Oba...Obafem

[fredbob]

For me, overall Martins has been a success in his time here. If he left tomorrow I would look back on his time here as doing a good job.

 

I dont see how anyone can say otherwise. He's played under 3 managers now and 2 of the managers have played styles and systems which dont suit him yet he's still come out with a decent goalscoring record as well as being key in a fair few goals scored by other players in his time.

 

By know means is he setting the world alight but he's done a very good job so far. Owen is obviously getting the likmelight in the media recently and deservedly so, but for me Martins has been instrumental in the revival. Especially at Birmingham.

[Cajun]

Also have to say the vast majority of our signings in the past few years have been failures.

[Guest Knightrider]

For me, overall Martins has been a success in his time here. If he left tomorrow I would look back on his time here as doing a good job.

 

Not a roaring success though which is what I want from every player. Maybe Martins will be that eventually, I would hope for that. Can't see it though.

[fredbob]

For me, overall Martins has been a success in his time here. If he left tomorrow I would look back on his time here as doing a good job.

 

Not a roaring success though which is what I want from every player. Maybe Martins will be that eventually, I would hope for that. Can't see it though.

 

Yeh but how can you demand that from players in teams that have absolutley no cohesion. I think its a bit unfair to wave tht stick at Martins.

[Dave]

Considering how poor we've been generally as a team since Martins arrived, I think he's done pretty damn well. Excited about his future under Keegan tbh.

[Cajun]

Considering how poor we've been generally as a team since Martins arrived, I think he's done pretty damn well. Excited about his future under Keegan tbh.

 

[midds]

He's certainly upped his game in the last few weeks. He looks dangerous whether we have the ball or not and Keegan's found a system which benefits him.

 

Fair play to the lad. 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

He's certainly upped his game in the last few weeks. He looks dangerous whether we have the ball or not and Keegan's found a system which benefits him.

 

Fair play to the lad. 

 

Not that its a competition between the two, but the upturn in our performances have been more down to Martins than Owen iyam

[midds]

He's certainly upped his game in the last few weeks. He looks dangerous whether we have the ball or not and Keegan's found a system which benefits him.

 

Fair play to the lad. 

 

Not that its a competition between the two, but the upturn in our performances have been more down to Martins than Owen iyam

 

Fair comment and Owen has looked livlier too. Again though, the system we're using benefits Martins and Owen.

 

Just pleased to see a bit of football with a positive attitude again. Spent far too long in the doldrums over the last few years.

[Exiled in Texas]

The key thing now, as was pointed out by the broadcast crew, is that now Oba and Owen are working FOR each other instead of competing AGAINST each other.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

He's certainly upped his game in the last few weeks. He looks dangerous whether we have the ball or not and Keegan's found a system which benefits him.

 

Fair play to the lad. 

 

Not that its a competition between the two, but the upturn in our performances have been more down to Martins than Owen iyam

 

Fair comment and Owen has looked livlier too. Again though, the system we're using benefits Martins and Owen.

 

Just pleased to see a bit of football with a positive attitude again. Spent far too long in the doldrums over the last few years.

 

And all this from a manager who knows nothing about tactics and the way the game is played now

[ChezGiven]

Still makes loads of mistakes and gives the ball away too much. Often at fault yesterday when we were stringing passes together.

 

That said, it was his skill and pace that got the first goal and changed the game.

 

Frustrating.

[Mowen]

Still makes loads of mistakes and gives the ball away too much. Often at fault yesterday when we were stringing passes together.

 

That said, it was his skill and pace that got the first goal and changed the game.

 

Frustrating.

 

Looked a more intelligent player than of late against Spurs, but more in the sense he was using his pace appropriately to pin them back. I've got a feeling his link up play will always be a bit hit and miss.

[Guest Goalfather]

Who has been better for us this season

 

http://telegraph.jumpmediagroup.com/PlayerStat.aspx?p1id=5127&p2id=3789

 

Given the fact that Martins was never played in his proper position , he has done really well.

[Dokko]

I never realised how fast he was until the weekend, i don't know if its an allusion due to his size but fuk me the lad is super quick.

 

 

Love him, love his attitude, his passion and relation with the crowd, he's put shit loads of effort into that since he's got here, and i simply cannot wait for next season with him on the pitch under a KK team.

 

He's only going to get better, a lot better. The future is Oba.

 

 

 

 

[Guest alex]

I never realised how fast he was until the weekend, i don't know if its an allusion due to his size but fuk me the lad is super quick.

 

 

Love him, love his attitude, his passion and relation with the crowd, he's put shit loads of effort into that since he's got here, and i simply cannot wait for next season with him on the pitch under a KK team.

 

He's only going to get better, a lot better. The future is Oba.

 

 

 

 

I doubt it's an allusion like

[Decky]

I never realised how fast he was until the weekend, i don't know if its an allusion due to his size but fuk me the lad is super quick.

 

 

Love him, love his attitude, his passion and relation with the crowd, he's put shit loads of effort into that since he's got here, and i simply cannot wait for next season with him on the pitch under a KK team.

 

He's only going to get better, a lot better. The future is Oba.

 

 

 

 

 

Exactly, and alot of the fans are fond of him. I can see him being abit of a cult hero/legend for us tbh. 17 goals last season, 9 so far this season? Only 181 to go! Come on Oba!

[KaKa]

Oba is so liked because of his great attitude.

