[RedMaestro]

I wasn't implying that he was a huge failure at Barcelona. He got off a very good start there. Scored in his 1st 5-6 league games. Broke/tied a record if I recall.

Then Pep altered the system, because Messi wanted to play more centrally. But he scored vital goals. The winner in the Clasico.

It was a bad transfer all-around though. Both parties at fault IMO.

I wasn't directing this mainly to you. It's something a lot have said about his time in Barcelona (mostly their own fans and the usual "non-likers" but still). Sorry if it seemed like that, wasn't my intention.

But, your're right, it was a bad transfer. But the biggest fault was on the club's side, why buy him if you're not going to use him in the right way? Ibra did what most players would, when Barcelona calls, you go. But I was really sceptical when I heard that he was heading there, since I always thought he would be a perfect fit at Real Madrid. But it was clear to me that they signed Ibra because of Ronaldo going to Real Madrid - they wanted a "galactico" as well and just seemed to randomly pick one without even considering if he would suit their team.

 

[RedMaestro]

I knew he would be great but I didn't think he would make this much impact. He's just immense

Ibra quote yesterday:

"We are winning. After seven months I have two trophies with this club,’ said Ibrahimovic.

"There are other clubs that didn’t win for 10 years. I’ve won what they won in 10 years, so I’m happy with that."

 

[Annihilate Now!]

If we make the CL he'll stay.

We better make the feckin' CL... this man is just a joy to have around the place.

 

[TMDaines]

Why is Zlatan never substituted?

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

I think he will stay regardless. He has too much admiration for Jose and will stay on that basis alone. Plus he will know next season is when we will be competing properly for the league title.

 

[Ixion]

So who will be his competition for the Player of the Year? Hazard, Costa, Kante, Kane?

 

[balaks]

I think he will stay regardless. He has too much admiration for Jose and will stay on that basis alone. Plus he will know next season is when we will be competing properly for the league title.

I'm not convinced he will stay - this season so far has gone fantastically well for him and now he even has a trophy win under his belt. I think there is a reasonable chance that at the end of this season he will feel he has proved himself in England and will then (if he has his eyes on another challenge) move on. Hope he doesn't though tbf as it's great having him in the Premiership.

 

[Scorpy]

Denies CL qualification would influence his decision on his future, but basically admits he doesn't know where he'll be playing next season.

 

[RedMaestro]

If we make the CL he'll stay.

We better make the feckin' CL... this man is just a joy to have around the place.

I read today that he said that he's happy to be at this club and been so since his arrival. He got a question about CL and Ibra said that he already came to Manchester United without CL and he doesn't need it and someone made that all up.

He's also said that he wants to quit on top and will only play as long as he has something to offer (deliver). He wants to bring back the club to where it belongs.

 

[TMDaines]

So who will be his competition for the Player of the Year? Hazard, Costa, Kante, Kane?

There's a good chance the two main awards could be split again this year, as there is no single clear favourite.

I think they will go to Kante or Hazard. Probably the former. Only other two in the running will likely be Zlatan or maybe Costa.

 

[The Stain]

Coming to England and not winning the league? Do not think that sits well with him. I'm hopeful.

 

[NinjaFletch]

I'm not convinced he will stay - this season so far has gone fantastically well for him and now he even has a trophy win under his belt. I think there is a reasonable chance that at the end of this season he will feel he has proved himself in England and will then (if he has his eyes on another challenge) move on. Hope he doesn't though tbf as it's great having him in the Premiership.

Feel like it may well go this way too. He doesn't owe us anything, and we've only signed him based on his desire to try something new and prove himself in this country. If he can come in at 36 be top scorer and win a trophy he may feel he's done that.

 

[Pexbo]

So who will be his competition for the Player of the Year? Hazard, Costa, Kante, Kane?

If Chelsea win it I think Kante will probably win it as a nod to his achievements with Leicester last season too.

 

[Unmutual]

Denies CL qualification would influence his decision on his future, but basically admits he doesn't know where he'll be playing next season.

