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Massive Zlatan - finished for the season ?

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Rosco

Worse than Brendan
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Mourinho said it looks like a bad one and then the following.
Meanwhile, ex-United physio Matty Radcliffe told Independent.ie that Ibrahimovic will be fortunate to escape a lengthy spell on the sidelines, with an injury that looks set to sideline the 35-year-old striker for an extended period.

"From the way his knee bent as he landed, that looks likely to be a posterior cruciate ligament injury or a meniscus tear," Radcliffe told us.


"The next 48 hours will be crucial in deciding the extent of the injury, but he will be very fortunate to get away with a long-term problem after.

"The fact that he walked off the field and didn't need a stretcher does not mean anything. That can happen even if your knee very badly damaged, but that looks like a bad one for me."

So, do United fare much worse without him for the rest of the season ?
I know he's scored plenty but Rashford looks like he's capable enough to carry the load for the last few games
 
Who knows with the master of mind games Mourinho.

As you say, Rashford has come in and looked ready to push on in the last few weeks so wouldn't start celebrating any time soon.
 
Time for Rashford and Martial to make a step forward.

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This is good news, but it it looks like Rashford is pulling a Macheda and getting them out of the shit.
It's inevitable that they're going to get in the champions league isn't it.
 
Hasnt Zlatan won them more points then a striker for any other team in the league?
Of course they'll miss him.
Even if Rashford has looked a bit better these last few weeks, they are obviously gonna miss. Just his presence on the pitch.

Utd could still win their remaining games but it will be harder.
Any word on Rojo? He's been decent for them aswell of late.
 
I said earlier in the season Manure would be a better team with Rashford, with Martial & mata behind him.
I was a bit too high on him last year as a striker - he has no faith in his left foot (despite the goal) but his speed, creativity etc is important to Manure ... So they'll lose ZLatan's presence & goals (28 this year?) but sadly, they'll be more dangerous as Mourinho can set them up to counter - which will be dangerous against Man City & Spurs.

On another note, Rojo is a big miss for them too. Bailly-Rojo was their best CB pairing, and they may now have to go with Bailly-Blind.
 
I said earlier in the season Manure would be a better team with Rashford, with Martial & mata behind him.
I was a bit too high on him last year as a striker - he has no faith in his left foot (despite the goal) but his speed, creativity etc is important to Manure ... So they'll lose ZLatan's presence & goals (28 this year?) but sadly, they'll be more dangerous as Mourinho can set them up to counter - which will be dangerous against Man City & Spurs.

On another note, Rojo is a big miss for them too. Bailly-Rojo was their best CB pairing, and they may now have to go with Bailly-Blind.

Mata is also out for the season
 
People are seriously overrating Rashford's ability to compensate for the loss of Zlatan here.

Rashford has made 12 starts and 2 sub appearances in the PL, accounting for 1,444 mins and has scored 5 goals so that's a goal every 289 mins. Yes, it's that bad. In fact to put that into perspective Origi has a goal for every 187 PL mins played, over 100 mins a goal better than Rashford !

Big Z has 27 starts, 1 sub appearance. 2,437 mins and 17 goals = a goal every 143 mins, so virtually 2:1 ratio vs. Rashford.

Martial isn't even on the radar and Mourinho has had harsh words for him recently. 12 (6) starts (subs), 994 mins 3 goals = goal every 331 mins.

Of course United are going to miss Ibra big time. His goals and assists account for almost half of their goals it seems ! ;)

Hopefully this (and missing Rojo - stats say their best CB since returning to the team, and Mata out for the season too) will fuck them up in both the EL and PL.
 
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Zlatan has won them points cause he suits the Mourinho way of playing, has taken their penos and has been good overall. However they have the most expensive squad ever and has played to suit Zlatan. Noe they might play differently and it might give them a better overall game. At least it should. Being number 6 all season has no excuses with the resources and hype spent om the team.
 
Exactly.

Obviously Zlatan is a loss given his input but the team is set up to play for him.

What happens if they change approach and feature more of Pogba, Martial and Rashford ? Its not beyond the realms of possibility that a squad with that much depth and experience are better than a 5th/6th place team if they alter their approach.
 
I think that MU playing to Zlatan's strengths has pushed Rashford and Martial to the corner.
I suspect that if Ibrahimovic is indeed out for the rest of season, Mourinho will change change their game to suit Rashford and Martial, and these two are very good players.
Furthermore, I think that at 35, the EPL season started taking its toll, and his productivity has not been as high as it was at earlier stages.
 
For this to happen you assume that Martial and Rashford will suddenly start to contribute on a regular basis.
It might happen but any team will obviously miss Zlatan.
 
For this to happen you assume that Martial and Rashford will suddenly start to contribute on a regular basis.
It might happen but any team will obviously miss Zlatan.
I'm on your side - hoping his absence hurt them badly both in the league as well as in Europe.
 
For anyone who watches United regularly then you'd know that they have a tendency to play the same way regardless of whether Zlatan plays or not. The only difference being they are less potent. They use the wings and try to get the ball into the box anyway they can (runs, crosses). Nothing particularly innovative or creative regarding their play. They rely on moments of individual brilliance (usually from Pogba or Zlatan) or the ball falling for them more than say the creativity of City or ourselves.
 
Luke Shaw said post game that Zlatan was walking around etc ... So the question will be whether it's like Mane's injury or he got lucky.
 
Mourinho being Mourinho, Martial just needs to screw up once getting caught in possession leading to a goal for him to be nailed to the bench for the rest of the season.
 
If Martial and Rashford are that good why did Mourinho keep them on the bench for that 21 match unbeaten run in which they moved up from 6th place to 5th?
 
They've won 8, drawn 2 and lost 3 this season without Zlatan.

That would give you a 2 point average a game in the league. Which is ever so slightly better than they've done over the course of the season
 
If Martial and Rashford are that good why did Mourinho keep them on the bench for that 21 match unbeaten run in which they moved up from 6th place to 5th?

Why did he not use them more when he drew so many games during that spell ?

Is another way of looking at it. It was the least productive unbeaten run ever.
 
They've won 8, drawn 2 and lost 3 this season without Zlatan.

That would give you a 2 point average a game in the league. Which is ever so slightly better than they've done over the course of the season

He's only been unavailable for 3 games in the league. Those 3 games resulted in 1 win and 2 draws.
 
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