âLawroâ is not a fan of the big ZâŚ
:lol:
I feel particularly sorry for the Big Z and his fans tonight after yet another Champions League failure. There will be no gloating from this quarter.
Ho ho ho - that lazy gobshite did feck all last night.
Fella has talent but seems a real eejit.
Line from todayâs Gazetta: âSerie A is a tournament in which various teams compete, and then at the end Zlatan Ibrahimovic wins.â
:lol: :lol:
One more point for Milan and it will be another title for the great man.
A draw in Rome and Zlatan is the champion of Serie A again for the first time since 2009. Itâs Milanâs first title since 2004.
Thank you Zlatan for being part of the reason the great Milan are back where we belong.
Forza Milan 
Zlatan is a cunt end of, lock #thismothafuckingthread.
Zlatan is the 5th Swede to win the Scudetto with Milan. Asked to reveal when he knew theyâd win it, Zlatan said: âThe first dayâŚâ
What a man.
I believe Van Bommell now has 8 in 12 years. Zlatan deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as someone of Van Bommells talents.
And indeed he was in Rockoâs seemingly unpopular Blufferâs Guide to European Football thread the other day.
I wouldnt be needing to read a bluffer guide Bandage. <_<
Good piece on Zlatan from Michael Cox (Zonalmarking guy) on soccernet:
Ibrahimovic has earned the right to brag
In the aftermath of Milanâs title-clinching draw at Roma this past Saturday, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was asked when he truly knew his side were going to win the title. âFrom the first day,â he replied. It was a good example of why heâs often accused of being overconfident, but itâs easy to see why he was so convinced. This triumph is the eighth consecutive league title the Swede has won, a run sustained across five separate clubs, in three different countries. Itâs an extraordinary record.
There is still a large group who remain unconvinced by the Swede, however. A major reason for this doubt is Ibrahimovicâs Champions League record, particularly in the knockout stages against major clubs. Indeed, while Ibrahimovic has the Midas touch when it comes to league titles, he appears to have the opposite effect in Europe. In 2008-09, Barcelona won the Champions League when Ibrahimovic was at Inter. Then he joined Barcelona, and Inter triumphed. Now Ibrahimovic has left Barca, and theyâre once again in the final, while Ibrahimovic didnât make it past the second round with Milan.
Champions League performances count for a lot when it comes to a playerâs reputation, especially a reputation outside the playerâs own league. Many outside Italy wonât have seen Ibrahimovicâs excellent performances all season in Serie A and will judge him solely on the basis of a couple of high profile games against Tottenham. Although thereâs plenty to be said for showing your true quality in the biggest games, consistency across an entire season, while less likely to grab headlines, is what managers love. Itâs also what brings league trophies.
Ibrahimovicâs failings in the Champions League shouldnât be confused with failings in big games, per se, which is a frequent, if misplaced, criticism. Ibrahimovic is a master in big games â domestically, at least. He was the key player in this yearâs first Milan derby, causing his ex-Inter teammates all sorts of problems, as well as winning and scoring the decisive penalty. At Barcelona, he volleyed home the only goal of the game six minutes into his first-ever Clasico.
And a âbig gameâ is not just a match against a big club â itâs about the context of the encounter. On the final day of the 2007-08 season, for example, Inter needed a win away at Parma to be sure of the league title. Ibrahimovic had been out for seven weeks with a knee injury, but bravely entered play in the 51st minute to score the only two goals of the game, while barely able to sprint properly. That was a big game.
In his time in Italy, Ibrahimovic has been a joy to watch. His all-round play and touch on the ball is wonderful, and heâs among the most skillful players to have plied his trade in Serie A. Take his ludicrous overhead pass with the outside of his foot against Lazio a couple of years back. Extravagant? Definitely. Pointless? Perhaps. But itâs certainly enjoyable, and in a slow league that is sometimes overly concerned with strategy, Ibrahimovic adds a touch of flair. When thatâs coupled with a willingness to do the scrappy things, and a potency in front of goal, you have an all-round fantastic striker.
However, the eight league titles to his name requires a caveat, because two of them won for Juventus were subsequently revoked after the calciopoli scandal in 2006. But a common counter-argument against Ibrahimovicâs run that he has simply turned up at already successful clubs and joined in the fun is unfair. Only at Barcelona did he join a club that had triumphed the previous season, with a slight exception for Inter, which was handed the 2005-06 title when Juventus was denied it. But Inter hadnât won the title outright for 18 seasons before Ibrahimovic joined. Milan hadnât won it for seven seasons until Sunday night. Only at Barcelona does the criticism stand up, and even then, itâs not much of an argument.
