Thought he did alright but, much like a lot of the others today, his overall game was poor. He'll always give you a chance, though, cos he is Zlatan and can do things others can't.
10
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 46
- Goals
- 28
- Assists
- 9
- Yellow cards
- 8
- Status
Same verdict as usual for me, he plays well and scores one usually. But for someone of his reputation, and for what we need right now he needs to do better. His link up play was rather poor today which is disappointing after Wednesday. Very good finish though!
I've tried to defend him and give him time, but his build up play has been frustrating me since day 1 and some on here think it's amazing. I've even questioned whether it's just me and given him the benefit of the doubt. Thing is, after today, it's just too obvious for me. It's like Falcao all over again, so many want him to be great that they see what they want to see.
Its ok doing one or two good things, but a top striker at United should barely put a foot wrong. He loses the ball way more than you'd expect from a United striker even on a bad day. The worst thing is you can see it's his decision making half the time. A poor first touch doesnt help either.
He was really good in the first half, and that finish was great.
No complaints with him today.
No complaints with him today.
Quit with the hyperbole and the Falcao comparisons. He scored a great goal and the players surrounding him offered nothing themselves. Not going to say he had a great game but hardly our biggest problem today.Not a fantastic performance, but I'd say he got difficult circumstances. The last 30 minutes playing hoof-ball is difficult when our aim is like that. Not much you can do as a striker, when the pass is 30yards away.
Twice passed blind to the right wing, misunderstanding Mkhitaryan. I think he struggles at times thinking differently than some of our other players. I felt it improved with players such as Mata and Pogba after a few games, so hopefully that happens with him and Mkhi as well.
Some of his passes in this game were sublime though, like the one to Valencia with such a tight angle.
Twice passed blind to the right wing, misunderstanding Mkhitaryan. I think he struggles at times thinking differently than some of our other players. I felt it improved with players such as Mata and Pogba after a few games, so hopefully that happens with him and Mkhi as well.
Some of his passes in this game were sublime though, like the one to Valencia with such a tight angle.
I'm not just basing this off today. But I'll come back before the end of the season when the rest are also saying the same thing as me. The guy thinks he's better than he is and is fecking up so many attacks. Just because he pulls something off now and then everyone is blinded by this. But lets just see what happens.
I've been as big a critic as any but I thought he was fine again today. Great goal and much better hold-up play. His off the ball work ethic in closing down and intercepting was very good, too.
I do think he should've been subbed for Rashford around the 70th minute mark when we camped in our box but he's seemingly unsubbable. Not because he was bad but because Rashfords energy in closing down and him being able to run the ball upfield would cause much needed relief for our camped defense. Zlatan was literally alone up front and their was nothing he could do as, at 35 and over an hour into the game, he just didn't have the energy.
I do think he should've been subbed for Rashford around the 70th minute mark when we camped in our box but he's seemingly unsubbable. Not because he was bad but because Rashfords energy in closing down and him being able to run the ball upfield would cause much needed relief for our camped defense. Zlatan was literally alone up front and their was nothing he could do as, at 35 and over an hour into the game, he just didn't have the energy.
We need him to score goals and he's doing that for now but I think it would be beneficial to us to have a new top quality striker next year. If we want to get back to the top, we need a better attack and replacing him next season is important. He's scoring for now so can't really complain.
Are you seriously comparing him to Falcao? Talk about seeing what you want to seeHe got one chance today and took it, hes not been world class for us, but there were plenty of worse performers out there today than him
He had no support in the 2nd half. He's not a miracle worker.
Entire team was terrible in the 2nd half.
Entire team was terrible in the 2nd half.
The Ibra-Falcao comparison has to be a joke right?
Do people forget how poor Falcao was? Ibra's been our most productive/best attacker.
Do people forget how poor Falcao was? Ibra's been our most productive/best attacker.
Yes. Must be. It's just that people must complain about every player as soon as we don't win. Zlatan was one of the players yet again who did fine today. Been our best player since Swansea game.
