Zlatan Ibrahimovic |United Player | See the thread in the United Forum
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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?
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This is obviously happening, there are no reports out there linking him with anyone else. It would only not happen if we pulled out of the deal at this point I think.
It feels like a penalty from Cantona now. I'm holding my breath, knowing it's like 95 % certain he will make me very happy..
We need Zlatan. He's a winning character, got all the charisma PL could handle, and he'll serve us all the quotes van Gaal did and more..
Reporter: Who will win World Cup?
Zlatan: 'God knows'
Reporter: 'It's kind of hard to ask him'.
Zlatan: 'Why? You're looking at him now.'
We need Zlatan. He's a winning character, got all the charisma PL could handle, and he'll serve us all the quotes van Gaal did and more..
Reporter: Who will win World Cup?
Zlatan: 'God knows'
Reporter: 'It's kind of hard to ask him'.
Zlatan: 'Why? You're looking at him now.'
Or he's going to resign with PSG
Would people on here rate a young Ibra over a young Drogba throughout their career ?
I ask as a 34 year old Drogba wasnt exactly scoring 20 goals a season to the best of my memory not to mind 15 goals a season.
I ask as a 34 year old Drogba wasnt exactly scoring 20 goals a season to the best of my memory not to mind 15 goals a season.
He's a different type of player. More like Sheringham who was still scoring goals for West Ham at the age of 41.
I think he'll be more RVP then Falcao... we may only get one season out of him, but what a season it will be. He'll score a bag load of goals, maybe even help us win something, and piss off Wayne Rooney in the process.
For those saying things about Facao, it's an incredibly bad comparison... he'd had a major injury, was nowhere near match fit, and couldn't get match fit again because of niggles and not being good enough to get into our side to get match fit. He should have gone to a club where first team football wasn't an issue.
Ibra is just a different case entirely.
Ibra is just a different case entirely.
I'm sure I read this quote earlier in this thread but I seem to be too dumb to find who posted it. Anyway, here's what Carlo Ancelotti had to say about Zlatan.
"Zlatan was in my eyes, without doubt, the key to PSG's improvement. His fascinating character, his consistant excellence in training, and how he focused and prepared for matches were always examples for his teammates [...] When I arrived at PSG, I had heard of him as a difficult player to manage. On the contrary, I found myself a helpful, professional champion who was always focused on his work. Not only have I never had a problem with him, even better, he was often a great help to me [...] He loves being a leader, he was born with this attitude - he never avoids his responsibilities, rather he seeks them because they help him give the best of his ability. He is the most unselfish player I have met, and I consider him as one of the greatest current forwards, alongside Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo."
So maybe people aren't pulling things out of their ass. Some people love to bring up Guardiola and how things went down the crapper in Barca, and that somehow proves that Ibra is difficult to coach. But they fail to realise that that was one year out of his 15 year career.
On a muppet related note, I found this quote from Mourinho from a few years back.
"I think he has to be where he is happy, and if he's happy in Paris then he has to stay. But at the same time I think it's a pity for him when he finishes his career and he played in the most important countries in the world of football, and won the most important championships in the world of football, but he didn't play in the best league in the world and never won the best league in the world. That's a pity."
I really hope he called Zlatan up the minute he was set to be the manager of United and said something silimiar.
"I think he has to be where he is happy, and if he's happy in Paris then he has to stay. But at the same time I think it's a pity for him when he finishes his career and he played in the most important countries in the world of football, and won the most important championships in the world of football, but he didn't play in the best league in the world and never won the best league in the world. That's a pity."
I really hope he called Zlatan up the minute he was set to be the manager of United and said something silimiar.
I have re-watched the clip now and I wouldn't put too much into that phrase.
The reporter asks him things about stuff he got in the pipeline the coming days. After making a joke about home-made food waiting for him when he gets home (If I interpreted that correct) the reporter then asked "There's a big launch in Paris also?" to which he replies "Yes, on the 7th. It will be this summer's bomb". So that comment wasn't a direct reference to his future as a player.
Edit: I can translate the rest also:
Reporter: How does that feel? (In reference to his previous comment)
Zlatan: It feels awesome. In fact it feels more than awesome as a lot will be happening under that (the launch) and hopefully all of you can come out to enjoy the day. It will also be news coming out that day.
Reporter: Nothing else happening?
Zlatan: You'll see (a little grin)
Reporter: Yeah, but I was thinking of ... You hear that I'm fishing (for headline-worthy info)
Zlatan: Something something ... Come on the 7th and you will know (paraphrasing)
Reporter: I was thinking about new clubs ...
Zlatan: Come on the 7th (huge grin)
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Zlatan is not the type of player that Spurs go for: far too old and with wage demands that would destroy our wages structure, leading to wage-hike demands right across the squad. You're more than welcome to him.
And the fact that a big name, looking for one last big pay-day, wants to join United, say no more about Spurs' players wanting to join United than did your signing of Schweinsteiger.
Imagine if he announces that he's going to city after all this build up
Zlatan's last big pay-day is likely to be in the MLS or China.
Yes. Zlatan in his prime was better than Drogba and going by his last season he is still very well in his prime.
He's off to Liverpool
Don't do thatHe's off to Liverpool
He will we when we play Everton and Liverpool.
A hatty in each game would be nice
A hatty in each game would be nice
They definitely need a "bomb" to start their annual boom and bust cycle.He's off to Liverpool
If he joins United: superb and shrewd signing
If he joins ABU: past his prime, extortionate salary etc.
If he joins ABU: past his prime, extortionate salary etc.
Sky really dragging it out ain't they over on their transfer centre- suppose it gets people refreshing though for a whiff of any info.
