[Nytram Shakes]

The more foolish thing to do would be to assess a player's physical capability based on his age. The guy is more of a specimen now then most of our team either were or will be at their peak. I've not seen any signs him of fatiguing sharply.

i think it naive to think he can deny the aging process ..... has a top team ever won the league or even qualified for the champions league with a 35 year old up front for 90 mins every week? or even 3 games a week? .....

as for fatiguing.... id say he would defiantly have put some of those chances away at the beginning of the season.

 

[DanNistelrooy]

Deserved criticism for his poor finishing but am I the only one who thinks his link up play is very good? His all round performance today was good, created chances, got himself into great positions. But finishing was woeful.

I'm fairly happy with him but his finishing has cost us about 6 points in recent weeks

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Agreed, that's just bad minutes management from Mourinho. I had assumed that when we signed Zlatan that we wouldn't play him so many minutes, but Mourinho wants to play him nearly every game and the whole 90 every time.

im not sure it just Mourinho, i think Mourinho know's just how must disruption Zlatan can cause when he is unhappy, and dropping him, or even saying hey your 35 you need a rest isnt going to go down well

 

[Zlatan 7]

im not sure it just Mourinho, i think Mourinho know's just how must disruption Zlatan can cause when he is unhappy, and dropping him, or even saying hey your 35 you need a rest isnt going to go down well

Yes, yes I'm sure it's because of that. Honestly, really


Edit to add: why is the Ibra pic on here the one of him after the Chelsea game

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Deserved criticism for his poor finishing but am I the only one who thinks his link up play is very good? His all round performance today was good, created chances, got himself into great positions. But finishing was woeful.

I'm fairly happy with him but his finishing has cost us about 6 points in recent weeks

Nope, everyone I have spoken with this he had a superb game, his finishing was poor but he was also very very unlucly on a couple of occassions.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

He's actively costing us points at the moment.

Also, just turning up in the second half isn't really on either... same thing with Pogba too.

 

[TMDaines]

i think it naive to think he can deny the aging process ..... has a top team ever won the league or even qualified for the champions league with a 35 year old up front for 90 mins every week? or even 3 games a week? .....

as for fatiguing.... id say he would defiantly have put some of those chances away at the beginning of the season.

But as has been established by his performances so far, the aging process is not culpable for him not delivering to the standards expected. He's the biggest threat in the league and is consistent throughout the entirity of matches. It would be a highly unusual decline of a player for his ability and physical attributes to remain intact, whilst his finishing completely deserts him.

 

[Backrow Singer]

He's costing us points and is putting a lot of pressure on the manager and his team mates that in many cases is undeserved.

Needs to sort himself out big time. His finishing is a disgrace at the minute. Winding me up no end.

His link up play is good but he's a number 9. His primarily job is to score goals and he isn't doing it.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

But as has been established by his performances so far, the aging process is not culpable for him not delivering to the standards expected. He's the biggest threat in the league and is consistent throughout the entirity of matches. It would be a highly unusual decline of a player for his ability and physical attributes to remain intact, whilst his finishing completely deserts him.

has been established by his performance so far? i don't agree at all, i think quite the opposite has been established. they guy looked ok at the start of the season but has tralied of after a number of games.... thats exacty waht you would expect for a player his age.

physical attributes?.... you mean he still looks fit? giggs still looked fit at 40, doesn't mean he could play like he use, i see 40 plus guys in the gym all the time who have 6 packs and what not doesn't mean they can play sports like they could when they where younger. .....
What goes first is a yard of pace then the accuracy and the quickness of feet and that is exactly what where seeing!
The argument he looks fit still so age just must not have caught up with him is nonsense

again i refer to the fact no striker at his age has ever been the focal point for an attack week in week out for a team trying to qualify for the champions league.... and with Zlatan we are seeing exactly why that is... becuase once great player of age, while still have many qualities and can be great additions to squads can't deliver every game like they use to!

 

[GwynnieJ]

Deserved criticism for his poor finishing but am I the only one who thinks his link up play is very good? His all round performance today was good, created chances, got himself into great positions. But finishing was woeful.

I'm fairly happy with him but his finishing has cost us about 6 points in recent weeks

I thought the exact same thing. Been very impressed with him in that regard.

