Martin

[Tronderram]

Am I the only one that thougth Martins body language and communication was negative yesterday? Yes, he was bullied around the pitch but he looked to be frustrated with his teammates. His link up play I tought was under his usual standards. Give him a rest and Best a run out?

[wristslasher_909]

Not for me no.

He's the key player –*some of his touches last night were fantastic.

He also protected the ball well and won some good free kicks.

Our most important player.

[dcfcdavecov]

He was frustrated with our first goal. He thought the lay-back should of been to him, not Ward.

I think he's our most intelligent player, along with Hughes, and he gets frustrated people aren't on his wavelength.

He has high standards as well.

[GrimsbyRams]

I'd be worried if he wasn't reacting

[tomsdubs]

Few times I was dissapointed by his reaction where he just walked away when we lost the ball. He missed an absolute sitter from a Huges cross as well. Still the first on the team sheet for me.

[sheeeeeeeeeep]

We need to use him more. I can't understand why we keep giving the ball to Dawkins. Got to get it through the middle to Martin.

[Rapid]

Am I the only one that thougth Martins body language and communication was negative yesterday? Yes, he was bullied around the pitch but he looked to be frustrated with his teammates. His link up play I tought was under his usual standards. Give him a rest and Best a run out?

my friend I don't mean to be rude but you can't have been at the Charlton cup game at home. we're nowhere near as good without martin. best is a hussler that like to play on the shoulder. in our current system martin links everything by coming short all the time.

Charlton at home had best up front and we were completely ineffective until martin came on and that totally changed the game.

martin is the first on the team sheet every time for me. he's not going to play brilliant every game. but he's the key player.

[RamFromCornwall]

I'd rather him get annoyed than no reaction. It shows he's up for the fight which is exactly what we need this season in every game.

There were a couple of times where he would have been through on goal had the ball be right, for example when Forsyth just needed to slide the ball past the defender but kicked it at him instead, and Martin was rightly annoyed as he would have had a great chance of scoring.

He's probably our most influential player, we have nobody else who can do his job like he can so without a doubt the first on the team sheet, and he would probably get in most other sides in this league too.

[su4eranio]

Only a nut job would consider dropping Martin. Have you not watched us for the last 18mths??

He is pivotal to the Derby system. More than any other player we have!

[D_D]

Some great posts on here.

I notice some fans seem to have an issue with Martin, be it his "attitude" or "body language". Some say he "goes down easy", but he's forever being fouled, and he's one step ahead of most defenders, meaning they hit him late. He knows he'll get fouled, that's one of his best attributes.

Like most have said, he's the most important player and first on the team sheet. Last night his link-up play was very good, and for us to play our best passing game, he has to be part of it.

D_D's player rating for Blackburn: 7, pushing an 8