Rio Ferdinand has given a scathing evaluation of Lisandro Martinez and his capability to play within the Premier League, urging Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag to alter to a again three to accommodate the diminutive Argentine.
Martinez, a £56.7million signing from Ajax this summer season, was hauled off after 45 minutes in opposition to Brentford on the weekend after being given a torrid time by Ivan Toney in addition to getting simply out-jumped by Ben Mee on a nook.
Ferdinand believes the defender’s lack of top – he's simply 5ft 9in – may have the Premier League’s extra bodily and imposing strikers ‘licking their lips’ and isn't satisfied he can play at centre-back in a flat again 4.
Talking on his Vibe with FIVE YouTube present, the United legend mentioned: ‘He’s going to be a goal, severely. I do know for a truth there will probably be gamers now, centre-halves who know they’re going up for set-pieces, and centre-forwards: Mitrovic, Nunez, Haaland, Wooden, Dominic Calvert-Lewin. All of them, they’ll be sitting there going, “Oh my god, get me within the crew, there’s positively possibilities there”.
‘I used to be chatting with Alan Shearer yesterday on the textual content and we have been speaking about it. He used to lick his lips when the ball was plopped as much as the far put up. He used to lick his lips when there have been 6ft 4in centre-halves ready in entrance of him, not to mention a 5ft 9in centre-half.
‘So think about what these guys are going to be considering once they’ve obtained a 5ft 9in man standing there. They’ll be considering: “Simply tee it up and I’ve obtained a run on him” – they don’t even have to leap! Bang! Put him and the ball behind the web.
‘With all due respect, when have you ever ever seen Ben Mee actually bully a centre-half within the opposing crew’s field and bundle the ball in? Not usually in his profession. You don’t put him down as one among them sorts. However he does it in his second sport of the season [against Martinez].
‘For all the great that he’s obtained, and the way good he's taking the ball, confidence on the ball, his tenacity etcetera, that ingredient there [his lack of height] is a large issue within the Premier League.
‘Within the Dutch league or the Spanish league, Javier Mascherano performed there brilliantly for Barcelona as a result of they'd the ball 80 per cent of the time.
‘And in Spain, and in Champions League soccer, there aren’t many aerial battles. Whereas within the Premier League it gives a special proposition to any league on the earth.
‘When you’ve obtained an Underneath-15s crew, and also you go to a scout from an expert crew and also you say, “Pay attention I’ve obtained a centre-half right here, he’s 5ft 9in, actually good on the ball, blah, blah, blah, do you fancy taking him?” The scout goes to go, “5ft 9in? No probability mate. He’s not large enough”. That’s what they’re going to say, it’s a truth.’
Ferdinand feels Martinez’s top can be considerably much less of an issue if Ten Hag have been to alter his formation to a again three – a tweak which might additionally present extra safety for United’s leaky backline.
He added: ‘Play him in a 3, it’s high-quality.
‘[Ten Hag] must go to a again three as a result of we will’t preserve the ball out of the again of the web. You play a again three a variety of the time whenever you haven’t obtained adequate defenders to have the ability to defend the objective, and we have to do this.’
.
.
Post a Comment