Obafemi Martins

[Beezeri]

The goal he scored against Spurs is something we can't expect to happen no more...yesterday's poor long range effort summed it up pretty good! Last season it was always very exciting to see what happens when Oba got the ball but now...there's just no end product at all. It's the lack of confidence for sure but I think opponents have learned how to defend against Oba now!

 

Name a player from our current squad(excluding recently acquired youngsters and maybe Bassong and Jonas) a club would pay more than we did at the time we bought them? I'm really really struggling at it...Krul maybe but he's not playing anyway

[sugoinufc]

spot on

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

I wish Owen had left his chance to Martins.

[Guest neesy111]

i'll still never forgive him for that penalty he missed against arsenal, it was a penalty that someone who is a bottler takes, weak and piss poor

 

that was the moment we we're doomed this season, as we could of gone to win that match after being so much on top first half

[TRon]

Maybe we should go with Viduka and Owen as our front two again...although they have looked too slow and static to be effective in the past. It's not like Oba is offering as much movement as before anyway due to the groin injury.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

Glenn Johnson kicked a ball out of play yesterday simply because Martins was running at him. Martins is unpredictable (and sometimes unreliable) but opposition players are scared of him.

[KaKa]

Maybe we should go with Viduka and Owen as our front two again...although they have looked too slow and static to be effective in the past. It's not like Oba is offering as much movement as before anyway due to the groin injury.

 

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

 

I'm sorry but this will never work.

 

If I saw these two upfornt I would push my defensive line all the way up to the edge of the Nedwcstle United box.

 

An attack without Oba does not work, whatever you think about him.

 

When is Loven back? We could do with him upfront.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

When is Loven back? We could do with him upfront.

He was on the bench yesterday.

[Scoreboard82]

I think Martins is the most dangerous of our strikers, because he can create a shooting opportunity for himself.

[Guest toonlass]

Skied two sitters in two games. Has no real pace. Has very little between the ears. Can turn attack into defence with one touch.

 

 

I feel more confident every minute he's on the pitch. Get Ranger on.

 

A lad in front of me going down the stairs at the end said more or less the same thing. He said " Oba cost us a draw at spurs and a win tonight".

 

i hope you pushed him down the stairs, what a laughable statement

 

 

Not saying I agree with what he said, but had Oba put the chance away at Spurs and the one away last night then we would be 4 points better off.

[Yorkie]

Heartbreaking watching him end his Toon career on a sour note. The heart for the fight has largely been extinguished by the looks of things and regardless of what people say, re: zomg he's never had much ability, zomg he'll never improve... he looks less-than half the quality player he was this time a year ago and it's gutting. I've never denied that i love this guy to bits and it'll hurt when he moves on.

 

Forgive me for having a favourite player, btw.

[johnnypd]

Martins like many of the other players in our squad looks like a player lacking confidence. We all know the lad is as erratic as they come but he doesn't seem to be backing himself in front of goal. The penalty incident summed it up for, he completely bottled it. You could see as soon as he stepped up he didn't fancy himself to put it away.

 

He has all the attributes of a class player: pace, power, strength and a good leap on him too but all this is wasted if he doesn't have the confidence to put the ball in the back of the net. What caused this sudden loss of self belief? Was it being benched by the gaffer? Is it the way his side is playing? Is he feeling sorry for himself? Or was it the penalty miss in question? More likely still is it a combination of the lot? Either way the lad has got to get himself a goal.

 

You tend to find strikers go through these patches, we're just unlucky it's come at such an inopportune time. All he needs is a shot to deflect in off a body part or tap in on the line and he'll go on a run. Unfortunately the way the team is playing he may not get that chance. However in the ever more likely even we go down it will be sad to see a quality coach utilising his talents giving him the confidence to go out and score on a regular basis.

 

Regarding Owen I don't think he's hiding either. Where I think Martins has lost self belief it's Owens playing style that’s making him ineffective. Martins is self sufficient and can create his own chances but Owen needs regular service to get himself a goal.

 

My biggest gripe with Owen is that he'll miss two or three guilt edge chances before he knocks one in, that’s why the supply to him needs to be constant. A supply he just isn't going to get in a struggling team such as ourselves, it sounds daft but I think he's made for a team like Stoke who keep the ball in and around the box. The lack of service means he has to drop deeper to try and influence play which is making him pretty ineffective of what he's good at.

 

Owen and Martins are both talented players with different capabilities but they are both suffering from very different problems which in effect are consequences of the way the team are playing. Its cause and effect, it's one of the reasons we are where we are but at the same time they're not scoring because of where we are. It's a vicious circle I'd love to see broken but I can't see Owen going on a scoring run. I think our main hope is Martins sorts himself out because on his day he's capable of troubling any team.

