If he scored today, you call that a proper striker's game. The ball stuck to him like glue, his passing was a lot better, he held it up very very well. I call it hoof when we use Fellaini as a target, because you know it's going nowhere, but with Zlatan it might take a 60 yard clearance to get to him, but there's confidence that he could actually do something with it.
10
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 46
- Goals
- 28
- Assists
- 9
- Yellow cards
- 8
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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The thing is, if you put a player like that in his spot then they get super isolated. Ibra brought down long balls and held them up superbly throughout, but it became especially important closer to the end. I think Mourinhos thinking with rashford was to have him as the pace to link with ibra at the end but he didnt do much.
Interestingly in the game with the least service he had, he was excellent.
He was so isolated towards the end. I still think our wingers and Ibra aren't on the same page often. Notably Martial. Their link-up should be much better.
He was so isolated towards the end. I still think our wingers and Ibra aren't on the same page often. Notably Martial. Their link-up should be much better.
Great link up/hold up play today. He didn't get to see much of the ball today due to lack of service and we only had 40% possession but when he got the ball, he was calm and looked to set up a forward pass. There was only one moment where he held on to the ball too long and got dispossessed in our half but aside from that, he was great.
Fantastic imo, tied down their defence in the middle. I think it sometimes goes unnoticed the way strikers like Zlatan makes space for his teammates since it requires two CBs to take the ball away from him. At least when he plays like today.
A big difference between the Everton game and this one, was that we actually established play on their half the last 15 minutes. A big reason was that we cleared the ball more precise to Ibra, and he managed to hold it.
A big difference between the Everton game and this one, was that we actually established play on their half the last 15 minutes. A big reason was that we cleared the ball more precise to Ibra, and he managed to hold it.
Will hopefully be off free kicks after Pogbas effort
Some of his hold up play reminded me of the Inter v United game from 2009 I think it was at OT. He was great today but we need to rethink our strategy of keeping him on as it makes us so deep and we struggle to counter attack once he tired.
Agree. I said the same thing in regard of his work in defensive phase as #9 during his supposed terrible performance. His experience as #9 really showed and set apart him from young Rashford and not pure talisman Rooney. Zlatan is wasteful with his chance, but still score decent amount is what he's always about. Shouldn't expect RVN or RVP type of forward in Zlatan. Zlatan however trumps RVP and RVN in the leadership, the link up play and hold up play (he's faster releasing the ball and make the right pass with correct runs offered by his teammates)
Good today. Nicked the ball a couple of times when Martial was on a run but that was the only negative I could find. Also should hand over the free kicks to Mata and Pogba IMO.
I loved that little turn he did late on when he was shielding the ball towards the touchline and spun the defender, simple but effetive.
I'm glad we didn't consider a goal today
Class today. Half expected him to nail Danny Rose for the crowd.
Love the big man. Had my doubts if he was the right move when he was going through his drought, but he's been excellent lately.
Love the big man. Had my doubts if he was the right move when he was going through his drought, but he's been excellent lately.
Interesting to see that so many thought it was a brilliant performance. I thought he was a mixed bag, some good, but also some bad. He lost the ball so many times again and could have done much better with the few chances he had
He was isolated against arguably the best CB partnership in the league, with Wanyama also intervening. The fact he came out of it more often than not with the ball was testament enough.
If Golden boy Harry Kane had a performance like Ibra Sky wouldn't stop raving about it. Thank god he didn't go missing like Kane, we needed his hold up play to take that pressure off us.
Highly unlikely because it was not a very good performance. He was ok, but his general play was not good enough I thought
Sure it wasn't a 10/10 performance but you have to take into account the opposition. He's fighting off 2 defenders by himself pretty much the whole game.
Sure, but he loses a lot of balls, his passes dont find his man and he still misses good chances. His overall play just hasnt been good enough yesterday
Rubbish. His hold up play was great yesterday as he kept receiving the ball and no one was within 20 yards of him. Also what 'good chances' did he miss yesterday?
I've seen nothing but praise for his performance yesterday but you seem to believe you have spotted something that no one else has...
When pretty much everyone disagrees with your thoughts on an individual performance, that's the point at which you stop to wonder whether you might have got this one wrong.
Of course, the internet being the internet, I'm sure you'll try and convince everyone else of the error of their ways instead.
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Think you're on your own with that... even the most staunch anti Ibra supporter would say he was good yesterday. Tottenham have probably the best CB pairing in the league and he was all over them. Apart from scoring, what more could he have done?
It was man against boys. They looked so weak and ineffective. Amazing to see.
Dont be an idiot. I made the point that I thought he had a mixed game while most thought he was brilliant. Fair enough then, no big deal. Just my humble opinion and that I thought he had much better games
I thought especially in the first half he was rather sluggish and lost the ball too often. Especially the chance after Valencias cross he could have done much better
This was sexy.
It's probably been discussed but right at the end i thought he had a really good shout for penalty. Haven't seen a replay of it since, just based on seeing it live. What's the thoughts on here about it?
Otherwise the best ive seen from him in a United shirt, particularly some of his hold up play
Otherwise the best ive seen from him in a United shirt, particularly some of his hold up play
Think that incident might be in the video I shared one post higher up!
I honestly think a Zlatan performance thread is pretty irrelevant because he's nearly always going to be 'mildly' consistent in all the games he plays, namely: a threat, a huge danger to the oppositon - aerially and on the floor - and a massive character and personality to boot.
I don't think we could have asked for more from a 35-year-old in a new, demanding league. 13 goals and counting - with hopefully a hatful to come. It's been a treat to watch him because he's a unique footballer.
I don't think we could have asked for more from a 35-year-old in a new, demanding league. 13 goals and counting - with hopefully a hatful to come. It's been a treat to watch him because he's a unique footballer.
If it's the same as Pogue's video never a pen. Moving away from goal.
Watching his goal against Zorya again, and he moves quite unnervingly like Eric. Pointless observation, but still...
He is ranked 13th in the world by Ballon d'Or.
Mourinho just ripped Michael Owen on BT about Zlatan 
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Good stuff.
Yeah. If he bags 30 in all comps then fair play for a 35 year old. Obviously that 1 in 11 game run was super shite but no one else stepped up with goals so its kinda sods law. Miki looks a goal threat. Martial needs to remember who he is and then less pressure on the 35 year old. could do with a rest though. Dunno why he must finish every game
Jose just KO'd Owen
We need goals from others as well, Mikhi looks like he could be that player and I expected Pogba to be more of a goal threat. We expected goals from Martial as well but I just can't see him getting back to form with us.
I was very hard on him during the period with all the draws when he missed so many sitters - but feck me it is great to have him here. Like @redflair said, coming in and scoring and physically bullying defenders at his age is almost outrageous. I'm just a tad worried about him being overplayed during X-Mas.
What did Owen say about Zlatan?
Excellent
Not the first time Owen's been put in his place
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