We have been canvassing for some time for Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal to play his speedy youngsters out wide to offer better service for Wayne Rooney.
The Englishman is struggling right now and the thought of Memphis and Martial getting beyond the full backs and delivering good crosses into Rooney would obviously help him.
But it is clear from the performance against Southampton that Anthony Martial is already a number 9 through and through.
He doesn’t need to be schooled on the flank with finishing like that.
Martial is needed though the centre where his pace and composure in front of goal makes him undroppable and vital to Manchester United.
But, for us, this leaves the side with the same aching problem – and that is the right side of midfield.
Juan Mata was neat and tidy again.
But his goal masked the fact that he was quiet overall and failed to impose himself when the game was going away from United in the first half.
We still think that Manchester United need a more explosive option on the right wing if they are going to win the title.
Old-school wingers are going out of fashion and modern wide men need to be able cut in and score as well as provide for others from wide areas.
But Mata certainly wouldn’t be our first choice out there.
We think that he’s more of a stop gap and the sooner Manchester United can find another explosive player, like Martial and Memphis for the right wing, the sooner we can seriously begin the title talk.
Despite many in the media, we think that Manchester United’s defensive pool is strong enough to succeed. The midfield is top quality. And the attack has teeth once more with the two new recruits. But a right winger could be the final piece in the title jigsaw.
It’s such a shame that Manchester United didn’t make a move for Kevin De Bruyne. But perhaps a winter move for someone like Marco Reus could be on the cards?