"Prime" Drogba hit 20+ goals....3 times, one of which was for Marseille. Zlatan 8 seasons in a row now, the last 5 of which are 30+, other than the fact Drogba has a superb run leading Chelsea to a miracle CL win, and it was genuinely a miracle run, it's not comparable for me. I'd take Zlatan last season over Drogba that beat Rooney to the Golden Boot too.
How dare you mention Drogba in the same breathe as Zlatan, show some respect lad
No I'm kidding, but seriously that guy is not in the same class, as others have mentioned above. Also Zlatan is coming off of one of his best seasons to date
I'd take Drogba because of the extent to which he never faiked to turn up in big games.
It's just my fear talking, ignor it!
They've already bought gk, cb, now cm, perhaps cf and title is theirs to lose!
Drogba wasn't a patch on ibrahimovic. I would only take Drogba for individual big games as he has been more consistent in those, but drogba hasn't actually had more then 2 "very good" seasons. Most of his career he was a bit meh so he shouldn't be part of these discussions.
Drogba owned the league in his time here.How does that change anything? Leicester were a decent side last season in a strong league. Don't see how it would change my assertion that Zlatan would struggle to keep up his scoring rate in England.
Well i think saying he owned the league is a bit too much the other way mate, he only scored more than 15-16 goals in a season twice during his time at Chelsea.
He was a cracking player and almost unstoppable on his day, but he was a tier below the likes of Henry, Shearer and Van Nistelrooy.
I see some similarities with them as both are/were not reliant on pace,powerful and hold up the ball well.
He scored more than 20 twice, and I should have been more specific to his season where he hit I think 29?
I don't think Zlatan have that impact at this age. Think he'll get 15ish.
Zlatan is different class, simple as that. Drogba was a great player in his prime but Zlatan is one of the best footballers of the last 20 years, easily. At his best he is simply magical.
Drogba's technique was never anywhere near Zlatan's though. Nobody's is though, admittedly.
He didnt.
His best season was around 2010 with about 36 goals or something like that.
Let's do a Giggs vs. Zlatan at 35 comparison just because. Sigh..
Hit 20 in PL (33 in all comp) in 06/07
Ibrahimović and Drogba are very different types of players, so any comparison between them can be hard unless one relies on pure statistics.
The former is quite involved in the buildup, he's a very technically gifted forward with exquisite control who's a good passer, and paradoxically relies lesser than expected on speed and his physical attributes (which is weird because his combination of stature and strength can be matched by very, very few strikers). This is why he's able to perform at a high level at his age - because that effortless technique is now allied with much great cunning, perceptiveness and understanding of the game (as opposed to his Ajax/ Juventus days when he was more mercurial and a bit more of an individualist), and since he was never overly reliant on physicality or pace, the transition has been smoother for him.
Whereas Drogba was more of a traditional center-forward whose game was predicated on dynamism, aerial dominance, brute strength to overpower the defender, and incredible work ethic to lead the line in smash-mouth fashion (which isn't Zlatan's strong suit, in fairness). Without trying to deprecate Drogba's technique - he a significantly worse passer, and not as heavily involved in the build-up play, but he was great as the focal point who was adept at intelligent one touch play to bring the other attackers into the game. But because a large part of him game was predicated on his physicality and dynamism, he didn't perform at his former level into his mid 30s, apart from a few occasions.
In that sense, it's a bit like comparing Lewandowski with Mandžukić (not qualitatively, but in terms of the way they effected the game). Or maybe Vieri for Drogba, if Mandžukić is not palatable. Ultimately, it depends on the type of football you want to play, and who the team's center-piece will be. You will have to make more allowances for Zlatan and be mindful of the chemistry around him so that they don't detract from him, whereas Drogba would fit more comfortably with better players around him because he can be the battering ram to open the floodgates for them.
The former is quite involved in the buildup, he's a very technically gifted forward with exquisite control who's a good passer, and paradoxically relies lesser than expected on speed and his physical attributes (which is weird because his combination of stature and strength can be matched by very, very few strikers). This is why he's able to perform at a high level at his age - because that effortless technique is now allied with much great cunning, perceptiveness and understanding of the game (as opposed to his Ajax/ Juventus days when he was more mercurial and a bit more of an individualist), and since he was never overly reliant on physicality or pace, the transition has been smoother for him.
Whereas Drogba was more of a traditional center-forward whose game was predicated on dynamism, aerial dominance, brute strength to overpower the defender, and incredible work ethic to lead the line in smash-mouth fashion (which isn't Zlatan's strong suit, in fairness). Without trying to deprecate Drogba's technique - he a significantly worse passer, and not as heavily involved in the build-up play, but he was great as the focal point who was adept at intelligent one touch play to bring the other attackers into the game. But because a large part of him game was predicated on his physicality and dynamism, he didn't perform at his former level into his mid 30s, apart from a few occasions.
In that sense, it's a bit like comparing Lewandowski with Mandžukić (not qualitatively, but in terms of the way they effected the game). Or maybe Vieri for Drogba, if Mandžukić is not palatable. Ultimately, it depends on the type of football you want to play, and who the team's center-piece will be. You will have to make more allowances for Zlatan and be mindful of the chemistry around him so that they don't detract from him, whereas Drogba would fit more comfortably with better players around him because he can be the battering ram to open the floodgates for them.
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Apologies I misread your post,thought you meant he scored over 20 goals a season more than twice.
NP, I was overrating Drogba a bit too much by saying he "owned the league" anyway.
Good post @Invictus - with Zlatan dropping deep more I think we do lack a traditional CF (assuming him and Rashford don't play together).
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