Yup, because he wants a more intelligent player than Rashford at the other striker. Zlatan turning and playing in Lukaku could be a delight.
Zlatan Ibrahimović
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
- Start date
- Status
Yup, because he wants a more intelligent player than Rashford at the other striker. Zlatan turning and playing in Lukaku could be a delight.
2014/15 was also Costa's first season in England and he played under the same manager, so yeah, that's a pretty accurate comparison. Given that Ibrahimovic missed the largest amount of big chances according to the Premier League, so it can't be ignored that while he did score a lot of goals, he also used a relatively large amount of chances for them. Thus, his contributions, while important, should not be blown out of proportion.
Imagine we're in the mix in all comps and then... Boom! We get Griezmann and Zlatan in Jan.
Pants down, nobs out if that happens.
Costa was also playing with fecking Eden Hazard (who scored 19 that season and assisted 11) and not the likes of Jesse Lingard, in a rather settled team that won the league and had a settled manager a season into his rebuild.
Awful awful comparison.
To pick out one great season for the league winners and their top scorer and compare chance conversion to "prove" anything is a travesty, especially when you can take a tonne more seasons of Zlatan to prove that is complete bollocks. The simple fact is, Zlatan tends to score a shit load of goals, and did that even in a season in which his chance conversion dipped, and even then he was easily our most creative player. Team that up with Lukaku and it'd be potent, Lukaku would be in his element.
Last edited:
Ibrahimovic certainly didn't lack service, as he missed the largest amount of big chances, something you of course ignored. And given that both players played in the same league and under the same manager, both in their respective first seasons in England, that's about as many of the same variables as you can find. He was wasteful and he slowed our game down. So while his contributions were important, they shouldn't be blown out of proportion. First and foremost, we need more scoring from our midfield and our wing areas more than anything.
I didn't ignore it, I called it an anomaly, which it clearly is and can easily be proven as it's hardly the blokes first season playing football.
We need more goals from any area imo, whether that's a CM, winger, second striker doesn't matter. Lukaku alone won't cut it just as Zlatan alone didn't.
Let's not forget @Wade3, the last time we won the league our highest scoring midfielder/winger was Shinji Kagawa with 6 goals. That wasn't a problem though as RVP and Rooney banged in 38 goals and Hernandez bagged another 10... all of them strikers.
Last edited:
How so?
this
I really can't see it.
- Lukaku works better as a sole striker, Zlatan does aswell
- Even if they would partner up, I can't see a good working formation for with both up top given our current players
-4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3
Zlatan needs to play as a 10, our midfield 3 of Pogba, Herrera, Matic will need to be broken up with Herrera ending up on the bench. I don't think fans will appreciate putting Herrera on the bench.
-4-4-2
Here Zlatan plays as a second striker. Same problem really as we need to split up the midfield 3 and Herrera will find himself on the bench.
-4-4-2 with Diamond in the middle.
This way Herrera can play but we take away the wingers. Zlatan and Lukaku up top with Mkhi as a 10 behind. Problem is we will be lacking width in our attacks as we don't have wide players in that formation. Our fullbacks can't provide it because they are not good enough and in a 4 at the back formation Mourinho would never allow them to play high up on the pitch. This would ultimatley lead to a predictable offence focussed on central attacks or longball tactics, neither will do any good to our predicament of scoring goals and playing fluid football.
-3-5-2
Zlatan and Lukaku up top with midfield 3 behind, 3 at the back and 2 wingbacks. Could work but we don't have any good wingbacks that can cross the ball from out wide. Unless we sign someone like Perisic I feel that we will be trying to attack with defensive players that can't cross and it might work a better than the 4-4-2 diamond but feels ultimatley doomed to fail.
Again with our current crop of players can't see it working.
That's all fine and well, but I'm certain it'll work and I'm guessing Mourinho does too, hence the interest in resigning him.
Our problem last season was goals @The red panther, so as much as I love Ander, I'm all for dropping him in "easier" games to play 2 up top and get them won.
3-5-2 and 4-4-2 would work just fine and we'd score more with these two in the side, even with a weaker midfield.
We should be focusing on giving Lukaku, Rashford and Martial all of the striker minutes, not giving games to a 36 year old coming off an ACL injury. This team isn't good enough to win a PL or CL so we should use the season to really cement the three young strikers.
Zlatan is king
Always.
I was really hoping this would happen. excellent news! Just his personality in the dressing-room will do alot for our squad not to mention on the pitch if he recovers.
