by Jorge » Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:25 pm
My two cents about Can:
1) Some claim he fouled too much, well Bayern has been a victim of itself for “not fouling too much”, don’t we all bitch about Bayern and Germany lack of balls every time they melt down? Matthäus, Effenberg, Jeremies, Van Bommel also fouled too much. I am not a fan of unnecessary rough play but I strongly believe that success is closely attached to players who hustle, specially holding mids, I am not talking about being brutal or playing agricultural football. Hustling implies a degree of contact that will translate into fouls throughout the game.
2) I wouldn’t let Can’s performance go over my head because it was a weak opponent but at his age he looked solid, he actually looked 2 or 3 years ahead of Martinez in midfield. I do not lose perspective that Martinez is an investment for the future but at this point I was expecting at least a few flashes of world class play per game from him. So far he has been fully flat and insipid in midfield.
Now about Martinez:
1) Martinez had a good game on the back but he was barely tested, nobody knows how he would do against a team like Dortmund spreading passes all over the backline or the quick counterattacks of Schalke and Hannover. As it stands today I trust Dante, Bads and Boa more than him for that kind of tests.
2) So far he looks like a 6 million dollar midfielder and I do not think for a second that he was bought to be a CB. I hope that he will be given more chances in midfield in the next weeks and starts showing some of his price tag then gets unleashed after the winter break. Otherwise all our high expectations can be put in question.