You can hardly blame him. His fitness is hard to believe, but he'll know Mourinho wont want to have another season relying on a guy his mid 30s playing 50+ games. And he really isnt a player for the bench. I imagine both he and Mourinho will want to get to the end of the season and make a decision about what role Ibra will play next season.

 

[RedMaestro]

You can listen to Mino Raiola on talkSport:
http://talksport.com/football/sir-a...zlatan-ibrahimovic-was-not-wanted-top-premier

“For example, my big friend Sir Alex Ferguson never asked for him.

“There were a lot of reservations from English clubs about whether he could succeed in England, and I was always a little bit stunned by that question and by those doubts.”

Raiola, though, always knew his client would succeed.

He added: “It was a challenge – it was one of those challenges we wanted him to take because he could have easily have made more money at another club, but one of those challenges was going to the Premier League and proving he could do it in the Premier League.

“I never had a minute of doubt that he could, but I think a lot of people around England had these doubts.

“In England pace is so important, maybe one of the most important attributes in the Premier League is the pace. I don’t know if they doubted him in the pace or the quality, but it’s a question you should ask others, not me.

“I was never in doubt. If you can do it wherever he did it and knowing how he is and what kind of person and man on and off the field he is, he can do it everywhere.”

 

[VanGaalEra]

He's sensational, I would have taken a 25 goal season but he's looking at 40+ now!

Also, he's scored the most goals for us since the start of the 15/16 season and he only joined 6 months ago

 

[RedMaestro]

I'm not convinced he will stay - this season so far has gone fantastically well for him and now he even has a trophy win under his belt. I think there is a reasonable chance that at the end of this season he will feel he has proved himself in England and will then (if he has his eyes on another challenge) move on. Hope he doesn't though tbf as it's great having him in the Premiership.

He's previously said that he won't be leaving without winning the PL...

 

[balaks]

He's previously said that he won't be leaving without winning the PL...

Well he could be here a while then! lol in all seriousness though, I think the cup win might just push things in the direction of him leaving because he has won something in England.

 

[Ban]

 

[Thisistheone]

He's a bloody legend. Love him.

Massive signing for us on and off the pitch. Cantona-esque.

 

[podurban2]

For those who think he will leave at the end of the season, there is no way he will part from Jose. Zlatan seems to be interested in a managerial career when he is done, and he will definetely want to stay close to Jose for as long as possible to learn from him. I am sure that he wants to study as much as possible from Jose while also leading a team to success and having the world's eyes on him. It will be a great experience for him in his last days as a top player, one he will not be able to get elsewhere.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Great shot. You can see he misdirected the header, though. Was aiming for the far side of the goal but didn't catch it right. It was one those goals where I was celebrating before he even headed the ball, the chance looked so unmissable. How different would the whole Ibra narrative be today if the ball had crossed the line about 6 inches lower?

On a side note, Martial's celebration is cool as feck too.

 

[Scorpy]

For those who think he will leave at the end of the season, there is no way he will part from Jose. Zlatan seems to be interested in a managerial career when he is done, and he will definetely want to stay close to Jose for as long as possible to learn from him. I am sure that he wants to study as much as possible from Jose while also leading a team to success and having the world's eyes on him. It will be a great experience for him in his last days as a top player, one he will not be able to get elsewhere.

Sadly, I can see him leaving for Napoli this summer. For some reason it seems inevitable.

 

[El Zoido]

Interesting comments regarding being able to compete.

"I will stop on top. If I don't perform, I will not play. I will not be like others, still playing because of who they are."

I wonder who he's talking about..

 

[Shark]

Interesting comments regarding being able to compete.

"I will stop on top. If I don't perform, I will not play. I will not be like others, still playing because of who they are."

I wonder who he's talking about..

Yep I wonder too. He must think Rooney is a complete waste of space like the rest of us.

 

[RedMaestro]

Well he could be here a while then! lol in all seriousness though, I think the cup win might just push things in the direction of him leaving because he has won something in England.

If they win the Europa League, maybe, but I don't think he'll be satisfied with just an EFL...

 

[Ban]

Sure its Rooney.

Lets slip a post about Rooney and how we cant stand him just cause we can.

