Zlatan

[Michael Morris]

Scored less than 4 mins into his Man Utd debut. Looking forward to seeing him play this season.,

[Michael Morris]

Talk about an instant impact! #ZlatanTime

Switch over now to watch live on #MUTVHD. https://t.co/C8QYQI3308

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 30, 2016

[TH63]

Surprised Nugent hasn't asked for this to be a sticky tbh

[nugent]

Mike.
Can you make this a sticky please.
Really looking forward to this season

[TH63]

Mike.
Can you make this a sticky please.
Really looking forward to this season

[BLUETIT]

Thought this fred was about the new Star Wars film

[Steve R]

Mike.
Can you make this a sticky please.
Really looking forward to this season

ffs mun you don't support Man Yoo.

[CopenhagenBlue]

Great player but lucky strike. Seriously, that bounced luckily into the net. Not a great goal at all. I do love that player though, I have a strong feeling he could really go mental this season!

[SgorauKoller]

I sometimes get slammed for saying this, but always found him to be quite overrated. He often disappears in the big games when it really matters. He does find the back of the net quite a lot, but if you review his performances on the whole, he often loses possession unnecessarily whilst showing off by holding on to the ball for too long. It would be interesting to see what proportion of his goals have been scored against 'big' clubs or in major tournaments; not a large amount I'd imagine.

[Dr Lecter]

I sometimes get slammed for saying this, but always found him to be quite overrated. He often disappears in the big games when it really matters. He does find the back of the net quite a lot, but if you review his performances on the whole, he often loses possession unnecessarily whilst showing off by holding on to the ball for too long. It would be interesting to see what proportion of his goals have been scored against 'big' clubs or in major tournaments; not a large amount I'd imagine.

No doubt he's a quality player but he's not at the top of the tree.

Compare his performances (or lack of) for Sweden at the euros with Bale and you'll see the problem with him. When he wants to do it he can be as good as anyone but unfortunately his attitude gets in the way. By all accounts his time at Barca was a disaster because he couldn't deal with playing second fiddle to Messi.

I'm sure he'll do well in the premier league as it's not the best quality and he's a very good player. However it'll be interesting to see how he reacts if things don't go his way. With the likes of Ibra, Mourinho, and probably the worlds most expensive player in the dressing room there'll only be room for so many egos.

[SgorauKoller]

No doubt he's a quality player but he's not at the top of the tree.

Compare his performances (or lack of) for Sweden at the euros with Bale and you'll see the problem with him. When he wants to do it he can be as good as anyone but unfortunately his attitude gets in the way. By all accounts his time at Barca was a disaster because he couldn't deal with playing second fiddle to Messi.

I'm sure he'll do well in the premier league as it's not the best quality and he's a very good player. However it'll be interesting to see how he reacts if things don't go his way. With the likes of Ibra, Mourinho, and probably the worlds most expensive player in the dressing room there'll only be room for so many egos.

In agreement with everything you say apart from this one sentence. I think he'll struggle against some very strong defences. Bottom half clubs like Everton, Watford, West Brom, Sunderland...all have strong, well organised defences that old Zlatan has never experienced whilst doing his stepovers and flip-flaps against weaker teams in the other European leagues.

[OurManFlint II]

In agreement with everything you say apart from this one sentence. I think he'll struggle against some very strong defences. Bottom half clubs like Everton, Watford, West Brom, Sunderland...all have strong, well organised defences that old Zlatan has never experienced whilst doing his stepovers and flip-flaps against weaker teams in the other European leagues.

You think English teams defend better than Italian teams?

[SgorauKoller]

You think English teams defend better than Italian teams?

Zlatan didnt play in Serie A last season though so whats the point of comparing last season? He played there in a time it was a far more competitive league than it is now.

Since the bribing scandal Serie A has gone one way. Downhill. You should have known that being an expert on European Football

It would also help if you didnt tell porkies in your stats he scored more than 2 major tournament goals and more than 7 goals im Champions League knockout stages.

I was responding to Flint's question.

You researched other points quite well, but you fail to provide your evidence for your last statement here. How many was it then? 8 goals in 40 Champions League knockout games? Hardly convincing for a star player in big games such as these. And regarding his goals for Sweden in major tournaments, I remember 2 goals in Euro 2012 (1 very fortunate). Did he even show up to the Euros just gone??

[OurManFlint II]

I sometimes get slammed for saying this, but always found him to be quite overrated. He often disappears in the big games when it really matters. He does find the back of the net quite a lot, but if you review his performances on the whole, he often loses possession unnecessarily whilst showing off by holding on to the ball for too long. It would be interesting to see what proportion of his goals have been scored against 'big' clubs or in major tournaments; not a large amount I'd imagine.

Name the games i am sure there are many more where he performed.

2 stick in my mind, both Sweden; Italy euro 2002 (?) when they topped the group and the 2 in the recent qualifier against Denmark. He has Scored something like 1 every 2 games (or less) at some of the biggest clubs in the world. Sure he's no Henrick Larsson but people who dismiss his record do so to be hipster or as a dislike to the person rather than the achievement. Which is fine but say that rather than an old clique like flat track bully or goes missing.

At 34 lets see if he can still perform.

[SgorauKoller]

Name the games i am sure there are many more where he performed.