 

When you think of the mess we've been in even during the short time he has been here, and yet he has only ever had positive things to say, and he has remained so committed to the team, always giving 100%. It really has been refreshing. Hopefully he will be here to enjoy better times with us.

 

I know some fans are irritated by the amount of support he seems to get over Owen, but unfortunately when Owen first joined he did lack committment and really only wanted to join on loan initially in order to prepare for the world cup. It did seem like it was all about England for a good while and I think a lot of people remember this, especially as got seriously injured with England.

 

Owen is really coming around to being a part of the club only this season to be honest and I think the captaincy was a huge thing for him. Here's hoping Owen stays fit and continues to perform so well and he'll be a favourite before long too.

 

 

[Guest alex]

He needs to be more consistent. I doubt he'll ever completely iron-out some of the weaknesses to his game but if he is able to play to his strengths that won't matter. He's a confidence player though and, with that in mind, I'm quite optimistic that Keegan can get the most out of him.

[Tooj]

He needs to be more consistent. I doubt he'll ever completely iron-out some of the weaknesses to his game but if he is able to play to his strengths that won't matter. He's a confidence player though and, with that in mind, I'm quite optimistic that Keegan can get the most out of him.

 

Aye ditto.

 

I think it will help him as well the fact that Keegan was a striker, he'll be able to teach him some finer points to his game. And I'm sure that he'll be getting Owen to do some work with him as well.

[Isegrim]

I agree that Martins will look much better in a Keegan side that does make use of his strengths. But I am not too optimistic that Martins is able to learn a lot more as he seems way too thick for it. He can be a good player for a team, but will never become a good team player imho. As Alex said, he'll be always hit and miss.

 

I still don't get all this strange love he gets from some fans. I don't think it has anything to do with his attitude or his ability. It is just down to some ridiculous hype stemming from him being signed for an overinflated fee from a big club of a glamerous foreign league and because he looked good on some youtube videos. At least this time the hype is in some kind justified in contrast to the same affection for other players like Luque, Emre or Viana.

 

I do not really mind people being fond of him as long as he actually plays well and it doesn't result in disrespect towards other players or the manager. Though I wonder what sort of love and support a player would get who actually really is a top class player.

[fredbob]

I can completely see why the fans give him this "strange love", and have no issue with fans loving him either, he's played in some terrible sides and has saved us from relegation once, arguably twice now. Despite this his commitment and attitude towards the club have been completely unquestionable. The thing is, is that if you look through this thread you'll not find too many people saying he's as good as or will be as good as players like Drogba or Adebayor because they do realise he probably wont be able to put his obvious talent together, but you will see alot of people appreciating his comments towards the club, his commitment on the pitch and the edge he gives to the side.

 

If you cant love a player who is 100% commited to a club, gives 100% everytime he's on the pitch and gives us some fanstatic footballing moments then who can you love??

 

 

[Shak]

Isegrim, I think much of it is down to the fact that Martins is one of those players who's capable of producing something from nothing at any given time, so at least with Martins on the pitch there's always a degree of hope. People can see the potential for greatness if only he can find some level of consistency in his game, cut out the basic frustrasting errors he's prone to make.

 

A lot of it is our other players as well. How many players do we have capable of producing a moment of individual brilliance?

 

His contributions off the ball are quite under-rated IMO as well. Works very hard pressing the opposition and his mere presence alone forces defences to play deeper for fear of his pace in behind.

 

I reckon his unpredictability unsettles defenders too, how does one prepare for Martins exactly? Very hard to take him out of the game, no matter how good a defender you may be.

[Guest sombrero]

I can completely see why the fans give him this "strange love", and have no issue with fans loving him either, he's played in some terrible sides and has saved us from relegation once, arguably twice now. Despite this his commitment and attitude towards the club have been completely unquestionable. The thing is, is that if you look through this thread you'll not find too many people saying he's as good as or will be as good as players like Drogba or Adebayor because they do realise he probably wont be able to put his obvious talent together, but you will see alot of people appreciating his comments towards the club, his commitment on the pitch and the edge he gives to the side.

 

If you cant love a player who is 100% commited to a club, gives 100% everytime he's on the pitch and gives us some fanstatic footballing moments then who can you love??

 

 

 

can i hear an AMEN. when martins is on, and running towards goal, hes the only player that makes me say, HES GONA SCORE ITS GOONA GO INN!! YEAAAAA in recent times.

[Isegrim]

The "saved us from relegation" is very overstated imho. Fair enough, he was the only real striker in the side then due to circumstances, but I am pretty sure any other striker would have "saved" us as well by getting a necessary amount of goals. Apart from the Tottenham and maybe the Blackburn away game it wasn't so much his individual performances or efforts that "saved" us.

 

I do also think that his commitment to the club is very much overstated. It's nice to hear those things he says, but who would expect him to slate the club. Other players say the same, it's just some kind of professional PR. He'd say the same about any other club as well iyam.

 

As for what players someone can love. Maybe it's just me but I can rather love players who are more often brilliant than frustrating. Martins isn't that kind of player for me because of his inconsistency. Apart from the very rare wonderstrikes he hasn't done too many things that really got me excited. I normally rather expect him to f*** things up then do the right thing. Therefore I see him just as an ordinary player. I reserve "love" for players of the calibre of Beardsley or maybe Shearer.