Only issue I have with him apart from the obvious lack of finishing is that when he does wonder about to help create something there is no presence in the box. noticed a few times today that when a good opportunity was created to cross or pass into the box Zlatan was nowhere near where a striker should be. Not sure if a Rashford/Mata/Lingard were supposed to fill the gap left by him, but there was nobody harassing the centre backs consistently leaving them with plenty of time to organise.

 

[Eriku]

He wouldn't be the first player who takes a bit of time acclimating to the league... but I see encouraging signs. Once he finds his stride, he'll look a smashing signing... I'm still sure of that.

Feel free to quote me come May if he's struggled (and failed?) to break into double digits, but I think he'll look a great piece of business come the end of the season.

 

[jungledrums]

I thought his link up play was pretty good for the most part, aside from a few wayward touches. He scores a hat-trick this game and it's a godly performance. Fine margins and all that.
Edit: I say a hat trick, rather than one goal, because with the chances he fecking had, he should've/could've put 3 away. The reality is, he cost us the win.

 

[roonster09]

His finishing was poor and he was also unlucky. Heaton making save of his life and was nearly injured. Defender cleared and he hit the post once. His link up play was very good, especially with Mata and Pogba.

 

[Vaibhav Raj]

Zlatan was good against Burnley and was main reason why Mata looked good too. Their combinational play around penalty area, the quick exchanges and ablity to pass around in tight spaces meant Burnley couldn't live with us. Yes, he missed a lot of chances and for that he is rightly being criticized but I would be very careful with the idea of replacing him with Rashford or Martial. For all their talent, they are nowhere close to Zlatan in terms of build up play and being clever. Mata has played number 10 before and looks toothless without a player with ability of Zlatan around penalty area to help him weave those quick passes. Turning to Rashford as a striker means onus will be on Mata do it all by himself or combine with much inferior players and we will nowhere be as effective as we were yesterday. I think I will feel more comfortable with a team creating 34 chances (11 on target) and failing to convert than a team that is hoping for one move to come off so that a more clinical striker will finish it off. At the end of the day, we created so many chances and it is very strange that we didn't get a goal. It won't happene every game though and I am sure we will more often than not see the ball hitting the back of the net if we keep on creating at this rate. Let's give Zlatan a few more chances just for the sake of our inventive play in and around penalty area and the services Mata enjoys and that lets him play his natural game. Ibra is world class and there is no doubt it is much better to have him on the pitch even if it meant having him play in the midfield.

 

[Raoul]

Zlatan was good against Burnley and was main reason why Mata looked good too. Their combinational play around penalty area, the quick exchanges and ablity to pass around in tight spaces meant Burnley couldn't live with us. Yes, he missed a lot of chances and for that he is rightly being criticized but I would be very careful with the idea of replacing him with Rashford or Martial. For all their talent, they are nowhere close to Zlatan in terms of build up play and being clever. Mata has played number 10 before and looks toothless without a player with ability of Zlatan around penalty area to help him weave those quick passes. Turning to Rashford as a striker means onus will be on Mata do it all by himself or combine with much inferior players and we will nowhere be as effective as we were yesterday. I think I will feel more comfortable with a team creating 34 chances (11 on target) and failing to convert than a team that is hoping for one move to come off so that a more clinical striker will finish it off. At the end of the day, we created so many chances and it is very strange that we didn't get a goal. It won't happene every game though and I am sure we will more often than not see the ball hitting the back of the net if we keep on creating at this rate. Let's give Zlatan a few more chances just for the sake of our inventive play in and around penalty area and the services Mata enjoys and that lets him play his natural game. Ibra is world class and there is no doubt it is much better to have him on the pitch even if it meant having him play in the midfield.

Good post.

 

[Mani]

The worst finisher up front in the last 10 years, just horrendous. Welbeck is more clinical than he is, has cost us at least 6 points easily, it's going to matter back there in May.

Last 10 years ? how.We all know he's struggling this season but last 10 years? No.

 

[Raees]

I think mental fatigue is to blame for the missing of chances. Say what you want about Ibra but he is an excellent flat track bully at his best and I think right know he lacks that mental alertness in front of goal. Too many Games.

 

[Freak]

Put him on shooting practice in training.

 

[K2K]

He's basically doing what Arsenal fans have been complaining about with Giroud.

 

[Raoul]

I think mental fatigue is to blame for the missing of chances. Say what you want about Ibra but he is an excellent flat track bully at his best and I think right know he lacks that mental alertness in front of goal. Too many Games.

