Currently top of the goal scoring charts whilst at a club where the pressure to score goals is much higher after a massive transfer fee yet I don’t think he is getting the credit he deserves, especially in the media who are all pretty much crowing Harry Kane the next Balon D’or winner for the next decade.
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 51
- Goals
- 27
- Assists
- 10
- Yellow cards
- 3
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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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When he was at Everton, he didn't score this consistently. He had a few games where he scored 2 or more goals followed by a few games without scoring. His scoring is now like Costa in his first season at Chelsea. He scores every game but rarely scores more than one.
He has improved our team but has also benefitted from the better players around him. There is no pressure on him to score every game as the others have really chipped in with plenty of goals. Zlatan was under way more pressure last year as he knew that if he didn't score, no one else was going to.
He has improved our team but has also benefitted from the better players around him. There is no pressure on him to score every game as the others have really chipped in with plenty of goals. Zlatan was under way more pressure last year as he knew that if he didn't score, no one else was going to.
What film it this?
Suicide squad, stupid film, don't watch it.
The reason the team are scoring more as a whole is precisely because we've replaced Zlatan with him.
I'm not sure why Mourinho didn't sub him off at 3-0. A little extra rest would have been good for him before an international break, especially as we're going to Anfield right after that.
Good question, and one that hasn't been asked like.....10,000 times
Mourinho knew he wanted a goal so kept him on.
Directors cut is about 10 million times better apart from Cara, there is no fixing of that performance.
Big Rom tho, stretching teams, making space for others scoring goals.
Will be seriously pissed off if Martinez plays him for dead rubber games. Give him some rest and he will be good to go for Liverpool.
I don't get the "Could do with a rest" stuff.
We are what? 10 games into the season in all comps and already he needs a rest? He is a fully trained professional athlete, this is his bread and butter.
Did he get a rest at all during Everton or West Broms seasons?
We are what? 10 games into the season in all comps and already he needs a rest? He is a fully trained professional athlete, this is his bread and butter.
Did he get a rest at all during Everton or West Broms seasons?
My only issue with Jose is he tends to play his spine of the team every game, doesnt rotate. Its not bad early in the season but even last season you saw a lot of the core team were on their knees after March... DDG/Jones/Bailey/Matic/Lukaku have basically played every game, Pogba would probably be on that list if he wasnt injuried
But with Everton and West Brom he was unlikely to get past 50+ games a season. I agree resting players early on is a bit pointless as they've had the whole summer off but after Christmas those numbers start to catch up with players. Its a marathon at the end of the day not a sprint
I don’t think so. The likes of Mikhi, Rashford and Martial are all playing better as individuals. Which was predictable, as Mikhi settled and the younger lads get over their second season syndromes.
Unfortunately seen it already. I knew I recognized the scene from somewhere.
Very true. Martial last season seemed to have personal issues that affected his game. Rashfords dribbling has improved 10 fold over the summer which has been a welcome addition. I actually think Ibra in this team would do a lot better
Which could be related to the stylistic difference in Lukaku’s game cf. Zibra’s? We’re such a good transition team now with Mkhitaryan through the middle — is a big part of that the fact that Lukaku doesn’t drop near as deep as Ibrahimovic would, or the fact that defenders now acknowledge just how quick Lukaku can be on the back foot and be wary of him over the top?
While I agree it's not the sole reason for their upturn in form, I do think Matic and Lukaku both makes it easier for the players around them. Lukaku with his movement in behind, which creates space, and Matic with his quiet effectiveness in playing the ball quickly out from the back and into the attackers early.
Plenty of other factors for our players scoring more. Matic has been instrumental to our free flowing football. Martial, Rashford and Mkhi have improved a lot since last season and credit needs to be given to Jose for that. We'll know how much of an influence Zlatan had on our overall game when he returns. If we go back to playing dull football with him starting, then I'll agree. But I expect us to play well even when he starts this year.
I wouldn’t rule out Lukaku’s arrival improving us as a team and Matic definitely improves us a lot. I just strongly disagree with the idea that swapping Lukaku out for Ibra would immediately make us revert to the low-scoring displays of last season.
maybe but I'd definitely say Lukaku has had a major part in it. He helps bring on those around him massively. Ibra's game was too slow by the time he got here to be able to get the most out of those lads
Most managers do that. Why would you not play the spine of your team every game?
Most of those you mentioned were rested for Burton anyway, Bailly only yesterday. We're early doors in league and Cl there is no room for error atm. We can rest players in the cups when they come along and when we qualify from our cl group.
Yeah, I don't really get this. Last season you couldn't put an outfield United player in your Fantasy team because it was impossible to know who was going to play (apart from Zlatan), which isn't the case with almost every other team going.
He's due in court in Los Angeles today over a noise complaint at his hotel in the summer..
A 24 incher tends to have that effect
Have said this before but will say it again. He doesn't lose confidence or do anything differently when he misses a chance. When he missed a chance in the 2nd half, within seconds, he was working hard to get the ball back. He was still popping up later on to score his goal, and celebrating like it meant the world to him and showing off how confident he was.
Many other strikes would let their head drop.
Similarly, when he does score, he doesn't let it get to his head and then go missing. He always looks like he's paying attention to his team mates, always looking to find the best position or make the best run to score the next goal.
It's this mentality that I admire more than anything.
Many other strikes would let their head drop.
Similarly, when he does score, he doesn't let it get to his head and then go missing. He always looks like he's paying attention to his team mates, always looking to find the best position or make the best run to score the next goal.
It's this mentality that I admire more than anything.
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Good, he'll be fit for Liverpool.
Christ, he shouldn’t even have travelled, especially since Belgium are through! God, I hate international football.
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They'll still play him in meaningless games even if he's at risk! Feck national teams tbh.
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He should withdraw from the squad. They are qualified and are 8 fecking points clear with 2 matches left in the group. Martinez should have called up a squad of guys who will be on the bench and guys who won't make the World Cup squad.
But nope the bellend Martinez will play him and Fellaini 90 minutes both games.
But nope the bellend Martinez will play him and Fellaini 90 minutes both games.
Lukaku will probably want some minutes to score a few more.
Even regardless of this injury, it would have been common sense for Martinez to take the opportunity to see what players like Batshuayi, Benteke and Origi do, and give them a chance. Lukaku's quality isn't in question nor is his starting place.
Benteke is out 6 weeks too.
Yeah forgot about that. Still an opportunity to give others gametime.
Spot on. But halas Martinez the clown doesn't have options with the feck up selection he submitted. Naingolan should ALWAYS have played ahead of Fellaini in these games to give big fella some rest. Same for Batshuayi ahead of Lukaku, thinking of the marathon season both players will still have. But I'm sure it won't happen, at least not against Bosnia.
Belgium still needs to perform to become pot 1 seeders in the the tournament.
On a different note, whoever else was wondering why Lukaku's performance against Palace was off, I guess this injury + fatigue would account for that.
I guess a normal player wouldn't have even played, let alone scored...
Please tell me he won't be playing two games on a dodgy ankle.
Yes he'll play both from start to finish including injury time.
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