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2017-18 Performances


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bosnian_red

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Normally id be excited by his return but cant help but think Mourinho will try to shoehorn him and lukaku together a lot of the time which will be a disaster ro watch. Fellaini in midfield too you just know it. Glorified west brom indeed.

Now if he was purely to rotate with lukaku, then perfect. We'll see though.
 

Oldyella

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Looking forward to seeing him back in the squad. He will give everyone a bit of a boost and hopefully take some of the burden off Lukaku. Interested in where he fits in though, you would think Mhiki was the most at risk given how he has performed this season.
 

VeevaVee

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Normally id be excited by his return but cant help but think Mourinho will try to shoehorn him and lukaku together a lot of the time which will be a disaster ro watch. Fellaini in midfield too you just know it. Glorified west brom indeed.

Now if he was purely to rotate with lukaku, then perfect. We'll see though.
Without Fellaini but with Pogba back, it could be good. This is me being optimistic for a change. Might work in a second striker role. Someone positive, confident, and with as much desire as him could put a much needed spark back in the link up. Him and Pogba and Pogba and Lukaku seem to have a great relationship too.
 
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Would be unfair on the squad that got them there.
Nonsense, that’s like saying it’d be unfair for say Alexander Isak to start playing more for Dortmund and earning a call up despite not playing a single qualifying game.

I don’t think he’ll come back anyway, but the idea that all players who qualified will automatically get a World Cup spot is quite simply bullshit.
 

haram

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Nonsense, that’s like saying it’d be unfair for say Alexander Isak to start playing more for Dortmund and earning a call up despite not playing a single qualifying game.

I don’t think he’ll come back anyway, but the idea that all players who qualified will automatically get a World Cup spot is quite simply bullshit.
He chose to retire, that's the difference.
 

R.N7

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If Sweden decides to bring 5 strikers then it seems daft not to give him a call ahead of the likes of Armenteros/Nyman. Guidetti is useful mostly as a cheerleader and Kiese Thelin is pretty rubbish so he should probably take his place as well.
 

FujiVice

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They'd be dumb not to bring him back. The Swedish FA will make so much money on the marketing off him.
 

sunama

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How sweet it would be if beat City with our "ugly hoofball".:)
The moaning on here would be insane.
How dare we beat MCFC, the best team in the World, playing long ball football. They'd demand Jose be sacked immediately!!!
 

amolbhatia50k

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Rotate him with Lukaku. Don't see why he should play at the cost of Martial and Rashford. We need their pace more at the moment than we do two centre forwards.
 

prtk0811

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Rotate him with Lukaku. Don't see why he should play at the cost of Martial and Rashford. We need their pace more at the moment than we do two centre forwards.
He'll take no. 10 Role Behind lukaku where Mkh struggles to link up and hold the ball. He took no 10 shirt too.
 

BenjaminP

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With Lukaku's form, Zlatan should start ahead of Lukaku.
Of course not for the long term.
Sir Alex did this all the time, keeping star players on their toes, so whenever they play poorly, they are vulnerable to start the next game on bench.
With the number of games Lukaku already started, I think a little bit of complacency in his head is inevitable.
 

prtk0811

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With Lukaku's form, Zlatan should start ahead of Lukaku.
Of course not for the long term.
Sir Alex did this all the time, keeping star players on their toes, so whenever they play poorly, they are vulnerable to start the next game on bench.
With the number of games Lukaku already started, I think a little bit of complacency in his head is inevitable.
Lukakus form? He barely had service into him.
 

Vinnie Peetang

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Would love to see Lukaku and him play together.


deGea

Valencia Baiilly Smalling Darmian

Matic

Herrera Pogba

Lukaku Rashford

Zlatan


We have amazing players in the right positions, if we can unleash them!

* sorry but the formatting's screwed up
 

Fahad Jawaid

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Is he like fit to start? Or he is still getting his fitness back? The way people are talking about him suggest he can start on saturday?
 
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He chose to retire, that's the difference.
I see no difference when talking about ”fairness”, no player is guaranteed a spot in the World Cup squad, no matter what you have done in qualifying. Injury, poor form etc can all affect that.

The manager decides the players he thinks will serve him best, if that involves asking someone to come out of retirement, so be it, but fairness has feck all to do with it.

I’m not sure Zlatan would come back but if he returns to top form with United, the Swedish manager Andersson would be an absolute fool not to ask him, especially considering his horrific striking options.
 

Charmangle

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Would be unfair on the squad that got them there.
Hmm, following that kind of logic, wouldnt it be unfair to the MU squad who got us to the CL that Lukaku jumps right in an plays in the CL???;)
 

Joeace2020

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Normally id be excited by his return but cant help but think Mourinho will try to shoehorn him and lukaku together a lot of the time which will be a disaster ro watch. Fellaini in midfield too you just know it. Glorified west brom indeed.

Now if he was purely to rotate with lukaku, then perfect. We'll see though.

Call it glorified west brom all you want but a team of players like Pogba, Lukaku and Ibrahimovic would make opponents tremble. They are not some tall, unskilled footballers from league 1.
 

