They both start nearly every game. Another striker will be needed next season
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 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?
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Really hope we don't go through with this deal.
Arguably the most over rated player in 21st century football.
I think his ego and self indulgence have attributed to this, in the same way it has for the myth of mario balotelli, except Zlatan admittedly does have actual talent.
Regardless, he's not needed, he's a flat track bully and as we've seen with Memphis and Balotelli before, just because you goof around , wear stupid outfits, score bucket loads in shit leagues and make outlandish comments doesn't make you a world class footballer and it certainly doesn't make you a guaranteed success in the Premier League.
We're not in a position to be carrying around players like Zlatan. He's also completely unsuited to this league, he's slow, immobile, constantly plays with his back to goal, takes too long on the ball and doesn't make enough runs. Who does that sound like?
This is a player who's played for Juventus, Ac Milan, Inter Milan , Barcelona and PSG and has had basically zero impact in Champions League football. And we're supposed to buy that this is a world class striker?
Hope he takes the big money from China and stays well clear of us. I also think Lvg is more likely to want him that Mourinho, which adds to the list of 101 reasons Louis van Gaal should not be Manchester United manager next season.
Arguably the most over rated player in 21st century football.
I think his ego and self indulgence have attributed to this, in the same way it has for the myth of mario balotelli, except Zlatan admittedly does have actual talent.
Regardless, he's not needed, he's a flat track bully and as we've seen with Memphis and Balotelli before, just because you goof around , wear stupid outfits, score bucket loads in shit leagues and make outlandish comments doesn't make you a world class footballer and it certainly doesn't make you a guaranteed success in the Premier League.
We're not in a position to be carrying around players like Zlatan. He's also completely unsuited to this league, he's slow, immobile, constantly plays with his back to goal, takes too long on the ball and doesn't make enough runs. Who does that sound like?
This is a player who's played for Juventus, Ac Milan, Inter Milan , Barcelona and PSG and has had basically zero impact in Champions League football. And we're supposed to buy that this is a world class striker?
Hope he takes the big money from China and stays well clear of us. I also think Lvg is more likely to want him that Mourinho, which adds to the list of 101 reasons Louis van Gaal should not be Manchester United manager next season.
Stopped reading after the CL comment, you clearly are speaking with emotion rather than fact.
I'm in the do not want camp.
He was a striker at youth level but they did used him wide and he wasn't playing to his potential, he only really came to life as a striker.
Edit: I'm always under the impression that people have totally forgotten his Barcelona, he didn't fit but he was lethal.
Ibrahimovic has had a huge impact on the champions league!
Remember when Barcelona, then the reigning champions, paid a massive fee plus Eto'o for him. It was funny as hell when he was a major disappointment and his old club knocked them out and won the CL themselves. Whereupon Barcelona took a massive loss to get rid of him and promptly won it right back.
Remember when Barcelona, then the reigning champions, paid a massive fee plus Eto'o for him. It was funny as hell when he was a major disappointment and his old club knocked them out and won the CL themselves. Whereupon Barcelona took a massive loss to get rid of him and promptly won it right back.
Possibly the most ridiculous post i've ever read. Bravo.
LvG would want Zlatan. Is he being serious?
Ah thanks for the info, only follow saint-etienne, so my knowledge of other teams in the french league can be spotty.
I take your last point was about Ibra? I think as he didn't star at barca, he must be shit in peoples eyes.
So much inaccuracy here, don't even know where to start...
How can anyone not want one of the best players in the world on a free is beyond me. If he fails who gives a crap, he will make his money in shirt sales alone and he's only gonna be around for 1-2 seasons max. If he succeeds we get a 30 goal stiker who would probably drive us to the title (with afew more aquisitions)
It's an absolute no-brainer to sign Ibra. He scores goals for fun, he's strong as an ox and technically magnificent. You don't turn down an elite level footballer and he really is that. Don't play Rooney along with him if you don't want a lack of pace in attack, but to turn down one of the best footballers around would be silly.
I don't know why he'd choose playing under Mourinho over playing in the CL next season, though. Makes more sense to stay at PSG and have another tilt at the one big trophy at club level he hasn't yet won.
I don't know why he'd choose playing under Mourinho over playing in the CL next season, though. Makes more sense to stay at PSG and have another tilt at the one big trophy at club level he hasn't yet won.
