Manchester United have Chido Obi-Martin dilemma after failed striker search


When Kobbie Mainoo lined up as a false nine in the weekend defeat to Crystal Palace, it felt like Ruben Amorim had taken drastic measures to force a late striker signing. The Portuguese head coach wanted a forward added to his side, he will have to wait until the summer before he can get one.
United are desperate to learn from past mistakes and don’t want to waste money on a short-term fix just for the sake of it. Despite the sensational headlines, there is no way they will be relegated and they will still fancy their chances of winning the Europa League this season. There can be no ignoring how bad things have been, though there is also an acceptance that they can't get much worse. If they can weather the storm until the end of the season, they will be in a position to make real change.
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Hide AdIt poses an intriguing dilemma around their striker situation. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have scored just five Premier League goals between themselves this season and Amorim has lost patience. The Mainoo experiment was a success for barely 15 minutes, while Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes might be other options for a false nine role.
Other than that, there aren't any other possibilities. It makes Chido Obi-Martin a more compelling case than ever before. The 17-year-old's scoring exploits at youth level have been well documented, though they should also be taken with a large pinch of salt. A key reason he succeeds is because of his physical dominance at that level, something he wouldn't have at senior level, while there is also a great gulf in competitiveness at academy level since Brexit, with many top sides hoarding the best domestic talent.
It doesn't mean his talent should be discredited though. Obi-Martin is an exceptional youngster and trained with the Arsenal first team when he was just 15. He has nine goals in just 10 appearances for United this season and has gradually built his fitness along the way. If Amorim wants a quickfire solution in attack, then a confident teenager might be one solution to lift spirits amid growing unrest.
There is another factor to consider though. Obi-Martin is regarded as a player with enormous potential, but it is only that: potential. In order to fulfil it, he must be nurtured in the correct manner and be given the right platform to prosper, something playing in the current United side might not be able to do. Even with the best intentions, the teenager could have his confidence ruined playing in a team that doesn't create enough chances, particularly against experienced defenders who will cut him no slack.
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Hide AdInstead, perhaps the best plan is to be patient and stick with what they've got. Obi-Martin should certainly be a regular in first team training and even be given a place in a senior match day squad to earn valuable experience, with a view to him making his debut by the end of the campaign and possibly earning a spot on the next pre-season tour. When United signed Obi-Martin, they invested in his potential. It is their duty to ensure he fulfils it to the best of his ability. Even if that means ignoring him for now.
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