Alan Shearer's annoyance at Obafemi Martins absence was obvious yesterday both in his pre-match interview with Setanta Sports who broadcast the match and in his post match interview. There was no news from the club prior to kick off other than a brief mention of a groin strain, so Shearer's response to the injury was interesting.
He said;
"I disappointed to have lost him at such a late stage. We could not even change things around at that point. You prepare all week for the match, you train in a certain way, and go about your game accordingly and if an injury comes on match day like this, it changes everything.
Possibly we could have won the game if Martins had been fit. I was disappointed it took until 11 o'clock to sort out the injury in the first place.
There was no evidence earlier in the week that he had the injury. It was disappointing that after two days of practicing a system, we weren't able to implement it.
He just said he woke up late and had a sore groin, the medical staff saw him and he wasn't fit to play. We've asked him to explain it, and we'll look at him further in the morning.
But out of every negative you take a positive. Both Andy and Shola have given everything and proved a point today."
Hopefully Martins was injured and there is nothing else to it. It would be great to see him back on the pitch ready for next weekend's game.
God Ameobi was pathetic mate, just terrible - he always has been. I hope Shearer has the sense to just drop him, i would rather have Xisco on the bench no doubt.
Lets have Carroll start the next game, put Oba on the bench.
ash4nufc i hope he doesn't drop martins :/
& i hope this doesnt lead to martins leaving in january ... even if we stay up
3 seasons, little impact, little progress, i know he has showed the odd flash of talent, but i havent yet seen it used in integrated team play...we arent good enough to carry such a player, in the hope that he'll lash a couple in now and again.
would love to be proved wrong on this, but i think we've seen the best of oba that we will see in a toon shirt. he would have to impress the new manager sufficiently in the next 6 games to persuade him not to cash in to release funds, and i dont think he has it in him to be part of a team, not overnight anyway and that is what would be needed. if shay given had a price, who can honestly say that oba shouldnt?
read this in the guardian, it doesnt sound like a happy situation for martins, does it?
Based on what? Other than the culturally-biased a-priori assumption that all African footballers lie about their age. His pace and his hot-headedness tell me he's as young as reported.
There was a big controversy back when he bought him from Inter. Apparently, the Nigerian FA had him listed as being born in 1978 rather than in 1984. His birth certificate said otherwise, but it almost caused Roeder to pull out of the transfer.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:04:17:18:57:19 by waffles.
i meant we had seen the best that we will see AT OUR CLUB, thats a very different statement, right mate? he may have a great future in a team who can afford the luxury, but i think his bridges are being burned daily, if you take the various reportage of the situation the way i do, ie, shearer isnt a big fan, and oba isnt confident of turning this round.
easy way out for both? the first ten mil bid received this summer
OK, so who do we buy for 10M to replace him? Because he would have to be replaced immediately or we start next season with a strikeforce of Shola, Smith, Carrol and the kids.
I think a more reasonable approach would be to build the sort of team he needs around him.
I don't see anything in the press-even with their tendency to hyperbole-that I interpret as "Shearer isn't a fan."
thats another story mate, maybe i'll put a few links up later to make a case. saw a very huffy quote where he put down the idea that oba had slept in before the match on saturday, after oba himself had said this was why he hadnt notified the club he wasnt ready earlier in the day. we have six games left, it will be all about the managers trust, who he selects to get the necessary points, any rift will be magnified, and either sorted positively or lead to the player missing out altogether
anyhoo, thats how i read the situation, now couple that with the fact that all saleable players are for sale, with cheaper replacements to come in, and i think ashley will point to, say benni mac and santa cruz for a combined 7m, and ask why we couldbt replace him for less than ten mil...
Wor Al No, he didn't sleep in at all. That's not true.
We met just after 11 o'clock, so he never broke any curfews or anything like that.
Did you see what Blackburn were holding out to get for Santa Cruz? Unless they're relegated we won't get one of those two for that fee. If they are relegated, I'm all for raiding them.
