Gerardo Martino said he is unconcerned by Angel di Maria's form,
ahead of Argentina's friendly with Portugal at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The
clash has centred on the head-to-head battle between superstar
attackers Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - back at his former home
in Manchester - but it is the current United number seven Di Maria who
will also have keen eyes watching him.
Di Maria has not scored in seven appearances - for club or country -
after beginning his United stint with three goals in five Premier League
outings.
The former Real Madrid attacker will want to break his run of outs
with a goal at Old Trafford, but Martino claimed Di Maria has excuses
for his lack of production in recent weeks.
"First and foremost, I'd just have to say that Angel is one of the very top players in world football," Martino said.
"When you're not an expert in the league he plays in, it's hard to make an opinion, but I'll try to talk to you about him.
"I think his start [at United] was exceptional, but I think generally
when players go to a new club, and have to get used to a new league, a
new team, a different style of football, new team-mates.
"I think the form that he's showing now is a bit more typical of a
player going to a new club, in comparison to those very first few games
where he burst onto the scene and did so, so well.
"I don't think anything is out of the ordinary with his current form."
Di Maria has been deployed on the left side of United's attack by
Louis van Gaal, but Martino claimed it is not the only place the
26-year-old can be influential from.
"As regards whether his current position has any influence, I think
that Angel is a player who can play in a number of different roles
equally as well," the former Barcelona boss said.
"You only have to look at a few seasons back when he played on the
right side for Real Madrid, and then the season just gone he featured
more in an inside left slightly more free role, and obviously in the
World Cup he did very well when he played wide left.
"I think he's the type of guy who can adapt to anywhere the manager asks him to play."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment