Kamikaze Blue Man Utd and Man City both have missed easy chances. Look at Ibrahimovich goal against Sunderland out of nothing. We missed 200 chances easier then that this season in the league. I think we both missed around 40 big chances which are expected to go in. I think we are 20th in conversion rate of big chances and Ibrahimovich is mainly responsible .

Ibrahimovic is statistically one of the worst striker in the league of strikers to score over 10 goals.

Alli has scored 16 league goals, if Ibrahimovic had Alli chances he would probably on 4 league goals this season.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/really-stats-have-man-utd-ace-zlatan-worst-striker-in-premier-league-4149317
The only reason he was scoring so much was because he was having so many chances. Now he did become more clinical after that period but still he has cost us probably 14 points this season with inept finishing. A major reason for the draws is the so nearly moments and Ibrahimovich is part of that. Its so strange he has scored 0 goals in games he should have scored 4 or 5, and scored 1 goal in games he should have had 2 or 3 easily but then scores 2 goals in games he has 2 shots on goal lol. Such a strange player.

I think the Bailly signing is a big plus too.... already had a good season and plenty more to come

comment by Neutral Fan (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 45 minutes ago
comment by Robb : the Martin Samuel of ja606 (U21234)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by devilsknight101 (U4670)
posted 4 minutes ago
To be honest, I'm struggling to see many positives from the season. Our attacking play is quite painful to watch sometimes. Several times on Sunday we were counter attacking and it just fizzled out. A poor pass or poor decision and the chance was gone. We just aren't clinical. Our midfield looks disjointed, Fellaini is just an awful player, Herrera huffs and puffs and only ever has the occasional decent game, Carrick clearly can't influence games like he used to, Miki had a poor start, then had a purple patch, and now looks disinterested at times. Even when he scored on Sunday he almost forgot to celebrate. Our wing play is poor, mainly because we have centre forwards playing there and they're always trying to cut inside. We have no-one who can cross the ball/take corners/take free kicks into the box. And then there's Pogba. I'm desperately trying to find positives in his game, but there just aren't any.

If it wasn't for big Zlatan, we'd be bottom half of the table having spent a kings ransom, and he was a free transfer.

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We wouldn't be bottom half of the table. That's a ludicrous thing to say
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Zlatan got you 13 points, so you would sit 8th because of GD, level points with WBA. Robb is correct.
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It's all hyperthetical. If Zlatan hadn't scored on Sunday when he did would we have gone on to win the game? Goals change games. Maybe we wouldn't be in the bottom half, but points wise we'd be closer to the relegation zone than top 4.

comment by Robb : the Martin Samuel of ja606 (U21234)
posted 8 hours, 55 minutes ago
Jose will bring in a fair few players

He indicated the other day the next two transfer windows will be very important

He'll likely bring in at least another 4/5 players this summer

Hopefully this lot do better than the 6 LVG brought in in his second season
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He's certainly changed his tune.

Earlier in the season he was suggesting most of the work was done, and was talking about the importance of stability in the dressing room and not making too many changes. (And I agreed with him.)

Two days ago he said this:

"What we have now is not bad at all but if you ask me how far we are from having the team I want, it's far. Very far.

"We had just one transfer window. We didn't use the second one. We need a transfer window again. Definitely we need to improve, in terms of our squad."

I agree we need to improve; you always need to improve.

But I don't want to see wholesale changes. It isn't needed, and it isn't good for the dressing room.

He needs to coach, and get the most he can out of the players at his disposal. We know that we can see a lot more than we have from the midfield and attacking units as cohesive bodies, and individually from all of Rashford, Martial, Mkhi, Pogba, Smalling and Shaw, at least.

For me, we need to add three players that will improve the first team - a left winger, and two central midfielders (one to play behind Pogba and Herrera to ball win and distribute, and one to compete with Herrera). I wouldn't be against adding a young right back to share time with Valencia.

But I don't want to see a cycling of squad players. Jose has a good squad to build on.