Despite his continued success in Italy, it is that single season at Barcelona that may define Ibrahimovicâs career. It wasnât as much of a failure as some would have you believe. He scored 16 goals in 29 league games, of which only 23 were starts. Yes, any striker playing upfront for Barcelona should get a few goals, and yes, his all-round game didnât quite fit with the rest of the side. But that is by no means Ibrahimovicâs fault. Indeed, he was bought specifically because Barcelona wanted a plan B â a taller, more physical striker who could bring something different to their short-passing attacks.
Besides, when it really mattered in that semifinal against Inter, Pep Guardiola got his tactics wrong. Ibrahimovicâs static presence played into the hands of the ageing duo of Lucio and Walter Samuel, when a strikeforce based around Barcelonaâs quick, small, mobile players was surely the way to go from the start. As Inter dropped deeper and deeper, Ibrahimovic could have come off the bench to provide more of a physical presence in the box, as the pace of Barcelonaâs other forwards became less of a threat. Guardiola hasnât made many mistakes as a manager, but that was one â and Ibrahimovic unfairly got the blame. It was easier to point the finger at the expensive newcomer, rather than the manager who has been responsible for such success.
Milanâs manager, Max Allegri, has used him correctly this season, and Ibrahimovic has been the focal point in Milanâs title-winning side. Perhaps the big Swede needs a team that is based around him, both in terms of his playing style and his ego. And maybe he has learned from his time at Barcelona. âHe collaborates in the defensive phase and doesnât just exploit his technical and physical ability in attack, but moves in time with the team,â Milanâs legendary former manager Arrigo Sacchi told reporters earlier this season.
Of course, Ibrahimovic is only on loan at Milan, with no guarantee that he will be there next season. He said he wants to stay, Barcelona probably doesnât want him back and Milan vice-President Adriano Galliani has promised to buy him. Then again, Galliani said there was no chance of Ibrahimovic arriving in the first place back in August.
La Gazzetta dello Sport summed it up this week. âSerie A is a tournament in which various teams compete, and then at the end Zlatan Ibrahimovic wins.â
Serie A has finally got over its period of Inter dominance, but it canât shrug off the Ibra influence.
A somewhat balanced article on Zlatan from Mr Zonal Marking. Iâve bolded the key parts and accurate parts:
Ibrahimovic has earned the right to brag
By Michael Cox
In the aftermath of Milanâs title-clinching draw at Roma this past Saturday, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was asked when he truly knew his side were going to win the title. âFrom the first day,â he replied. It was a good example of why heâs often accused of being overconfident, but itâs easy to see why he was so convinced. This triumph is the eighth consecutive league title the Swede has won, a run sustained across five separate clubs, in three different countries. Itâs an extraordinary record.
There is still a large group who remain unconvinced by the Swede, however. A major reason for this doubt is Ibrahimovicâs Champions League record, particularly in the knockout stages against major clubs. Indeed, while Ibrahimovic has the Midas touch when it comes to league titles, he appears to have the opposite effect in Europe. In 2008-09, Barcelona won the Champions League when Ibrahimovic was at Inter. Then he joined Barcelona, and Inter triumphed. Now Ibrahimovic has left Barca, and theyâre once again in the final, while Ibrahimovic didnât make it past the second round with Milan.
Champions League performances count for a lot when it comes to a playerâs reputation, especially a reputation outside the playerâs own league. Many outside Italy wonât have seen Ibrahimovicâs excellent performances all season in Serie A and will judge him solely on the basis of a couple of high profile games against Tottenham. Although thereâs plenty to be said for showing your true quality in the biggest games, consistency across an entire season, while less likely to grab headlines, is what managers love. Itâs also what brings league trophies.
Ibrahimovicâs failings in the Champions League shouldnât be confused with failings in big games, per se, which is a frequent, if misplaced, criticism. [b]Ibrahimovic is a master in big games â domestically, at least. He was the key player in this yearâs first Milan derby, causing his ex-Inter teammates all sorts of problems, as well as winning and scoring the decisive penalty. At Barcelona, he volleyed home the only goal of the game six minutes into his first-ever Clasico.
