Chris Martin...hero or villain?

[ramAnag]

Not looking to start a witch hunt but I honestly don't know. The jury is out and the demonisation, following yesterday's disappointment, has started...but what's the truth?
At his best, which has tended to coincide with Derby's best, he is the most prolific goal scorer we've had for a while. At his worst he has the reputation of a mardy, immobile, lump.
Nicknamed the 'wardrobe', though God knows why because they're not known for collapsing in a heap, neither managers nor fans seem to be able to make their minds up. Pearson wanted rid...McClaren was desperate to get him back and reiterated that again when summarising on Sky last week. He went to Fulham who seemed desperate to keep him, behaved badly, but, again, scored goals, before Fulham too wanted rid.
If managers appear so confused what chance have the rest of us got? Some say he isn't getting the 'service' he needs. Others will argue he doesn't find enough space or make himself enough of a target. Personally I'm prepared to pass judgement on certain players but with Martin I just don't feel sufficiently equipped...great asset or grossly overpaid liability...hero or villain? Thoughts...preferably logical and not libellous...and possibly a more appropriate nickname?

[Manofpride]

Difficult to call really, I suppose we should think of him as hero more than villain. The reason I say this is he does get us goals and that we haven't had a striker who can come near him since his arrival under Clough. Martin would be better thought of if he didn't go down at every opportunity, saying that he does get us loads of free kicks every time he goes over like a lump of timber.
I think if we can get someone with pace to work along side of him that it could work out well and I think that Vydra could be that number 10 to do it but Rowett needs to get the right formation to make it work. Long balls from Huddlestone isn't the answer.
A more appropriate nickname:- The Sloth

[Rams4Justice]

No service no goals simple as that we had no shots on target yesterday same old same old and if you have that against you, you not going to do bugger all.

[roger_ramjet]

Not looking to start a witch hunt but I honestly don't know. The jury is out and the demonisation, following yesterday's disappointment, has started...but what's the truth?
At his best, which has tended to coincide with Derby's best, he is the most prolific goal scorer we've had for a while. At his worst he has the reputation of a mardy, immobile, lump.
Nicknamed the 'wardrobe', though God knows why because they're not known for collapsing in a heap, neither managers nor fans seem to be able to make their minds up. Pearson wanted rid...McClaren was desperate to get him back and reiterated that again when summarising on Sky last week. He went to Fulham who seemed desperate to keep him, behaved badly, but, again, scored goals, before Fulham too wanted rid.
If managers appear so confused what chance have the rest of us got? Some say he isn't getting the 'service' he needs. Others will argue he doesn't find enough space or make himself enough of a target. Personally I'm prepared to pass judgement on certain players but with Martin I just don't feel sufficiently equipped...great asset or grossly overpaid liability...hero or villain? Thoughts...preferably logical and not libellous...and possibly a more appropriate nickname?

I think wardrobe might be better refined to a cheap flatpack wardrobe rather than a sturdy lump of victorian mahogany.

To me he is more villain - the system that he thrives in has been found out. The manager who created it around Martin has gone (twice as it happens) and the limitations of that system are self evident. He is not a versatile player who can change his style readily and so either Rowett has to play to Martin's strengths or anandon him.

Hes tried the former and has been pilloried on here for yesterdays performance. The option is clear to me. In 433 with 2 widemen he fits the style. In the 433 stripped of creative players that we have he doesnt. In anything else he doesnt.

So bench please

[ManxRam]

Spot on R4J. His two best feeders have left the club.

[macstheman]

As this thread is solely related to Martin, RR has it bang on!! With regard to alternatives quite who saw Nugent as an option as he makes a sloth look quick. So, at present we do not have the players that make Martin a viable option and the total lack of pace and creativity makes any other combinations from our present midfield and striker set-up equally inept!!
Lawrence may help but it will take more than one or even two SUCCESSFUL incomings to resolve our problems.
Verdict: Martin needs pace and creativity in support together with someone who has the faintest idea of how to put good balls into the box otherwise he is a pointless lump!!

[ramAnag]

He sure as hell ain't 'cheap' Rog...and you don't get many heroic 'sloths' MoP, but I think you might be on to something with the 'lump of timber' reference. The 'falling tree' perhaps...or just 'Fred' after that Fred Dibnah bloke who made a living out of making buildings collapse...or Blaster Bates...which would make a change from something else ending in...'bate' which many seemed to be insinuating yesterday.

Seriously though...his 'I can't stand up for falling down routine' is becoming counterproductive. In the second half yesterday the ref waved 'play on' following a nailed on foul on Martin and that's largely down to his reputation I fear. Commentators have started 'calling it' and even Gary Rowett has had something to say I believe.

[DCFCArmy]

If we sign lawrence id go with a lawrence vydra anya front 3,, still doesnt rectify our shhite midfield pairing, bryson is cooked, burnt out from the 2013 to 2015 efforts,, butterback has got to be the worst 5m quid player ever, sideways, backwards etc, and hes "creative" according to some ffs,, johnson cant pass, cant run, and for a man whos a good build hes not half a big fairy ffs, ive seen more hardness in a justin bieber interview,,, then theres thorne.... whos so pethetically weak its truly sad. Who do we go with in midfield, no pairing is any good imo, whoever gets in lacks creativity.

[macstheman]

There is not one of our 'midfield players' anywhere near the necessary quality and so any combo is a certain failure, well in fact all those tried have been and are rank, end of.
We had two half decent ones but both are now sold and have been replaced by..........well f***ing utter shiite!! Now we are lumbered, Mel is trying to balance the books and so we need to sell to begin the rebuild. Now what tw*t is gonna give good money for Buttercup, Johnson and co!! Precisely, nobody daft enough!! We've been shafted again good and proper and it will be a long way back!!

[Fishing Rod]

Not looking to start a witch hunt but I honestly don't know. The jury is out and the demonisation,





following yesterday's disappointment, has started...but what's the truth?
At his best, which has tended to coincide with Derby's best, he is the most prolific goal scorer we've had for a while. At his worst he has the reputation of a mardy, immobile, lump.
Nicknamed the 'wardrobe', though God knows why because they're not known for collapsing in a heap, neither managers nor fans seem to be able to make their minds up. Pearson wanted rid...McClaren was desperate to get him back and reiterated that again when summarising on Sky last week. He went to Fulham who seemed desperate to keep him, behaved badly, but, again, scored goals, before Fulham too wanted rid.
If managers appear so confused what chance have the rest of us got? Some say he isn't getting the 'service' he needs. Others will argue he doesn't find enough space or make himself enough of a target. Personally I'm prepared to pass judgement on certain players but with Martin I just don't feel sufficiently equipped...great asset or grossly overpaid liability...hero or villain? Thoughts...preferably logical and not libellous...and possibly a more appropriate nickname?

For me he's a goal scorer and an excellent link player if he's got players to link with. I can't understand why we can't go to two upfront and offer him some support that way. I remember him and Grant Holt ripping us apart for Norwich. Neither had any pace, but they worked together and we couldn't handle them.

He's showed he wants to play for us, and he's scored plenty of goals for us. Why not get behind and support him as our most likely scorer? Why do we question a guy who agreed, might not have the best body language, but various bits of gossip are taken instead of him being a top six centre forward for the past three years?

Give 'our' Chrissy a chance, and he'll score.

As for a nickname - 'The Chest'!