I'd imagine we need one more reliable CB

Maybe a left back but I'd gladly see Shaw have a storming end of the season to make Jose keep faith for another season. I'm very happy with Valencia at right back

In midfield a Carrick replacement and is just be happy with that as you all know I don't mind Fellaini as a squad option nor seemingly does Jose

I'd bring in a winger and a striker

So 4/5 players

I know people think Jose inherited a good squad but I disagree. It's not awful by any stretch but Jose had a certain quality he demands from his players and I'm not sure they all do. I don't just mean talent. More the mentality.

Did LVG have the squad underperforming or overperforming then Robb? Surely if it was a poor squad, LVG didn't have them playing too badly.

I disagree with your assessment. LVG had - and Mourinho inherited - a decent squad. It still needs work, particularly in midfield with Schneiderlin and Schweiny moved on and Carrick in semi- or full retirement this summer.

But we have very good centreback options. Name one other club in the PL that has as strong options as we do in Bailly, Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Blind, TFM and Tuanzebe. I honestly don't think anyone else is even close.

We have seven players who can play left back. Seven. One of those seven we can get up to speed.

Up top there are the questions of Ibra and Rooney. If either goes we'll need a replacement. But the idea that it isn't possible to win the PL with an attack with the talents of Ibra, Martial, Rashford, Mkhi, Mata and Rooney is crazy. Of course it is.

You can create 100 chances a game but if no one scores them you won't win, it's that simple

Fellaini has 18th highest total performance score this season in our squad but probably the worst performance score per game record lol according to Squawka,

All you do is Squawka Hafi

comment by kneerash-23 Cara Gold (U6876)
posted 6 minutes ago
You can create 100 chances a game but if no one scores them you won't win, it's that simple


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Truth !!!

We do have one player on 28 for the season tbf but the rest just haven't delivered in front of goal. Not been good enough.

Luckily we have a lot of money and a manager who can attract top talent and isn't afraid of going getting somebody to change games.

I don't like Squawka lol but on this I liked it to show Robb up.

comment by Neutral Fan (U1250)
posted 4 hours, 4 minutes ago
comment by Robb : the Martin Samuel of ja606 (U21234)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by devilsknight101 (U4670)
posted 4 minutes ago
To be honest, I'm struggling to see many positives from the season. Our attacking play is quite painful to watch sometimes. Several times on Sunday we were counter attacking and it just fizzled out. A poor pass or poor decision and the chance was gone. We just aren't clinical. Our midfield looks disjointed, Fellaini is just an awful player, Herrera huffs and puffs and only ever has the occasional decent game, Carrick clearly can't influence games like he used to, Miki had a poor start, then had a purple patch, and now looks disinterested at times. Even when he scored on Sunday he almost forgot to celebrate. Our wing play is poor, mainly because we have centre forwards playing there and they're always trying to cut inside. We have no-one who can cross the ball/take corners/take free kicks into the box. And then there's Pogba. I'm desperately trying to find positives in his game, but there just aren't any.

If it wasn't for big Zlatan, we'd be bottom half of the table having spent a kings ransom, and he was a free transfer.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

We wouldn't be bottom half of the table. That's a ludicrous thing to say
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zlatan got you 13 points, so you would sit 8th because of GD, level points with WBA. Robb is correct.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh I forgot that we would have had to play with 10 men if Zlatan wasn't at the club. Also who's to say all those chances missed by Zlatan that have cost us points wouldn't have been converted by another player?

comment by The Process (U20671)
Also who's to say all those chances missed by Zlatan that have cost us points wouldn't have been converted by another player?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
i doubt we'd have improved without him, but this point is often overlooked, as is the quality of the back up. eg take costa out of chelsea and they either play with batshuayi or no striker; take kane out of the team and either janssen gets an extended run, or son gets pushed up top. take lukaku out and i don't even know who everton's back up striker is.

but rashford would probably get 10-15 goals if he played all season as the no.9 - though he might be knackered by the end of it - so anyone suggesting that united - zlatan = relegation is just wumming.

comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
Also who's to say all those chances missed by Zlatan that have cost us points wouldn't have been converted by another player?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
i doubt we'd have improved without him, but this point is often overlooked, as is the quality of the back up. eg take costa out of chelsea and they either play with batshuayi or no striker; take kane out of the team and either janssen gets an extended run, or son gets pushed up top. take lukaku out and i don't even know who everton's back up striker is.

but rashford would probably get 10-15 goals if he played all season as the no.9 - though he might be knackered by the end of it - so anyone suggesting that united - zlatan = relegation is just wumming.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not sure we'd have improved but he's scored 17 times in the league but also missed 17 clear cut chances. Now another striker may not have had those but we don't know.

