Zlatan and Lukaku together?

[Andycoleno9]

Lots of talk about it on some threads so lets talk here. Can that work?
In any other club hell no, but for this mourinho's united i think it would be very good. Of course no in 352 but in 4231 with lukaku as no9 and zlatan as no10.
With mikhi it just doesn't work, jose does not see mata there( don't know why) so i think that zlatan can give that creativity and goals from that position that we really really need. He could hold the ball in which he is fantastic, pass it and also give presence in the box. I know that many will say that our counters will not be good any more but with rush, martial and lukaku we need more creative player on that position who will give right pass than player like mikhi who will run with the ball. Negative side with zlatan on no10 is of course playing in defence.

 

[Coops73]

On paper it looks great, yes you could argue that there could be the temptation for hoofball but the players know there’s more to Zlatan than that and maybe it could slow up the attack but I for one think it could work, stick Rasford and Martial out wide and who knows but I’m a dick and know feck all about football so there is that.

 

[shamans]

Zlatan should only be a backup. At this stage of his career he slows down attacks. With a fully fit and firing Lukaku, Zlatan should not be starting.

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

On paper there's no reason why this shouldn't work.Mikhitaryan has been woeful recently,and Lingard just doesn't have the quality to play as a playmaker.So I think Zlatan can play behind Lukaku as a 10,I think the 2 of them can form a deadly partnership.I can't wait to see them play together...

 

[Macern]

Zlatan should only be a backup. At this stage of his career he slows down attacks. With a fully fit and firing Lukaku, Zlatan should not be starting.

Nah, he’s still class, especially with a quick striker next to / in front of him I imagine. We can play him as one of two strikers or as a second striker where he isn’t affected as much by his lack of pace

 

[el3mel]

I was against playing Zlatan as a number 10 at the start of the season but I can't wait to see him replacing Mikhi in this position. Mikhi will probably be thrown on the right wing but I don't care. Zlatan will bring everything Mikhi (or Mata) will bring except pace.

As I said in another thread this will probably be our main lineup during the second half against weak teams :

David
Valencia - Bailly - Rojo - Young
Pogba - Matic
Mikhi - Zlatan - Rashford / Martial
Lukaku​

Against big teams we'll either drop Zlatan to put another midfielder or go 3-5-2 with Matic, Fellaini and Pogba a midfield and Zlatan and Lukaku up top.

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

Some folks keep harping on about Zlatans lack of Pace,but Mata lacks pace too so if we play Zlatan ahead of Mata,we wouldn't lose much at all....

 

[Carl]

Stick him in the #10 and see how we go. He can't do any worse there than Mkhitaryan or Mata.

De Gea
Bailly Jones Rojo
Valencia Matic Pogba Young
Zlatan
Lukaku Rashford​

 

[Macern]

Some folks keep harping on about Zlatans lack of Pace,but Mata lacks pace too so if we play Zlatan ahead of Mata,we wouldn't lose much at all....

They don’t play in the same positions though.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Zlatan should only be a backup. At this stage of his career he slows down attacks. With a fully fit and firing Lukaku, Zlatan should not be starting.

To be honest, even with the age gap I think Ibra is the better player. Yes he's slower (although Lkaku is only fast once he gets going, his acceleration is nowhere near someone like Rashford's)and older but he's 10 times better on the ball and technically superior. Put Martial and Rashford either side of him and I think we'll be much more potent both on the counter and in possession.

 

[el3mel]

And let's be honest, David Silva for example is slow but he's x20 times a pacey player as Mikhi in number 10 position.

 

[prtk0811]

Zlatan should only be a backup. At this stage of his career he slows down attacks. With a fully fit and firing Lukaku, Zlatan should not be starting.

SLows down our attacks? We face defensive low blocks maximum times. what we need is ability to link up and create in high press.

 

[prtk0811]

And let's be honest, David Silva for example is slow but he's x20 times a pacey player as Mikhi in number 10 position.