Being objective, if we were playing and drawing with Liverpool for example and they had Zlatan on the bench with 20 mins to go and you saw him due to come on, you wouldn't worry? You'd think "thank goodness, that will slow down their attack"? Of course not. And if Lukaku was injured wouldn't he be a great player to have around? I'd bring him in and rotate if was my decision, and gives options to put 2 up front if we're chasing a game rather than the hopeful chance DDG will come in with a bullet header....
He carried us at times last season. If he's fit to play, he is still world-class. Just my opinion of course.
He carried us at times last season. If he's fit to play, he is still world-class. Just my opinion of course.
Do we know how long this new deal supposedly is?
I do agree we have three young players who should play the majority of games but I'm sure there's a good reason for doing this if true.
Honestly I would not be dreading this Zlatan to come on, really wouldn't.
Yea jose doesn't give a rat ass about the kids or playing good football and just wants Zlatan.
Being able to rest Lukaku at important times in the season in order to keep him fresh for the big games will benefit him and us particularly if we are contesting more than one competition in March and April. Zlatan brings a wealth of experience and skill that could be useful when we need to rest Lukaku or need something different in attack. I could see Zlatan being used in the same way Drogba was in his last season at Chelsea.
Can't tell if you're serious or not (had a long day)
I'am not serious but I don't like the idea of resigning Zlatan
Last season Zlatan played everything, literally everything. Now 6 months later he will be happy to sit on the bench and cover for Lukaku so he can be rested for the big games.
I'am sorry but I can't see that. This is King Zlatan who thinks the sun shines out of his ass, he will never be happy with playing second fiddle and Mourinho knows that; If he is resigned it is to play every minute again. I'am not a fan of that idea.
That's fair enough.
I don't think we'd buy a £75m back-up. Zlatan is 36 and coming off a major injury, he could have gone to LA but has decided to stay in Manchester it seems, I'm sure he knows the score.
I personally think the reason would be that Jose's default setting is to always fall back on experience rather than boosting youth talent.
He has been playing all the time because he got no replacements. Mourinho can't attack without a target man up front to build his attacks on. Rashford and Martial aren't that type. Not because of his personality or what you're saying. The manager who threw the team legend and captain on the bench can bench anyone if he wants.
So basically you're admitting to wumming in a transfer thread. Noted.
It will be hard to keep him happy, but if he's willing to play second fiddle to Lukaku, then I'm all for it.
He's still got plenty to give and he looks in great shape.
He's still got plenty to give and he looks in great shape.
352. Sorted. However I'm not for bringing Zlatan back to partner Lukaku. He should be a back up to rest Lukaku and tahtnis it.
The last time we won the league, we were managed by SAF who employed a different system which included two strikers. Thus, naturally, goals would mainly stem from those spots. Mourinho is different, as he only employs one striker up front in his 4-2-3-1 system, thus it requires midfielders and winger to provide goals. I doubt he'll mainly play the 3-5-2 we also tried in preseason and we simply lack enough wingbacks for such a system.
I'm still confident that, with time, the likes of Pogba, Mkhitaryan and Martial (if given a chance) along with Mata will provide enough goals from those spots. Rashford is a kid that has room for improvement as well.
But if we are to strengthen, it'd most likely have to be a winger who adds goals.
What no I was not wumming...
I don't want people to take it literally that Mourinho doesn't care for the kids or good football but I do genuinely think resiging Zlatan will be bad for Martial and Rashford and it will not help our football at all.
That is not wumming that is hyperboling my genuine feelings about resigning Zlatan.
A 3-5-2 with zlatan dropping in behind lukaku looks like it could work, provided the two wingbacks provide ample service.
We don't have good wingbacks and they won't be able to provide good service.
Valencia as RWB ok
But Darmian or Blind as LWB never in my fecking life
If we get Aurier, the right is sorted. And Blind can whip in very good crosses, he might get caught out of position because of his speed but that can be compensated for by sticking Darmian as the LCB, as he rarely ventures forward.
Ugh please no Blind Darmian combo my hearth really can't take that.
Your heart doesn't have to take it, as long as it works
Can't manage to feel anything other than ecstatic at the idea of re-signing my favourite player
Can't manage to feel anything other than ecstatic at the idea of re-signing my favourite player
Same here. In fact, I never believed he left us. We just arranged everything so he can rehab without us having to pay his wages during that time.
Lukaku is a conventional striker. Ibra is 36 years old. That can never work. If Mou wants a 3-5-2 system to work then he should partner Lukaku/Ibra with someone whose swift and can drop deep ie Rashford.
Realistically, yes. But if you're trying to fit in Zlatan and Lukaku into the same XI, I don't see any other better ways.
- Status