God he is good. His overall game is of a really high standard.
10
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 46
- Goals
- 28
- Assists
- 9
- Yellow cards
- 8
- Status
And this is just his second game after his 4 week holiday.
His all-around game has always been superb. He's not just a goalscorer.
He's such a great focal point. He can do anything.
Now, play Mkhitaryan behind him instead of Rooney, and we're looking at a very potent attack.
Now, play Mkhitaryan behind him instead of Rooney, and we're looking at a very potent attack.
Exceptional first touch, great close control, vision... He really does have it all. I really want to see so Rashford playing ahead of him at some point.
Come again?
Wish we could have signed him instead of PSG. Shame we only get to see him in red for a couple of seasons.
If he doesn't score, he can still impact the game. That's my point. Should have worded it better.
You can just see it. The class and that bit extra which leaves opposition defenders a little terrified. He made John Stones look amateurish right there in that Rooney cross.
He has that something extra. 15 goals this season. Calling it!
He has that something extra. 15 goals this season. Calling it!
There's more to his game than goalscoring is what that post meant. Didn't think it required clarification, really.
We'll have problems if him and Rooney are paired together every week. He drops deep too much and Rooney isn't moving up to compensate.
always playing with his head up, great linking up play sees the run, if only he could play it earlier at times, Lingard's making brilliant runs but I am confident Zlatan will defo come in handy, especially when we play team which will defend 90 minutes like today Everton...
No you shouldn't. That post does not need clarification. Very good point.
I deleted mine before you replied, sorry. I read it completely wrong, I read "he's just not a goalscorer".
Anyone else... don't switch the "just" and "not" around.
I think the issue here is also partly Martial and Lingaard. Both of them prefer to come towards the ball as well and not make runs in behind.
I was hoping Martial would add those inside runs Henry talked about once on Sky.
I think Rashford out wide is something to think about.
I thought I clarified it well too haha.
Seems like people thought I said "he's just not a goalscorer"
You've nailed it with this post. Rooney & Zlatan have been buzzing together and have really impressed me, seem like 2 players that will love playing together. The problem is exactly what you have mentioned above, both Martial and the RW have to make more runs behind, and Rashford from RW will most certainly do that.
Yeah it definitely hasn't helped. It's just led to everything being played in front of Everton. Very easy to defend against but I'm sure Mourinho will be more than aware of that.
I'd play him with Rashford or Martial, someone with pace in front would give him even more space.
Not just a goalscorer. In other words, while he does score goals, he can do so much more to influence the game.
You might have read it as "just not a goalscorer"?
Should be him and Rashford leading the line.
Zlatan is money baby, his technique is excellento. Are you watching him Rooney?
We are going to look so much better with him leading the line this season, not only can he score goals but he'll lay off many for his team mates.
Scariest part is this was Zlatan playing on probably about 50% of his capacity. I'd be shitting bricks if I were a fan of any other PL side.
A front 4 of
Depay, Ibra, Martial, Rashford
With Schneiderlin and Herrera holding.
Depay, Ibra, Martial, Rashford
With Schneiderlin and Herrera holding.
He's huge isnt he? Such a bizarre combination of size, finesse and ... age. Players of his ilk shouldnt be this good at his age.
You guys know i'm his biggest supporter but i thought he had a bit of a meh game. The chemistry with his surrounding players wasn't quite there. The team needs to understand that he should be the focal point. He always drops deep so they should just give him the ball, he's an excellent playmaker with great composure and brings calmness to the team. Let him set the pace.
To me it seems that Martial has had a quiet pre-season, as if he's taking a backseat to Zlatan-time. All understandable really, they haven't had nearly enough matches. EURO or not, we should have played a few more games. Micky as well, he's shown glimpses but again, he's new and settling in.
