When Pogba wasn’t out injured for ages?
Zlatan and Lukaku together?
- Thread starter Andycoleno9
- Start date
-
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?
True, idealy we'd need another one so our attack can have some symmetry.
Yeah, that would be a significant added dimension in our attacking play but also the rhythm of the team in general. I am worried because you never know with injuries like that as it ruins allot of players. I know he is a different type of beast but still... Would like to think that Lukaku in front of him will bring something we did not have last season but you never know when things look great in theory but end up ineffective or worse. I would hope that we give it a few tries rather than throwing out the baby with the bathwater if it takes all our injured players who are coming back some time to get back to full throttle.
Lukaku
Martial Zlatan Rashford
Pogba Matic
Looks exciting to me pace on the wings mixed with braun with Zlatan providing skill and touch and Lukaku adding pace and both being deadly.
Martial Zlatan Rashford
Pogba Matic
Looks exciting to me pace on the wings mixed with braun with Zlatan providing skill and touch and Lukaku adding pace and both being deadly.
................ Lukaku..........
Martial.... Zlatan....... Rashford
No way jose goes with that but I'm with you... I'd love to see it
Excellent strikers but would that be the most immobile strikers duo in recent years?
I do think they could form a great understanding, Rashford, Miki and Martial are often not on Lukaku's wavelength. He is very clever actually in his ideas and Zlatan could help him.
I do think they could form a great understanding, Rashford, Miki and Martial are often not on Lukaku's wavelength. He is very clever actually in his ideas and Zlatan could help him.
Basically 4 strikers. Love it!
bad news for Fellaini
Zlatan is Plan B with outrageous skill
If only we had a quarter decent crosser
Zlatan is Plan B with outrageous skill
If only we had a quarter decent crosser
Against teams playing very low I think it can work since we then need more players in the box and having 2 top quality strikers in it can be very positive for us.
In big games though it will not work at all though. Far too little mobility and well just hoofballs will not work either. Mourinho doesn't even play both Martial and Rashford that track back better most of the time. It gives us more options though.
Hopefully Mourinho is not stupid enough to try to shoehorn together. Given that he tried Zlatan plus Rooney that everyone knew would fail I have my doubt though. Mourinho can do stupid things at times like selling De Bruyne, Salah and Lukaku from Chelsea.
In big games though it will not work at all though. Far too little mobility and well just hoofballs will not work either. Mourinho doesn't even play both Martial and Rashford that track back better most of the time. It gives us more options though.
Hopefully Mourinho is not stupid enough to try to shoehorn together. Given that he tried Zlatan plus Rooney that everyone knew would fail I have my doubt though. Mourinho can do stupid things at times like selling De Bruyne, Salah and Lukaku from Chelsea.
At least if we go one goal down and go with full attack.
I’ll be very surprised if Mou starts both for any games. I think it is more likely one or the other being subbed in when we are chasing a game - most likely the sub being Zlatan.
We don't have proper 10. Our options are mkhi , lingard , mata . All in poor form while lingard is average
Rooney play as our 10 for the last 3 seasons.
Zlatan is stronger , have better first touch , doesn't always pass to Valencia & fitter than him , i can't see him doing worse than rooney
He played as 10 or 9 1/2 for 80% of his career
When pogba play
We don't need more than 1 box to box mf
Zlatan with lukaku in front will work. There is no doubt about it
Now Lukaku don't have to be our focal point anymore , he can focus on running in channels
Last edited:
Yeah just imagine if we had Beckham or Kanchelskis right now!
