I have absolutely no problem with what Lisandro Martínez said following Manchester United’s embarrassing 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid. In fact, I applaud him for having the guts to say it publicly.
He’s right about the lack of ambition, the questionable recruitment, and the failure of those running the club to give Michael Carrick the players he needs to compete.
But here’s my problem with the whole thing. We’ve been saying this for years.
Different managers, different players, different people running the club, yet somehow we’re still having the exact same conversation. At what point does calling out the problems actually accomplish something?
United supporters have been screaming about the lack of investment in key positions, particularly the back line, for what feels like an eternity. Martínez isn’t telling us anything we don’t already know.
So why say it now?
That’s what makes his comments interesting. It’s not necessarily what he said, but why he chose to say it publicly.
Calling out Jason Wilcox and the club’s leadership isn’t exactly the best way to secure your future at Old Trafford. Martínez knows that. He’s been around football long enough to understand the consequences of going after the people who make personnel decisions.
So I have to wonder whether this was simply a frustrated player speaking his mind or something a little more calculated.
With his contract reportedly expiring at the end of the season, is this his way of pushing for a January move or making sure he walks away on a free next summer?
I’m not saying that’s definitely his motivation, but the timing certainly raises questions. You don’t publicly throw your bosses under the bus and expect everything to be business as usual the next morning.
But Martínez isn’t completely innocent either.
He’s been part of this team for years, and while I appreciate his passion, he hasn’t exactly been flawless himself.
The defensive mistakes, the inconsistency, and the inability to stay healthy have all contributed to United’s problems.
Yes, the club should have done more in the transfer window. Yes, the recruitment strategy deserves serious criticism. And yes, Carrick deserves better support.
But the players also need to look in the mirror.
I agree with almost everything Martínez said, but I question what he hopes to accomplish by saying it now.
If his goal was to wake up the people running Manchester United, I admire the effort. If his goal was to engineer his exit, he’s certainly made a strong opening move.
Either way, the saddest part is that we’ll probably be having this same conversation next October, just with a different player doing the talking.
