I never thought I would say this but I think we're better off without him this season. I really can't see both him and Lukaku complimenting each other well. If he signs a new contract, he would expect to be a starter, if we end up having to shoe horn him in, it might completely disrupt how well we're playing. I hope I'm wrong but I wouldn't want to drop any of our other attackers to fit him in, if anything Martial will be even further down the pecking order when Zlatan returns.
The "Zlatan hinders our gameplay" brigade
- Thread starter KM
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Officially signs. 
He's a born winner. If he's part of our squad, we stand a better chance of winning things, simple as.
Yes he's a winner and he did quite well for us... But, a 36 year old, by far the most wasteful striker in the league, months away from returning from the worst injury of his career, on massive wages, expecting to be a starter, despite us playing with one striker. Pardon me for not being totally optimistic.
He surely won't expect to start
Zlatan is either a twitter footballer or this is the only place that dislike him. I mean, the contrast of him being treated like a godlike meme on social media to the indifference seen here is pretty telling.
I pardon you for making massive assumptions, too.
You don't think he's on massive wages now (months before he can play, even) despite him being on £420k per week last season? You don't think he's going to be a starter?
Those are the only assumptions I'm making, and I don't think they are too unreasonable.
I don't know what his wages will be. Neither do you. Nor do I care. I'm not sure why you do, it's not coming out of your pocket.
I don't know if he'll be expecting to start. Neither do you.
I don't know if we'll be playing with one striker when he returns. Neither do you.
Don't ruin Zlatan day, please.
Hold up play and goals, that's exactly what we need and I'm fecking delighted to see him back.
It's quite surprising that he's a born winner, yet has never won the Champions League, despite being at clubs who have done so. I'm not discrediting his career achievements, they're good, but born winner could be a bit of a stretch.
He has won 13 league titles, couples of mayor cups, Europa League... That's enough for me.
Look at his trophy cabinet. It's more full than the vast majority of players in his generation. The guy wins league titles and to be honest I couldn't give a feck if we don't win the champions league the next few years. The league is what we need, and his mentality if nothing else is a positive step towards that, particularly in a team brimming with confidence and familiarity.
Buffon hasn't won the CL, either. Just:
Club[edit]
Parma[480]
Juventus[443][480]
- Serie A: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05,[nb 9] 2005–06,[nb 9] 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
- Serie B: 2006–07
- Coppa Italia: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2015
Italy[443][480]
- FIFA World Cup: 2006
- UEFA European Championship Runner-Up: 2012
- FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze Medal: 2013
Individual[edit]
- Bravo Award: 1999[40]
- UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year: 2002–03[63]
- UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2002–03[63]
- ESM Team of the Year: 2002–03,[481] 2016–17[482]
- Best European Goalkeeper: 2003, 2016
- FIFA 100[72]
- FIFA World Cup Yashin Award: 2006[61]
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006[274]
- Ballon d'Or Runner-up: 2006[483]
- Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year Award: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012,[484] 2014,[485] 2015,[486] 2016[487]
- Serie A "Fan" Award: 2006, 2007
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2006,[63] 2016[221]
- FIFPro World XI: 2006,[488] 2007[489]
- IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007[490]
- IFFHS Best goalkeeper of the decade: 2000–2010[491]
- IFFHS Best goalkeeper of the past 25 years: 2010[492]
- IFFHS Best goalkeeper of the 21st Century[493]
- UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2008,[280] 2012[292]
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2012,[494] 2014,[495] 2015,[180] 2016[223]
- Pallone Azzurro: 2013,[307] 2016[339]
- Premio Nereo Rocco: 2014[438]
- UEFA Europa League Team of the Season: 2013–14[138]
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2014–15, 2016–17[166][243]
- UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: 2015 (4th place),[170] 2016 (6th place)[206]
- UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year (substitute; published 2015)[496]
- France Football World XI: 2015[497]
- Gianni Brera Award for Sportsman of the Year: 2015[326]
- Juventus MVP of the Year: 2015–16[204]
- UEFA Euro All-time XI (published 2016)[498]
- Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 2016[499]
- Golden Foot: 2016[207][500]
Not a born winner?
He's going to provide us with a fecking brilliant plan B.
All those saying that we shouldn't have re-signed him need to give their heads a wobble.
It's going to be a very long season and he will be able to come into the team to give Lukaku a rest or to partner him.
All those saying that we shouldn't have re-signed him need to give their heads a wobble.
It's going to be a very long season and he will be able to come into the team to give Lukaku a rest or to partner him.
What the hell is there to debate ? Current squad + Zlatan > Current squad surely ?
As a no 10, Holding the ball up, link up play creativity and a second striker with lukaku streching defenses he will deadly.
No Longer, he will be considered as hindering our game play but enhancing the quality of it .
