These shocking stats prove Ibrahimovic should be dropped
Oct 24, 2016 at 4:40 PM
Despite an explosive start to life at Manchester United, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s form has tailed off badly to the point that he has to be dropped for the midweek derby.
An impressive run of goals in August and September was followed by a drought, only interrupted by a routine header against Europa League minnows Zorya Luhansk. His ineffective performances have been obvious to everyone, besides Jose Mourinho, but the stats most certainly back it up.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s last 5 Premier League games:
23 shots
17 fouls committed
2 yellow cards
0 assists
0 goalsPoor run of form. pic.twitter.com/wMS2JOfgFX
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 23, 2016
Not contributing a single goal or assist in five just isn’t acceptable for a striker considering the prodigiously talented Marcus Rashford waiting in the literal wings. Considering his relationship with the Special One, there’s little to no chance of him visiting the substitutes’ bench.
Perhaps nobody in the Manchester United squad better typifies the problems that are currently afflicting the side than luckless striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The miss at the far post against Watford, the tame near post strike against Stoke and the wayward header at Liverpool preceded Ibrahimovic’s harmless header at Chelsea. The scoreline was only 1-0 at the time and, for the fifth successive Premier League game, Ibrahimovic spurned a routine opportunity.
Ibrahimovic is unlikely to be scrutinised as intensely as Wayne Rooney, whose poor form was over a lengthy period which dated back to Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season, but United are not scoring freely from open play in the Premier League and there is only so long they can countenance Ibrahimovic’s profligacy.
However, it might be time to start Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford at the tip of the arrow.
Sunday’s blank against Chelsea marked the fifth consecutive game he has failed to trouble the scorers in the English top flight.
That equals an unenviable record for the Swede, who last went so many minutes without a league goal six years ago while playing for AC Milan.
That cloud, however, may just have a silver lining – in the 2010-11 Serie A season he eventually recovered to score 14 league goals and lead his club to the Scudetto.
Meanwhile, despite being one of United’s brighter players, offensively at least, Paul Pogba didn’t have great figures either.
Paul Pogba failed to create a single chance in the No.10 role vs. Chelsea today.
Ineffective. pic.twitter.com/IKt8M5uvUF
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 23, 2016
While Zlatan, the man many predicted would be the signing of the season, languished up front, another early contender for that title had a storming display.
N’Golo Kante’s game by numbers vs. Man Utd:
88% pass accuracy
65 passes
5 interceptions
2 chances created
2 blocks
1 goalBox-to-box. pic.twitter.com/cjFTFQe1S7
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 23, 2016
Kante finally showed some of his title-winning form of last year, adding a well-taken goal along the way. United was left crying out for a man of his exploits and was in truth, embarrassed by Antonio Conte’s charges.