Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a good striker?

[Forthright]

Or is he someone whose talent never matched his ego? After his lack of ability led to his exit at Barcelona, he enjoyed some success in two of the lower leagues in Europe. At a reported £300k a week, will this 35 year old turn out to be an expensive flop for midtable utd?

Discuss

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Or is he someone whose talent never matched his ego? After his lack of ability led to his exit at Barcelona, he enjoyed some success in two of the lower leagues in Europe. At a reported £300k a week, will this 35 year old turn out to be an expensive flop for midtable utd?

Discuss

No it didn't.

 

[Stevencc]

To answer the question in the thread title, yes, he was one of the very best.

 

[smat]

There's a whole entire Guardian article about him https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ovic-manchester-united-jose-mourinho-drop-him

35 is pretty old... He started well but doesn't look like he can be the main man at the moment. Time to give Rashford or Martial a chance up front?

 

[Forthright]

It appears he was signed as Jose wanted a friend at his new club. And also help him obtain his last huge contract.

 

[Bilo]

There's a whole entire Guardian article about him https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ovic-manchester-united-jose-mourinho-drop-him

35 is pretty old... He started well but doesn't look like he can be the main man at the moment. Time to give Rashford or Martial a chance up front?

It's funny that they use Firmino's four in nine as a stick to beat Zlatan's four in ten with. Good point well made.

I'd personally argue that Liverpool right now are showing that you don't need a main man to regularly score goals, but that's me.

Anyway, he's 35. Literally nobody takes performances at that age into consideration regarding peak quality, except those trying to confirm an opinion they've held in ages. So if you never rated Zlatan, you were wrong even if he only gets 4 in 10 in the Premier League at the age of 35.

 

[smat]

It's funny that they use Firmino's four in nine as a stick to beat Zlatan's four in ten with. Good point well made.

I'd personally argue that Liverpool right now are showing that you don't need a main man to regularly score goals, but that's me.

Extremely agree.

Anyway, he's 35. Literally nobody takes performances at that age into consideration regarding peak quality, except those trying to confirm an opinion they've held in ages. So if you never rated Zlatan, you were wrong even if he only gets 4 in 10 in the Premier League at the age of 35.

Is anyone saying they've never rated him? (Except one clearly insincere trollerman).

His age just makes it all the stranger that they're pinning their hopes on him as their main striker. He can definitely play a part, but surely only in the way Giroud can for us. One of a number of options for when conditions are right for him.

 

[Bilo]

Is anyone saying they've never rated him? (Except one clearly insincere trollerman).

His age just makes it all the stranger that they're pinning their hopes on him as their main striker. He can definitely play a part, but surely only in the way Giroud can for us. One of a number of options for when conditions are right for him.

Well, this insincere trollerman is also the one who started the thread we're having this discussion in, so yes.

As for that, he's not alone and unless Zlatan starts scoring regularly again I'm sure there'll be lots of columnists coming out of the woodwork saying that they never rated him, as if their opinion now has been confirmed.

As for pinning their hopes on him as the main striker, too early to tell imo. So far obviously he's done enough if he played in a team where everyone else also do enough (see Firmino's similar stats). But if he's going to be their Suarez/Torres in the sense that he's the one to save them when they're not functioning, probably no. But there aren't many strikers in the world good enough for that role, really.

 

[smat]

As for pinning their hopes on him as the main striker, too early to tell imo. So far obviously he's done enough if he played in a team where everyone else also do enough (see Firmino's similar stats). But if he's going to be their Suarez/Torres in the sense that he's the one to save them when they're not functioning, probably no. But there aren't many strikers in the world good enough for that role, really.

But you have to allow for the fact that he IS 35. It seems strange to me that he was signed on just a one-year deal, and yet they're building their whole attack around him? If he's good enough to start 38 league games this season, surely he'd be good enough to play another sort of role next year. And if not, SURELY they acknowledge that his powers are waning (or will wane soon). Just seems like a lack of joined up thinking at United at the moment.