 

[stevoc]

Interesting comments regarding being able to compete.

"I will stop on top. If I don't perform, I will not play. I will not be like others, still playing because of who they are."

I wonder who he's talking about..

Players who play on too long based on their past reputation obviously.

 

[shabadu84]

Players who play on too long based on their past reputation obviously.

Rooney was the first and only player to do this of course

 

[VP89]

Is it just me or does the below suggest he's not likely to extend his stay here?

"My mind was not here, then my kids started to bump my head - even they wanted to see me play at United... My kids are satisfied with what I am doing, but this time I am the boss, not them."

 

[stevoc]

Rooney was the first and only player to do this of course

Yeah on here lots of people would love to think he's talking about Rooney. But he couldn't be really as Rooney isn't even playing.

 

[Minimalist]

A day later and I genuinely think they should just give him the trophy to keep.

He's the only reason we won yesterday - massive player. We'd be fecking no where this season without him.

 

[sunama]

It will cost us over 50m to replace him.

I am not sure who is capable of replacing him. The impact. The leadership. The ability to keep scoring goals.
I think Suarez is the only guy who is capable of having the same impact and for him, you'd be looking in the region of £120M+.
Ronaldo could also do it, but I don't know how much he'd cost.
There are other players like Messi or Neymar, but these guys have never been tested in the EPL, which puts question marks over their ability to have instant impact.

 

[sunama]

The amusing thing is that while Rooney, Carrick, Smalling, wear the captain's armband, the fans and the players all acknowledge that Ibra is the actual leader/captain.
He is the guy who inspires and carries the team.
I do hope he stays for next season - if he leaves where are the goals going to come from? Will Rashford be able to handle the pressure/demands at the age of 20? Is he good enough?

 

[RedMaestro]

Is it just me or does the below suggest he's not likely to extend his stay here?

"My mind was not here, then my kids started to bump my head - even they wanted to see me play at United... My kids are satisfied with what I am doing, but this time I am the boss, not them."

I think it's obvious. Without Mourinho it would have been very difficult to get him, unless there was a similar manager (quality), Ancelotti, Capello...
It's like he said, when Mourinho called, he basically asked which number he was going to have on his shirt. And he's said that he won't leave before winning the PL. As long as he's physically and mentally fit at the end of the season, he'll extend the contract and if the club invest in quality players of course.

 

[Scarecrow]

Couple more games like that and he might enter this elite company:

 

[Cassidy]

Couple more games like that and he might enter this elite company:

 

[royboy16]

Why's he not signed his extension yet? Bit strange. You'd think he'd be delighted at the way things are going. And I don't think it could be down to negotiations as this is a extension option that has already been agreed upon. Part of me is worried he might decide it's the perfect time to leave if we end the season with another trophy.

Think your spot on there as there were rumblings of activating the second year before xmas yet still nothing.
I think he will bow out on top and it would be fitting for him.
Edit:Imagine if we had got a few peno's this season,he'd probably be in the 30's now.

 

[#07]

I am not sure who is capable of replacing him. The impact. The leadership. The ability to keep scoring goals.
I think Suarez is the only guy who is capable of having the same impact and for him, you'd be looking in the region of £120M+.
Ronaldo could also do it, but I don't know how much he'd cost.
There are other players like Messi or Neymar, but these guys have never been tested in the EPL, which puts question marks over their ability to have instant impact.

Broadly agree with this.

I was one of Zlatan's harshest critics in the autumn, when he was missing chances that a player of his standard should convert. I never had any doubts about his underlying ability though. I judged the lion by the standards of a lion, not by the standards of a mouse.

The guy has such a massive presence. He has lifted the entire club. When he's on form he is utterly lethal. That header on 87 minutes was, if memory serves, the first clear cut chance he'd had all game. Buried it without hesitation. Many will say striker's should bury those but we've all seen them missed, especially this year! To be on it, even when he'd been feeding on scraps all game, that's class.

26 goals already and there are still plenty of matches to play...

The guy's a phenom.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Couple more games like that and he might enter this elite company: