Opinion: How Solskjaer has revitalised this Manchester United attacker’s career

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The expectations set at Manchester United is incomparable to any other club in England. This primarily stems from the English media, that seem so desperate to see any of their players fail.

Anthony Martial is the prime example of such. Arriving in Manchester back in 2015 as a 19-year-old, the Frenchman was welcomed into the country with his face plastered on the back of a newspaper which read, ‘What a waste of money’.

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Of course, he was made the most expensive teenager in world football at the time by the Red Devils, according to the Guardian‘s report at the time, but this stat doesn’t justify the preempted judgement thrown Martial’s way upon his arrival.

It’s been quite the roller-coaster journey since then, having first taken the Premier League by storm, before two rocky seasons under Jose Mourinho. Despite some inconsistency in his stats, there aren’t many other 24-year-olds in the country that boast the record in having sixty-four goals for their club.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has instilled a period of stability in the squad though, establishing a set of foundations for players like Martial to build on. The Frenchman now has a clear understanding in his position in the starting XI, acting as the lone striker in a 4-3-3 setup.

A large part of Martial’s ‘inconsistency’ down the years has stemmed from the player being continuously shifted from the left wing to up-top, being thrown around in a side where other players have also found themselves in a hectic environment. Being a raw talent, the forward’s development has often staggered, having never been managed in a pragmatic system, in a calculated or thought-out manner.

Anthony Martial in action for Manchester United

In recent months though, we have seen a significant change of pattern in Martial’s game. Spearheading his team’s attacking line, the Frenchman has become accustomed to playing alongside two other inside forwards, forming an efficient relationship, as others are starting to understand his movement.

A large part of United’s strong form before the season had to be postponed has been credited to Bruno Fernandes, but we must also pay credit Martial’s performances. The striker has registered four goals in his last five starts, establishing a trust in his manager that he is capable in being the club’s number nine.

His ability to drop deep and linkup with the midfield has been a particular improvement, helping the team move forward and maintain a consistent attacking shape. Whilst he shouldn’t be exempt from criticism and he still clearly has more areas to improve on, his latest development has been an encouraging sight.

Over the next couple of years, it is down to himself and the club, to take another step up and become one of the leading forwards on the European scene.

With Mourinho gone and Solskjaer looking like a manager who knows how to hone Martial’s talent, this now looks a more realistic aim than it did before.

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