Does nothing for me I'm sorry,he is no Aquero or Costa or even Sturbridge and that is what we should be aiming for
Some of you need to get a grip I can buy the argument that Ibra has been wasting some good chances during his time here (which is still natural for anyone bar Messi and Ronaldo), but at the same time he adds so much more just by his presence, technical ability and aerial threat. We got him on a free at a moment in time when most of the fans would have thrown a hissy-fit if Mourinho had brought in an expensive striker at around 25 y.o. because then the club would have "sold it's soul" (for the umpteenth time) with disregarding Rashford and all the other youth players that we for some reason should continue to play every week no matter their form.
We are clearly a better team with Ibra in the starting 11 and I really can't see how anyone would argue against that.
I can buy the argument that Ibra has been wasting some good chances during his time here (which is still natural for anyone bar Messi and Ronaldo), but at the same time he adds so much more just by his presence, technical ability and aerial threat. We got him on a free at a moment in time when most of the fans would have thrown a hissy-fit if Mourinho had brought in an expensive striker at around 25 y.o. because then the club would have "sold it's soul" (for the umpteenth time) with disregarding Rashford and all the other youth players that we for some reason should continue to play every week no matter their form.We are clearly a better team with Ibra in the starting 11 and I really can't see how anyone would argue against that.
He doesn't score - why doesn't he score.
He scores - his build up play is crap.
He can't win.
He scores - his build up play is crap.
He can't win.
He's doing OK but most fans had much higher expectations and are thus a tad disappointed with him. Wasn't he supposed to change the mentality of the team, to kick the shit out of the opposition defenders, to be one of the big stars of the season?
Only Costa, Aguero and Sanchez has scored more league goals than him and he's just doing ok for some.
Flop.
Flop.
All younger players in better teams and have played a few years in the PL. And they only scored 3 more (Aguero 2).
Zlatan is a beast.
One of our best players this season. Great start for us, and he's been top class since the Swansea game. Superb signing and so glad he's at our club.
How does he play so many games so well? He's 35!
Classic Zlatan goal. He was a bit isolated at times and didn't get too much support from the midfield. Don't know how the commentators could ever suggest that was a sending off when he clashed with Coleman, it was just unfortunate he fell over the top of him.
Who's "most fans"? Where are there pre-season quotes saying what they expected from him?
I expected a very good player and hoped he could get 15 league goals (20 would be excellent) .... 20+ goals total in the season (30 would be excellent).
He's played 13 league games and scored 8.... extrapolate that out, it's about 23 league goals?
In total, he's played 18 (?) and scored 12... if we play 50 games, that'd be a total of 33-ish?
In terms of mentality, any United player who's feeling "unloved" and needs a fellow pro to help them, should feck off and play for another club.
He's playing in an average-to-good team and doing fine so far ... He's not a miracle worker and there are loads of other players who need grief before Zlatan.
Zlatan is playing pretty good, or to be correct he is bringing to the team what he is capable to do, but I am afraid that we do not use him right.
Yes, he scored 11 goals and missed a couple of chances, so he could and should score even more. What I thought when he came is that Mourinho will be using him 50:50 with Rashford or Rooney or Martial, and that Zlatan will be very useful especially against smaller clubs with his size and creativity in last third.
What I see as a problem is not Zlatan's fault, but more Mourinho's fault I think. He is using him too much. Not sure why, as I can't believe that he is not aware that guy is 35 years old and that he can't play twice a week for 90 minutes and be on the same level for the whole game. Look at today for example. I don't think he had good game and that was expected as he has played for 90 minutes twice in 7 days. Yes, he scored a goal that could be a winner, and you can expect that from him and that is why we brought him in. But beside that he was poor I think, or average at least. Especially in last 30 minutes when he basically did not play at all. He was just standing, he did not press on defenders, he could not hold a ball and his passing was poor. I am speaking about last 30 minutes. Check it out, and you will see him standing for a 30 seconds while ball around him, or losing ball and then just standing there like a tree. Obviously he was tired and he could not run anymore. I can't understand why Mou did not bring Rashford for those 30 minutes to put more pressure on defenders and to use his pace for some counters. He certainly did not thought that Zlatan will run over defenders and finish some counter. It was similar against West Ham on Wed. He should replace him in last 30 minutes, we were up and he should rest him for today. He did not, and we have been playing with player less in last 20-30 minutes today. That let them press more on us, we could not bring the ball forward and at the end Fella did what he did.
