Is Zlatan's injury a blessing in disguise for Man United?

Aditya Devavrat 16:34 23/04/2017
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  • The sight of Zlatan Ibrahimovic limping off at the end of the 90 minutes during Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Anderlecht on Thursday cast a pall over the Red Devils’ progression to the Europa League semi-finals. Although the club has not given any definitive news on the injury, various media reports have suggested that Ibrahimovic will be out until January 2018.

    For a team that has been dependent on Ibrahimovic’s output, almost to a fault, the news is a severe blow. Ibrahimovic has accounted for 37 goals this season, scoring a remarkable 28 at the age of 35, 17 of which have come in the Premier League.

    Given that no other United player has scored more than 10 goals this season, it goes without saying that Ibrahimovic will be a big miss.

    And it’s not just the goals. Zlatan has been the focal point of United’s attack all season long. He’s excellent at holding up the ball, he’s dominant in the air, and he frequently creates chances for his teammates – indeed, with nine assists, he tops the United charts.

    More than that, for a team that had, by its lofty standards, been fairly average in the three seasons before this, Ibrahimovic’s immense self-belief and confidence has been a boon. Even veteran players like Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney have credited Ibrahimovic with instantly lifting the dressing room with his presence.

    Meanwhile, young attacking players like Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Jesse Lingard have been given the opportunity to learn from one of the best. From the way he dedicates himself in training to his knowledge and experience of the game, Zlatan has been a wonderful mentor for United’s young strikers.

    Now, those youngsters have the chance to prove that Ibrahimovic’s injury is not the end of the world for Jose Mourinho’s side.

    The Swede’s all-around qualities have been masking an uncomfortable truth for a while: Ibrahimovic’s goals may have kept United afloat this season, but his misses have led to the team dropping points they had no business dropping.

    Ibrahimovic started this season on a tear not only in terms of his goals but his clinicality, as well – at one point early in the season, he had converted over 60% of his chances. But his conversion rate has plummeted, especially compared to other leading strikers.

    Ibrahimovic’s chance conversion rate is only marginally more than half that of Romelu Lukaku, the league’s leading scorer. And the Swede has missed more clear-cut chances than any other player in the league.

    It’s not too hard to pinpoint the games in which Ibrahimovic blatantly cost United points. The 0-0 draw against Liverpool at Anfield in October, hailed as a creditable point against a high-flying attack, could have been a classic smash-and-grab instead. But Ibrahimovic fluffed his lines when presented with the game’s best chance – a point-blank header late in the game when completely unmarked.

    That’s far from the only time Ibrahimovic’s misses have been the difference between a win and a draw (or loss). Against Burnley at home, the Swede had 12 shots, more than anyone else, but failed to find the net, and missed one of the best chances of the game when a Paul Pogba cross found him unmarked at the back post. That game ended in a 0-0 draw.

    There was the missed penalty in a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, a missed chance in a 0-0 draw against Hull City, and several misses in a 1-1 draw against West Ham – all at home.

    Meanwhile, United showed last Sunday that they could produce a great game of football even without their talismanic striker.

    With Ibrahimovic rested, a strike force of Rashford and Lingard caused all sorts of problems against league leaders Chelsea, with Rashford scoring and both youngsters hassling and pressing the Chelsea defence.

    It was the sort of performance that wouldn’t have been possible with Ibrahimovic on the pitch, simply because he doesn’t have the legs to incessantly press an opposition defence, or constantly make runs to get in behind a back-line.

    Rashford, in particular, offers hope for United in Ibrahimovic’s absence. The 19-year-old was always going to struggle to hit the heights of his remarkable first season, but in many ways this year has been much more significant for the youngster.

    Rashford’s all-around game has developed thanks to his move out wide to accommodate Ibrahimovic, as he’s become one of the best crossers of the ball in United’s squad, and he’s honed his ability to beat defenders with either pace or trickery.

    There’s no doubt his game has improved this season, and the stats back that up. Compared to last year, Rashford’s stats per 90 minutes for chances created (1.05 this season to 0.63 last season), successful take-ons (44.74% to 26.47%), and pass completion (79% to 77%) are all up.

    He’s also in form, having scored in each of his last three games, which includes two Premier League appearances – after enduring a league goal drought that stretched back to September – and the extra-time winner that put United in the Europa League semi-finals.

    Ibrahimovic’s absence also gives Anthony Martial the chance to step up and display the talent that made him a hero at Old Trafford last season. Martial’s comparatively poor defensive work rate is largely the reason Jose Mourinho does not completely trust the Frenchman, but there’s no doubting the youngster’s ability in attack.

    Rashford, Martial, and Jesse Lingard offer a clear way forward for Mourinho in the closing stages of the season. Assuming that Rashford is now the first-choice central striker, then, against a team like Burnley, United’s opponents on Sunday, Martial could join Henrikh Mkhitaryan as the players flanking Rashford. Their pace and trickery would help United get behind an obstinate Burnley defence.

    Meanwhile, against Manchester City, Arsenal, Celta Vigo, and Tottenham, whom United face in successive away games, Mourinho can replicate the Chelsea blueprint: Rashford and Lingard up front to press the opposition defence and provide pace for United counter-attacks.

    There was a time when an injury to Zlatan Ibrahimovic seemed like it could derail Manchester United’s season. Now, though, it may just be a blessing in disguise.

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