He should've been played a bit more sparingly over the recent set of fixtures. That said, he should have plenty of rest during the International break.

 

[kouroux]

He should've been played a bit more sparingly over the recent set of fixtures. That said, he should have plenty of rest during the International break.

He did have that rest in the last international break and it did no good to his scoring.

 

[Varun]

Good post @Vaibhav Raj. He should rightfully be criticised for the chances he misses but he's been critical to how well we play in the final 3rd.

 

[Raoul]

He did have that rest in the last international break and it did no good to his scoring.

True. I view his situation as endemic of the rest of the squad. We are flat, inconsistent and lacking in character. One player like Zlatan can't single handedly turn that around. That is on Mourinho and the rest of the players.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

its a pity he isn't combining his all round play with top finishing at the minute

 

[OzKangarooney]

one who thinks his link up play is very good? His all round performance today was good, created chances, got himself into great positions. But finishing was woeful.

I rated him around a 7 for the game. Great link up play and created many chances, even made a few good runs. Just need to put one away

 

[OldTrevil]

His link up play was good but finishing inexcusable.

 

[Terminator]

Why does he look like a giraffe on ice whenever he tries to dribble with the ball? The ball always seems to left behind him and he has to retrieve it with his feet.

 

[rollingstoned1]

All summer people here were drooling,someone mentioned his age,he got laughed off...now people telling him to feck off,calling him a fraud...CAF being clueless at finest.

This place has been embarrassing for a while, opinions are sinusoidal in their nature and there's no sense of perspective at all. See even the expectations for Pogba, Mourinho and previously LVG and the reactions later.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Last 10 years ? how.We all know he's struggling this season but last 10 years? No.

For us*, Hernandez, Rooney, Welbz, Saha, RvP, Berbatov, Tevez were all more clinical.

 

[Mark_Barca]

Never seen the whole game, but in the highlights it looked like Zlatan and Mata were involved in everything and both were very unlucky not to score. Heaton had one of those world class performances.

 

[Ixion]

For us*, Hernandez, Rooney, Welbz, Saha, RvP, Berbatov, Tevez were all more clinical.

Welbeck.

 

[Pexbo]

Welbeck.

Clinical

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

I feel like a penguin, but i can't swim.

 

[Phil Osophy]

I didn't want him initially, and watching him now I like him even less. I think he's vastly overrated both by the fans and the manager. It seems that he's been playing excellently every match and he has just been "unlucky" in front of goal (if you can say that 1 goal in 7 matches is bad luck). But his overall display has been poor in many games.

Even if I'm not a fan I think it's interesting to have such an experienced player with his pure talent and character in the squad. But based on performances, recent goal record and even his age it makes zero sense for him to be a fix starter. He could be a super sub for the last 30 min, starting games here and there depending on the requirements of the match, but we are building our attack around him and I think this isn't logical at all.

It's time for Rashford or Martial up front, and if Mourinho made some space for Mkhitaryan on the wing with this move, then it would be perfect. If it doesn't work we can play Zlatan again, but it's worth a try in my opinion.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Welbeck.

Thats the sad thing really, welbeck is a very poor finisher but Ibra is worse, worste big chance converter in the entire prem, not something to really laugh about when it can make the difference between CL or El or worse EL or nothing late in the season. We couls have had 6-9 points more if he just took the big chances we create.

 

[ZupZup]

So much overreaction from the game yesterday... he actually played some decent football but his finishing wasn't good at all. You do not get a goal scoring record like his by being a bad finisher though. The goals will come and soon.

If he wasn't having chances I'd be concerned... but as it is, we'll be just fine. A disappointing result from what was actually a good performance, and so many seem to lose any sense of perspective.

 

[Ban]

His overall play was great, such a shame he wouldn't hit a sea from a boat right now.

 

[Burrow]

He's just in a bad goal scoring form right now. With strikers, things tend to be 10x more difficult in front of goal as soon as they go a few games without scoring. As soon as he gets the first goal, he'll play with on instinct in front of goal again and this will all be moot.

 

[AlwaysRed66]

What I find interesting is how the majority of recent posts are negative about him, yet in the summer 90+% of our fans here were convinced he was the second coming & drooling how he would win us the league. Those of us that dared to disagree were soon slapped down, but it is now changed since people can see what a real charlatan he really is. Pity Mourinho cannot see it.

 

[devilish]

He needs rest. Drop him and play Rashford or martial