What a player...
10
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 46
- Goals
- 28
- Assists
- 9
- Yellow cards
- 8
- Status
Ahhh... the technique of that header. Not a simple job that but he executed brilliantly
Some have said he was poor. I thought he was good.
Got the goal and some brilliant passes to set up counters.
Got the goal and some brilliant passes to set up counters.
Brilliant Goal. 5 years ago, he would have gotten to the ball before Mignolet but no complaints. He held the ball well and created a good chance for Mkhi too even though he had no service.
I thought he was very poor albeit the goal aside. In fact just before the goal I remember thinking to myself Fellaini has made more of a nuisance of himself and won more aerial duels in the 10 minutes he'd been on the pitch than Zlatan had until the goal.
Probably because we decided to lump up long balls to Fellaini once he came on but didn't play like that to Zlatan before then...
Poor all game but he scored and that's all that matters.
I cannot understand how people can criticize Zlatan after this game ("poor game" etc). It is not reasonable to expect two goals and a couple of assists in every game. He was good today, but the most important thing is that he scored. That's his main job. If the rest of our players did their jobs correctly, we'd have won.
Poor all game? He barely received the ball all game. He was very isolated for most of the game. And he didnt drop deep today as he usually does, presumably due to Mourinho's instructions. Still created a chance for Mkhi though.
I am glad that he scored a great header from the one chance he did get. Loved the celebration too.
I just wish he'd came here sooner.
He's everything a Man Utd number 9 should be. World Class ability, big personality, huge charisma, a real leader etc. Loved his celebration.
He's everything a Man Utd number 9 should be. World Class ability, big personality, huge charisma, a real leader etc. Loved his celebration.
He has become hugely influential for us. A true leader.
He's been pretty brilliant alright. We probably needed a hero to lift the place after the last few dour years and he's been exactly that. Brought goals, leadership and charisma.
Zero sign of any sort of "difficult" personality either. Seems to be a fantasic influence on the younger players.
Just a shame he isn't half a decade younger.
Zero sign of any sort of "difficult" personality either. Seems to be a fantasic influence on the younger players.
Just a shame he isn't half a decade younger.
He was very isolated. I don't think he was poor, but more-so not in the game as much as he should have been. We need to supply him better in the big games.
The technique on that header was unreal.
The technique on that header was unreal.
Another important goal even though he didn't get enough support. I don't remember Zlatan getting a chance before that goal
Just the free kick. Set up Miki brilliantly too.
I thought he was poor....I know people keep saying his goals are the reason we're in the race for 4th, I personally feel we are at the exact level we could be if we are depending on Zlatan for goals...6th. I don't see us winning the title with him as our main striker
I don't see how you come to that conclusion.
He's joint top scorer. The problem isn't him. It's the others around him failing to score. We can't have 1 player scoring the majority of our goals. Ibra does that and you're not happy?
I just shudder to think where we'd be without Ibra. He's not gotten enough praise from a few of our fans on here.
Him being isolated and having no service isn't him being poor IMO. And either way, he scored. He had 1 chance and he buried it. We need our other players to contribute with goals.
Him being isolated and having no service isn't him being poor IMO. And either way, he scored. He had 1 chance and he buried it. We need our other players to contribute with goals.
wasnt his best game, didnt have much service though and still managed to score an important goal, I'll take this performance as good, they were worse i Pogs, Carrick, Roo
His goal averted what would have been an absolute disaster of a result. Top class player who has really shown his age is no issue at all. If only he'd come to us instead of PSG at the time!
That celebration gave me goosebumps. Maybe, just maybe, he has finally found a place to call home.
Joint league top scorer, 26 starts - 19 goals... the above does not even begin to compute.
Uhhh...this post, not even sure what to say.
I fancy him to win the golden boot.
I'm no doctor, but he looked ashen white today I thought. Maybe still feeling the after-effects of his illness to part account for his quieter display.
Certainly doing his job well. We need others to score as well. It's all getting a bit ridiculous.
Turn to previous page and start at matchday thread mark...
Anyways, people who criticize him is weird. He's no 9. His teammate doesn't get him involved enough, but he still made a chance for Mkhi to square the ball, pressed and nearly forced a error from L'pool defense, good freekick... before scoring.
Silent domination
Strange post to say the least.
Should have joined us right when he left Milan. Wasted a few good years of his career in that stupid league.
Literally carrying us in terms of points. His goals have directly won us 11 points. Just goals, not counting assists.
Literally carrying us in terms of points. His goals have directly won us 11 points. Just goals, not counting assists.
Always loved him and rated him as one of the top 3 strikers in the world, but even I didn't expect quite this impact from him. He had that one poor run of games where he couldn't score, but other then that seems to score in every game. 19 goals already for the season is brilliant.
We didnt get the ball to him enough, and not quick enough when we did. It basically isolated him and took him out the game. Still, he pops up with a goal.
