That might've been a bit over-the-top to say, but I find it tough to call it a big feck up by Zagallo since Brazil made it to the final, and didn't look like missing Romario at any stage, also because Bebeto turned up and they had a Rivaldo about to peak, and a Ronaldo peaking.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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That might've been a bit over-the-top to say, but I find it tough to call it a big feck up by Zagallo since Brazil made it to the final, and didn't look like missing Romario at any stage, also because Bebeto turned up and they had a Rivaldo about to peak, and a Ronaldo peaking.
Romario certainly injured his hamstring in the run-up to the 1998 tournament. Him and Ronaldo were clearly Brazil's favoured strike partnership through 1997 and 1998 and it would be hard to envisage any defence handling those two plus Rivaldo drifting behind. As I remember he was scheduled to return to match fitness midway through the tournament. If so it was a poor decision to leave him behind because Brazil were only really tested from the quarter-finals onwards.
Speculation of a return to the squad for the 2002 tournament was always a bit far-fetched and an unnecessary harmony risk given the emergence of Ronaldinho.
Speculation of a return to the squad for the 2002 tournament was always a bit far-fetched and an unnecessary harmony risk given the emergence of Ronaldinho.
Dont want him here even on free but thats just me.
I find it completely illogical to not want to sign Ibra on a free if the possibility exists. Most of the arguments against it that i've read in this thread are even more so. Do you really think that he'd struggle against the likes of aston villa, norwich sunderland even more than the sides he faces in Ligue 1? If you haven't noticed those are the sides we're struggling the most to topple.
With all the areas that are in need of rebuilding within the squad, getting in a world class striker for nothing would be a huge let off for our summer plans.
Or would you rather pay 50 million pounds for Lukaku?
With all the areas that are in need of rebuilding within the squad, getting in a world class striker for nothing would be a huge let off for our summer plans.
Or would you rather pay 50 million pounds for Lukaku?
Get Ibrahimovic for free and sign Neymar..
I might be in the minority but i've never been sold by Ibrahimovic, i think he looks good in slower/lesser quality leagues and the odd UCL game but overall i think at 34 he would be shown up in the PL. Defenders would not give him the space he usually gets and his build will only take him so far.
I also dont see him happily sitting on the bench for us. This just stinks of Falco mark 2. A player who in his prime was great but is now on the way down
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Lewandowski has no intention on coming here, and without UCL is extremely difficult to get Dybala/Kane/Griezmann, even if we go full muppet and pay 80m or so.
So, I guess that Ibra is the best possible choice, considering that he would be relatively cheap compared with other players, and then we can go for one of those I mentioned in the following season. Aubameyang might be an even better choice but he would cost a lot, and apparently he prefers Spain.
I understand your concerns and all your points are valid but look at the bigger picture. What's the alternatives?
It is a matter of appreciation I suppose. I really like Ibrahimovic and I would love him to play even one season for United.
I hope so but I don't know who could be that n°9. Having Mourinho instead of that crazy LVG would help.
He could be the first. He is certainly good enough.
The only real alternatives are, Kane/Griezmann/Lukaku - two of which probably wont move with no UCL football and would cost a fortune... But at least we'll be looking at players who you can build a team around.
If Ibra was just turning 30 you can make a point for him, but at 34 if we are going to be serious about rebuilding, and getting back to the top, we should be looking elsewhere
You give the premier league too much credit if you truly believe that. He doesn't need space, in a league where Fellaini was succesfully used as a striker soley based on being a big guy. Zlatan is more than able to hold his own in close quarters using hos power and technique.
Why would he be on the bench for us? Who would displace him? Martial, Rooney, Rashford? There's no chance. And the Falcao comparison makes no sense Falcao came to Monaco and didn't have anywhere near the impact that Zlatan had for PSG and had just came back from a long term injury. Zlatans coming off one of his best seasons ever.
Before moving to PSG, Zlatan scored 20+ league goals only twice, at Inter and Milan respectively, where he was the main forward full stop. He scored only 16 league goals at Barcelona where he could rely on passes from Iniesta, Messi and Xavi. If people believe that he will come to United at 35 and score for fun in a completely different league, then they are in for a huge disappointment.
Some may say that he scored only 16 at Barcelona because he wasn't the main man there. Well, what's exactly the point of making a 35 y.o. striker the main man in United's attack? Do we want to rebuild and create a new powerful team or just to to try to finish in top 4?
Again, what's the point of Zlatan? And what happens to Rooney if he doesn't want to leave? And what happens to Rashford? Back to U21?
Some may say that he scored only 16 at Barcelona because he wasn't the main man there. Well, what's exactly the point of making a 35 y.o. striker the main man in United's attack? Do we want to rebuild and create a new powerful team or just to to try to finish in top 4?
Again, what's the point of Zlatan? And what happens to Rooney if he doesn't want to leave? And what happens to Rashford? Back to U21?
The problem is what will happen to Rashford if we buy Lukaku? The second problem is that we also need a quality right winger, one (probably two) midfielders and a center back. I'm not arguing that buying Ibra is the only option but as at it stands it's difficult to find a better solution when we stil have so many expensive holes to fill.