My honest opinion is that of Lukaku played for us he'd have scored at least as much league goals for as he has for Everton. I'd welcome him in the summer

comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
Also who's to say all those chances missed by Zlatan that have cost us points wouldn't have been converted by another player?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
i doubt we'd have improved without him, but this point is often overlooked, as is the quality of the back up. eg take costa out of chelsea and they either play with batshuayi or no striker; take kane out of the team and either janssen gets an extended run, or son gets pushed up top. take lukaku out and i don't even know who everton's back up striker is.

but rashford would probably get 10-15 goals if he played all season as the no.9 - though he might be knackered by the end of it - so anyone suggesting that united - zlatan = relegation is just wumming.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Did anyone say we'd be relegated?

comment by devilsknight101 (U4670)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Did anyone say we'd be relegated?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
i've seen it mentioned by quite a few people...maybe not on here, haven't read the whole thread

Look the fact is no one knows how we'd have done without Zlatan but I think it's fair to say anyone who think we'd be lower than 5th-6th is off their heads.

If we hadn't got Zlatan we'd have gotten another top striker in. It wouldn't have been Rashford leading the line.

comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 5 minutes ago
Look the fact is no one knows how we'd have done without Zlatan but I think it's fair to say anyone who think we'd be lower than 5th-6th is off their heads.

If we hadn't got Zlatan we'd have gotten another top striker in. It wouldn't have been Rashford leading the line.
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So you're saying it's ok for you to speculate then but no-one else?

We finished 5th last season a few points off 2nd and we couldn't score much. Its the same this season can't score much and 5th place although this time a few points off 3rd.

I actually think if we had a strikeforce on form we would be top scorers and top of the league. Its hilarious you see pundits on ESPN FC, BBC and Sky and even BT Sport about Ibrahimovich carrying us but the reality is our players are carrying him. A lot of the chances he has had has been set up on a plate for him but he missed more times then he scores.

Now considering we have scored 46 while Chelsea scored 65 from a lot less shots and chances it shows most of our squad are crap at shooting. I evem said last season players like Fellaini, Lingard, Rooney, Memphis and even Martial who got into great positions but messed up are shocking at final finish. This season Martial scored a lot less mainly due to the way we play. He used to like having the ball all the time in the final third but now he has to work more defensively to get the ball and has bigger space to try to get in behind. The problem for us is this team has been set up to assist Ibrahimovic mainly.

comment by Chris H (U15205)
posted 10 hours, 52 minutes ago
Whatever the stats say, when I watch United I don't see a team creating loads and just failing to put chances away.

It just seems a typical JM team. Solid defence protected really well and deep from midfield, and a couple of stars going forward given license to try to win the game on their own.
_________________

On the whole, I agree with you. Not many United fans will though.

We went through a period of playing some great stuff but it didn't last that long.

Since then it is back to what you describe.




"comment by Kamikaze Blue (U7450)
posted 5 hours, 14 minutes ago
I think you have to be careful on the 'we create lots of chances' thing. Same is said at City. It's misleading. Failure to convert chances generally means that you lack pace and movement. The chances aren't good enough - it's not a strength, it's a weakness."
_________________

Spot on imo. I know that City fans have been complaining for a while about not taking enough chances as well. This is something thing that a lot of United fans don't seem to get. I.e. they think we are the only team that misses chances.

Also, every half chance has somehow become a "clear cut chance".......because Opta said so...So there.

Blind will probably end up playing for Real or Barca, I'd hate to see him go, he does have real quality. Pace is his downfall for a PL player, he'd thrive in Spain though. He still hasn't been given a shot at his natural DM position??