With more than 300 club goals in a career that has spanned the top leagues in Europe, new Manchester United recruit Zlatan Ibrahimovic is understandably one of the most talked about Fantasy prospects ahead of the new season.
But with no Premier League experience and age no longer on his side, it remains to be seen whether this 34-year-old legend will finish 2016/17 as a success or a failure.
With this in mind and on the eve of his expected appearance in the Community Shield, we ask our team of contributors the “Burning Question” – “Is Ibrahimovic essential?”
“Dufflinks” aka Simon March (2014/15 FPL Champion) says…
I’m tempted to say ‘Zlatan isn’t essential, essential is Zlatan’ but, in all seriousness, no, I don’t think he is essential, not from the start at least.
What he is, however, is a neat, albeit expensive, solution to the Manchester United ‘coverage’ conundrum.
There is, of course, bags of potential in the United supporting cast; Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Anthony Martial, all of whom are cheaper than Ibrahimovic. However, for one reason or another, none inspire as much confidence in me as, well, Zlatan’s confidence in himself does.
If we assume that Aguero is a given for most teams, Ibrahimovic up alongside him means a heavy outlay on the forward line. But there are plenty of viable mid-priced midfield options available at the moment, making it possible to include Ibrahimovic while maintaining a decent quality balance throughout. He also offers an obvious rotating captaincy alternative to Aguero, that is, if it’s ever actually a good idea to rotate away from Aguero.
Obviously Ibrahimovic is untested in the Premier League and, at 34, his best years may well be behind him but, right now, it’s feels better to be on his side and that’s good enough for me to take a chance on him from the start.
Evs says…
Every year I get romanced by a new player joining the Premier League with a good reputation, heavy price tag, or ‘superstar’ status.
This can sometimes work out well with the likes of Luis Suarez at Liverpool, or Swansea’s Michu but it can often end in tears and I’m quickly trying to offload the likes of Radamel Falcao or Memphis Depay by Gameweek 3.
This season my head is being turned again, and this time it’s by the Big Swede.
We all know the reputation that Zlatan arrives with, an eye for goals and glory. With 302 goals in 484 games accomplished over five leagues that’s more than a goal every other game. His worse spell was still impressive, when he managed 23 goals in 70 games for Juventus. At international level too his strike rate is a goal every two games.
So we know he has a solid goal scoring pedigree.
Does he have the fixtures? Yes indeed, with visits to Bournemouth, Hull and Watford all within the first five Gameweeks.
So what’s not to like?
He is an unknown factor in the Premier League. Many have come here before with big reputations only to failed, with Andriy Shevchenko among notable fallen idols.
He has also joined a Manchester United side that has struggled to score goals. Plus he will be 35 in October and costs a whopping 11.5
When you add Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero into that mix at 13.0, then drafting in both can seriously hurt the wallet and limit Fantasy choices elsewhere.
I like to go with two premium strikers up top from the get go, so unless Romelu Lukaku joins Chelsea I can’t see a better option at one of the top teams.
Despite his price tag and lack or Premier League experience it’s Zlatan time for me.
Mark says…
I’m going against the masses and remain reticent on the mighty Swede. His record is certainly intimidating, as are reports that he’s breaking all kinds of club records in terms of his physical attributes.
However, I’ve just got concerns about United’s transition under Mourinho and am cautious on the amount of goals that will come via Ibrahimovic.
In addition, Wayne Rooney has to be a factor given that Mourinho has laid his cards on the table on his guaranteed attacking role in the starting XI. Rooney may also retain spot-kicks.
With goals coming from Anthony Martial from the left and Marcus Rashford pushing for pitch time from the bench, I wonder if Ibrahimovic can dominate as he did at previous clubs.
For 0.5 less I can acquire Harry Kane and almost assure myself of 20-goal a season player, who seems unlikely to suffer rotation, even around Champions League ties.