His reaction after the goal was fantastic. Crowd was loud, but he managed to get it even louder. Amazing.
His reaction after the goal was fantastic. Crowd was loud, but he managed to get it even louder. Amazing.
He looked like he was still feeling ill. Saw him blowing his nose out a few times and i haven't seen him beaten to so many first balls before. It contributed to our midfield struggles as the ball kept coming back when we played it up to him.
Still, he got the goal when it was needed and did his job.
Still, he got the goal when it was needed and did his job.
It's the gamble, experienced no.9 often does. Stay in offside position and mess with defenders' heads, so the opponent can't focus to push up their defensive line. That's a way to lead the front. A miscommunication from opponent defenders and play him onside would cost dearly. Even the lineman can be confused and there is a chance of favorite call for us...
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Are people saying he doesn't contribute to our attacking play just talking about this game or this season as a whole? I actually think he has been good in link ups for us. His lay offs and through balls have created quite a few good chances for us. At least more so than I noticed anyone else playing up top has done for us in recent seasons.
I think that is probably harsh, I categorized him as "hard to watch at times" in the newbs. Steps up with timely goals though so no complaints there. I am really surprised we weren't humping the ball out to him a lot more with the high line. I thought that would have been our go to tactic. If he had an extra yard and a half of pace he'd have a few more goals this season.
edit: How did he get beaten to that loose ball by Mignolet who from a standing start beat him to the ball from about 9 yards away when Zlatan had to close about 4 yards already at full clip. Pretty crazy lack of pace. Lucky that passback had enough on it.
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I currently have 2 issues with him:
1. He is unable to maintain a high level of game presence during a match. What i mean is that he has periods where his link-up play and general movement picks up. During those periods he is instrumental for our attacking play but sadly will usually have 1-2 such bursts for around 10 minutes per game and that is it.
2. He doesn't bully defenders. In his first 2-3 games he wasn't waiting for crosses to come to him, he was attacking the defender, challenging him in the air instead of leaving him to clear the ball comfortably. For a while now he just lurks on the far post waiting for the cross to eventually reach him... He is our target man, he is tall and strong and he should impose himself on the opposition defenders throughout a game.
1. He is unable to maintain a high level of game presence during a match. What i mean is that he has periods where his link-up play and general movement picks up. During those periods he is instrumental for our attacking play but sadly will usually have 1-2 such bursts for around 10 minutes per game and that is it.
2. He doesn't bully defenders. In his first 2-3 games he wasn't waiting for crosses to come to him, he was attacking the defender, challenging him in the air instead of leaving him to clear the ball comfortably. For a while now he just lurks on the far post waiting for the cross to eventually reach him... He is our target man, he is tall and strong and he should impose himself on the opposition defenders throughout a game.
1. I don't know how you see game but his presence is clearly felt during game. It's that we at times can't bring the ball upfield and get him involved. He plays proper no 9 role messing with defenders' minds and prevent them to push up and pin us down. We have enough player to link up play. Zlatan can contribute to link up but its the secondary matter to no 9 role. With him drop deep and get involve in midfield would mean we need someone to step up and make run beyond. Martial lacks in this area. Mkhi is not forward. Pogba did at times but again he's not forward and hasn't scored enough. With a Ronaldo, Bale, Lampard, then it's a different story. With this team, it's the best Zlatan can offer without throwing away our game plan.
2. We can't cross. At least not to the standard for fluid movement attacking aerial ball. I believe Mourinho see that we need to play percentage with Zlatan occupying and dragging a defender toward far post would open space for other players to attack. Playing like the beginning of the season, we need crossers with the ability to consistently put crosses into the right area for Zlatan to compete. Making the right movement inside just for the cross never make into the box is frustrating.
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What a header that was. Just inch perfect, and it wasn't exactly an easy ball to head towards goal.
Like the rest of our team, he wasn't great overall, but at least he saved us from the loss.
Like the rest of our team, he wasn't great overall, but at least he saved us from the loss.
Well my issue with Zlatan is that:
1. He hasn't got the same pace as Walcott or Overmars.
2. He doesn't dribble as well as Messi/Maradona.
3. His aerial ability isn't as good as Bierhoff.
4. His passing and vision isn't as good as Xavis.
As a MUTD forward he really should be best in the world at every aspect of the game!
And yes I am being sarcastic. I simply don't understand what people think they can expect from a single player who is 35 years old and just got back from being sick? He scored a goal despite not getting any good passes/crosses all game. What more can be expected?
1. He hasn't got the same pace as Walcott or Overmars.
2. He doesn't dribble as well as Messi/Maradona.
3. His aerial ability isn't as good as Bierhoff.
4. His passing and vision isn't as good as Xavis.
As a MUTD forward he really should be best in the world at every aspect of the game!
And yes I am being sarcastic. I simply don't understand what people think they can expect from a single player who is 35 years old and just got back from being sick? He scored a goal despite not getting any good passes/crosses all game. What more can be expected?
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