...............................De Gea
..............Jones.......Bailly......Rojo
Valencia.....................................Martial/Young
.......................Matic.......Pogba
..............................Fellaini
....................Lukaku.........Zlatan
Imagine the long balls
..............Jones.......Bailly......Rojo
Valencia.....................................Martial/Young
.......................Matic.......Pogba
..............................Fellaini
....................Lukaku.........Zlatan
Imagine the long balls
I think they can work well together because they basically do opposite things. Last season Ibrahimovic was our number 9, he often moved deep from a lone centre-forward role to link play in deep area's. This was great in certain games but ultimately United didn't have enough pace running beyond him to stretch the opposition both ways, which is what Lukaku could provide. I could certainly see Ibrahimovic playing a number 10 role behind Lukaku in a 4-2-3-1 against sides who come to Old Trafford and play deep. I think he would link United's play better in deep area's before getting into the box to join Lukaku and provide us with another penalty box threat from crosses. In the bigger games we could shift to a 3-5-2 and have the combination of hold-up play and threat in the channels with those two together up front. I am excited by these possibilities but the big man will need time to get up to speed so for now he will be an option from the bench.
I can see it working with Ibra as a deep lying forward and Lukaku as the advanced striker. Ibra is much better at holding the ball up which would free Lukaku from this role and allow him to use his pace to get in behind. With Pogba's passing ability also coming back into the side I can see this working really well.
Ibra is not a number 10 in the traditional sense. He isn't going to get on the ball, dictate play and open defences with cute little passes. In my opinion, Mata is the only player in our first team that is a proper number 10, but for some inexplicable reason he never gets a game there.
Ibra is not a number 10 in the traditional sense. He isn't going to get on the ball, dictate play and open defences with cute little passes. In my opinion, Mata is the only player in our first team that is a proper number 10, but for some inexplicable reason he never gets a game there.
He played as a second striker for Capello at Juve behind Trezeguet. He had 16 goals to his name in his first season. There's absolutely no reason why it wouldn't work. What he may have lost in pace can be rectified with better anticipation and movement which comes with experience.
Wasn't sure before but after watching how Mkhitaryan killed so many attacks, I don't think this would be worse move. Zlatan has technical ability to unlock defenses, only drawback would be his lack of work rate which is very important.
Will be interesting to watch when both starts.
Will be interesting to watch when both starts.
Because Zlatan plays exactly like he did when he was 22 and Football has not changed at all since then. Plus Trezeguet was often injured that season so did not start up top together a ton that season.
Biggest problem was he kept dropping deep as a no 9 so no one was in the box to stretch it and also the balance of mid with no matic type player.
Zlatan
Don't know if it will be any good but I think Mourinho will start both in the future.
He’ll come in for a maximum of 15 minutes tomorrow. In 3 weeks he can start. If they are smart that is. But I do agree. Martial, Rashford out wide, three at the back, matic Herrera and Pogba midfield and Lukaku up front with Zlatan behind him. Back three of Rojo, Lindelof and Bially. I know it’s stupid to give Lindelof the start just because of his international performance but that’s just ideally speaking. Young, Lingard, Mkhi subs on the wings (sadly that’s the extent of our depth, specifically in regards o Lingard.
So you're telling me a man who is famously adaptable cannot revisit a position he had played before. I might add with considerable success for two seasons and at a time when he was much less experienced and still raw.
Ibra would play a SS/10 hybrid i reckon. His vision is fairly good. Only issue is pace and we all see the likes of mata ozil and all play there.
I think they'll be pretty horrible together but our attack couldn't really be much worse than it has been in the last few games so I'm Willing to give anything a chance at this stage. Hopefully it somehow works out....
Ibraku
Zlatan behind Lukaku, why not
They are far more mobile than Zlatan though. It is not about pace but dynamism. Zlatan covers only 8km per game and that was when he was a bit younger. Your No 10 must be one of the most mobile players in the team, no matter whether employed as a SS or a playmaker. Already before Zlatan United have had the worst work rate among the top 10 (not top 6) teams. With Zlatan it can get only worse.
Zlakaku could work against poor opposition because you don't need a high work rate to beat such teams, especially at home.
Happy Zlatan Day everyone.......
I for one am very excited - his return along with Pogba is exactly the shot in the arm we need after the last series of games were awful
a good win today and we can rebuild momentum
I for one am very excited - his return along with Pogba is exactly the shot in the arm we need after the last series of games were awful
a good win today and we can rebuild momentum
I'm intrigued. I'm thinking they will be a handful for the back line and open spaces for our pacey wide players.
