Zlatan’s MLS Debut | The Boneyard

Zlatan’s MLS Debut

intlzncster

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In true Zlatan fashion, scores an absolute worldy on his debut, and as if that wasn’t enough, heads in the winner in extra time. Gotta love this guy.

Soccer needs more Zlatan's.

 
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he's one of a kind. announcers kind of cheapened the moment by saying how good it is for MLS. just let it happen in the context of the game
 
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He scored 17 league goals in 28 games last year for Man United, he’s still a very good striker when healthy.
Yes "when healthy", albeit 37 and stuff breaking down typically may not be a great combo. Granted, Ibrahimovic appeared several inches taller than other players and the linked picture suggests he's not exactly lacking in muscle tone. As Zlatan plays more than 20 minutes a game over the course of a season, observing how well he plays and holds up physically may reveal more about both MLS quality of play and his durability.
 
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I mean, no, he's 36, lol.

But, I was referring more to the "The MLS is still that bad?" part

The majority of new DPs are young South American players, as they should be. The MLS is actually correctly moving away, in general, from signing aging stars from Europe.

But Zlatan is an exception. He has the level still, AND you cannot turn down the marketing spectacle that he is. Bad take to me to see his signing as "same old MLS retirement league." He's actually not even a DP and is making a relatively modest $1.5M. He's a great signing for LA & MLS.
 
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I mean, no, he's 36, lol.

But, I was referring more to the "The MLS is still that bad?" part

The majority of new DPs are young South American players, as they should be. The MLS is actually correctly moving away, in general, from signing aging stars from Europe.

But Zlatan is an exception. He has the level still, AND you cannot turn down the marketing spectacle that he is. Bad take to me to see his signing as "same old MLS retirement league." He's actually not even a DP and is making a relatively modest $1.5M. He's a great signing for LA & MLS.

When they stop signing these guys in their last contract and they don’t NEED to then we can stop with the same old retirement league talk. Last season it was Schweinsteiger who often looked like the only real soccer player on the field when he played but is no longer desirable in the big leagues in Europe.
 
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Ezequiel Barco, Jesus Madina, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Darwin Quintero, Andre Horta, Ager Aketxe, Kaku, Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi, Felipe Gutierrez

All signed for this season. None aging European stars.

Nemanja Nikolic was a much better player for the Fire last year too, lol.
 
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Ezequiel Barco, Jesus Madina, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Darwin Quintero, Andre Horta, Ager Aketxe, Kaku, Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi, Felipe Gutierrez

All signed for this season. None aging European stars.

Nemanja Nikolic was a much better player for the Fire last year too, lol.

Not based on what I saw. Sporting’s Hungarian is a better player.

It simply doesn’t matter that those players were signed.

Good leagues don’t sign retirement players. MLS still actively targets them so it is still subject to the retirement league criticism.

Meanwhile MLS’s troglodyte managers let their young American talent rot on the bench and in USL, and USL is not a professional environment...
Anyone who thinks so is delusional. USL min pay is like 20k a season or less.
 
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Not based on what I saw. Sporting’s Hungarian is a better player.

Salloi? Uhh... ok....

It simply doesn’t matter that those players were signed.

Good leagues don’t sign retirement players. MLS still actively targets them so it is still subject to the retirement league criticism.

Meanwhile MLS’s troglodyte managers let their young American talent rot on the bench and in USL, and USL is not a professional environment...
Anyone who thinks so is delusional. USL min pay is like 20k a season or less.

The issue with the Pirlos/Lampards/Schweinsteigers/Kakas, etc is that they were getting $5-6M per year contracts to come over. And taking up DP slots. Zlatan is on a paltry contract by comparison, and more importantly, has become the exception instead of the rule on DP signings.

There's plenty to criticize the MLS about in terms of the way they do things, but when MLS is on the front page of L'Equipe, naw, this was a great thing for the MLS. Do you not think Zlatan would have signed elsewhere this summer?
 
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I mean, no, he's 36, lol. But, I was referring more to the "The MLS is still that bad?" part.
Perhaps, yet you'll be incorrect on both fronts come October. Ibrahimovic will be 37 and MLS will still welcome a few too many retirees on the way out; some making teammates and competition look weak, others just shadows of their one-time selves.
 
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Salloi? Uhh... ok....



The issue with the Pirlos/Lampards/Schweinsteigers/Kakas, etc is that they were getting $5-6M per year contracts to come over. And taking up DP slots. Zlatan is on a paltry contract by comparison, and more importantly, has become the exception instead of the rule on DP signings.

There's plenty to criticize the MLS about in terms of the way they do things, but when MLS is on the front page of L'Equipe, naw, this was a great thing for the MLS. Do you not think Zlatan would have signed elsewhere this summer?

The issue is that MLS is a joke of a league. Single Entity, Salary Cap and all.
 
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Not really. Two goals in his first 15 minutes on a new team? That is a legitimate question.

No, it's not. LA signed a player who scored 17 goals in 28 games for Man U in the Premiership LAST SEASON. That, healthy, he could make a huge impact on an MLS game is hardly an indictment of MLS. The same thing could have happened if he played for PSG. The fact that you know that and still walk that path says something.
 

hardcorehusky

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Zlatan is a lion. We are mere mortals. Just ask him!!

He is a home run for MLS. He could have gone anywhere but chose to come here. He isn't doing it for the money(MLS money) and he is one of the best strikers in the last 20 years. He will bring eyeballs to the league, lead the way for more European players to come over and raise the level of play.
 
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Zlatan is a lion. We are mere mortals. Just ask him!!

He is a home run for MLS. He could have gone anywhere but chose to come here. He isn't doing it for the money(MLS money) and he is one of the best strikers in the last 20 years. He will bring eyeballs to the league, lead the way for more European players to come over and raise the level of play.

We’ll see. Leagues not connected to the UEFA Champions League have a limited ceiling. MLS isn’t even the best league in NA yet. So let’s not get too crazy. People have been saying the above about MLS every time they sign one of theses retirees.
 
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No, it's not. LA signed a player who scored 17 goals in 28 games for Man U in the Premiership LAST SEASON. That, healthy, he could make a huge impact on an MLS game is hardly an indictment of MLS. The same thing could have happened if he played for PSG. The fact that you know that and still walk that path says something.

Who also just recovered from a major injury..
 
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Oh look, I’m watching Sporting at LA and Ashley Cole, who must be 58 years old by now is wearing the Captain’s Armband for LA.

But please idiots, tell us how the MLS isn’t a retirement league.
 

Waquoit

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No, it's not. LA signed a player who scored 17 goals in 28 games for Man U in the Premiership LAST SEASON. That, healthy, he could make a huge impact on an MLS game is hardly an indictment of MLS. The same thing could have happened if he played for PSG. The fact that you know that and still walk that path says something.

But had only one pre-MLS goal THIS season. And no, the same thing would never have happened at PSG, he'd never see the pitch.
 

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