Manchester United supporters in the Transfer Tavern have been thrilled by the start that Anthony Martial has made in England, genuinely believing the youngster can become better than Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
It’s a bold call for someone that is still just 19-years-old, and has played just one-month of Premier League football thus far, but the early signs have been good and numerous comparisons have been made.
After a debut goal in the derby against Liverpool, Martial has shown no signs of slowing down his explosive start; although he didn’t manage to find the net against Arsenal, thwarted by a superb save from Petr Cech.
He will have good and bad performances at United, as every player does, but many believe he can go onto be a legend- and there’s no denying that he has the talents to enjoy a fruitful career.
Click on Martial below to see FIVE reasons why Anthony Martial can be better than Thierry Henry.
[ffc-gallery]
[/ffc-gallery]
Stats are good
With three goals in his first three Premier League appearances, Anthony Martial has shown that he has the talents to consistently perform at the highest level for his side.
A fine finish against Liverpool and similar displays in the following games have raised his game- and you can’t argue with the statistics, which unlike pass percentages is a meaningful stat that can drastically alter the flow of the game.
He’s started better
Thierry Henry became Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer and won a number of honours in English football, whilst he also lifted the World Cup with France and enjoyed success in the continent with Barcelona.
However, the French maestro didn’t score in his first eight games for Arsenal; which would have sent Twitter into overdrive as the Gunners faithful are a fickle bunch on social media.
Modern football
Modern football favours footballers better than ten years ago, something that will undoubtably help Anthony Martial and his progression in English football.
The modern age sees attacking players celebrated, defenders punished for breaking the laws and the style of football suiting forwards a lot better; as teams are less likely to sit-back and take a point.
He’ll have plenty of chances to finish and he’s showed his capability, which gives him a good chance of breaking some records further down the line.
Squad full of stars
Theirry Henry came to Arsenal as a nobody, joining a team of players who had capabilities but were yet to hit full form- as that came later at the turn of the millennia.
Anthony Martial, meanwhile, is different. Whilst United have endured a barren couple of years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, they have players in their squad who have literally won everything; both domestically and at international level.
Wayne Rooney has won every major honour in British football, plus a Champions League, whilst Bastian Schweinsteiger is a World Cup winner. They can help Martial develop.
Louis Van Gaal
Louis Van Gaal has his doubters but he’s trusted Anthony Martial since the beginning, after splashing £36m on an unproven and unknown teenager from France.
Trust from the manager is huge for players, especially youngsters, and with Van Gaal’s confidence he will have the drive to achieve sensational things at Old Trafford.