 

 

Good post.

 

yep, the bit in bold is key for Owen, despite the 'give him the supply and he will score' argument, he misses more clear cut chances than he puts away. there is also the fact that he struggles to find openings these days, that they have to be put on a plate for him, and even then, if he is up against a strong, fast centre-halfthey can always ease him off the ball. add this to his negligable impact on our general play you have to question his worth to the team.

 

Despite overcomplicating things, showing poor judgement and missing a good chance, martins offered far more than owen last night. The only person i'd consider dropping him for is Lovenkrands as you need that pace up top to be effective.

[dcmk]

He's been playing injured and you guys are comparing him to last year.  Pretty unfair.

 

He has almost everything pace, power, good leap, youth on his side, can even hold up the ball .. granted he doesn't have a brain but that makes him unpredictable.

[Guest BooBoo]

He looked a much better player under Roeder.

 

Ever since the Stoke debacle though, i just want the knacker away and done with.

[cp40]

Martins=Useless

[dcmk]

Martins=Useless

 

Why?

[cp40]

Martins=Useless

 

Why?

 

 

cant pass,

makes bad runs,

shooting shit,

touch like a blind Elephant,

 

 

couldnt hit a cow with a banjo

[ElDiablo]

Wank, overrated as fuck. Glad to see the back of him if we go down. Wish he'd stop trying to shoot every time he gets the ball within 30 yards of goal, get your head up you cunt. One time he recieved it turned and shot from about 35 yards and totally ignored someone free on the right side with a run at their left back. So fucking annoying watching him play.

[TaylorJ_01]

Martins=Useless

 

Why?

 

 

cant pass,

makes bad runs,

shooting s***,

touch like a blind Elephant,

 

 

couldnt hit a cow with a banjo

 

Fair enough, you have your opinion, but to say he is shit at shooting is a bit crazy. His finishing can be a bit suspect but the guy has a fucking shotgun for a foot.

 

He is lacking in confidence. If we had the Martins we had when he was on form now we might not be in this mess. The guy is quality. As I said before people need to stop shitting on our players when we have no-one better. Pisses me off.

[La Parka]

Rather Loven played tbh.

[Jayson]

Wasted the ball yesterday a few times, still better than anyone that could replace him.

 

We're all dissapointed with them yesterday, they all could have done better. But dont fool yourselves into thinking that means we have anyone more capable than those front 3. You cant always change things to make them better...sometimes your putting out the best youve got and you just gotta hope its good enough. Thats what the rest of our season will now be. We couldnt improve that side yesterday much.

[Karjala]

cost us 4 points in the last 2 matches, miss at the death at spurs and a sitter last night.

 

When players are paid so well to stick the ball in the net, they shouldnt be missing those, same applies for little Micky on his £120k a week. Maybes Martins should worry less about his nightclubin, drinking and lamboughini t-shirts and concentrate on scoring.

 

Still, im sure if we go down, somebody else will give him a handsome contract.

[Dave]

cost us 4 points in the last 2 matches, miss at the death at spurs and a sitter last night.

 

When players are paid so well to stick the ball in the net, they shouldnt be missing those, same applies for little Micky on his £120k a week. Maybes Martins should worry less about his nightclubin, drinking and lamboughini t-shirts and concentrate on scoring.

 

Still, im sure if we go down, somebody else will give him a handsome contract.

 

That's the problem with nearly all of them, because they know it.

[Guest Heneage]

cost us 4 points in the last 2 matches, miss at the death at spurs and a sitter last night.

 

When players are paid so well to stick the ball in the net, they shouldnt be missing those, same applies for little Micky on his £120k a week. Maybes Martins should worry less about his nightclubin, drinking and lamboughini t-shirts and concentrate on scoring.

 

Still, im sure if we go down, somebody else will give him a handsome contract.

 

That's the problem with nearly all of them, because they know it.

Some will argue we will finally eliminate the deadwood.

[TRon]

cost us 4 points in the last 2 matches, miss at the death at spurs and a sitter last night.

 

When players are paid so well to stick the ball in the net, they shouldnt be missing those, same applies for little Micky on his £120k a week. Maybes Martins should worry less about his nightclubin, drinking and lamboughini t-shirts and concentrate on scoring.

 

Still, im sure if we go down, somebody else will give him a handsome contract.

 

That's the problem with nearly all of them, because they know it.

 

Wheras we will give contracts to the likes of Nolan, Shola, Butt and Ryan Taylor. Whoop-de-fucking-doo.