth players from the academy however he has a bought a lot of young players and made them top players over the course of his managerial career

Very little as a striker. And he's not scored in the league for four months.

Early to say he's ruining the youth, but it hasn't started well. Last line of your post is generous too, imo.

But as Throb says, the club brough him in to do what he does. And that's what he will do.

Anyway Martial is surely set for a couple of chances now so let's hope he takes them.

Originally Posted by puressence

wish we played martial and rashers eitherside of zlatan

Wouldn't mind seeing this either, especially against some of the shit teams where defensive duties aren't quite as important. Give them license to interchange and play around him, making loads of runs in behind.

Originally Posted by Ethers

especially against some of the shit teams where defensive duties aren't quite as important

We'd promptly lose 6-0 given the shit@#%&!s we have at the back

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Maybe you're right. There's not been much accountability so far and the road from the academy to the first team seems a long one now which isn't drawing much concern. We will probably go big again on the market too this summer.

As for Shaw, convenient assumption is that it's fitness related but he is the player who we known fairly sure has been on the end of a %@#$&!ing or two this season.

I remember being concerned last summer that Shaw-Martial wouldn't be a combination down the left that Mourinho would favour. Ultimately when you hire a manager under our format he's not responsible for what came before him. He will have to be allowed to build his own side in his image.

He's already said a number of times that he's not going to do that.

Why do you keep peddling the same tedious snide?

Originally Posted by Alan

He's already said a number of times that he's not going to do that.

Why do you keep peddling the same tedious snide?

no he hasn't you belm. he's basically suggested that he gets a bad rap and that of course he will try and play the united way.

I agree he gets a bad rap fwiw, but not about the youth policy, which he will first ignore and second neglect. guess it puts the onus on united to bring in and develop exceptional talents only but that's not how it works, you have to give players the chance to grow in the 1st team as well. mourinho won't do it, not till he's won something big anyway. tbf who can blame him after the ruthless way his predecessor was treated.

All this £#%&!ing pouting and whinging over Rashford and Martial not getting game time up front might be justified if the bloke playing up there already wasn't the joint top scorer in the entire division.

Still, we can afford to just throw points away so lets just stick rashford up there see what happens.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

All this £#%&!ing pouting and whinging over Rashford and Martial not getting game time up front might be justified if the bloke playing up there already wasn't the joint top scorer in the entire division.

Still, we can afford to just throw points away so lets just stick rashford up there see what happens.

Great to see you back sparkles ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Originally Posted by Sparky***

All this £#%&!ing pouting and whinging over Rashford and Martial not getting game time up front might be justified if the bloke playing up there already wasn't the joint top scorer in the entire division.

Still, we can afford to just throw points away so lets just stick rashford up there see what happens.

True, the goals are really flowing for us at the moment tbf, would be crazy to try something different

Originally Posted by Ethers

True, the goals are really flowing for us at the moment tbf, would be crazy to try something different

I'd say the problem starts with our final ball.. too often we're picking the wrong options. Also our delivery into the area from wide is appalling at times.

Also our full backs are totally useless in the final 3rd. Shaw was alright for a bit but he's disappeared again.

Aside from that we play very, very slowly from back to front, that's our main problem. No so much having 'pace' but rather moving the ball quicker, taking 2 touches rather than the obligatory 3 or 4 which everyone wants.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

All this £#%&!ing pouting and whinging over Rashford and Martial not getting game time up front might be justified if the bloke playing up there already wasn't the joint top scorer in the entire division.

Still, we can afford to just throw points away so lets just stick rashford up there see what happens.

how many has our 2nd top scorer got? how many have the rest of our actual strikers got between the 3 of them?

I would like to see Martial afforded the same faith as Pogba, instead of being bombed out after every bad performance.

They are both talents of similar level. Don't see why Martial can't learn whilst playing games.

Play him in every game from now until the end of the season and he will definitely have more bad games, but probably score 10-15 goals too.

I suppose you have to some trust in the manager, but we have suffered from not playing Mhiki and Martial on the wings from the start of the season, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Sizlack

I think we all are guilty of glossing over this, it was an horrific injury. The Bones have healed no telling when or even if the brain will.

Yes, even JM's bitterest critic can't blame him for Shaw breaking his leg like that

https://twitter.com/duncancastles/status/823582236893179904

Fake news. SAD!!

Originally Posted by Ethers

https://twitter.com/duncancastles/st...82236893179904

Fake news. SAD!!

Can we ever top the summer 2016 signings of Poggy, Ibra, Castles, Bailly and Mkhi? Doubt it.

It is his work-rate that is the problem, only playing when he has the ball, how static he can be. There are always questions asked about Lingard, but he is constantly on the move, will make selfless runs in behind even when he knows there is little chance of getting the ball, but making that run might create the space for Zlatan, Pogba etc to hurt a team. Fix this problem and Utd have one of the best attackers in the game.

I think he is better from the left at this stage of his career, that laziness could be more damaging to the team centrally. Zlat is not exactly the most willing runner but Mou does like more of a target-man as his striker.

I think his "laziness" is hugely overstated tbh, can't say I've ever really noticed it. Very easy thing to measure too, what do the stats say?

I think big duncan castles has been tremendous value in this summer's transfer market.

Seriously, windmills on twitter like a time served red.

Welcome on the forecourt imho

Originally Posted by Ethers

I think his "laziness" is hugely overstated tbh, can't say I've ever really noticed it. Very easy thing to measure too, what do the stats say?

I think you'll find "running" is now classed a very good thing in match stats.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

agree on shaw. if he was exceptional then mourinho would allow it and cover the back door. he isn't.

darmian is a much better fit for mourinho, another one who gets a bad rap btw.

There's a reason his Chelsea side generally played with Ivanovic and Azpilucueta. Mou's biggest focus is on the transition, at both ends. He wants a quick break when we win the ball and he doesn't want too many players ahead of the ball when we lose it to make sure we aren't exposed. So that's often going to mean the full backs being cautious in choosing moments to go forward. Shaw will not have free reign, especially with someone like Martial hardly protecting him.