I appreesh that it's early days, but he has started all ten league games so far so he does seem to be an integral part of Jose's plan.

 

[Stevencc]

BREAKING NEWS - Zlatan just got injured in my FIFA 17 career mode. He has been scoring at an impressive rate. Can Rooney, Martial and Rashford pick up the slack while the big man recuperates? I'll let you know.

 

[Forthright]

Extremely agree.


Is anyone saying they've never rated him? (Except one clearly insincere trollerman).

His age just makes it all the stranger that they're pinning their hopes on him as their main striker. He can definitely play a part, but surely only in the way Giroud can for us. One of a number of options for when conditions are right for him.

His reputation is based on him performing predominantly in the French league. That is a poor league in terms of quality. The fact that ballotelli is scoring on the same rate as zlatan was speaks volumes.

Utd signed him even though he would not even make anyone's top 10 list of best striker in Europe.

At 35 his not going to get any better.

 

[smat]

His reputation is based on him performing predominantly in the French league. That is a poor league in terms of quality. The fact that ballotelli is scoring on the same rate as zlatan was speaks volumes.

Utd signed him even though he would not even make anyone's top 10 list of best striker in Europe.

At 35 his not going to get any better.

shut up forthright

 

[Forthright]

Certainly a thought provoking response there from smat.

But the topic is about zlatans ability or lack thereof.

 

[SALTIRE]

BREAKING NEWS - Zlatan just got injured in my FIFA 17 career mode. He has been scoring at an impressive rate. Can Rooney, Martial and Rashford pick up the slack while the big man recuperates? I'll let you know.

FIFA tsk tsk...

 

[St. Juste]

I remember on another forum someone saying Bobby Zamora was better than Ibrahimovic?

The original poster, maybe? He's one of the best players of this millennium so far and will go down as that even if he spends the rest of his United career scoring own goals.

 

[Forthright]

Best player of the millennium because he won trophies domestically whilst playing in two of europes inferior leagues? And let's recall a common theme that was made about zlatan when playing in the big games of champions league. He was always a player that was criticised for going missing.

 

[Avatar]

from the games honestly he's not playing that badly, he's been unlucky at times, it's more that the team in general isn't playing that well.

 

[St. Juste]

Best player of the millennium because he won trophies domestically whilst playing in two of europes inferior leagues? And let's recall a common theme that was made about zlatan when playing in the big games of champions league. He was always a player that was criticised for going missing.

I never said he was the best player of the millennium.

But you've had a rough weekend, I'll let you off.

 

[mistermagic]

His reputation is based on him performing predominantly in the French league. That is a poor league in terms of quality. The fact that ballotelli is scoring on the same rate as zlatan was speaks volumes.

Utd signed him even though he would not even make anyone's top 10 list of best striker in Europe.

At 35 his not going to get any better.

Zlatan never performed for us. He just scored goals. It's a concept a lot of football fans, myself included, have a hard time dealing with.

I know that I'm wasting my time replying to you but I will have you know that it is MUCH harder to score in Ligue 1 than the Prem. But hey you thought Alex McLeish was a decent manager...

 

[Stevencc]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38080943

We're going to take the option to extend his contract for another year.

The 35-year-old former Sweden international moved to Old Trafford on a free transfer in the summer, with the option of extending his deal for a second season.

He has scored eight goals in 17 games in all competitions this term.

Mourinho said: "We are going to execute the option of a second season. After that he can do what he wants."

Ibrahimovic said: "I feel in shape, feel fresh and good. If I feel like I do now, it will be a second year."

 

[Super_horns]

Early time to make that decision..

 

[Stevencc]

It is a bit, yeah.

There's been some talk about him giving the MLS a go so perhaps that forced us to show our intention to keep him a little longer.

 

[SALTIRE]

He's done alright but isn't he holding Law and Best, er, I mean Martial and Rashford back?

 

[Stevencc]

That look nothing like Law and Best ya blind ol' fool!