At the same time, he gets a chance to win the EPL here and Ligue 1 has no challenge anymore for PSG.
Expected response, Zlatan has weird fandom on here. Noticed none of you came up with anything substantial for his defence but I guess mentioning the fact he only just got to double figures in Champions League knockout goals will hardly make the best case for him.
Complete no brainer to sign him, especially with our effectiveness in the final third and on headers.
What the hell? He has performed in the CL, reaching double figures in knockouts is incredible, not something you can beat him with.
This is one of the most stupid points I've ever had made against me... IBRA has been brilliant in the CL throughout his career
10 goals in 40 knockout games is incredible for supposedly one of the best strikers in the world?
Having played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe? You think that is incredible ?
Are you actually arguing that Ibra is not a good player ?
That's not what I said. He's over rated , always has been, he's not amongst the elite.
But he's one of those players people seem to love and people will ignore his many obvious flaws.
I remember wen he scored that goal against England in a friendly and suddenly everyone was saying how he could do it in the big games and he'd proven all the English media wrong because he scored in a fecking friendly .
Overrated by who though ? you ? Most people consider him one of the world's best strikers and his numbers fully back that up. He has averaged nearly 30 goals a year for the past decade, across 4 clubs and 3 different European leagues. Some might not consider the French league to be very competitive, but let's remember his numbers there were compiled after his 30th birthday, which is impressive to say the least. He is currently 34 and still racking up Ronaldo type numbers, so even if he scored 25 in England next year (rather than the 44 he currently has in France), it would still be an immense buy for us. He has a Cantona style verve that would easily take us to the next level and help all the younger players around him. Seems like a complete no brainer, especially as he would be here on a free.
Overrated by who? Well for starters you've just said he gets Ronaldo numbers, which is simply untrue.
Pre PSG his goal scoring rate wasn't anything exceptional.
And make no mistake about it the French league is atrocious and his goal scoring in that pathetic league has skewed this 30 goal a season average you talk about. And 10 goals in 40 cl knockout games rings serious alarm bells.
It baffles me how people keep failing to see the obvious, to succeed in this league as a centre forward in this age you generally have to have pace and be a willing runner due to the type of centre back you'll come up against and the deep structured back fours. Zlatan can't offer that yet people are clamouring for him to be bought. This isn't FIFA or football manager.
1. He is getting Ronaldo type numbers, as in 44 goals in 47 appearances this year, which is what we have come to expect from the likes of him and Messi.
2. Even if you think the French league is shite, we've already established that he has averaged 30 goals a year over several leagues and clubs, so he has been very effective over a protracted period of time. In fact, he has outperformed the likes of Suarez, Lewandowski, and every other top striker who has been active over the past decade.
Most people are in agreement that Ibra on a free would be a great deal for us for a couple of years, which would provide a dangerous end product we have been lacking and allow the likes of Martial and Rashford to gain a bit more experience. It would also allow us to justify buying another attacker like Griezmann, so all things said, there aren't really any valid counterarguments against proceeding.
1. Ronaldo and Messi have gotten 50-60 goals a season the last few years. Zlatan will never see those figures.
2. As I said this 30 goal a season average is skewed by large goal tallies in an embarrassing league, what was his average pre PSG ?
He's not near Suarez or Lewandowski in terms of all round ability. Even at his peak he wasn't at their level.
3. Most people on here generally take too long to figure out the obvious so I don't see that as a justification to sign Zlatan.
It took people till December to realise Louis van Gaal was a terrible manager.
It was only about a month ago people on here realised John Stones wasn't Paolo Maldini.
It only took till this season for people to realise Rojo was a terrible player.
It might be a free transfer but he'll command an astronomical signing on fee and a salary on par with Rooney.
I'd rather see us sign someone younger with attributes suited to the premier league.
1. Ronaldo has 47 in 44 this year, which is comparable to Zlatan's numbers.
2. Its only skewed because it doesn't jive with your anti-Ibra agenda. Most objective people would interpret it as him having been consistently effective at a high level for a protracted period of time in multiple leagues and multiple clubs. The common denominator being he scores feckloads of goals.
Why only this year though, why can't we use other years as you've done for Zlatan.
Don't have an anti ibra agenda, just don't want the club I support to make yet another terrible signing.
