Zlatan Ibrahimovic |United Player | See the thread in the United Forum

Should we sign Ibra on a free this summer ?


  • Total voters
    1,389
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.

Tiber

Full Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
10,309
No top sides have more than two first team strikers. Some sides (Bayern, Madrid) have just one. 1999 was almost twenty years ago and a time in which many clubs played with two out and out strikers from the start.
And yet just a few years ago our last decent team that won a title somehow found room for more than 2 strikers.

Anyway this is a Zlatan thread how is it that he isnt seen as a progress blocker? Or is he playing on the wing?
 

shamans

Thinks you can get an STD from flirting.
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
18,226
Location
Constantly at the STD clinic.
And yet just a few years ago our last decent team that won a title somehow found room for more than 2 strikers.

Anyway this is a Zlatan thread how is it that he isnt seen as a progress blocker? Or is he playing on the wing?
One of the greatest strikers of our generation joining us in the twilight of his career. I'm pretty sure Rashford would be creaming himself at the prospect of it all. Him or any young striker really. It gives the perfect scenario of the old gun phasing himself out and passing the reigns to the younger generation as they mature.
 

Kag

Full Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
18,884
Location
United Kingdom
And yet just a few years ago our last decent team that won a title somehow found room for more than 2 strikers.

Anyway this is a Zlatan thread how is it that he isnt seen as a progress blocker? Or is he playing on the wing?
Well, if you're referring to our last title win, Van Persie was in great form, Welbeck was played out of position and struggling to hit the net, Hernandez was playing less and less and Rooney was thinking of leaving. Too many strikers isn't sustainable, in my opinion.

I wouldn't say Ibrahimovic is much of a progress blocker. We need a proper striker this summer that we can rely on. Rashford is too young and inexperienced to be expected to do that every week, and an experienced pro that will only be here for a couple of years could be an ideal move for us in the long term.

By the time Ibra would leave, Rashford would be 20 and even better than he is now, having played plenty of games in cup competition.

Bringing in a younger striker for big money would be more of a blow to Rashford's hopes of making it here as a starting striker.
 

dichinero

New Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
7,153
No top sides have more than two first team strikers. Some sides (Bayern, Madrid) have just one. 1999 was almost twenty years ago and a time in which many clubs played with two out and out strikers from the start.
Maybe it's because they have loads of midfielders that can either double up as strikers or are potent in front of goal.

Barca: Neymar, Suarez, Messi,
Bayern: Lewa, Costa, Coman, Muller, Ribery, Robben, Goetze
Madrid: Benzema, Bale, Ronaldo, Isco, James, Jese
PSG: Ibra, Cavani, AdM, Lucas
 

Kag

Full Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
18,884
Location
United Kingdom
Maybe it's because they have loads of midfielders that can either double up as strikers or are potent in front of goal.

Barca: Neymar, Suarez, Messi,
Bayern: Lewa, Costa, Coman, Muller, Ribery, Robben, Goetze
Madrid: Benzema, Bale, Ronaldo, Isco, James, Jese
PSG: Ibra, Cavani, AdM, Lucas
That's a fair point. But it's also the route I'd like us to take with our own squad. Martial, Memphis and Rashford are all fairly versatile. So is Rooney, I suppose. Bring in a top striker (Ibra) and a player to start from the wide right position and we'll be in good nick.
 

JohnnyLaw

Full Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
2,083
Location
Sweden
Maybe it's because they have loads of midfielders that can either double up as strikers or are potent in front of goal.

Barca: Neymar, Suarez, Messi,
Bayern: Lewa, Costa, Coman, Muller, Ribery, Robben, Goetze
Madrid: Benzema, Bale, Ronaldo, Isco, James, Jese
PSG: Ibra, Cavani, AdM, Lucas
Exactly, and that's where we need to improve the most imo.

Spunking 1/2-1/3 of the transfer-budget on a second to top striker such as Aubameyang, Higuain etc would a very unefficient Strategy, when the option to instead bring in Zlatan for free and focus on the parts of the team where we're truly lacking in quality and potential exists.
 

dichinero

New Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
7,153
That's a fair point. But it's also the route I'd like us to take with our own squad. Martial, Memphis and Rashford are all fairly versatile. So is Rooney, I suppose. Bring in a top striker (Ibra) and a player to start from the wide right position and we'll be in good nick.
I'm hoping that by the end of next season, under the tutelage of Ibra, the likes of Rashford, Memphis, Martial, possibly with Januzaj and Wilson can really push on in the season after next.
 

