Zlatan Ibrahimovic image 10

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Sweden flag

2016-17 Performances

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6.2 Season Average Rating
Appearances
46
Goals
28
Assists
9
Yellow cards
8
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Fracture90 said:
When you're tired you tend to make the wrong decisions.
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Tired within the first 30 minutes after having almost a week with no game? Then he's not matchfit. Weird that in latter stage of the game, he's more energetic and pressed better.
 
ti vu said:
Tired within the first 30 minutes after having almost a week with no game? Then he's not matchfit. Weird that in latter stage of the game, he's more energetic and pressed better.
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You gotta take into consideration that he's been playing for months with little to no rest and that takes a huge toll when you're 35 years old.
 
Fracture90 said:
You gotta take into consideration that he's been playing for months with little to no rest and that takes a huge toll when you're 35 years old.
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As I said, toward the end he showed more energy which I doubt it's about tiredness. As already pointed out it's almost a week with no midweek time, it's quite sufficient amount of recovery time. It's weird that he coped well with thicker fixture just weeks ago, but people saying he's tired after said less busy week. I'll leave this discussion. No point in discussing this anymore since I don't see him as being tired with how he became more energetic when we transited quicker and better into the final with our subs, and his decision making also improved. I said in other thread I believe we got the tactic wrong for this game and Zlatan was out of sync with the team. Despite enjoying more touch than some of previous games, he couldn't click with other players.

Edit: not to make another post and exit this discussion, I never agree with people saying he has been tired for months. As far as I got to see PSG games (big games) last few season, he's doing pretty the same.
 
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ti vu said:
As I said, toward the end he showed more energy which I doubt it's about tiredness. As already pointed out it's almost a week with no midweek time, it's quite sufficient amount of recovery time. It's weird that he coped well with thicker fixture just weeks ago, but people saying he's tired after said less busy week. I'll leave this discussion. No point in discussing this anymore since I don't see him as being tired with how he became more energetic when we transited quicker and better into the final with our subs, and his decision making also improved. I said in other thread I believe we got the tactic wrong for this game and Zlatan was out of sync with the team. Despite enjoying more touch than some of previous games, he couldn't click with other players
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Not really, people have been saying for months that he is looking ever more and more tired.

Yesterday in particular everytime he got the ball he always looked like he's about to fall over or like the ball gonna escape him because he really looked like one more step is too much to ask for from his body.

But i agree that tactics and lineup was to be blamed for yesterday's disappointing result.
 
About the goal opportunity where some think that he should have taken a shot instead of passing. Is it just me or did it seem like Ibra prefered to pass Mata so he could "repair" his mistake with the own goal? To be honest he really didn't have many scoring chances, but could have had two (?) assists in the match.

It's easy to always point out his age everytime he has a "lesser" game than one would prefer or one that he usually has. But it's quite normal to have ups and downs. Besides, he came back from illness and we all know (at least those of us that's followed him during his career) that needs a few games to reach top form everytime he gets a break.

I think that he did an ok job but hadn't enough of the required partnerships to make a big impact. Mata and Mkhitaryan didn't have a good day and when the supposed "runners" (to help Ibra) don't perform up to normal standard, then Ibra will also have a bit worse game than usual. One player can't do everything - you need a team to succeed.
 
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Did not shine at all, although he did not get a lot of support as everyone was more or less miserable. I hope he can bounce back from this quickly.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Thought he had one chance myself
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They weren't sitters by any means, don't get me wrong. But there were many times in the game where Zlatan found himself clear on goal from a tight angle and decided to pick a much tougher pass than taking a shot. Even the pass he made to Mata was a much more difficult pass than the shot but somehow it almost worked out. Then there was one where he tried to pick out Rashford from similar position on the right but completely cocked it up. There are other occasions when he tries to cut the ball inside the box. He has to be selfish in those situations. He's got the clear view of the far post and has the quality to adjust his body and slide the ball, or at least he should have that quality.
 
I see people are coming out again after one bad game with the argument that somehow Zlatan is holding us back on the counter because of his lack of pace. When in fact he is the one we rely on to hold the ball up and play our quick wingers in behind. He is still useful in this regard even despite his lack of pace. The dynamics with a pacey forward instead of him wouldn't improve us enough to compensate for his strengths. There's only a few players out there that would.

Although this is difficult to acheive with no support. If it wasn't for all the fluffed chances that Zlatan has created, he would have been on 15 assists at least. Of course he has missed alot himself but he isn't a clinical striker. His strengths lie in other areas, mainly playmaking. That's why he looks to set up others before shooting himself. It says alot that even despite this, he is our only goal threat.

The problem is our wingers are either to slow(Mata, Rooney) and the ones that are quick aren't good or consistent enough. The lack of scoring from wide and central midfield is our biggest isue, even from the CB's.
 
