![]() These stats compare well to United's best defensive header of the ball, Harry Maguire, who won 75 aerial battles in the Premier League last season - and both players claimed victory in more than seven out of 10 challenges. However, the 24-year-old has defended high balls and crosses well and, on the whole, he has not been exposed by the big lads, when he has faced them.Įn-route to winning the Eredivisie, Martinez won 79 of his aerial duels. Martinez has not experienced such an onslaught in Holland. ![]() That is the prize ten Hag is seeking.Įven so, Ferdinand is right to highlight the physicality of strikers in the Premier League. If Frenkie de Jong can be prized away from Barcelona that pair are capable of establishing a grip on games, which will help United in attack and defence. He can play short or long and with an accuracy rate of almost 90 per cent, he was one of best distributors of the ball in the league. He made an average of 92.4 passes per 90 minutes, more than any other player in the Eredivisie, last season. Like Mascherano, Martinez is excellent on the ball and is comfortable playing out from the back Like Mascherano, Martinez is a defender who can play, and what he misses out on in height has to be made up for in nous, aggression and quality.Īnd as was the case with his compatriot, Martinez has shown he can run matches not just from midfield, but from the middle of the back line, too. The move was a great success, although the player himself was not always wholly enthusiastic, Mascherano did claim five LaLiga titles, two Champions Leagues and two FIFA Club World Cups under Pep. Guardiola wanted Barca to control the game from back to front and to do that he needed a central defender who excelled with the ball, while still able to dominate opponents. Mascherano was converted from a defensive midfielder into a defender by Pep Guardiola at Barcelona. ![]() Martinez readily draws comparison with Javier Mascherano, who is five-foot-nine, but one centimetre shorter. 'We knew Martinez had played in central midfield, but could he do it in Ajax's system? We tried him there and we saw good things.' 'We were looking for a brain for central midfield,' said ten Hag. At Ajax he played him at the base of his midfield during the 2019-20 campaign, where the Argentinian easily pulled the strings of one of Europe's most accomplished, technical teams. Ten Hag is well aware of Martinez tactical strengths. ![]() Simply, the Dutchman wants possession of the ball and Martinez is outstanding in that aspect of the game, but he also he trusts him to adapt to the defensive challenge. įor more details, please see our privacy notice.Ten Hag (c) used Martinez (left) in midfield in 2019-20 season, before restoring him to defence You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email, or by emailing us at. We will never give your details to anyone else without your consent. We will only use your email address to send you the newsletters you have requested. News from Dezeen Events Guide, a listings guide covering the leading design-related events taking place around the world. News about our Dezeen Awards programme, including entry deadlines and announcements. Dezeen Jobsĭaily updates on the latest design and architecture vacancies advertised on Dezeen Jobs. Dezeen DailyĪ daily newsletter containing the latest stories from Dezeen. Plus occasional updates on Dezeen’s services and breaking news. Sent every Tuesday and containing a selection of the most important news highlights. Sent every Thursday and featuring a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Our most popular newsletter, formerly known as Dezeen Weekly.
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