Also, another thing I do not like in our game is that we are basically playing without striker or to be more precise someone who is moving like a striker. Zlatan is moving like number 10 around the box, he is looking for that last pass, but we do not have a striker who will attack first post and take defenders with him. Zlatan is always on the top of the box, or at the end of the six yards box, and first post is empty with defenders knowing that and having more space to defend middle box and far post.
Defending set pieces and his contribution is also where he is not good enough, especially with his size.
So, don't get me wrong, he is good, he can make great moves like this one today, but he should be properly used and less used giving others some chance to mix up a little bit and offer something else in the box.
Yes, he scored 11 goals and missed a couple of chances, so he could and should score even more. What I thought when he came is that Mourinho will be using him 50:50 with Rashford or Rooney or Martial, and that Zlatan will be very useful especially against smaller clubs with his size and creativity in last third.
What I see as a problem is not Zlatan's fault, but more Mourinho's fault I think. He is using him too much. Not sure why, as I can't believe that he is not aware that guy is 35 years old and that he can't play twice a week for 90 minutes and be on the same level for the whole game. Look at today for example. I don't think he had good game and that was expected as he has played for 90 minutes twice in 7 days. Yes, he scored a goal that could be a winner, and you can expect that from him and that is why we brought him in. But beside that he was poor I think, or average at least. Especially in last 30 minutes when he basically did not play at all. He was just standing, he did not press on defenders, he could not hold a ball and his passing was poor. I am speaking about last 30 minutes. Check it out, and you will see him standing for a 30 seconds while ball around him, or losing ball and then just standing there like a tree. Obviously he was tired and he could not run anymore. I can't understand why Mou did not bring Rashford for those 30 minutes to put more pressure on defenders and to use his pace for some counters. He certainly did not thought that Zlatan will run over defenders and finish some counter. It was similar against West Ham on Wed. He should replace him in last 30 minutes, we were up and he should rest him for today. He did not, and we have been playing with player less in last 20-30 minutes today. That let them press more on us, we could not bring the ball forward and at the end Fella did what he did.
Also, another thing I do not like in our game is that we are basically playing without striker or to be more precise someone who is moving like a striker. Zlatan is moving like number 10 around the box, he is looking for that last pass, but we do not have a striker who will attack first post and take defenders with him. Zlatan is always on the top of the box, or at the end of the six yards box, and first post is empty with defenders knowing that and having more space to defend middle box and far post.
Defending set pieces and his contribution is also where he is not good enough, especially with his size.
So, don't get me wrong, he is good, he can make great moves like this one today, but he should be properly used and less used giving others some chance to mix up a little bit and offer something else in the box.
I mean yeah he laid on him on purpose, but wtf was Neville on about? Trying to make out that zlatan kicked him in the face? And that was possibly why he got subbed? He's really pissing me off. Proper sky rent boy these days.
I'm not going to prove with quotes that the expectations were generally much higher. People expected a world class striker. Did he have a single world class performance so far? Hardly. The best strikers in the league seem miles better than him. Defoe is scoring goals too. No-one thinks he's special or something. If we fail to make the CL, he's signing will turn out to be completely meaningless.
People expect a more physical RVP of SAF's final season would be in huge disappointment. Expect a physical Rooney of SAF's last years or Moyes' season should do fairer justice. So a decisive player but not MOTM performance. Zlatan would put up decent stats, but not as influential in game and may go missing from time from time. Helping out in defending set piece, a presence, hold up play, link up play... The player around him should be utilize him better (I think with time we would as understanding would build up.) Zlatan should not be used as our main goal outlet or focal point, so everyone should step up big time. The game in midweek was promising but sadly Rooney got suspended today and Pogba had his personal worst performance in my memory
You can't just throw out generalised comments like confetti without some form of backup. I don't think anyone (who knows anything about football) was expecting a world class striker.