I would like to keep martins and see how he plays with a good playmaker in the middle of the park playing through balls to him throught he channels. He is a terriffic prospect and to think we could sell him for 10m then go and buy someone like alves at boro The team has never suited his style of play. I really hope shearer doesnt go over the top like souness (shearers mate apparently and bellamy- we missed bellamy like mad once he went), at least martins has had the decency to keep quiet about the matter and not get agents lawyers etc releasing statements left right and centre, even when arsenal were linked to him does he come out in the papers like nzogbia and given and try and force a move a way ... no he stayed loyal. Rant over.
We had the team to support Martins, unfortunately that team either cannot get on the pitch or was sold off.
Martins needs the big center forward who can control the game and slot the ball through. When Viduka was healthy, Martins and Owen ran rampant. Barton can play an excellent through ball, but he's only been available for 5 games all year due to injuries and convictions.
Milner used to provide good service for Martins (see the draw at Old-Trafford), but we sold him off to get the funds for a bunch of 18 year olds. I always rated (and still do) Emre highly as a distribution man. Unfortunately, he spent too much time in the physio room which led to him being sold off too (at least in his case for the exact cost we paid for him).
The problem is we use players who can't play the ball on the ground (Nicky Butt, Geremi) in the center of the pitch, and players who can't cross (Jonas, Duff) on the wings
Before I start Im not a Martins hater just like about every toon fan out there but there are good reasons for moving him on.
Its true that we dont have the players to thread that ball through to him but I dont think he ever plays like that anyway. He doesnt run the channels like Bellamy did and I feel that even working with Shearer couldnt harness his pace and turn him into a top player.
His second touch is a tackle.
He cant take a penalty for toffee.
He does have a good leap and has one of the hardest shots around but that is few and far between.
Im worried that he is too arogant to take advice on trying to improve his game as in the three years he has been here he hasnt changed one bit. Like my best pal said when we watched him on his home debut.... looks like an expensive Lua Lua.
Andrew pal, he stayed Loyal as we are paying him a fortune and nobody came close to putting a bid in for him. Same old paper talk linking any young black foreign player with Asenal.
we were paying nzogbia and given for 10 years good money but did they stay ? Given shud of stayed til then end of the season and helped us as much as possible then he could have moved on but no he used his lawyer to start press circulations to create a move. I cannot remember any crack like that from the martins camp except that he loves the toon.
Give shearer a chance to work with Martins dont write it off after a few weeks, maybe he was/maybe he wasnt injured as said but dont let the southern media build this into more than what it was let the club deal with it and move on, after all he is one of our best players and we need them all right now.
Also someone mentioned emre above I agree he was a great player, unfortunate things didt work out better.
we need a team andrewthemag, rather than any one player. i dont think the guy fits in with our other players as well as he could, if he was a bit more clever. all too often shoots when he should pass, and vice versa, and doesnt seem to understand playing to his/his team mates strenghths.
better coaching could surely improve this, but in time for our next match?
we are running out of time
Andrew, agree with you 100% about given which I have written many times before.
The Zog has always been a tool and deserves to play in front of 15,000 fans.
The fact is Both these players had bids in for them, or in givens case he was either tapped up or new that somebody would sign him as he is probably the best in the league at shot stopping.
Im not writing him off at all pal, but its not after a few weeks. Ive been watching him for three years. I rarely believe the press mate.
Nobody wants martins to start lashing in the goals more than me. The one at spurs two seasons ago is one of favourite of all time. Lets hope he bangs them in until the end of the season then we will see in the summer.
lostmekeys i dont think the guy fits in with our other players
Answer honestly, do you want most of those other players?
I could tell you who I'd keep in an ideal world (first team only):
Martins
S. Taylor
Bassong
Gutierrez
Barton
Beye
Enrique
Carrol
That's about it. A team built around that core could accommodate Martins quite well. A team with Butt, Nolan and Duff starting in midfield every week never was going to give any decent service, and consistently having a big forward to play with would help, too.
tunyc, we arent talking ideal, we're talking nufc, about as far from ideal as you can get!
i was just saying, i think he's on trial until the end of the season, and that it hadnt started well for him. there arent any players i would single out and refuse to sell in shearers position, none at all. if he isnt well in with the boss by may he will be an obvious candidate to sell because of his supposed sale value. we wont get much for any of our other strikers, put it that way.
would love oba martins to prove me wrong, but we're down to 5 games now...
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