Zlaatan

Parody Account
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
3,802
Location
Sweden
I dont think we are 1 short term striker away from the title to be honest. Id rather sign a top young striker to play with Martial and Rashford for years to come than a 34 year old who will have a good year in him. But thats just me.

Zlatan probably has more impact year one. Year 2? Hard to say, he might not wven be here. Year 3? Zlatan will be modeling sunglasses in LA.

Im fine with signing Zlatan, he will come in and bring goals and media hype for a while. Its just a very short term move for a team that is crying out for long term vision
I think our long term vision for offensive players is pretty well sorted with guys like Martial, Memphis and Rashford (I guess you can add Lingard, Januzaj and Wilson too). And with the position we're in right now with the last 3 years seeing us going from champions to laughing stock I'd say a short term burst is exactly what we need. Just to get back into the CL is a major step we have to take and next year will probably be the most difficult season ever to bag a top 4 place.

I hope our long term vision is to get back to the top both in the PL and in Europe, but buying young and hoping that the team will develop into one of the best is a rather risky move, especially when we're starting so far behind the the current best teams. After missing out on the CL in 2 of the last 3 years long term thinking will have to take a step back imo.
 

Natener

Full Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Messages
1,946
I think our long term vision for offensive players is pretty well sorted with guys like Martial, Memphis and Rashford (I guess you can add Lingard, Januzaj and Wilson too). And with the position we're in right now with the last 3 years seeing us going from champions to laughing stock I'd say a short term burst is exactly what we need. Just to get back into the CL is a major step we have to take and next year will probably be the most difficult season ever to bag a top 4 place.

I hope our long term vision is to get back to the top both in the PL and in Europe, but buying young and hoping that the team will develop into one of the best is a rather risky move, especially when we're starting so far behind the the current best teams. After missing out on the CL in 2 of the last 3 years long term thinking will have to take a step back imo.
Oi! Stop wasting time posting on this forum and sign the damn contract already.
 

Lennon7

nipple flasher and door destroyer
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
10,483
Location
M5
No top sides have more than two first team strikers. Some sides (Bayern, Madrid) have just one. 1999 was almost twenty years ago and a time in which many clubs played with two out and out strikers from the start.
What about 2008, when we had 3/4 arguably even better ones?
 

Kag

Full Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
18,884
Location
United Kingdom
What about 2008, when we had 3/4 arguably even better ones?
We had Rooney, Tevez and Saha, and the latter only made 24 appearances that season. Rooney played much of his season out on the left, too. The season after we bought Berbatov, which meant the end of Tevez.

Having two top strikers in the first team is difficult to maintain for any prolonged period of time. I think we need two, and they have to be aware of their roles in the squad. I'd be happy to see a top striker + Rashford.
 

Successful

Owes the Caf £25 (With interests)
Joined
Dec 15, 2006
Messages
7,347
Location
On top of the league
Talksport this morning reporting that he could be heading to Malmo. That can't be right?
Of course not. It was just a bit of sympathy/flirting for the fans as he couldn't participate in the friendly game there and wanted to give them a little something. He's said things like this to practically every team so far (Napoli, Milan, PSG), it's nothing to take notice of. In best case he might be back as a coach or something within 20 years. Talksport should verify their sources a bit more before printing a story. Knowing the newspapers/websites today they really make a story out of absolutely nothing.
 

Ecstatic

Cutie patootie!
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
13,787
Supports
PsG
Maybe it's because they have loads of midfielders that can either double up as strikers or are potent in front of goal.

Barca: Neymar, Suarez, Messi,
Bayern: Lewa, Costa, Coman, Muller, Ribery, Robben, Goetze
Madrid: Benzema, Bale, Ronaldo, Isco, James, Jese
PSG: Ibra, Cavani, AdM, Lucas
Real Madrid with Mourinho used to have both Benzema & Higuain.

Nowadays, these teams have a #9 superstar + a young player as back-up + a 'wing-forward' able to play upfront if necessary (Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi...)
 

Sparky Rhiwabon

New Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
16,946
Real Madrid with Mourinho used to have both Benzema & Higuain.

Nowadays, these teams have a #9 superstar + a young player as back-up + a 'wing-forward' able to play upfront if necessary (Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi...)
And, of course, we have Depay...
 