They may (like me) have been expecting a decent player who USED TO BE a world class striker..... and they've got him (on a free!)
It's not his fault half the team are underperforming or how Jose sets up the team or that Jose is probably playing him for too many games/the full 90 minutes or that Jose didn't buy another striker.
#agendas
I don't fully agree with everything you said but I agree with your general point that Mourinho has overused Zlatan. Zlatan is in great shape and it's amazing that he can play as many games as he has been able to, but I fully agree that he shouldn't be playing 3 full games in one week. It's a lot for any player, let alone a 35 year old.
Also, people criticizing Zlatan for today's game need to have a word with themselves because once again, it seems like blatant agenda against Ibra. He scored with the only chance he had all match, and it wasn't even a good chance, he did brilliantly to score that goal. He had some sloppy touches and passes but he had more good touches/passes than bad. Everton at Goodison Park is almost always a tough game and Zlatan was fine today.
Mental he has 12 goals and 3 assists in 21 appearances but he's only a 5.9 rating on the caf.
He's the least of Utd's problems. It's about time other players start hitting their best form. Specifically Martial.
Really is. I've got him at 6.3.
Misses a lot, true, but he's also scoring a lot and generally playing well.
His presence is like RvN's towards the end of his time here.
He score goals, but he hinders our play in other ways. Take him out of the side and I reckon a frontline of young/speedy attackers will more than make up for his absence.
Pace frightens defenders and changes the shape that the opposition plays. We're far too predictable at the moment.
He score goals, but he hinders our play in other ways. Take him out of the side and I reckon a frontline of young/speedy attackers will more than make up for his absence.
Pace frightens defenders and changes the shape that the opposition plays. We're far too predictable at the moment.
If we fail to make the champions lge it will be no fault of Zlatans , he will be our top scorer by a mile I honestly don't know what more he can do he is our stand out forward , everything goes through him suggest we get off his back and enjoy him while we can
He is doing his job. People can bitch all they want and will because we aren't getting good results but he is there to score goals and he is doing that well. Its not him letting us down.
I feel that we should be bringing him off late on, he's not offering much. His height will ensure he stays on.
The trouble is, Mourinho is setting the team & tactics around him, which is the reason we have no pace most of the time, & struggle to score goals. He has also missed way more chances than any player in the Premiership. If you want to get the best out of Paul Pogba & others, you need to change the tactics to suit them & not Ibrahimovic.
In that case we have lots who don't know anything about football because plenty believed he was world class. In fact I'd imagine plenty still do. Just go back through the thread.
The concerns I had, the disagreements with other posters I think are still valid. His presence isn't helping Rashford or Martial as some predicted. I still don't think he's the type of striker we need and obviously he's not part of medium/long term team building.
However on the pitch he's been decent. I've unexpectedly liked his attitude, he's worked hard (for him) and although a bit inconsistent his game has been pretty good. So I was kind of wrong about that point. Gulp.
That would be true IF we have a very good central forward like Saha (we don't), a Ronaldo moving closer every day to world class level (Martial was not on par and had been regress in form), a young Rooney was at very good level (Mata & Mikhi may edge this in quality but not the workrate and chemistry with the other 2), a seasoned Giggs in good form (Rooney may offer this if he can keep up the performance like the midweek game, but quite huge expectation). That is not counting the platform with Paul Scholes in his best form (imo), the defense unit with world class players hit their prime and on the same wave length, and lead the team from the back in case the young guns up front was on one of those days. The mental strength of that team is miles away from this team.
So with all that in mind, our backbone now is way weaker. Taking Zlatan out is more negative and higher chance of backfiring than back then with RVN. I agree that Zlatan does limit our play like with RVN, though.
Martial is Saha like. Having watched him up front for Monaco, he's actually quite good in the air as well. We've not seen that at United yet, but I reckon he'd be perfect up front.
- Status