Is Martial a Fruit or a Fluke?

Many have continue to revel over the performance of young striker Anthony Martial, the 19 year old French striker who assumed the position of the most expensive teenager in world football when he was signed on transfer deadline day, got his fourth goal in as many games for Manchester United in the 3-0 win over Ipswich in the League Cup on Wednesday. He had earlier scored a solo goal against Liverpool and a brace against Southampton in the Premier League.

The composure he has showed in front of goal is certainly something that belies his age. For a player that have only played just seven ninety minutes in his career before his arrival at Manchester United, he is certainly not showing it.

While it is still too early to pass a definitive judgment on how his long term prospect would be in the English game, the early signs are certainly positive, with the likelihood that he could reach double figures for the season before the turn of the year if he continues the current ratio of scoring.

There are certain things that academy coaches cannot teach young players, one of them is that natural instinct to be composed in front of goal. These are qualities that mark out players from their young age with those in the same age group. He has been compared to Thierry Henry in his homeland of France, because of his raw pace, and his composure in front of goal.

The consternation that followed the £36 million Manchester United paid for his services which could still rise, has gradually died down because of his performance so far. But it remains to be seen whether he can continue at the pace he has started with.

Many have been quick to point out other players that came on the scene and took everybody by surprise by their initial display, but later failed to live up to expectation. Federico Macheda has been mentioned in some quarters. The young Italian scored some key goals which was instrumental in Manchester United winning the title a couple of seasons ago, although he has since been fanned out of the club after failing to live up to expectation.

Yet it misses the point to compare both scenarios as many have done. Firstly, the two came from a different footballing background. Anthony Martial is already at a stage in his football development that many advanced players have not reached. He benefited from Monaco's policy of bedding in young players after they abandoned their short lived policy of signing big name players for big fees. With this, it means Martial has a measure of experience few young players can dream of. He already has several Champions League appearances under his belt, having been part of the Monaco side that got to the quarter finals last season.

No doubt the footballing education he received in his early age in France must have stood him in good stead in the early performance he has put up with since his arrival at Old Trafford.

Little wonder the vastly experience Louis van Gaal, who has worked with several young players in his career has already asserted that Martial is ready to play a major role in Manchester United's season.

The player is currently striving on the crest of what is essentially a low expectation because of his age. With Wayne Rooney the first choice striker at Old Trafford, he will not be an automatic first choice, but he provides a huge option from the bench against defences that are tiring, and he has already shown that he has the pace to anticipate certain situation as he did when he incepted a pass against Southampton to score.

While his signing was a huge gamble on the part of Manchester United because of the fee he commanded, few would be talking of that amount if he continues his scoring form. The fact that he would not be first choice, gives him the opportunity to develop under the radar and with the guidance of the experience Wayne Rooney. Besides, he still has time on his side to develop due to his age.

While Manchester United relied on the failed experiment of experience last season with Radamel Falcao, it is the fearlessness of youth that is currently reaping reward with Anthony Martial at the moment. It remains to be seen whether it remains a fruit that bears consistently.

Experience paved the way for Arsenal, but concerns persist

"We rotate a little bit but for me these decisions are the same because all the players have the same qualities." -Arsene Wenger before Wednesday's match.

Arsenal returned to winning ways after a gritty performance against North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday at White Hart Lane. The unlikely hero on the day was the forgotten Mathieu Flamini, who got a brace to send the gunners to the fourth round where they will play Sheffield Wednesday in late October.

While Arsenal relied on moments such as Mathieu Flamini's quick reaction to score the first goal after Micheal Vorm spilled a shot from Oxlade Chamberlain, and the 20 yard shot in the bottom corner that settled the tie with 13 minutes to go, notable concerns still persist with the Arsenal team.

Arsene Wenger claimed that the qualities of his players are the same, but it has been obvious that on the evidence of certain display, some players are not at par with those that feature regularly.

While it is hard to be too critical after securing a hard fought win over what is Arsenal's local rivals, you cannot help but wonder what has happened to the likes of Mathieu Debuchy. The French international has been a complete shadow of the player Arsenal signed a year ago, as the ligament and shoulder injuries he picked up last season seem to have made him to lose every sense of positional ability he once possessed. He had complained during the last international break that he considered his future in the summer after Arsene Wenger opted for Hector Bellerin over him in the Community Shield win over Chelsea in August. But on the evidence of his three starts this season against West Ham, Dinamo Zagreb and Tottenham Hotspur, he has a long way to go to displace Bellerin as Arsenal's first choice right back. It is no surprise that Tottenham's first goal came after he failed to stay tight to Nacer Chadli, while in the Champions League against Dinamo Zagreb, he was too infield, thereby leaving huge space on the right. With the games coming thick and fast, he would have to rediscover his form for Wenger’s rotation not to diminish the quality of what his players can offer.