Objectively and from a purely statistical stand point, yes Zlatans goal scoring is generally very good .
But when you peel off the layers and look closely, you see his goal scoring is superficial.
Again I have to refer to the 10 goals in 40 cl knockout games.
Again I have to refer to the poor standard of the French league.
You could point to his failings at Barcelona.
But all that isn't even the main reason we shouldn't sign him. It's his style of play being unsuited to us and to this league, can you really not see that?
You look at the most prolific players in the last couple of years , Aguero, Kane, Lukaku, Vardy, Sturridge, even this year with the emergence of Rashford and Iheanacho.
All have pace, all like to run in behind, all of them move around.
It's like people have erased Wayne Rooneys 2015 as a Manchester United centre forward.
I'm not saying Zlatan has declined to the level of Rooney but they behave a similar way on the pitch.
Back to goal, expecting everything to feet, generally not looking to run behind anyone or down the channels. This does not work in the Premier League, why do people not see this?
Consider for a moment, the absurdity of what you're suggesting. You're effectively saying Zlatan Ibrahimovic isn't good enough to excel in the Premier League because he doesn't mimic the qualities of the likes of Lukaku, Vardy, and Daniel Sturridge. Do you actually believe that ?
The simple point here is Zlatan is putting up the similar numbers to Ronaldo this year, despite being 4 years older and at an age when most players are well beyond their prime. He is still generating very high level performances, which underscores the point that buying him on a free would be great business. If he can knock if 60% of this year's totals in the Prem next year, then it will have been a great transfer. Another advantage of buying him on a free is it will allow us to pursue a top player like Griezmann or the like for a substantial transfer free and get two high quality players in for next year.
It's not what I believe, it's what stares anyone with common sense in the face.
Veron was a far superior footballer to Phil Neville, yet Phil Neville was more effective as a central midfielder for Manchester United. This is precisely what I mean by this isn't Fifa or football manager. Football and certainly the premier league is not a simple case of 'insert better footballer into X position'.
Seriously stop comparing Zlatans goal tallies in France to Ronaldos in Spain, surely you can see how moronic that is.
It's okay banging in goals and looking like a world beater against the worse Marseille team since the club formed but once again when it came to Champions League knockout football against city and Chelsea , his performances ranged from average to mediocre.
I don't know why you and many others find it so inconceivable that Zlatan might not actually be a success when we've seen so many times in the past, very good footballers struggling in the premier league because they lacked certain attributes.
And again Zlatan will not be "free", his signing on fee and yearly wage will be way excess of 30 million.
Him and Griezmann in the same summer would be amazing alongside Martial.
My thoughts exactly. The depth in attack would be ridiculous. Add a top defender and a manager like Mourinho who can bind it all together and we'll be back in business.
I would hardly call having the likes of Valencia, Mata and Young on the bench as "ridiculous" depth.
We should definitely sign Ibra, Griezmann and one other attacker minimum. Mahrez, perhaps.
Memphis, Mata, and our other academy products (Rashford, Januzaj, Perreira etc) could be pretty good bench options.
Midfield is a mess as well
This is either going to be a monster signing or a waste of time. If we do sign him, which we won't.
Let's hope Klopp doesn't snap him up on a free and go on to win the league.
Liverpool winning the league? That's like Lei... Oh wait SHIT!
Voted no. He'd be decent cover but offers nothing long term and we're supposed to be rebuilding for a better future.
Also, I doubt he'd be happy to be used sparingly.
Also, I doubt he'd be happy to be used sparingly.
Decent cover?
He'd be one of the best players in the league if he came to this league, and by far our best striker. Him being a short term solution is a major reason why signing him is a good idea. It ensures that the likes of Rashford and Martial have a chance to develop into our future strikers. Any long term signing would get in the way of their development as strikers.I've vote yes because he could potentially be a diet coke of cantona.
What I mean by that is his presence could galvanise the squad and spark back a part of our swagger that is badly missing.
It will only work under Jose though
What I mean by that is his presence could galvanise the squad and spark back a part of our swagger that is badly missing.
It will only work under Jose though
Wait..how old is he?
Van Gaal said he had to convince the club to sign Bastian. They though he was too old. We aren't going to sign someone 3 years older. This isn't happening.
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