Fellani, Zlatan, Ron, Matic, Pogba - can't wait.
Fellani, Zlatan, Ron, Matic, Pogba - can't wait.
Shame the Perisic deal didn't go through, his crosses have given many assists to midget Icardi this season, imagine what he would do with Ibra, Lukaku and big man Felli in the box, assists for days.
Not that much and not for a long time now.
Besides Mourinho has always been clear that he wants his #10s to contribute defensively and help the midfield. That's why he wouldn't play Hazard there for Chelsea and why he won't play Mata there for us. Ibrahimovic will be played as a striker this season, same as last season and when they were at Inter together.
Zlatan at PSG, despite his crazy goalscoring record, was basically their number 10 and main creator.
I understand that not every second he spends on the pitch is world class but neither is any player who ever lived. The issue is some don't realise that while these highlights don't show when things go wrong they also don't show all the other times things were just as good or better. That's only a portion of what he offers us.Zlatan
Their are still so many who think he can't play as a 10 or he's not a good option or just people generally oblivious that's his actual main position for the majority of the clubs he has played for. Despite being phenomenal as a 10 at WC level and winning every league he's played in. He even did an interview saying exactly that and it's his best and preferred position. Yet people still persist...
They could play together in a 352, but that will mean Rashford and Martial will inevitably struggle to get enough minutes to continue their development and justify them being here. Our lack of quality wingbacks with solid if not fantastic delivery makes it near improbable we will continue permanently with that formation anyway.
That is the case too in a 442 too. It could be a great remisence to the two-striker era but for our lack of a genuine winger(s) capable of whipping in crosses if not getting chalk on his/their boots - which is a necessity in a two-striker formation.
Our current wide options, Martial, Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Mata are all inclined to come infield meaning it will be a 4222, but we don't have the luxury of rampaging fullbacks to play that formation; and in the case of Rashford and Martial, a 424, a formation that has hardly been tried nor trusted in the Premier League.
All points to Jose's favourite 4231, meaning Zlatan will be giving the luxury if not restricted to the No.10 role behind Lukaku. Although he's got great technique, but there're doubts he has the creative awareness, mobility and vision to permanently and consistently pick out passes from that position.
Zlatan in the No.10/SS role in the De Piero and Baggio mold is probably the way to play him together with Lukaku; and uncomplicated by our lack of a genuine No.10 and the fact it will allow Martial and Rashford to continue their campaign as the battle for a dominant spot on the LW heats up, it looks the best bet.
Martial and Rashford should be encouraged to stay wider and provide crosses too, to compensate for our wide deficiency.
That is the case too in a 442 too. It could be a great remisence to the two-striker era but for our lack of a genuine winger(s) capable of whipping in crosses if not getting chalk on his/their boots - which is a necessity in a two-striker formation.
Our current wide options, Martial, Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Mata are all inclined to come infield meaning it will be a 4222, but we don't have the luxury of rampaging fullbacks to play that formation; and in the case of Rashford and Martial, a 424, a formation that has hardly been tried nor trusted in the Premier League.
All points to Jose's favourite 4231, meaning Zlatan will be giving the luxury if not restricted to the No.10 role behind Lukaku. Although he's got great technique, but there're doubts he has the creative awareness, mobility and vision to permanently and consistently pick out passes from that position.
Zlatan in the No.10/SS role in the De Piero and Baggio mold is probably the way to play him together with Lukaku; and uncomplicated by our lack of a genuine No.10 and the fact it will allow Martial and Rashford to continue their campaign as the battle for a dominant spot on the LW heats up, it looks the best bet.
Martial and Rashford should be encouraged to stay wider and provide crosses too, to compensate for our wide deficiency.
With Pogback, Mkhi will start working again.
Because not many were actually watching him prior to Utd if we are being honest
He played as a nr.10 for roughly the last decade for Sweden and 4 out of the last 5 years at club level.