Mkh is absolutely clueless in high pressure facing low blocks.

 

[Kapardin]

Let's try it out and see shall we? Can't be worse than our Invisible Armenian at #10.

 

[prtk0811]

It Will be a nightmare for others teams now, No 10 is where our attack gets neutralized but zlatan as 10 and lukaku as 9 will solve every problem we had last season and this season

 

[el3mel]

Mkh is absolutely clueless in high pressure facing low blocks.

Agree. He's only good in open spaces. Otherwise he either keeps running in closed alleys or get dispossessed easily of the ball, 2 things I'm sure Zlatan won't do.

 

[Sandikan]

It Will be a nightmare for others teams now, No 10 is where our attack gets neutralized but zlatan as 10 and lukaku as 9 will solve every problem we had last season and this season

Wondered about white text for a minute

 

[prtk0811]

I was against playing Zlatan as a number 10 at the start of the season but I can't wait to see him replacing Mikhi in this position. Mikhi will probably be thrown on the right wing but I don't care. Zlatan will bring everything Mikhi (or Mata) will bring except pace.

As I said in another thread this will probably be our main lineup during the second half against weak teams :

David
Valencia - Bailly - Rojo - Young
Pogba - Matic
Mikhi - Zlatan - Rashford / Martial
Lukaku​

Against big teams we'll either drop Zlatan to put another midfielder or go 3-5-2 with Matic, Fellaini and Pogba a midfield and Zlatan and Lukaku up top.

Zlatan is what we exactly need against big teams and not necessarily the smaller teams, With pogba 3412 is as good as 352 in big games but without pogba 352 makes more sense.

 

[Kostur]

Can it work? Sure. Will it work? No idea, but given the form Miki is in and generally speaking a lack of options at #10 we'd be mad not to try it at some point when both are fully fit and running.

 

[Red71]

The thought of the two bouncing off each other is quite exciting. I might be off base here but I’m imagining the pairing of Zlatan/Romelu to be like the old Sheringham and Cole partnership.

Teddy had no pace to speak of but managed to score plenty whilst still linking up with Coley. He wasn’t what you’d consider to be a pure no.10 but more of a 2nd striker and I just have it in my head that this new partnership is going to have the same chemistry. Good players should always be able to play together imo but time will tell I suppose.

 

[Antonedwin]

Zlatan played with striking partner for almost all his career except with Barca & us
As 9 he was frustrating because he always drop deep & left the 9 spot Empty . He also not that Clinical & not a poacher to be full Number 9
If any this is his natural position. Having pure number 9 in front while he dictating from behind. Him with rooney doesn't work since rooney is weaker version of him . With lukaku , it will be great to watch

Most 10 player aren't exceptionally fast tho..best 10 in the last 30 years zinedine zidane wasn't that fast.you need more brain in 10 than speed

On paper it looks great, yes you could argue that there could be the temptation for hoofball but the players know there’s more to Zlatan than that and maybe it could slow up the attack but I for one think it could work, stick Rasford and Martial out wide and who knows but I’m a dick and know feck all about football so there is that.

"Hoofball"
Zlatan : "you bought a Ferrari but you drive it like fiat"
The only similarities between zlatan& fellaini are they both tall. You don't see fellaini Doing ridiculous trick & defense splitting pass with his feet

 

[gerdm07]

I'm not sure but we should try it because we have few good options for AM. We also should try Rashford on right and Marital on left. Would love to see

...........Lukaku
Martial...Ibra....Rashford
....Pogba......Matic

This gives us speed, skill, and possession.

 

[Coops73]

Zlatan played with striking partner for almost all his career except with Barca & us
As 9 he was frustrating because he always drop deep & left the 9 spot Empty . He also not that Clinical & not a poacher to be full Number 9
If any this is his natural position. Having pure number 9 in front while he dictating from behind. Him with rooney doesn't work since rooney is weaker version of him . With lukaku , it will be great to watch


"Hoofball"
Zlatan : "you bought a Ferrari but you drive it like fiat"
The only similarities between zlatan& fellaini are they both tall. You don't see fellaini Doing ridiculous trick & defense splitting pass with his feet

I didn’t say there was a similarity between Zlatan and Fellaini.

