Still banging them in at 38 years old.
Even more impressive considering he suffered a potential career ending injury at 35.
Surely has another year or 2 left in him.
An all time great.
Zlatan
posted on 2/8/20
CiC, yeah, that's why I'd stick with Ighalo on balance. Not the quality of Ibrahimovic but a more mobile target man. Also, despite Zlatan's status and the impact that can have on the youngsters, the likes of Rashford and Martial our now leaders in the team, not emerging players looking for a mentor. Would Ibrahimovic be the same figure of awe if he were on the bench? Would he be the same positive influence?
posted on 2/8/20
For me a Plan B has to be an actual Plan B ie. different to what we were doing previously in the game. So being more mobile et cetera wouldn’t be as much of an issue and I think that Zlatan would influence a game much more than Ighalo could. Fernandes & Pogba with a free kick, corner et cetera can hit Ighalo and he can score (we’ve already seen that), I just think that Zlatan would do that a lot better. Also if we’re needing a Plan B, more often than not the opposing team is sitting back and there’s not much space so again mobility is less of an issue.
I’m also sure that Zlatan could continue to positively influence the other players just as Giggs & Scholes used to when they were that age. I don’t think Rashy & Martial are quite there yet, Bruno maybe.
https://youtu.be/XCzpZlmiU9A
Highlights from Milan’s last game; Zlatan involved all the time. I’m surprised that anyone would rather Ighalo on the bench than Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
posted on 2/8/20
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 5 hours, 12 minutes ago
comment by goadocwatson (U1016)
posted 48 seconds ago
The pace of European football outside of Britain is generally slower and suits the experienced players who have that intuitive positional sense. Something that can't be taught.
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Exactly. No coincidence that Young and Sanchez have looked better there too.
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Arguably Pogba too, more consistent anyway.
posted on 2/8/20
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 3 hours, 39 minutes ago
Would anyone have him instead of Ighalo as our Plan B? I think I'd probably stick with what we've got but I enjoyed running the thought experiment.
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Nah he’d still want huge wages and would want to play. Also wouldn’t suit our current style.
I know I made an article praising him but other than scoring an amazing amount of goals for a 35 year old he was often quite poor.
We should have signed him 5 years earlier.
posted on 2/8/20
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 1 hour, 31 minutes ago
For me a Plan B has to be an actual Plan B ie. different to what we were doing previously in the game. So being more mobile et cetera wouldn’t be as much of an issue and I think that Zlatan would influence a game much more than Ighalo could. Fernandes & Pogba with a free kick, corner et cetera can hit Ighalo and he can score (we’ve already seen that), I just think that Zlatan would do that a lot better. Also if we’re needing a Plan B, more often than not the opposing team is sitting back and there’s not much space so again mobility is less of an issue.
I’m also sure that Zlatan could continue to positively influence the other players just as Giggs & Scholes used to when they were that age. I don’t think Rashy & Martial are quite there yet, Bruno maybe.
https://youtu.be/XCzpZlmiU9A
Highlights from Milan’s last game; Zlatan involved all the time. I’m surprised that anyone would rather Ighalo on the bench than Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
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Mobility is better than relative immobility, whatever the formation we're playing. Being quicker over the first 5 yards isn't going to undermine our plan B, or mean that it doesn't contrast sufficiently with plan A.
Ibrahimovic has some pretty amazing characteristics as a player, which is why it's still a nuanced question rather than black and white even at his age which player we'd take. But there were times in his first stint when he failed to show off his class and his exemplary hold-up play because he wasn't quick enough to get to the ball first.
posted on 2/8/20
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 1 hour, 31 minutes ago
For me a Plan B has to be an actual Plan B ie. different to what we were doing previously in the game. So being more mobile et cetera wouldn’t be as much of an issue and I think that Zlatan would influence a game much more than Ighalo could. Fernandes & Pogba with a free kick, corner et cetera can hit Ighalo and he can score (we’ve already seen that), I just think that Zlatan would do that a lot better. Also if we’re needing a Plan B, more often than not the opposing team is sitting back and there’s not much space so again mobility is less of an issue.
I’m also sure that Zlatan could continue to positively influence the other players just as Giggs & Scholes used to when they were that age. I don’t think Rashy & Martial are quite there yet, Bruno maybe.
https://youtu.be/XCzpZlmiU9A
Highlights from Milan’s last game; Zlatan involved all the time. I’m surprised that anyone would rather Ighalo on the bench than Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mobility is better than relative immobility, whatever the formation we're playing. Being quicker over the first 5 yards isn't going to undermine our plan B, or mean that it doesn't contrast sufficiently with plan A.
Ibrahimovic has some pretty amazing characteristics as a player, which is why it's still a nuanced question rather than black and white even at his age which player we'd take. But there were times in his first stint when he failed to show off his class and his exemplary hold-up play because he wasn't quick enough to get to the ball first.
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Don’t get me wrong I know that pace especially in the first 5-10 yards is important and he was starting to be a problem for us in that regard but that was as the main striker.
For me, his amazing characteristics would make me rather him in our bench than Ighalo. He has more in his locker than Ighalo.
I just picture us being 1-1 80th minute and we’re bringing on a sub for one of our front three and if I had Ighalo there or Zlatan, I would pick Zlatan more often than not.
Zlatan is not exactly immobile either plus he can go go gadget a leg for miles lol
posted on 2/8/20
If we're exploring top class strikers who no longer have pace, how about Brazilian Ronaldo?
posted on 2/8/20
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 15 minutes ago
If we're exploring top class strikers who no longer have pace, how about Brazilian Ronaldo?
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Even after injuries he was still quick. But he also had power, guile, intelligence and pretty much everything else you can think of aside ‘pace’, one of the best players to ever play, above zlatan imo. He’d be a colossus nowadays.
posted on 2/8/20
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
If we're exploring top class strikers who no longer have pace, how about Brazilian Ronaldo?
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Fitness still comes into it, although he might eat a defender whilst he’s there.
posted on 3/8/20
he was quite smart having a mid career break in France and USA. if he had played in a top league all this time, I think he wouldn't still be going.
the PL took a real toll on him when he came in at 34/5