And a âbig gameâ is not just a match against a big club â itâs about the context of the encounter. On the final day of the 2007-08 season, for example, Inter needed a win away at Parma to be sure of the league title. Ibrahimovic had been out for seven weeks with a knee injury, but bravely entered play in the 51st minute to score the only two goals of the game, while barely able to sprint properly. That was a big game.
In his time in Italy, Ibrahimovic has been a joy to watch. His all-round play and touch on the ball is wonderful, and heâs among the most skillful players to have plied his trade in Serie A. Take his ludicrous overhead pass with the outside of his foot against Lazio a couple of years back. Extravagant? Definitely. Pointless? Perhaps. But itâs certainly enjoyable, and in a slow league that is sometimes overly concerned with strategy, Ibrahimovic adds a touch of flair. When thatâs coupled with a willingness to do the scrappy things, and a potency in front of goal, you have an all-round fantastic striker.
However, the eight league titles to his name requires a caveat, because two of them won for Juventus were subsequently revoked after the calciopoli scandal in 2006. But a common counter-argument against Ibrahimovicâs run that he has simply turned up at already successful clubs and joined in the fun is unfair. Only at Barcelona did he join a club that had triumphed the previous season, with a slight exception for Inter, which was handed the 2005-06 title when Juventus was denied it. But Inter hadnât won the title outright for 18 seasons before Ibrahimovic joined. Milan hadnât won it for seven seasons until Sunday night. Only at Barcelona does the criticism stand up, and even then, itâs not much of an argument.
Despite his continued success in Italy, it is that single season at Barcelona that may define Ibrahimovicâs career. It wasnât as much of a failure as some would have you believe. He scored 16 goals in 29 league games, of which only 23 were starts. Yes, any striker playing upfront for Barcelona should get a few goals, and yes, his all-round game didnât quite fit with the rest of the side. But that is by no means Ibrahimovicâs fault. Indeed, he was bought specifically because Barcelona wanted a plan B â a taller, more physical striker who could bring something different to their short-passing attacks.
Besides, when it really mattered in that semifinal against Inter, Pep Guardiola got his tactics wrong. Ibrahimovicâs static presence played into the hands of the ageing duo of Lucio and Walter Samuel, when a strikeforce based around Barcelonaâs quick, small, mobile players was surely the way to go from the start. As Inter dropped deeper and deeper, Ibrahimovic could have come off the bench to provide more of a physical presence in the box, as the pace of Barcelonaâs other forwards became less of a threat. Guardiola hasnât made many mistakes as a manager, but that was one â and Ibrahimovic unfairly got the blame. It was easier to point the finger at the expensive newcomer, rather than the manager who has been responsible for such success.
Milanâs manager, Max Allegri, has used him correctly this season, and Ibrahimovic has been the focal point in Milanâs title-winning side. Perhaps the big Swede needs a team that is based around him, both in terms of his playing style and his ego. And maybe he has learned from his time at Barcelona. âHe collaborates in the defensive phase and doesnât just exploit his technical and physical ability in attack, but moves in time with the team,â Milanâs legendary former manager Arrigo Sacchi told reporters earlier this season.
Of course, Ibrahimovic is only on loan at Milan, with no guarantee that he will be there next season. He said he wants to stay, Barcelona probably doesnât want him back and Milan vice-President Adriano Galliani has promised to buy him. Then again, Galliani said there was no chance of Ibrahimovic arriving in the first place back in August.
La Gazzetta dello Sport summed it up this week. âSerie A is a tournament in which various teams compete, and then at the end Zlatan Ibrahimovic wins.â
Serie A has finally got over its period of Inter dominance, but it canât shrug off the Ibra influence.[/b]
Michael Cox is a freelance writer for ESPN.com. He also runs zonalmarking.net.
Good post Bandage. Needed saying twice.
:lol:
I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the greatest striker on the planet - over the past few months my interest in Ac Milan has diminished somewhat partly due to the form of the superb Edinson Cavani and partly due to the fact that the great man himself got injured at the beginning of the season. I realise that this was a rash decision and I was wrong to do this. The joy I experienced tonight watching the big man score AC Milanâs third goal tonight made me remember why I love this game so much
To Zlatan
No doubt he will fire AC to another Scudetto this season 
Donât tell me. Let me guess. This no mark has scored again.