NotQuiteManc

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I think the returning players like Ibra, Pogba and Rojo wouldn't immediately start the next few games, but their return would be beneficial to the squad as the usual busy end of year schedule would definitely take its toll on players that have been playing almost everyday from the start of the season until now. Players like Lukaku and Matic would definitely need rests in between the upcoming games.

I am not sure if Mourinho has been playing his best first 11 yet. During the 2008, SAF saved(?)/played a (then) new/different formation and system before the season comes to a close, where he played Hargreaves on the right a'la Beckham and Hargreaves for most of the season was playing in CM/DM position. Should we expect the "best first 11" to be unleashed once United is further into the CL campaign, perhaps?

If so, I think most fans especially "die-hard fans" of Rashford and/or Martial would get to see both of them starts in the attacking 433 formation, with Mata as the AM/no. 10 behind the trio of MLR, shielded by both #AgentP and Matic.

Either way, can't wait to see the whole squad to be fit and ready. I think teams like Spurs, Chelsea and City have been pretty lucky with the injuries so far this season.
 

el3mel

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You know it's Caf when you see some think Zlatan will make us West Brom, Zlatan fecking Ibrahimovic !
 

bosnian_red

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You know it's Caf when you see some think Zlatan will make us West Brom, Zlatan fecking Ibrahimovic !
If that's in reference to my half joking post... I love Ibra, it's just I fear what Mou will be tempted to do when he has Pogba, Fellaini, Lukaku and Ibra all fit and available.
 

el3mel

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If that's in reference to my half joking post... I love Ibra, it's just I fear what Mou will be tempted to do when he has Pogba, Fellaini, Lukaku and Ibra all fit and available.
How can you say top players like Pogba, Zlatan and Lukaku are going to make us the new WBA ? Did Zlatan make his previous clubs play like WBA ? He has more in his pockets than being a target for long balls, same for Pogba.

We're talking about Zlatan, putting Zlatan and WBA in the same sentence is just unacceptable for me.
 

bosnian_red

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How can you say top players like Pogba, Zlatan and Lukaku are going to make us the new WBA ? Did Zlatan make his previous clubs play like WBA ? He has more in his pockets than being a target for long balls, same for Pogba.

We're talking about Zlatan, putting Zlatan and WBA in the same sentence is just unacceptable for me.
Well for one, Ibra is now 36 and just returning from an ACL tear. Who knows how mobile he'll be. Lukaku isn't that talented of a player, Pogba is obviously brilliant and we know what Fellaini brings. Put those 4 in though and you don't think Mourinho will tell them to hit the ball long pretty often just because we are so much bigger then most? It'll just see us move more and more towards a relatively stationary side who will just put the ball wide and float it in for ibra/fellaini/lukaku to head it in, rather then developing an exciting style of play that isn't reliant on just being bigger then the opposition.
 

el3mel

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Well for one, Ibra is now 36 and just returning from an ACL tear. Who knows how mobile he'll be. Lukaku isn't that talented of a player, Pogba is obviously brilliant and we know what Fellaini brings. Put those 4 in though and you don't think Mourinho will tell them to hit the ball long pretty often just because we are so much bigger then most? It'll just see us move more and more towards a relatively stationary side who will just put the ball wide and float it in for ibra/fellaini/lukaku to head it in, rather then developing an exciting style of play that isn't reliant on just being bigger then the opposition.
Zlatan doesn't need any mobility. He has the ability to drop deep to midfield to dictate the play and create chances. His passing and vision is excellent and can hold up the ball well. I can only see one thing and that he'll improve our chance creation by a mile than we saw these previous games.

Last season he wasn't a target for long balls. He was always deep in midfield to help create chances. The only problem is the absence of a target man upfront and that's what Lukaku will resolve. Zlatan isn't your classic number 9 striker that will stay up all the game.
 

M Bison

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Glad he's coming back and could be a shrewd signing if Jose plays it right. Will allow Lukaku some time off too as we currently dont have a presence that can play up front if Lukaku cant/doesnt play.

Only concern is Jose trying to play him each week, even if its as a no 10 behind Lukaku - i'd worry it would leave us light in midfield and could slow us down (even more) going forward.

Hope to see him used as a sub with the odd start here and there in place of Lukaku, anything else and it could backfire.
 

M Bison

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Zlatan doesn't need any mobility. He has the ability to drop deep to midfield to dictate the play and create chances. His passing and vision is excellent and can hold up the ball well. I can only see one thing and that he'll improve our chance creation by a mile than we saw these previous games.

Last season he wasn't a target for long balls. He was always deep in midfield to help create chances. The only problem is the absence of a target man upfront and that's what Lukaku will resolve. Zlatan isn't your classic number 9 striker that will stay up all the game.
I'm not sure about this, it sounds great in theory but last season he slowed the play quite significantly up top and i'm concerned he'll do the same again.

If he plays as a no 10, i cant imagine him busting a gut to put pressure on the opposition midfield, he's excellent on the ball no doubt, but we need more from the no 10 than just being able to pick a pass.
 
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