There were instances were Rooney and Zlatan clicked but Rooney should look for space to run into rather than doing his usual bit of playmaking, leave that to the big man. I've had fears they wouldn't play well together but they seem to work ok so far. They just need to stop doing the same things. I'd prefer Rashford or even Mata in the team rather than Rooney but i'm sure we'll see that as well.
But oh man, when it clicks, and it will click, it will be amazing.
To me it seems that Martial has had a quiet pre-season, as if he's taking a backseat to Zlatan-time. All understandable really, they haven't had nearly enough matches. EURO or not, we should have played a few more games. Micky as well, he's shown glimpses but again, he's new and settling in.
There were instances were Rooney and Zlatan clicked but Rooney should look for space to run into rather than doing his usual bit of playmaking, leave that to the big man. I've had fears they wouldn't play well together but they seem to work ok so far. They just need to stop doing the same things. I'd prefer Rashford or even Mata in the team rather than Rooney but i'm sure we'll see that as well.
But oh man, when it clicks, and it will click, it will be amazing.
It's a little unfair to compare Stones (over-rated youngster who was average last season), to a Galactico class striker who is coming off the back of his most prolific season.
Some of you seem surprised at what he can do - I expected nothing less.
Believe it or not, Di Maria could also unlock defences, but LVG could not manage him.
A front 4 of Rashford, Zlatan, Mihki, Martial would be terrific. There would definitely be plenty of goals.
And somebody earlier mentioned Depay - are you serious?
Only watched the first half as had work but zlatan looked very impressive and was unlucky not to score from Rooney's great ball into him near the end of the half. He just seems to get on the end of crosses which is what we need and his touch is class.
I kept thinking last night that he is exactly what we are missing on the right.
He would have been awesome for Jose's counter-attacking system.Players did make runs, Ibrahimovic just spotted them to late more often than not. I'm sure it's just down to a lack of chemistry, but it was irritating.
Not very sharp I thought but once he starts to gel with Martial, Micky etc, that will be a joy to watch
I thought he had a pretty poor game tbh. You could tell that he's new to the team, a lot of times he just stood there with the ball and no one really knew what do to or where to go.
As a lot of people have said already Zlatan needs the players around him to make runs in behind the defense. He's great at threading the ball through and if he can't do that it opens up space so he can finish himself.
It's going to take time for this team to gel, four (hopefully) new players and a new coach with a new way of playing. So it will take a few months before everything comes together.
As a lot of people have said already Zlatan needs the players around him to make runs in behind the defense. He's great at threading the ball through and if he can't do that it opens up space so he can finish himself.
It's going to take time for this team to gel, four (hopefully) new players and a new coach with a new way of playing. So it will take a few months before everything comes together.
Depay?? And you'll keep Miki on the bench.
That's exactly what pre-season games are for. Players to understand each other and get the timing of their runs and passes right. It can't be as irritating as Rooney trying to go back into midfield and make the hollywood pass, when he should be the one trying to get on the other end of the pitch.
I actually think he lacks that burst of pace to really excel as a PL striker in this day and age.
He was coming deep because he couldn't get behind Everton's CBs - and although his touch and intelligence are obviously world class, in the PL, a striker who needs to come deep rarely excels as a number 9.
Hope he does well, but I get the feeling that his impact might be more comparable to Berbatov than Cantona...
He was coming deep because he couldn't get behind Everton's CBs - and although his touch and intelligence are obviously world class, in the PL, a striker who needs to come deep rarely excels as a number 9.
Hope he does well, but I get the feeling that his impact might be more comparable to Berbatov than Cantona...
If he nets a hat-trick against Liverpool he would have earned his wages. On a more serious note, I don't agree. His movement and touch are superb and as Kane has shown, you don't necessarily need bags of speed to excel.
I think once we get Martial, Mkhi etc. in full flow, making runs at and behind defenders it will open up a lot more space for Ibra to work with.
True, but when Kane is partnered with Rooney, how does he look then...?
The mind boggles. Do you not see Mkhitaryan is not in form/settled right now??
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