Yeah that was it cheers! absolutely love the guy. His ability 1v1 is the best of any CM right now. The little ball roll and check back just absolutely kills him
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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- Assists
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- Yellow cards
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- Red cards
- 1
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
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They also play in much more cohesive attacking teams riddled with world class attackers and with a DM behind them - three significant luxuries not afforded to Pogba at the moment.
It's much easier to play well in teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona than this current version of United. Put Modric or Kroos in this United side instead of Pogba and my bet is they'd struggle far more than Pogba has.
Put BBC or MSN in front of Pogba and his numbers would go through the roof.
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He has never done this to a high standard in his 5 year career. It is possible but I fear his 1st touch and decision making will hinder him ever doing that role to their level.
They simply wouldn't as his lower level is not as low as Pogba's wherein they can be a liability in matches. Their basic understanding of football and their respective roles are much higher than his and it not because of their teammates. Scholes played in poor United teams but you could still see he retained his basic quality when on the pitch.
What season? I don't recall him having a memorable tournament or stand out matches en route to the final.
Bayern away.
He was also named in UEFA team of the year and FIFA team of the year in 2015. He was good in CL in 2014-15 season when they made it to the finals, also he was very good against Bayern away in 2015-16 which they lost.
I couldn't disagree more. Pogba probably has the best first touch I have ever seen. With experience and a little bit of discipline(comes with experience), he'll get to Modric level.
I often feel like he is still too much in love with the ball and needs to find the pass for a good counter attack much faster. If Mou can get that out of him he will be an absolute monster for us.
First time I'm seeing someone talking about Pogba's first touch (in a negative way)
I agree, he sometimes over complicate things by not playing the easy pass. I think it comes down to mostly experience. Midfielders usually get better with time. The lad was 23 for the most part of last season. I think he'll improve with time.
But I also thought our forwards were to static last season. It wasn't easy to create chances. Pogba and Zlatan were burdened with doing most of the creative work. They almost always had to create chances out of nothing with individual brilliance. Think that played a part as well.
Pogba has a poor first touch? 
Poor first touch, poor decision making, poor in the CL, a liability..
Rarely has the word 'agenda' been more appropriate.
Rarely has the word 'agenda' been more appropriate.
Modric would tell you himself he struggled in his first season at Madrid more than Pogba at United.
That was due to league form. The Uefa technical study group did a squad of the tournament and Pirlo, Machisio, Buffon, Chiellini and Morata made the cut. This was for best players in champions league and is on their page. He didn't have a memorable tournament. Bayern away does not mean a player is overall good in the champions league.
Pogba has a poor first touch?
According to data, Pogba mis controlled the ball on average 2.6 times per league match. In the same data bank, Kroos mis-controlled the ball 0.3 times per league match, Modric 0.9 times, and Iniesta 0.6 times per match. I imagine that Scholes, Xavi et al would have similar numbers. I think Pogba will have a great career but previously it has been suggested that he can be like Modric, Iniesta, Kroos and I suggested that his decision making and ability to receive passes will hinder him from playing that role to that level.
Bayern away is for stand out matches.
So we have to ignore the FIFA team of the year award now?
2014-15 he had good season, he didn't make the UEFA squad as he missed few games because of injury, IIRC he had thigh injury during KO stages and missed games.
thus he did not have a memorable tournament did he? If he only showed much in the odd group game and nothing of note in the knock outs then.........Fifa Team of the year matters, my argument was that HE himself didn't have a memorable tournament worth shouting about.
Lingard - 1.1 per match
Messi - 1.4 per match.
Neymar - 2.6 per match
And I wouldn't say Lingard has better first touch than Messi and Neymar.
It's not in group game. He was stand out player against Dortmund, Madrid.
strikers receive a wider array of passes. some hit very firm, through balls, aerial balls. Lingard may well have a better 1st touch, you never know. As a centre mid, receiving the ball mostly from your defenders and midfield team mates, your control needs to be near perfect.
Those numbers don't tell you anything whatsoever if you don't provide the amount of times each of those players tried to control the ball per game.
Pogba wasn't just a midfielder who received ball from defenders, he was also pushed higher up the pitch when we hoofed the ball. Those numbers tells you nothing without context.
Pogba's first touch is class.
I have never imagined to see a discussion about Pogba's first touch but man, Caf always impress me.
If you want to go by data Pogba is a significantly superior player to Modric according to whoscored and squawka: far more creative, and more complete. He's higher rated than Kroos on whoscored too, but Kroos edges it on squawka. And again, this is playing in a significantly weaker team with significantly weaker attackers in front of him that scores significantly less goals.
I hope to see Pogba play live in the flesh one day
I saw Giggs and Januzaj and they were awesome to watch. Some things are better appreciated watching the players move on the pitch than on the telly
I saw Giggs and Januzaj and they were awesome to watch. Some things are better appreciated watching the players move on the pitch than on the telly
I don't use data to decide which player is better than whom as it isn't the be all and end all. My observation was that he can be a bit loose, his body strength bails him out often and the data pertaining to 'miss control' of a football, supports the theory.
Pogba's first touch It's quality for feck sake.
It's quality for feck sake.The first time I saw him at Old Trafford season just gone, just the warm ups with the ball showed enough to see his technique is a class apart. I became a believer after that.I hope to see Pogba play live in the flesh one day
I saw Giggs and Januzaj and they were awesome to watch. Some things are better appreciated watching the players move on the pitch than on the telly
You also have to consider what a player is attempting to achieve with his first touch. Simply trapping or stopping the ball like Kroos then playing it on comes with less risk and equally less reward that efforts to control the ball and knock it into your path in one motion to steal a yard on your opposition. This is something Pogba and Herrera do well and something Zidane was a master at.
Anyone who says Pogba has a bad first touch is fecking insane.
You description of his first touch is pretty much the description of a bad first touch.
I saw his (second) debut with us vs Southampton. One of his best games last season he was fantastic. He gave the ball away from his first pass though which was hilarious. The moans and laughs all mixed around OT when he did that. Was a funny momentI hope to see Pogba play live in the flesh one day
I saw Giggs and Januzaj and they were awesome to watch. Some things are better appreciated watching the players move on the pitch than on the telly
'can be' ,loose in possession isn't near the same as bad. extremist
What are these stats implying then?
I disagree. Without Pogba our midfield is shite.
In fact, Modric or Iniesta can't offer what Pogba brings to a game because he's unique.
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Unique only in physical aspect because otherwise there is still a clear difference between them in him in terms of footballing intelligence which is what matters most.
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