The thing is though, midfielders are different. Kante is rated as a great player and rightly so, but that is for his defensive play, he doesn't provide any crucial creativity or goals.
What was Pogba not permitted to do against Newcastle that he should have done?
If anything I think this thread show that people expect Pogba to perform Roy of the Rovers stuff every match because of his price tag.
He has shown that he has the ability to show his talent previously in big games and that is the very frustrating thing. It does raise questions regarding his mentality, drive and I guess confidence also. There is also certainly a growing case for Jose to answer regarding not getting the best out of attacking players.
I think it's more that he is overestimating our CM setup. Any fan can see Pogba is a truly elite player when he has time on the ball and movement around him - against better teams, especially those who press, he's often hugely ineffective, gets frustrated and has a poor game. I think Jose doesn't realize how poor (compared to our title rivals) our CM core is.
You are describing the attributes of a player that should be playing for the football equivalent of the harlem globetrotters.
Matic has been part of 2 title winning midfields. He partnered Kante to a league title just last year and Cesc also. That's a bit rich to be honest. shouldn't it be DIER/Dembele/Alli as Eriksen plays wide?
No I'm saying he needs players around him that can allow him space. Look at the game vs Spurs - they swamped the central midfield + were all over him. He never got the ball in space, never was allowed to turn and had a rotter of a game.
Well all players look better with good players around them, tbf Matic isn't exactly like playing John O'Shea in midfield.
I'm not digging out Matic FYI if you've taken it that way (not sure re the John O'Shea reference as I rate Matic). I do think our CM area is a massive weakness though.
What if the opposition specifically plan for him to not have space, man mark him and take him out of the game. Do we send in a protest to the FA?
Should we dismiss his performances against Bayern, Madrid etc too because it wasn't against Chris Brunt etc?
I agree with you that he’s had big performances but again, those Bayern and Madrid games you mention are champions league, that’s a different pace to the prem, slower and more ‘European’
I think that Bayern tie was pretty fast paced and Pogba like @giorno mentioned in his post stood up and delivered a performance making Javi Martinez not look very good.
Is he though?
How can anyone say that Pogba isn't suited to the premiere league; he is a physical monster both in stature and stamina.
Yeah it should. I was going to post the same earlier. Some of the selective reasoning on here has been unbelievably poor on here recently.
What's more damning is our squad is last placed on distance covered from the whole Premier league, yet Pogba stands out as having either low stamina and fintess levels or just being downright lazy compared to the rest of the team.
Matic is also currently in the top 5 players in the league for most kilometers in total so he is doing more than he should for covering the whole midfield and it is affecting his performances. I don't understand how Mourinho is making the same mistake with him for the second time in a row, just like at Chelsea, where he burned out.
Now you are just shifting goalposts. You insinuated that Pogba wasn't that good at Juve or for France, and that is what I'm calling utter nonsense. I never said he didn't put in a shift a Juve or for France. Again this is a straw man that doesn't apply to what we are discussing. The main point is Pogba has performed at an elite level in a midfield 3. I don't understand how this is even debatable.
In an earlier post, I said you need great players AND the correct tactics. Manchester United are lacking in both. The signing of Sanchez was a good start, but I will bet a large sum of money if Manchester United add another quality midfielder AND play Pogba in a midfield 3 you will see a dramatic uptick in form.
This complete undervaluing what he means to Manchester United, especially from a creative perspective. Do you not remember how posters on this very board were moaning about the lack of creativity when he was injured or am I imagining this? Did he not completely boss Arsenal?
That's his playstyle, he is a flair player.
You've completely missed my point. I want us to sign another CM to take pressure/focus off him. We can write to the FA but it'll do F.A.....see what I did there?
I didn't miss your point, i just don't agree with it. Pogba's style of play invites pressure from teams who press hard, instead of moving the ball quickly he looks to hold it, he makes himself a target.
The problem with ours is they tend to be pretty short with the good spells, whereas some teams will have important players hitting form for a large chunk of the season. Does seem Pogba was affected by his injury unfortunately.
Sure they do. Maybe he can first match the performance levels of his team mates. It would be a good start.Nothing would change. teams would simply allow Dier and Matic (2 slow movers, slow passers with little skill) and swamp Pogba. It may even be worse with no number 10 outlet.
Bingo. That's what Juve had. Both Pirlo and Vidal need to be stopped for different reasons. Vidal with his bullet shot, Pirlo with his vision and passing. Naingollan would be a shout if he stopped smoking and being an ass (he can run with it and shoot), Vidal too, basically a Roy Keane type, someone who is great on and off the ball and makes Pogba's life super super easy. Pjanic is one I have always liked although he is different style.
You can't disagree with a point when you don't understand it. Not in a provocative way but you still haven't understood what I'm saying. The poster above gets it.
No, I do understand your point, it is hardly difficult, again I just don't agree with it.
So you'd say Pogba has not yet matched the performance level of his teammates since he joined United? Dragging the average level of the team down?
No worse. They want a Scott fecking Parker!
No they want a so called world class player to actually take the scruff of a game, particularly important ones, & impose himself on it as a world class player does. Not prance around the pitch.
Since he joined? No, not at all. On Sunday, absolutely.
