Gemmill 44106 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Obafemi Martins is ready to become one of the most explosive strikers in the Premiership after stunning team-mates with his pace and power in training this week. Martins, nicknamed `Oba-gol' by fans at his previous club Inter Milan, is expected to line up alongside Giuseppe Rossi in a new-look United frontline against Fulham tomorrow as the Magpies attempt to move on from the disappointment and criticism which followed a lacklustre close to the transfer window last week. But, while there has inevitably been some frustration at Glenn Roeder's failure to add sufficiently to his squad, Titus Bramble believes the United boss has already managed to pull off one excellent piece of work in the transfer market by luring Martins to St James's Park. The Nigerian international, who cost £10m from Inter Milan, failed to set English football alight on his debut against Aston Villa and the 21-year-old's first appearance in a black-and-white shirt will be best remembered for the second-half injury scare which saw him leave the Villa Park pitch on a stretcher. "Obafemi has looked absolutely fantastic in training and he is raring to get his Newcastle career up and running," enthused Bramble of Martins, whose injury proved to be nothing more than a badly bruised thigh muscle. "It might just sound like a team-mate talking up a new player, but he has impressed everyone, his finishing is unbelievable. "We had all heard how fast he was and he's certainly quick, I've never seen a striker quicker over 10 or 20 yards. But it is also the power and accuracy he has when he shoots which has impressed me. "He's been scoring goals for fun since he returned to full training and I think we're all excited about what he will bring to the team. He looks like he has everything needed to be a success in the Premiership and the club have done very well to get him. "You can see what a talent he is and he will only get better. He has the ability to become one of the best in the Premiership and I'm confident he will get plenty of goals this season." Martins' international goal record - he has scored 11 goals in 14 appearances for Nigeria - would suggest he is a better natural finisher than some have given him credit for since his arrival on Tyneside. But Bramble has already suggested there is someone who has an even keener eye for goal at Newcastle - fellow new arrival Rossi. The Italian will have had only two training sessions with his new team-mates before United entertain Fulham, but Bramble has liked what he has seen from a player described as the "best finisher" at Old Trafford by Red Devils colleague Wayne Rooney earlier this week. "Giuseppe has shown plenty of nice touches and his finishing is superb," added Bramble. "Some players are naturally clinical in front of goal and he looks like one of them. "A lot has been said and written about our lack of firepower because of the retirement of Alan Shearer and the awful injury Michael (Owen) suffered at the World Cup. "But I think we have signed two very good strikers. As a defender you can tell straight away and we have got two natural- born goalscorers." Roeder has failed to add another centre back to his squad after missing out on Robert Huth and Jonathan Woodgate to local rivals Middlesbrough and Bramble admitted they must do better at the back. He said: "It didn't upset me that the manager was looking at other defenders, it just makes me more determined to hang on to the shirt. In the end we missed out on a couple of players, but we're not kidding ourselves. "We made mistakes against Aston Villa and it's up to the defenders who are here to put things right." Hope he scores the morra. Hope the pair of them do in fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I was hoping that Sibierski would start tomorrow. Like how Phil Babb used to start for Ireland, it was great comedy value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I was hoping that Sibierski would start tomorrow. Like how Phil Babb used to start for Ireland, it was great comedy value. 195198[/snapback] Another one for the side we nearly signed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adios 717 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I just can't picture Titus as an enthuser, it's not the first time he's been accused of it, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowen 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Getting more and more excited about seeing Oba play now. Please don't be another Luque. I'm not sure I could take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 21760 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Getting more and more excited about seeing Oba play now. Please don't be another Luque. I'm not sure I could take it. 195217[/snapback] please don't tempt fate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I was hoping that Sibierski would start tomorrow. Like how Phil Babb used to start for Ireland, it was great comedy value. 195198[/snapback] Another one for the side we nearly signed. 195201[/snapback] Close call so. When he had no club, he was selected in the Ireland squad for a friendly, possibly to be more like a team mascot more than anything. However, the fans were cheering for him all game long in a pontamime type fashion-Mick McCarthy obviously took this as a sign to get him on the pitch, and didn't supa-phil go and attemp an overhead bicycle kick from 20 yards out that hit the cross-bar!!! Awesome stuff. I hope Sibierski can be like our mascot. He sort of looks like one. Good times ahead gentlemen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I don't like the sound of players scoring goals for fun in training. I'd rather our defence were able to stop them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I don't like the sound of players scoring goals for fun in training. I'd rather our defence were able to stop them 195645[/snapback] But then we'd winge that our strikers can't score... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I don't like the sound of players scoring goals for fun in training. I'd rather our defence were able to stop them 195645[/snapback] But then we'd winge that our strikers can't score... 