 

[Treble]

Could work against poor opposition (mostly at home) or in the last minutes against good teams.

Zlatan can play as a second striker but he ain't a proper playmaker like Eriksen, D. Silva, KDB etc. He's too static for this purpose. Your playmaker should be available for a pass all the time. This is why Eriksen and Silva cover a lot of ground and KDB has covered most distance in the CL.

 

[Jacko21]

Nope.

Zlatan's married.

 

[Coops73]

Nope.

Zlatan's married.

Good point well made but I remember when Elton John was married to Renate Blauel, life can be full of surprises.

 

[Kag]

This will happen a lot. Might work, might not.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

This will happen a lot. Might work, might not.

Is quite simply the only answer one can give here.

 

[wr8_utd]

I have no idea what playmaking abilities our fans saw in Zlatan that they want him to be our number 10. He was pretty awful at a lot of times even making the simplest of passes.

 

[wr8_utd]

Zlatan played with striking partner for almost all his career except with Barca & us
As 9 he was frustrating because he always drop deep & left the 9 spot Empty . He also not that Clinical & not a poacher to be full Number 9
If any this is his natural position. Having pure number 9 in front while he dictating from behind. Him with rooney doesn't work since rooney is weaker version of him . With lukaku , it will be great to watch

Most 10 player aren't exceptionally fast tho..best 10 in the last 30 years zinedine zidane wasn't that fast.you need more brain in 10 than speed


"Hoofball"
Zlatan : "you bought a Ferrari but you drive it like fiat"
The only similarities between zlatan& fellaini are they both tall. You don't see fellaini Doing ridiculous trick & defense splitting pass with his feet

Didn't see Zlatan doing it either last year.
Zlatan needs to be a backup to Lukaku and we should play a proper 10 in the role or give Mata a go till we buy someone in Jan.

 

[AndyJ1985]

Our attack is already slow and static, but what the hell, let's make it even slower and more static by adding Zlatan to it.

 

[luke511]

4-4-2 on the cards?

 

[dichinero]

I smell slow, static hoofball with this one.

But then again...

 

[Harry190]

Zlakaku.

 

[settembrini]

Don't see Ibrahimovic playing as a #10. We will probably see them playing upfront together in the 3-5-2 though.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

I have no idea what playmaking abilities our fans saw in Zlatan that they want him to be our number 10. He was pretty awful at a lot of times even making the simplest of passes.

Didn't see Zlatan doing it either last year.
Zlatan needs to be a backup to Lukaku and we should play a proper 10 in the role or give Mata a go till we buy someone in Jan.

Probably the ones they saw with their eyes. Don't be scared give it a go yourself:

 

[Kapardin]

Can't believe some think Zlatan showed no aptitude at playmaking last season. At times, he literally created chances for himself and others out of nothing.

 

[Cliche Guevara]

Probably the ones they saw with their eyes. Don't be scared give it a go yourself:

If Zlatan gives us anywhere near what he did last year, including a reasonable goal return, it’ll work very well.

The biggest problem last season was we were over-reliant on him, for goals and creativity. Imagine bringing roughly that player in now, and everything being bonus?

 

[luke511]

Don't see Ibrahimovic playing as a #10. We will probably see them playing upfront together in the 3-5-2 though.

Jesus christ the lack of pace in that formation

 

[RooneyLegend]

Don't see Ibrahimovic playing as a #10. We will probably see them playing upfront together in the 3-5-2 though.

I remember Conte making it work with Vucinic in the hole and an array of incompetent line leaders in his Juve side, however something tells me we just don't have the box to box midfielders to make it work here. When was the last time we saw a run beyond the forwards from one of our midfielders?