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Escobar said:
He's very up and down this season. Shame we dont have a proper back up
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We have two more than capable, young strikers who can spearhead the attack. My problem is that Zlatan is an immovable object even when he's not on the top of his game.

A side point, we've stopped surrounding him with pace again in recent weeks. I don't like it.
 
He believes in the beautiful things in life: flying volleys, arched headers and sumptuous passes.

This was just too darned ugly - and cold.
 
I love the big man, but he shouldn't have to shoulder the sole responsability of scoring alone.

(Psst, Griezmann in the summer would do nicely)
 
Trigg said:
We have two more than capable, young strikers who can spearhead the attack. My problem is that Zlatan is an immovable object even when he's not on the top of his game.

A side point, we've stopped surrounding him with pace again in recent weeks. I don't like it.
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This here is the exact reason why a) performances have dropped down a level in general and b) why Zlatan looks worse.

He needs these runners for his game to work otherwise he just becomes an isolated lump of uselessness.
 
Hope he is rested against Hull. With a 2 goal lead and Rashford doing fine in the striker role we really don't need Zlatan for this one.
 
OzKangarooney said:
Once he cut it back in for Mata who missed, he than did almost the exact same thing again except it went straight to a Stoke player. They are both shown at the start of this

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Clip missed the take down where he could attempt to score.
 
Hull City 2:1 Man Utd
Almost scored a clever goal in the first half but looked lethargic again.
 
Thought he did okay, was pretty isolated. Couple moments of brilliance but quiet. 2nd best player for us after Rashford, but that is not much praise.
 
Definitely needs to be rested at the weekend even though he was solid tonight. Coming up to the business end of the season now so we could do without him burning out.
 
Not gonna lie, he's hard player to watch sometimes. Shouldn't have been playing a game like this though.
 
Felt sorry for him (and Rashford).

he did well for our goal though. First the hold up play, and then the pass to Rashford.
 
He was isolated for majority of the game. Had few good moments but overall can't get into game: pressing, attacking with how most of our team seem to play on second gear and so disinterested. Have a feeling that he did more defensive work than attacking this game. Very forgettable game for our team.
 
Why him and Carrick played I'll never know. Games like this are tailor-made for resting important players. I said in the matchday thread when we played Stoke that I bet Carrick plays on Thursday now. Baffling.
 
Why did we play him? And keep on playing him? Should've moved Rashford up top instead. Ibra is pointless in a game where you don't control possession.
 
2 Man Midfield said:
Why him and Carrick played I'll never know. Games like this are tailor-made for resting important players. I said in the matchday thread when we played Stoke that I bet Carrick plays on Thursday now. Baffling.
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It's not a good game, but I think his caution is vindicated. Hull was really up to it. Our best players still struggle to score enough goals, let alone playing B team and risks missing out a final. Tactic/ approach is wrong though. Should have gone for throat at the beginning, then seeing out game comfortably than trying get by with second gear all game.
 
ti vu said:
It's not a good game, but I think his caution is vindicated. Hull was really up to it. Our best players still struggle to score enough goals, let alone playing B team and risks missing out a final.
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You could replace Carrick and Ibra with Fellaini and Rashford and expect us not to lose by 2 goals though. I'd say keeping those two important players fresh is worth the risk.
 
2 Man Midfield said:
You could replace Carrick and Ibra with Fellaini and Rashford and expect us not to lose by 2 goals though. I'd say keeping those two important players fresh is worth the risk.
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I think Carrick was there due to his usual calm game controlling ability, which for some reasons he failed his task today. With Fellaini, our game plan with be a more robust game plan than controlling. I don't know about Zlatan really. Maybe Zlatan himself wants to play to improve his goal tally...
 
Sometimes he plays with fire in his belly, running around loads and getting involved.

Other times he walks around the pitch just sticking out a leg and it's bloody annoying.

Was unlucky not to score with a good save, but he needs to do more for me.

He didn't put the cbs under enough pressure and we let hull build up as easy as they like.
 
OohAahMartial said:
Why did we play him? And keep on playing him? Should've moved Rashford up top instead. Ibra is pointless in a game where you don't control possession.
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What gets me his his reluctant to ever use Martial/Rashford up front when you consider how well he did last season. Not saying they are better than Ibra but they'd ask different questions. Hull was the perfect game to drop Ibra or leave him out.

Sometimes we play in a dull robotic style where we try to force the ball to Ibra and it just doesn't work. Ibrahimovic has been fantastic but I we'd see more fluidity and more goals from other players if tried Martial/rashford up front. When Ibrahimovic is up front everyone tries to force the issue and get him on the ball rather than passing and playing football more productively.

With Ibrahimovic we might score 1/2 goals. I think we could easily be scoring 3/4 if we switch it up a bit.
 
Man Utd 0:0 Hull City
As I said before in this thread. Zlatans shot is no were near how it was in PSG. Looks weak.
 
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