195648[/snapback] I'd rather just not hear it tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sima 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 tbf if Titus is comparing his "talents" to Martins' I'm sure he looks awesome as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrokles Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Alternatively, we could all just be pleased that we perhaps have signed a very very good player, rather than being cynical and damning concerning our existing players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isegrim 9680 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Alternatively, we could all just be pleased that we perhaps have signed a very very good player, rather than being cynical and damning concerning our existing players. 195707[/snapback] Nah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigsaw's Juggernaut 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 That would be far too easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footsoldier 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Just because the nigerian midget can turn you inside out Titus, doesn't make him a good player. Let's hope he can do it to the likes of Terry, Carragher and Ferdinand as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 172 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Just because the nigerian midget can turn you inside out Titus, doesn't make him a good player. Let's hope he can do it to the likes of Terry, Carragher and Ferdinand as well. 195722[/snapback] After seeing him in Serie A, I'd be amazed if he didn't turn out to be star player for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 In a thread some time back I said he'd be the player I'd most like to see replace Shearer, the lad has the sort of pace that will destroy most if not all Premiership backlines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footsoldier 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I hope you're right. ....................but why do I feel that's not going to happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I hope you're right. ....................but why do I feel that's not going to happen? 195735[/snapback] Because you're a pessimist who has little faith in the club? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I don't like the sound of players scoring goals for fun in training. I'd rather our defence were able to stop them 195645[/snapback] But then we'd winge that our strikers can't score... 195648[/snapback] huzzah ...we agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isegrim 9680 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 In a thread some time back I said he'd be the player I'd most like to see replace Shearer, the lad has the sort of pace that will destroy most if not all Premiership backlines. 195733[/snapback] Let's just hope that he also has the sort of strength to stay on his feet. I don't question the talent of the boy, but I have become more and more scpetical about the ability of players from southern European leagues to cope with the physical aspect of English football in recent years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 In a thread some time back I said he'd be the player I'd most like to see replace Shearer, the lad has the sort of pace that will destroy most if not all Premiership backlines. 195733[/snapback] Let's just hope that he also has the sort of strength to stay on his feet. I don't question the talent of the boy, but I have become more and more scpetical about the ability of players from southern European leagues to cope with the physical aspect of English football in recent years. 195775[/snapback] I agree . you see people are saying he has tha ability and then you get the camp of " he has a low centre of gravity " but at the end of the day he needs the strenght to stand and fight his corner and does he have it ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrokles Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 There's a bit of a difference between native spaniards/italians and an African who happened to play in Italy for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio 0 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 In a thread some time back I said he'd be the player I'd most like to see replace Shearer, the lad has the sort of pace that will destroy most if not all Premiership backlines. 195733[/snapback] Let's just hope that he also has the sort of strength to stay on his feet. I don't question the talent of the boy, but I have become more and more scpetical about the ability of players from southern European leagues to cope with the physical aspect of English football in recent years. 195775[/snapback] I agree . you see people are saying he has tha ability and then you get the camp of " he has a low centre of gravity " but at the end of the day he needs the strenght to stand and fight his corner and does he have it ??? 195777[/snapback] Are we talking about Obafemi Martins or Rocky Balboa? I honestly think Martins will piss the league over here if he's given time to settle, in Italy defenders sit deep making it hard for a pace player (Henry is a good example) to have much of an impact on the game, over here defenders play a much higher line meaning these type of players are more likely to shine. His finishing can do with working on but he's still only young (insert joke about his age here) and has time to develope, I remember seeing him play against Arsenal in the CL and he used his body strength to hold Campbell off before scoring, he was awsome that night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isegrim 9680 Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 There's a bit of a difference between native spaniards/italians and an African who happened to play in Italy for a while. 195784[/snapback] He has never really played somewhere else, so the difference is marginally tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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