2 stick in my mind, both Sweden; Italy euro 2002 (?) when they topped the group and the 2 in the recent qualifier against Denmark. He has Scored something like 1 every 2 games (or less) at some of the biggest clubs in the world. Sure he's no Henrick Larsson but people who dismiss his record do so to be hipster or as a dislike to the person rather than the achievement. Which is fine but say that rather than an old clique like flat track bully or goes missing.

At 34 lets see if he can still perform.

1) I also remember those games. He flicked the ball up in the air with his heel, in a very busy box at a set-piece and it was quite fortunate that it lobbed the defender on the line. Sweden were quite lucky to top that group and I don't think Ibrahimovic was anything special in helping them do so.

2) Ok fair enough, a big game, but hardly very difficult opponents.

3) You said it, 'at some of the biggest clubs'. Without doing any research, my guess is that PSG have the most expensive starting line-up in the world (apart from Real maybe). A very quick check on Google tells me PSG's results from last season (4-0, 6-0, 9-0...), hardly competitive is it?

4) I'm not doubting that he can score goals and I find it rather absurd that you would think anyone's opinion on a player would somehow be deemed as hipster...? What I'm saying is that he hasn't proved himself regularly in a competitive league, against a more consistent standard of defenders.

And YES, the bottom half of the Premier League has much stronger defences than AC Sicily and Bari Town FC.

[OurManFlint II]

1) I also remember those games. He flicked the ball up in the air with his heel, in a very busy box at a set-piece and it was quite fortunate that it lobbed the defender on the line. Sweden were quite lucky to top that group and I don't think Ibrahimovic was anything special in helping them do so.

2) Ok fair enough, a big game, but hardly very difficult opponents.

3) You said it, 'at some of the biggest clubs'. Without doing any research, my guess is that PSG have the most expensive starting line-up in the world (apart from Real maybe). A very quick check on Google tells me PSG's results from last season (4-0, 6-0, 9-0...), hardly competitive is it?

4) I'm not doubting that he can score goals and I find it rather absurd that you would think anyone's opinion on a player would somehow be deemed as hipster...? What I'm saying is that he hasn't proved himself regularly in a competitive league, against a more consistent standard of defenders.

And YES, the bottom half of the Premier League has much stronger defences than AC Sicily and Bari Town FC.

okay then.

[SgorauKoller]

okay then.

Maybe I'll be proved wrong. No need to throw your tampon out...

[Dr Lecter]

okay then.

Great response.

You may as well have just put your hand up and said 'whatever' like some 14 year old black girl.

[TruBlue]

1) I also remember those games. He flicked the ball up in the air with his heel, in a very busy box at a set-piece and it was quite fortunate that it lobbed the defender on the line. Sweden were quite lucky to top that group and I don't think Ibrahimovic was anything special in helping them do so.

2) Ok fair enough, a big game, but hardly very difficult opponents.

3) You said it, 'at some of the biggest clubs'. Without doing any research, my guess is that PSG have the most expensive starting line-up in the world (apart from Real maybe). A very quick check on Google tells me PSG's results from last season (4-0, 6-0, 9-0...), hardly competitive is it?

4) I'm not doubting that he can score goals and I find it rather absurd that you would think anyone's opinion on a player would somehow be deemed as hipster...? What I'm saying is that he hasn't proved himself regularly in a competitive league, against a more consistent standard of defenders.

And YES, the bottom half of the Premier League has much stronger defences than AC Sicily and Bari Town FC.

What set of defenders are you suggesting?

1999–2001 Malmö FF 40 (16)
2001–2004 Ajax 74 (35)
2004–2006 Juventus 70 (23)
2006–2009 Internazionale 88 (57)
2009–2011 Barcelona 29 (16)
2010–2011 → Milan (loan) 29 (14)
2011–2012 Milan 32 (28)
2012–2016 Paris Saint-Germain 122 (113)

With the exception of Juventus he's scored a minimum of 1 in every 2? Even the Juventus seasons is around 1 in every 3, which isn't too bad.

[Rjk]

He's a good player, but his stats are starting to drop from his peak, will still be an improvement for man u though.

The real star for them though will be mkhitayrian. He is utter class.

[TruBlue]

He's a good player, but his stats are starting to drop from his peak, will still be an improvement for man u though.

The real star for them though will be mkhitayrian. He is utter class.

Which stats? Didn't he score over 50 goals last season? I appreciate the French league isn't the best but that's surely his best stat of his career.

[BLUETIT]

He's shite.

He will score about 8 to 10 up to Crimbo, then f*** all after that.

He will disappear without trace once it starts (ya, I know it's pi$$ing down now) raining.

[jamieccfc]

He's a good player, but his stats are starting to drop from his peak, will still be an improvement for man u though.

The real star for them though will be mkhitayrian. He is utter class.

yeah he only scored 50 goals and only had 18 assists last season in all competitions

[SgorauKoller]

yeah he only scored 50 goals and only had 18 assists last season in all competitions

Did you miss the rest of the discussion, or are you just a lazy reader?

[jamieccfc]

Did you miss the rest of the discussion, or are you just a lazy reader?

no i read his post and replied! i don't agree with you're opinion and reckon he'll get to 20 goals this season