Sorry but PSG are 30 points clear of second place Lyon. 30! I dont think i'm giving the PL too much credit when i say the standard of clubs here is a lot higher than there. Again perhaps my bias is showing but i've never been a fan of Ibra and think aside from his time in France hes hardly been prolific. As someone said he had only scored 20+ league goals in two seasons outside his spell at PSG, hardly the type of player that will be the saviour of our goal shy strikers.
The comparison with Falcao was only to highlight the risk in picking up a player, on high wages, whos best years are behind him. Ibra will look at us as a final big pay cheque before he hangs up his boots and if we're going to spend money i'd rather its not on ageing superstars... That kinda has a QPR feel to it
He scored every 127 mins in the league. Add 9 assists to that. Playing on the wing in some games. Anything to suit your agenda though, eh?
This a relatively poor goals to min. ratio for Barca's centrally playing forward.
Eto'o scored 30 goals the previous season, Zlatan 16...He flopped at Barca, there are no two ways about it.
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Neymar has scored every 120 mins this season. He scored every 193 mins in his first season. Eto'o scored every 131 mins in his first season.
I think his attitude played a big part of this. And its one of the reasons i wouldnt want him at United. Our team isnt exactly serving them up for our strikers at the moment and in a team where he would be starved of any service i can see him sulking rather than trying to make things happen, ala a Rooney
They weren't the finished article back then, Zlatan was in his prime. Try again.
Agreed. He's obviously quite talented but he has to be the MAIN man in a team in order to produce the goods. Given our situation right now, what's the point of building our attack around a 35 y. o. striker? I haven't seen a good answer to this question.
Bring him in and he will win us the league.
You got me.
Because outside "he might be just what we need" there isnt one.
Worked with Robin!
It did. I can see Zlatan having the same effect as Robin.
Statistically, L. Suarez was probably quite similar in the league in his first season (16 goals) but this only shows that we have to use stats in context etc. Suarez started slowly but was a revelation in the second half of the season. Zlatan started very well but then things went badly.
It worked with RVP for one season and I feel it will be the same with Zlatan one or two good seasons and then we are in the same situation again and that has been one of the problem with this club for the last seasons. To many quick fixes and to few long term solutions.
Except that Robin was 29, not 35, and was added to a well functioning team managed by the best (British) manager ever.
Edit: RVP had a lot of experience in the EPL as well, he didn't need time to get used to a new league.
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Some valid points are made, but the comparison to Falcao is completely off. Falcao's decline started before the move at United.
If Ibra was to join us, there is no way it'd be a Falcao 2.0 situation.
If Ibra was to join us, there is no way it'd be a Falcao 2.0 situation.
Context, or lack thereof?
Didnt Suarez miss a large chunk of the season due to suspension?
He did. He still managed to make 27 appearances vs 29 for Zlatan. But his slow start can be explained with him missing 4-5 months of professional football.
Sounds like you have an agenda to me.
Because Zlatan is a world class forward even at the age of 34? Because we cant afford to rely on 19-20 year old forwards to carry our attack next season? Because targets like Kane, Lewy, Dybala, Auba are unrealistic for us? Because Lukaku isn't as good as Zlatan and would cost us a lot more than Zlatan anyway?
No divine revelation but sample tactical change
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ez-found-a-way-to-work-with-Lionel-Messi.html
What's the point of having an agenda against a player from anoher league? It's completely meaningless.
It's about the strategy of the club. Zlatan is a quick fix at best. Rooney is still here and it is pointless to have both (I'm one of Rooney's harshest critics on here, btw). The last time we built a great team, we did so not by signing a 30 + superstar but several big talents (Ronaldo and Rooney) and several players yet to enter their prime years (Rio,Vida, Evra...). The aim should be to build a new team, not to find a quick fix, as other posters pointed out above.
Maybe in his prime. But since hes spent the past 3-4 years plying his trade in France, scoring against the quality of teams he faces week in, week out doesnt compare to our league.
Also how many 30+ year olds come to the PL and make a huge impact? People are making it seem that he would come here and be the leagues top goal scorer
You have many valid points but let's not lose focus, what is the alternatives.
Any young talented 20+ striker will cost us a fortune, not to mention what will happen to Rashfords future. If we can sign Ibra for free on a 2+1 year contract we will have money left to fill other gaps. It will give Rashford, Martial and Memphis time to develop. Zlatan will absorbe some pressure from our younger players, he will instal attitude, set higher standards and he comes with a reputation. As a father of two boys he has matured, you can see it in interviews and how he handle himself outside the pitch. Zlatan isn't a idiot, probaby the opposite. He knows himself and what it takes to deliver. If he wants to cash in China is a better alternative. I think that's not my biggest fear.
His age is the downside and what happens if he gets serious injuried. All in all its not a perfect solution but how often is there a world class striker available? You can reduce the French league all you want but for the moment I don't see a better option if you take everything in consideration.
No one wants to bring in a player that will harm Martial or Rashfords development and in theory i agree. BUT theres too many here believing Ibra can come here and score a bucket load of goals when i just dont see it.
RvP is the case in question for me. A quality player who had spent his entire career here, probably should have known it better than most. But he reached a age where he just couldnt find the pockets he once did. I'd love us to get a player who could get 20 goals a season to take the pressure off the likes of Rashford and Martial but i dont think its Ibra.
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