Theregulars Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Has to play, simple as. His inconsistency is worrying but I'd rather sometimes good sometimes bad than constantly bad (Smith)/mainly injured/uninterested (Viduka). At least things happen with Martins. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colocho Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 A lot of people feel that Martins kept us up last season, if he doesn't come back soon we could well be going down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Oba has got to go back in if fit... let's hope he can inspire us with a cracker or two before long. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 A lot of people feel that Martins kept us up last season, if he doesn't come back soon we could well be going down. He was the reason we stayed up last season. Its a shame SA fuked him up this season over a crocked Owen, a waste of good skin and hair dye and a fat lazy tosser. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Talk about bad luck like. He goes to the ACN low on confidence and instead of this being put right he hardly plays yet still comes back injured. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sniffer Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Once you are pushing 30 it's not as easy to shake off these niggling little injuries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I think a lot of people have now come to realise that although he is not the perfect player or finisher he is still a huge asset. As good as Owen's movement and finishing in the box can be, he is still not as valuable on the pitch as Martins would be for this current team. Can't wait to see him back out there for us. I'm sure the fans will be a lot more forgiving of his occasional bad touch having seen how poor our other options have looked while he has been at the ACN. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I think a lot of people have now come to realise that although he is not the perfect player or finisher he is still a huge asset. As good as Owen's movement and finishing in the box can be, he is still not as valuable on the pitch as Martins would be for this current team. Can't wait to see him back out there for us. I'm sure the fans will be a lot more forgiving of his occasional bad touch having seen how poor our other options have looked while he has been at the ACN. I think they'll be less forgiving of his extremely persistent bad touch having seen how close to the bottom of the table we are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Martins and Owen should be the front two for all the remaining games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I think a lot of people have now come to realise that although he is not the perfect player or finisher he is still a huge asset. As good as Owen's movement and finishing in the box can be, he is still not as valuable on the pitch as Martins would be for this current team. Can't wait to see him back out there for us. I'm sure the fans will be a lot more forgiving of his occasional bad touch having seen how poor our other options have looked while he has been at the ACN. I think they'll be less forgiving of his extremely persistent bad touch having seen how close to the bottom of the table we are. His goals will make up for it that's for sure. Owen on the other hand can continuously displays his tidy first touch, on the odd occassions he is actually involved in the game, without scoring goals for the team. That would be just brilliant right? I wonder if people would still rather have Owen out there instead of Martins if it came down to picking one or the other. Hoping and praying that a perfect ball is provided for Owen all game from our incompetent midfield, while Owen drifts around hoping for the same while contributing absolutely nothing else. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptoon Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 A lot of people feel that Martins kept us up last season, if he doesn't come back soon we could well be going down. He was the reason we stayed up last season. Its a shame SA fuked him up this season over a crocked Owen, a waste of good skin and hair dye and a fat lazy tosser. Coulden't agree more! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakka Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Once you are pushing 30 it's not as easy to shake off these niggling little injuries. so cynical! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JamesD Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 His movement/pace upfront will help Owen to no end. Now they've got the static smith and viduka to watch out for, but when they have to keep an eye on both martins and owen, I think Owen's brain will help him get the best out of the confused defenders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wullie Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Right now, the lad should be the first name on the teamsheet. After Enrique like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rebel_yell12 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I still don't understand the constant bickering of Owen v. Martins. Truth is, they are the two highest scorers for Newcastle. Would it hurt to have them on the pitch together? It can't be any worse than the current Owen-Smith, wherein Owen ends up playing in midfield looking for the ball, with no real help from his "strike partner" who isn't actually a striker at all from what I can see. Some fans need to stop insisting that it's Owen OR Martins for the rest of the season. Looks to me that NUFC need Owen AND Martins for the rest of the season. Oh, for those claiming Owen contributes nothing without great service -- I saw him doing a lot during the match on Saturday, dropping back to collect the ball, tracking back to cover the midfielders mistakes, even defending more than once (oh yes, and getting a questionable booking). Owen spent most of the match in midfield, not where he belongs -- and I doubt it's out of his own choice. I am, admittedly, a bit bias, but name a player who has been on better form since Keegan's return. Aside from Beye, who has looked good the last two matches, I'm struggling to think of one. Milner was good on Saturday, but not so much a few matches back. Owen has looked lively in the last six matches, more committed and is running his socks off for the team. Adding Martins' movement (as erratic but occasionally brilliant as it is) to Owen's (more intelligent and productive) would give defences more problems than any other available partnership, IMO. Right now, the defenders need only concern themselves with Owen. Put Martins on the pitch, and that is no longer true. Both strikers benefit -- Martins with anyone else would just leave the defenders needing only to worry about Martins. Put