With as many as 30 games possibly still to come this season, will Zlatan reach 40+ goals?

Its ridiculous how well hes done, considering every other league he has played and scored in can be questioned standard wise... apart from Barca where things didnt fare out too well.

To come to the prem at 35 and lead the line for us, on a free, get Rooney out of the time and play practically every minute of every league game has been some achievement.

Best free transfer since the bosman ruling... nqat.

Originally Posted by rogieop

Its ridiculous how well hes done, considering every other league he has played and scored in can be questioned standard wise... apart from Barca where things didnt fare out too well.

To come to the prem at 35 and lead the line for us, on a free, get Rooney out of the time and play practically every minute of every league game has been some achievement.

Best free transfer since the bosman ruling... nqat.

Absolutely this.

£#%&!ing ridiculous to suggest he's been anything other than a success. Not many expected him to get anywhere near 20 in the whole season.

He's come into a transitional side, in one of the top leagues in the world, at 34 with nothing to prove to anyone and he's been a relentless threat. Has any other top striker in world football moved to a new (proper) league at his age and basically bossed it? Most are £#%&!ing off the MLS or retiring at his age.

He's not without his flaws, but £#%&! me, he's been ridiculously consistent and one of the big positives of the season. And he's as £#%&!.

Delighted we got him.

Probably not, but even 30 would be pretty amazing and way above what most of us would have expected (and settled for)

Baffles me that people are surprised. I know loads of people who don't ever watch the French league dismiss its quality, but Ligue 1 is traditionally one of the lowest scoring leagues in Europe. Even with PSG's dominance, to score 38 goals in 31 games suggested he still had it.

Whether he's good for the teams development is a different issue, and will become clearer in the next few months.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Baffles me that people are surprised. I know loads of people who don't ever watch the French league dismiss its quality, but Ligue 1 is traditionally one of the lowest scoring leagues in Europe. Even with PSG's dominance, to score 38 goals in 31 games suggested he still had it.

Whether he's good for the teams development is a different issue, and will become clearer in the next few months.

He's got that Ronaldo relentless streak. The confidence and belief that he will score whenever he's in and around the box. That surprised me.

Always expected him to have that quality, but I expected him to struggle with the league more than he has. To drift in and out of the season a bit. His failings are his own though.. The league hasn't bothered him at all. Bossing lumps like West Morgan from game one

Originally Posted by rogieop

Its ridiculous how well hes done, considering every other league he has played and scored in can be questioned standard wise... apart from Barca where things didnt fare out too well.

To come to the prem at 35 and lead the line for us, on a free, get Rooney out of the time and play practically every minute of every league game has been some achievement.

Best free transfer since the bosman ruling... nqat.

Spot on .

He's shown Rooney right up nqat .

Seen as how I backed him @ 10/1 to be topscorer then I can but hope

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Whether he's good for the teams development is a different issue, and will become clearer in the next few months.

'Teams development'.


He's a 35 year old who, to all intents and purposes, is still banging in the goals. Clearly he wasn't bought with 'development' in mind unless you're talking about his influence on the younger players in terms of attitude, which I imagine is considerable.

Given that Rashford can't hit a barn door with a cows arse, or something, at the moment, and Martial is having a little second season wobble, your little subby at Mourinho's apparent unwillingness to 'give the kids a chance' is pointless and well wide of the mark because neither of them would have close to Ibras strike rate if played up top for the same amount of games.


But yeah, Ibra, why not

Ibrahimovic develops the team by moving Rooney ever closer to the exit.

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

'Teams development'.


He's a 35 year old who, to all intents and purposes, is still banging in the goals. Clearly he wasn't bought with 'development' in mind unless you're talking about his influence on the younger players in terms of attitude, which I imagine is considerable.

Given that Rashford can't hit a barn door with a cows arse, or something, at the moment, and Martial is having a little second season wobble, your little subby at Mourinho's apparent unwillingness to 'give the kids a chance' is pointless and well wide of the mark because neither of them would have close to Ibras strike rate if played up top for the same amount of games.


But yeah, Ibra, why not

So don't question the development of the attacking end of team, because the two best attacking players from last year haven't developed much?

It's not that much use for Zlatan to get 25 league goals if the rest of the team get 30-odd between them.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

So don't question the development of the attacking end of team, because the two best attacking players from last year haven't developed much?

It's not that much use for Zlatan to get 25 league goals if the rest of the team get 30-odd between them.

Ok, so let me put it a different way: If Martial or Rashford, presumably the 2 players you're talking about, had played the same number of games up top then you think 'the team' would have scored as many or more than we have now with Ibra up there?

It's not about 'not questioning' the development, it's about recognising the fact that regardless of position played by and large both R&M have been fairly poor this year. They're young, they'll develop, but to suggest they've had their growth stunted is, in my opiniong of course, completely misguided and doesn't take into account the fact they are not fully developed players. Certianly neither one of them would have been able to handle the responsibility of being the main man up front. Rashford is obviously getting opportunities, and by all accounts Martial has had to give his head a £#%&!ing wobble given reports of personal issues and agent issues.


I think mourinho is handling their development quite well (selling memphis for example) but only time will tell, obviously.

He's balancing the need to get top 4 with development.

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

Ok, so let me put it a different way: If Martial or Rashford, presumably the 2 players you're talking about, had played the same number of games up top then you think 'the team' would have scored as many or more than we have now with Ibra up there?

It's not about 'not questioning' the development, it's about recognising the fact that regardless of position played by and large both R&M have been fairly poor this year. They're young, they'll develop, but to suggest they've had their growth stunted is, in my opiniong of course, completely misguided and doesn't take into account the fact they are not fully developed players. Certianly neither one of them would have been able to handle the responsibility of being the main man up front. Rashford is obviously getting opportunities, and by all accounts Martial has had to give his head a £#%&!ing wobble given reports of personal issues and agent issues.


I think mourinho is handling their development quite well (selling memphis for example) but only time will tell, obviously.

He's balancing the need to get top 4 with development.

The other option was to sign somebody else. The possibility of a versatile forward who could switch roles within games with Rashford and/or Martial is something that may be looked at down the line. If Griezmann comes in there will be chances to do that.

Calls on the youngsters development need to be made in time. It's been a season to forget for both so far though which is disappointing. Still a third of it left, so Martial in particular will have the chance to finish on a high note. Rashford needs more games as a striker. Give him both St Etienne matches imo.

I think Martial and particularly Rashford are developing fine. They both has the surprise element last year and they call it second season syndrome for a reason. A drop off is not a surprise.

Plenty of games left, plenty of chances and they'll get lots.

Cavani has 22 in 21 games and Falcao 14 in 17

Originally Posted by believe

Cavani has 22 in 21 games and Falcao 14 in 17

Quite a few pens from Falcy tbf. And he's not going to end up with 38.

Cavani is an excellent striker.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Quite a few pens from Falcy tbf. And he's not going to end up with 38.

Cavani is an excellent striker.

Yep. Looks like bellers trying to be a smart ass has backfired.

Originally Posted by itisme_panaflex

Yep. Looks like bellers trying to be a smart ass has backfired.

Absolutely. Hard to see it any other way.

Originally Posted by itisme_panaflex

Yep. Looks like bellers trying to be a smart ass has backfired.

Top three are 12 points clear half way through the season having scored on average more than 2 a game. It's worse than the Scottish league.

Originally Posted by believe

Top three are 12 points clear half way through the season having scored on average more than 2 a game. It's worse than the Scottish league.

Yeah, that's much worse than a league where the top one is 9 points clear

Poor bellers trying to get involved in an actual football conversation