Ecstatic

Cutie patootie!
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
13,787
Supports
PsG
And, of course, we have Depay...
We need 2 new offensive players: one CF + one able to play on the right or as a Support Striker/Attacking Midfielder

Now, we have:

Left wing-forward: 1. Martial 2. Depay
CF: Rooney or Rashford... and Martial if necessary. We don't need Depay as a CF
Right wing-forward: Rashford + Young

Support Striker/AM: Mata + Rooney
 

VP89

Pogba's biggest fan
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Messages
32,686
We need 2 new offensive players: one CF + one able to play on the right or as a Support Striker/Attacking Midfielder

Now, we have:

Left wing-forward: 1. Martial 2. Depay
CF: Rooney or Rashford... and Martial if necessary. We don't need Depay as a CF
Right wing-forward: Rashford + Young

Support Striker/AM: Mata + Rooney
I don't count Depay as a player tbh,=.
 

m1y2

New Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Messages
5,226
Location
Prague
Well I wasn't interested much in him because I think we need someone younger and build it around Zlatan could only slow down our play but on the other hand he could be our Berbatov who never gave a shite to chase down players but when the ball came to him people got excited what he would do now. I hope if he came Mourinho would manage him well in a way he would't play him every single game but made him feel important enough while wouldn't be hesitant to bench him.. Big problem would be his ego
 

ashgabat

Come look at our Swedish girls instead!
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
955
Location
Malmö, Sweden
Supports
Malmö FF
Swedish media is going bananas after something Zlatan said yesterday. Sweden played a friendly against Slovenia in Malmö, and Zlatan was congratulated at half time. He's announced he's reitring after the Euros so this was the last game he attended (since he didn't play) in Sweden with the NT. He said he was sorry that he wasn't playing, but also said "I love Malmö. And I wish I could play today. I'm sorry but I'm coming. I'm coming, just wait for me."

Now the Malmö supporter in me, and apparently Swedish media as well interpreted that as a hint that he's coming back home to Malmö. The realist in me just means he'll show what he's capable of during the euros.

Make of it what you will!
 

The Stain

Soccer Manager's Highwayman
Joined
Aug 23, 2013
Messages
12,437
Well I wasn't interested much in him because I think we need someone younger and build it around Zlatan could only slow down our play but on the other hand he could be our Berbatov who never gave a shite to chase down players but when the ball came to him people got excited what he would do now. I hope if he came Mourinho would manage him well in a way he would't play him every single game but made him feel important enough while wouldn't be hesitant to bench him.. Big problem would be his ego
I shit in this posts handbag. Alright, which younger striker? Consider Rashfords growth. Never chasing down part is somewhat accurate but he does do it. It shouldn't be his job anyway, let the midfield take care of that. Some players you let do their thing and Zlatan is such a player. He builds attacks and finishes them off. Not enough? "Feel important enough while.." Many games in a season, he won't kick up a fuss over being rotated. Then some cliché about ego, what? Argh.

It is a response to your post but it can be applied to all these halfarsed posts from posters who rarely watches him play and don't know much about him.
 

Lagger

Full Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
1,134
Supports
FC Bayern
So, you lot think you should sign a 34 year old striker? Are you going to whinge in a year or two how your squad is full of old farts earning way more than they deserve? I'm fairly certain I've seen that complaint before...
 

m1y2

New Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Messages
5,226
Location
Prague
I shit in this posts handbag. Alright, which younger striker? Consider Rashfords growth. Never chasing down part is somewhat accurate but he does do it. It shouldn't be his job anyway, let the midfield take care of that. Some players you let do their thing and Zlatan is such a player. He builds attacks and finishes them off. Not enough? "Feel important enough while.." Many games in a season, he won't kick up a fuss over being rotated. Then some cliché about ego, what? Argh.

It is a response to your post but it can be applied to all these halfarsed posts from posters who rarely watches him play and don't know much about him.
:lol:
 

SwansonsTache

incontinent sexual deviant & German sausage lover
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
15,563
Location
Norway
So, you lot think you should sign a 34 year old striker? Are you going to whinge in a year or two how your squad is full of old farts earning way more than they deserve? I'm fairly certain I've seen that complaint before...
I doubt any of us will whinge in a year or two since the deal reportedly is structured as a 1 year deal with the option for another year. Zlatan will want to go to the US sooner or later, and Rashford\Martial will want to be the main guys upfront.

Perfect stop-gap.
 

Lagger

Full Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
1,134
Supports
FC Bayern
Well, I hope for your sake that you don't buy old farts like that. Your expectations deserve better. Oh yeah sure, he's awesome with all his backflipping, huge airtime, imposing presence and mean faces, but really... I think his age alone should make United shy away from such a deal. And there definitely are better players out there than him that are younger. He's living on hype a lot.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.