No Longer, he will be considered as hindering our game play but enhancing the quality of it .
Quality player who scores allot of goals. The league cup final summed him up in one game, struggling and definitely the worst team...Zlatan steps up and scores a wonder goal free kick then an incredible header to win it, hero.
Our starting XI won't change.
Zlatan will be a different option from the bench in the league to turn draws to wins and he will be a great starting option in the smaller cups.
Some people need to get a grip, thinking that adding someone of Zlatans caliber is a bad thing...
Zlatan will be a different option from the bench in the league to turn draws to wins and he will be a great starting option in the smaller cups.
Some people need to get a grip, thinking that adding someone of Zlatans caliber is a bad thing...
The only way this move would be a problem is if we had a weak manager that would try and shoehorn Lukaku and Zlatan in to the same team. But Jose is strong and won't jeopardise the team's chances of success for individuals. Just look at how he managed the Rooney situation.
The fact is we needed an alternative in the squad for the striker positions and in the current market Zlatan is, once more, a no-brainer.
The fact is we needed an alternative in the squad for the striker positions and in the current market Zlatan is, once more, a no-brainer.
Slight difference. Zlatan scored 17 in the league last year, and had a pretty similar goal scoring ratio to Lukaku before getting injured. Rooney was completely finished. If Rooney was capable of 20 goals in the league he'd still be here and starting.
I'm fairly certain we will play both and it'll be Mata out of the current set of starters that drops to the bench.
If the system and balance of the current team is still producing wins and performances (too early to say) when Zlatan returns from injury, I can't see why Mourinho would change it.
It's been two games. Let's not get carried away.
He'll change it imo because goals win games and Zlatan provides that. It gives Lukaku more space to run into. Against Swansea they had 2 men on Lukaku all the time. They couldn't do that if we put two upfront.
We couldn't play him deeper before because he was the man up front. He would try and drop deep but it would leave us scarce up front. Now he can play deeper and be the #10 with a solid midfield behind him and an attack full of pace and movement. I can't wait to see it. All kinds of tactical flexibility and unpredictability has been added to the squad. What's not to like?
He's taken a pretty big pay cut, I think he knows he won't be playing every game. I reckon he'll make his comeback playing in a few Champions League group games (which will be great for the ones that are sandwiched between clashes against the top 6), and then we'll try him with Lukaku for a while. If that doesn't work we'll go back to rotating. Personally, I think he can come straight in for Mata or Mkhi in some league games against the bottom teams, while in other games he'll be the man to come off the bench when we need a goal (which is a pretty frightening prospect for the opposition).
I think people are so nervous about this because of the recent Rooney experience, but I don't think Zlatan is the same case really. For all his public bluster about being the man, he appears fairly team-oriented, and he didn't make a peep last season when he was left out for a couple of big games (Chelsea at home especially). I think he'll also be aware he's coming back from a big injury (the first really big one of his career) and may not be able to go straight back to playing every game. I do think we might have been better off getting him back in January rather than (reportedly) October, but it's still hard to complain about having him available.
I am a little bit worried about this. What I absolutely do not want to see is Zlatan playing as the lone CF as per last year. If Lukaku did get injured, I would rather us go with Rashford or Martial up top
IF he plays either directly alongside Lukaku or slightly in behind, that could work. I also don't mind if he has been bought in to play the "Fellaini role" of coming on in the last 15 minutes as a target man.
IF he plays either directly alongside Lukaku or slightly in behind, that could work. I also don't mind if he has been bought in to play the "Fellaini role" of coming on in the last 15 minutes as a target man.
He's not getting carried away but pointing out that our current setup has produced 8 goals in two Premier League games, something our team never accomplished the entire season last year. In fact, we only scored four goals (or more) once last season, which was our 4-1 win against Leicester. This doesn't mean we've suddenly become an incredible attacking force or that we'll be able to provide this consistently. But it means our current style of play and our lineup is working, hence there's no need for a direct change.
Plan B - bring on Zlatan and Fellaini for the last 10 minutes. Blitzkrieg.
In all seriousness, I don't see any downside to having Zlatan back in the squad. Class act.
In all seriousness, I don't see any downside to having Zlatan back in the squad. Class act.
We had a pleasure to see them last year and we were terrible in attack so no, thanks. Ibra is a perfect option to replace Lukaku if he get's injured or simply needs a rest.
Eric Cantona
Convinced we aren't going to shoehorn him into the side.
Pretty sure he knows that as well.
Pretty sure he knows that as well.
He adds a lot to the dynamic group we have. Skill, experience and winning mentality. It's a no brainer.
This forum is daft sometimes, bellyaching about signing a hero player. He's class, and the club have an idea of how to best deploy him (probably as a medieval siege weapon). If he stops being class, he won't be played much outside of the cups.