the two most worrying strikers on together. But to directly answer your question, KaKa -- yes I would pick Owen over Martins if FORCED to choose between the two (rather see both on the pitch). Martins is more creative in a sense, but his unpredictable nature can be a great weakness as well as an asset. Given one chance and one chance only to score -- I'd want Owen on the end of it. But then, I don't see why it should surprise anyone that people might pick the player who was scored 2 goals in the last 3 matches rather than a player who wasn't on great form when he last played (that would be 2 Jan) and hasn't scored in any match since 8 Dec. Even if one was to ignore the names entirely...it makes sense. Player A -- 6 goals over the season, half of those in this calendar year, two in the last three matches, good run of fitness, looks sharp and lively. Player B -- 7 goals over the season, five scored prior to October and two in December, one match played in last seven weeks, just coming back from injury. However -- add A+B, you get 13 goals, a lot of movement, some intelligent runs mixed with unpredictable ones, and best of all, no Smith. I think the sum may be great than the constituent parts in this equation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtype Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 one thing's for sure, in the extremely unlikely event that Smith is still a starting striker after Martins is fit again, Keegan has some serious explaining to do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanj Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 If we only had an Anelka/Drogba style striker to scare the bollocks off of the defenders...a tall, pacy lad with strength, eye for goal. but I digress - The thing is, we notice all the bad that Martins does without the simple fact that every single defender in the land, despite knowing Martins has a terribly weak footballing mind and a donkey's first touch - can with a drop of a dime, rip them to shreds with his pace, or his rifle shot. If hes back in the lineup, hell bag a few goals, its very simple. Defenders may know whath is weaknesses are, but they are scared to death of those strengths - Oba, makes me laugh. Burning a defender 1 minute, deciding to not beat one the next, losing the ball after that. Then that silly little grin comes on his face, cracks me up. But jesus me, do you lot not remember what he did to attack when in the lineup, and this was with Sibierski supporting him. Oba has so much to his game that he never uses. I pray that KK can get it out of him. The fact of the matter is, we NEED him to play. We NEED him on the field, if anything - like whats been said before he causes defences to worry about him in addition to Micky Owen. Viduka is managable, Smith bloody useless, Ameobi is a clumsy bambi - Martins is the only who can consisently cause a problem (for us too) whilst still having a shiter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 If we only had an Anelka/Drogba style striker to scare the bollocks off of the defenders...a tall, pacy lad with strength, eye for goal. but I digress - The thing is, we notice all the bad that Martins does without the simple fact that every single defender in the land, despite knowing Martins has a terribly weak footballing mind and a donkey's first touch - can with a drop of a dime, rip them to shreds with his pace, or his rifle shot. If hes back in the lineup, hell bag a few goals, its very simple. Defenders may know whath is weaknesses are, but they are scared to death of those strengths - Oba, makes me laugh. Burning a defender 1 minute, deciding to not beat one the next, losing the ball after that. Then that silly little grin comes on his face, cracks me up. But jesus me, do you lot not remember what he did to attack when in the lineup, and this was with Sibierski supporting him. Oba has so much to his game that he never uses. I pray that KK can get it out of him. The fact of the matter is, we NEED him to play. We NEED him on the field, if anything - like whats been said before he causes defences to worry about him in addition to Micky Owen. Viduka is managable, Smith bloody useless, Ameobi is a clumsy bambi - Martins is the only who can consisently cause a problem (for us too) whilst still having a shiter. Good post, agree with that. Hope Keegan gets him in the team in a way that helps him be effective, rather than what Allardyce did. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I was pessimistic about Saturday's match with Blackburn, but if we can get Martins alongside Owen I see a glimmer of light. Put Zog into centre midfield as well and Blackurn might be worrying about us rather than the other way round. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Monkey Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 When Martins comes back: Some people will (wrongly) say he is top class, good enoguh for the top 4, etc. Some peopel will say (even more wrongly) that Arsenal/Man Utd/another bigger club than us are after him. He'll be really good in some games, and awful in at least as many others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 When Martins comes back: Some people will (wrongly) say he is top class, good enoguh for the top 4, etc. Some peopel will say (even more wrongly) that Arsenal/Man Utd/another bigger club than us are after him. He'll be really good in some games, and awful in at least as many others. Sounds about right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptoon Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Play Martins up top with Duff in just behind in a free role linking attack and midfield. Martins and Duff are both quick, skillful and unpredictable players and should cause most defences problems. Martins owen would be my second choice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 When Martins comes back: Some people will (wrongly) say he is top class, good enoguh for the top 4, etc. Some peopel will say (even more wrongly) that Arsenal/Man Utd/another bigger club than us are after him. He'll be really good in some games, and awful in at least as many others. Most people will probably just say "He's Martins - not Ronaldo or Anelka. But better than Smith so get him in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Martins has to start for me. Harper Carr Beye Taylor Enrique Faye Zog Milner Duff Martins Owen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 When Martins comes back: Some people will (wrongly) say he is top class, good enoguh for the top 4, etc. Or not. Some peopel will say (even more wrongly) that Arsenal/Man Utd/another bigger club than us are after him. Or not. He'll be really good in some games, and awful in at least as many others. Most definitely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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