Kane’s confidence after Euro 16 is a caveat, as is the arrival of Vincent Janssen who could push Kane into a deeper role. But I’m currently I’m favouring the Spurs man, even though I know that, with 30% ownership already, Ibrahimovic could rise out of sight within a matter of Gameweeks should he suggest he can replicate the potency he’s shown throughout his career.
Essential? No. A terrifying prospect if you choose to ignore him? Undoubtedly.
I’m wavering by the day and may yet let myself go with the tide.
Jonty says…
Currently, I would only place Sergio Aguero as deserving of essential status. He has the Premier League pedigree, high ownership, some good early fixtures and plays for an improving team on his side.
Ibrahamovic also ticks most of those boxes but sadly has no Premier League pedigree.
Due to his fantastic record across Europe’s elite leagues we can assume that the big Swede will do well, but currently it is just a hope for third of Fantasy Premier League managers who have drafted him in. While he may have scored 113 goals in 122 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain, 62 goals for Sweden and 28 goals in just one season with AC Milan it remains to be seen how he’ll cope with the Stoke defence at the Britannia or a resolute Leicester backline.
Having said that, he is firmly in my FPL side due mainly to my tactic of ensuring my initial squad is flexible in the transfer market. Downgrading a failing 11.5m priced Ibrahomivic is easy. Harry Kane, Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Everton striker for now Romelu Lukaku are all within reach should this new Manchester United striker flop.
But should he hit the ground running, drafting him in could require surgery or even a very early wildcard. In addition, with such a hefty ownership ignoring him could leave Fantasy managers playing catch up for weeks to come.
Paul says…
Since Luis Suarez left Liverpool for Barcelona, I don’t subscribe to the idea of any player being “essential”.
A fit Sergio Aguero comes close but certainly not someone who is new to the Premier League and has managed just over 100 minutes of pre-season action so far.
Regardless, the big Swede’s ownership level is making him increasingly difficult to ignore. Ibrahimovic’s early strike against Galatasaray last week saw the number of transfers in soar dramatically – he was sitting in around 23-24% of sides at that point but now resides in over 34% as a result.
There’s a chance that if Ibrahimovic delivers against the likes of Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull in the first three fixtures, his bandwagon could go through the roof.
At that point, those who overlooked him will be scrambling for ways to free up cash before his price and ownership rocket – particularly over the first international break, when many will be reassessing their initial squads and could wield wildcards.
Given that he’s the second most popular player in the FPL game at present, it’s arguably safer to have him on board from the offset, though those who choose to ignore should keep a relatively loose structure to their squad and keep the door open for Zlatan.
Stilicho says…
I’ve spent too many winters dragging myself back from seven digit ranks not to approach Gameweek 1 without a healthy respect for my own stupidity.
All I want these days is to make it to the first international break in one piece; getting clever can wait until the starting line ups settle and the word “form” means something more useful than “what happened last weekend”.
With those modest aims in mind Ibrahimovic is essential for me, simply because I would rather have him and be wrong than not have him and be wrong, and the chances are I’m going to be wrong.
He’s got as decent a chance of starting as well as the obvious alternatives in that price bracket and if he gets off to a flier he’d be very difficult to bring in without major renovation. Conversely a switch to Kane, Rooney or Lukaku would be easy-peasy if it isn’t working out. It isn’t the most positive of approaches, but it beats another year of the armchair revenant routine.
Applebonkers says….
If you have any joy in your life you’ll start with Ibrahimovic.
He’s why kids start playing football and why adults keep watching it.
Being a scorer of great goals is irrelevant for us but being a consistently great goalscorer isn’t. What should elevate him above Harry Kane, and possibly even Sergio Aguero, is his assist record.
He has 55 OPTA assists in the last six seasons, which is around ten a season once rebound assists from that hammer of a right foot are factored in. Ignore the age, ignore the uncertainty of a new manager and a new league. This man isn’t your average Joe, he’s a leather jacket, which may not be essential but it will add some real swagger to your life.
