2017/18 Cuco Martina

[PhilM]

His attacking play was decent though and if the forwards could've brought him into the game more in thr first half then we could've done some more damage to Ruzomberok.

I've also said I believe we'll use him at first to try and avoid throwing kenny into the deep end, given our opening fixture list

Yes it was, however perhaps call me old fashioned, but I believe that first and foremost a defender must be able to primarily help defend.

Obviously in the modern game there's an additional requirement to provide an attacking outlet, although it must be balanced with their main duty.

You'll get players who aren't 'fantastic' defensively but are great going forward but they still have an at least reasonable to good capability.

If they are extremely suspect defensively then whatever their attacking prowess is then to me it's mainly irrelevant. Just my humble opinion.

I do agree with the Kenny aspect - he looks a great talent but he is yet unproven at this level so throwing him at the deep end isn't a great option.

 

[Seathestars]

Yes it was, however perhaps call me old fashioned, but I believe that first and foremost a defender must be able to primarily help defend.

Obviously in the modern game there's an additional requirement to provide an attacking outlet, although it must be balanced with their main duty.

You'll get players who aren't 'fantastic' defensively but are great going forward but they still have an at least reasonable to good capability.

If they are extremely suspect defensively then whatever their attacking prowess is then to me it's mainly irrelevant. Just my humble opinion.

I do agree with the Kenny aspect - he looks a great talent but he is yet unproven at this level so throwing him at the deep end isn't a great option.

I agree 100% will your first line, I love the old school defenders, sort that out and anything else is a bonus.

His name leaves a lot to be desired as well.

 

[davek]

Martina can't do anything besides crossing. He can't tackle, mark, pass, he even has a weird waddley running style and his positioning is awful. He got turned by a Slovakian farmer more times than a fullback should be turned in a months worth of games. But let's rag on Baines, the lad who scored the goal that gives us a chance of saving our blushes. Yes, he's not the player he was but supporting a post saying he should be more like the excuse of a player like Martina is bizarre.

The support was for the point made about Baines' dwindling powers at crossing. If a mug like Martina is outdoing him then it needs pointing out.

His delivery these days is chronic. Why should anyone sugar coat that?

 

[bluestevon]

..I'm not going that far until the lad has had a good run of games but I agree it will be disappointing if Kenny isn't given an opportunity. What I did notice with Martina was the number of times he was close to his opposite number but still didn't block the cross coming in. Very basic and very concerning.

I'm actually hoping he pops his hamstring or something pretty soon tbh mate, weird to want one of your own players picking up an injury, but if thats the only way he gets out the team and Kenny starts then yup

 

[Zatara]

Probably the same people that said that when we signed Stekelenberg who is also utter gash

Quite right...you can see @nsno-chris above as one of the usual culprits and his posting style.

Funny as I also picked out Stek as being a poor signing...deja-vu

 

[Zatara]

I'm actually hoping he pops his hamstring or something pretty soon tbh mate, weird to want one of your own players picking up an injury, but if thats the only way he gets out the team and Kenny starts then yup

Not quite sure how to react to this...

 

[bluestevon]

Thought he was signed as a utility defender, in the absence of Coleman and Kenny not Koamen fit yet!, Cuco finds himself starting, all fit he will be a important squad player for what could be a very long season!

If he plays until Coleman is fit mate, it won't be a very long season as we will get exposed in the cup games and the league will be all but done.

first 5 games of this season will see him up against possibly, Sane, Willian, Ereksen and Martial/Peresic

every one of those will absolutely tear him apart - christ if Aunautovic wouldn't have just been sold i'd have fancied him in the first game to muller him as well

 

[bluestevon]

The support was for the point made about Baines' dwindling powers at crossing. If a mug like Martina is outdoing him then it needs pointing out.

His delivery these days is chronic. Why should anyone sugar coat that?

Will reserve judgement on Baines crossing until i see us with someone who can actually attack a ball up front mate, IF we get someone like Giroud then i would expect Baines to be throwing them in all day long - half the problem atm is IF he was crossing loads then it'd be pretty pointless

 

[Toffe3m4n]

I think he'd be half decent as an off-the-bench option when we're pressing for a goal later on in a game. For me it should be Holgate/Kenny starting games whilst Coleman is out.

If we get a big centre forward in (ideally Giroud) then the only instruction you'd need to give Cuco is to just whip it in whenever he gets the ball further up in the oppo half.

 

[bluestevon]

Not quite sure how to react to this...

Can pretty much bet that 99% of blues wouldn't be exactly crying should he do it mate

 

[Zatara]

Can pretty much bet that 99% of blues wouldn't be exactly crying should he do it mate

You know full well if I made that statement i'd be unashamedly destroyed on here

 

[Abraders]

Yes it was, however perhaps call me old fashioned, but I believe that first and foremost a defender must be able to primarily help defend.

Obviously in the modern game there's an additional requirement to provide an attacking outlet, although it must be balanced with their main duty.

You'll get players who aren't 'fantastic' defensively but are great going forward but they still have an at least reasonable to good capability.

If they are extremely suspect defensively then whatever their attacking prowess is then to me it's mainly irrelevant. Just my humble opinion.

I do agree with the Kenny aspect - he looks a great talent but he is yet unproven at this level so throwing him at the deep end isn't a great option.

Very true I agree with almost all of this, but without cucos crossing and attacking play vs ruzomberok I'd say we'd have barely even stretched their defence. We were struggling to create much and he gave us an outlet!

I think to pennington vs liverpool where we effectively ended his career before he'd even had one with us by letting him get torn to shreds by liverpool! Wouldn't want that to happen.with Kenny

 

[bluestevon]

Very true I agree with almost all of this, but without cucos crossing and attacking play vs ruzomberok I'd say we'd have barely even stretched their defence. We were struggling to create much and he gave us an outlet!

I think to pennington vs liverpool where we effectively ended his career before he'd even had one with us by letting him get torn to shreds by liverpool! Wouldn't want that to happen.with Kenny

The fullback position is one of the few areas in the team that is routinely used to blood players in though mate, especially centre backs, we've done it lots, Wenger is know for doing it as are a lot of other teams, little bit different to playing a young centre back at the heart of the defence

As for the comparisons of Kenny v Pennington, Kenny is and has always looked a class above mate, a lot of those who keep a good check on the young lads had major doubts about Pennington that where shown to be correct, very very few have any doubts about Kenny

 

[rochdaleblue]

On the full back theme in general, how infuriating was it the other night to watch martina and baines up against the opposing full back and refuse to take them on. Instead the ball was played backwards and sideways.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

The support was for the point made about Baines' dwindling powers at crossing. If a mug like Martina is outdoing him then it needs pointing out.

His delivery these days is chronic. Why should anyone sugar coat that?

The ability to cross or strike a ball would be the last footballing asset to go..

If he plays until Coleman is fit mate, it won't be a very long season as we will get exposed in the cup games and the league will be all but done.

first 5 games of this season will see him up against possibly, Sane, Willian, Ereksen and Martial/Peresic

every one of those will absolutely tear him apart - christ if Aunautovic wouldn't have just been sold i'd have fancied him in the first game to muller him as well

I'm prepared to give him benefit of doubt until he is match fit, still Holgate and kenny to fill in.