It was also evident that the game passed by Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman was played in the playmaker's role behind Oliver Giroud, but he was largely anonymous on the day. And it clearly shows that when Arsenal have had to deal with a side that press high up the field, the ability to retain possession is key, and players such as Aaron Ramsey have shown that he does not have the nous to retain possession, which is why Mesut Ozil is important to Arsenal's ability to retain possession in any match. Arsenal's inability to keep the ball was reflected in the possession stats which stood at 47% after the game. That the team had no outlet when they were pressed back only shows where the team is lacking. That ability to relieve the pressure from a high press is solely lacking from the Arsenal team.

The performance of Oliver Giroud did little to reassure the Arsenal faithful that he would regain his mojo soonest. If anything he continues to under whelm. Even though he was unlucky not to score after Vorm made a save.

While Arsenal has only played eight games this season, six in the league, one each in the Champions League, League Cup and Community Shield, what is obvious is that they have still not found their feet in the early weeks of the season. Alexis Sanchez could really do with a goal, as he has spurned some chances he would have put away last season, and concerns whether Mikel Arteta can cope with the high tempo game of certain opponents when Arsenal play without a double pivot in midfield remains. This is especially so, with the current injury to Francis Coquelin.

Yet, for all of the games Arsenal have played this season, there have been at least one chance or two to score. And the issue of scoring persists. There have been nine goals scored by Arsenal this season two each for Theo Walcott, Oliver Giroud and Mathieu Flamini, while Oxlade Chamberlain accounts for the other, with two own goals. But when the ratio of conversion of chances is considered, therein lies the problem. With a trip to the free scoring Leicester City coming up this weekend, one of Walcott and Giroud will have to discover their scoring boot one way or the other.

Beyond Diego Costa Was Arsenal good enough on the day?

The fallout of the tempestuous match between Chelsea and Arsenal at the weekend continued on Tuesday when the English FA revised the ban handed down to Arsenal’s Gabriel following the red card he got from Mike Dean. Instead, Diego Costa who was charged for violent conduct will now serve a three match ban. The former still has an improper conduct charge hanging over his head for which he has up still Thursday 6pm to response. Chelsea released a statement on its official site yesterday criticising the verdict of the English FA. But in hindsight, Diego Costa brought it all upon himself by his behaviour. However, the decision by the FA misses the point in respect of the abject performance of Mike Dean on Saturday. The referee admitted in his report that he did not see the incidence between Diego Costa and Laurent Koscielny for which Costa has now been censored.  Instead, Mike Dean’s performance has been rewarded as he would be in charge of the match between West Ham and Norwich this weekend. Since his decision was reversed, shouldn’t he have been censored for his performance?

While Mike Dean took centre stage at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, his refereeing distracted from the main theme on the day which was the performance of both Chelsea and Arsenal. the later play Warsall on Wednesday as they start the defence of the Capital One Cup they won last season, while Arsenal face a stern test in the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

However, few column inches have been given to the performance of Arsenal on Saturday; instead the other sideshow took centre stage. Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal have not been convincing this season as the team as struggled for form especially in front of goal. Although many would claim that with the red card, a clear appraisal of what would have happened on Saturday after ninety minutes cannot be arrived at, yet Chelsea’s first goal came from a set piece which could have been defended better, the number of players on the pitch should not have stop the players from preventing Kurt Zouma from having a free header to give his side the lead. Defending set piece used to be Arsenal’s Achilles Heel in time past, and the goal on Saturday was the second time in three days that they had let in a goal from a set piece. Dinamo Zagreb’s second goal in the Champions League came from a corner kick.

With the injuries racking up for Arsenal, Arsene Wenger’s reticence to sign an outfield player is beginning to hurt his side, Francis Coquelin could be missing for a month. And the debacle that is the striker’s situation at the club is becoming more apparent, with Oliver Giroud and Theo Walcott still finding their feet as far as this season is concerned. The former has been particularly disappointing in front of goal with his knack for missing sitters, while Theo Walcott has not fared any better. It leaves Arsenal terribly short in the early months of the season. With Danny Welbeck, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere are long term injury absentees, the chance to change the dynamics of the team through the existing personnel is not there, while any long term absence for the tigerish Francis Coquelin would leave Arsenal in deep trouble in midfield as Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini cannot offer what Coquelin brings to the side in the middle of the park.

The performance of Mike Dean at Stamford Bridge was one thing, but the performance of Arsenal was another, the shocking display of the referee should not hide the fact that Arsenal were equally as poor as him on the day.

The team would have to find a way to reinvent itself in the coming matches starting with the North London derby on Wednesday, because Arsene Wenger and his team will not have a second chance of hiding under the performance of a referee. The players have to starting doing the talking on the pitch with their performance.