I don't think so, but I do think we need a few more world class players, generally anyway if we want to be like we were, but it would also soften the blow should he get injured.
Are we becoming too dependent on Paul Pogba
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Take Herrera or Matic out and Pogba doesn't have the freedom to express himself and would be forced to care a lot more about his defensive responsibilities. We'd seen it happen against Burnley already.
Frankly people just have to accept that Pogba is not the only one whose absence would impact the team massively. This is a team game and all our key players play an important role. This team is very far from being a 1 man team, I don't even know why people are trying to push this narrative.
No its just that his star shines bright.
Alexis? I have a lot of faith in him especially if he gets a run of 7-8 games. He's quality but it has been a very stop start season so far for him and it's very frustrating
Let's hope he gets injured so we can put this argument to bed once and for all.
As far as I remember we have always had one or two stand out players which perform better than the rest. Maybe the 99 team had a lot more... probably the reason why we won the treble.
Leaving that aside, we had the likes of Cantona, RVN, Ronaldo. These players performed above the rest in their respective teams. Paul is just one in an illustrious list of fantastically talented performing players.
I wouldn't be too worried about it if he gets injured. Someone else will step up, as long as we play the right way.
Leaving that aside, we had the likes of Cantona, RVN, Ronaldo. These players performed above the rest in their respective teams. Paul is just one in an illustrious list of fantastically talented performing players.
I wouldn't be too worried about it if he gets injured. Someone else will step up, as long as we play the right way.
Seriously?
Don't all teams depend on their best players to some degree?
In the past we've had enough key players to make this less of an issue but it was still true to some extent.
In some ways we want key players and almost need to come to terms with the fact we depend on them as it's a recognition of that player doing well.
In the past we've had enough key players to make this less of an issue but it was still true to some extent.
In some ways we want key players and almost need to come to terms with the fact we depend on them as it's a recognition of that player doing well.
We are dependant on a few key players, namely De Gea, Pogba, Herrera, Rashford and Martial. Arguably Lindelof and Lingard as well. Of those I'd say probably either Pogba or Rashford would be the ones we could least afford to lose to injury (touch wood) as those two in particular have been key since Ole arrived.
This. asking if we depend much on Pogba is the same question we ask to many teams like Barcelona when Messi is injured or any other team, he's our star so of course he has a big responsibility because Ole is building a team around him, for what I've seen Ole is smart enough to have a back up plan if he gets injured or suspended, we'd of course lose some firepower but we still have some attacking quality players.
What I'm concerned about is the same thing you say about our current midfield, we don't have a good backup players and we need to strengthetn that issue. Sorry for bad english.
There is several important players. Drop Herrera and we take a huge blow. Rashford scores in almost every match under OGS!
In the same way Barca are on Messi or Atletico are on Greizmann or Chelsea are on Hazard or Liverpool are on Salah and Spurs are on Kane ? It’s obvious that a team would be in need of their best player to perform and poorer without them.
I do fully believe that for Pogba to perform at the level he is he needs Herrera and Matic doing well also and doing a lot of the little things so Pogba can go forward and do his thing but yes Pogba is our best player and in my opinion our only outfield world class player.
We’re starting to get a a really strong spine and core of players in De Gea, Lindelof, Herrera, Pogba, Martial and Rashford that for me are at least on par with anyone in the league in their positions if not better so if we were to add a world class centre back, a world class right forward, an experienced right back and a young alternative for Matic we could really push for the title next season.
I do fully believe that for Pogba to perform at the level he is he needs Herrera and Matic doing well also and doing a lot of the little things so Pogba can go forward and do his thing but yes Pogba is our best player and in my opinion our only outfield world class player.
We’re starting to get a a really strong spine and core of players in De Gea, Lindelof, Herrera, Pogba, Martial and Rashford that for me are at least on par with anyone in the league in their positions if not better so if we were to add a world class centre back, a world class right forward, an experienced right back and a young alternative for Matic we could really push for the title next season.
Not any more than other teams are of their best performers I'd say. Right now in the top 6, I'd say there is only one player who is being overly relied on and that's Hazard.
Its a big worry.
He's so key to most our goals at the moment. Maybe we'd have to completely change midfield shape and play 2 DMs and a number 10.
He's so key to most our goals at the moment. Maybe we'd have to completely change midfield shape and play 2 DMs and a number 10.
He is clearly our star man more like Messi and Hazard of their respective team. Although team can do without them to some extent but still their impact cannot be
Others are playing well, the point is what they are offering can be more easily replaced without the team dropping as much as it would if Pogba were out. That doesn’t even mean Pogba is necessarily playing the ‘best’ (he is, but that’s not the point). The issue is there is no substitute for what he offers. David De Gea is the best keeper, however, if he didn’t play we would cope better than we would if Pogba were out. We have someone else who can pretty much be relied upon to save shots. Herrera’s Job is largely to run and tackle. Someone else can do that in the short term.
Nobody is saying Pogba is the only player playing well. Lindelöf has been fantastic, for instance, but given their respective roles and squad options, it’s a no-brainer if you were given a choice of who we would miss for any given game or 3.
Pogba is important because he is the focal point on both build up attack and counter-attack. Should we need to rest Pogba, then switch to 4231 and Martial, Lingard, Lukaku can contribute.
Have Barca been too dependent on Messi? Real with Romero previously? Liverpool on a Salah?
It happens.
It happens.
He's our best player and of course you will be stronger when your best players are playing well. We have other good players in our team and they're linking up very well with Pogba.
He's finally delivering what anyone with sense knew he was capable of, I'm not worried, it's normal to rely on the very best players.
People used to say this about Ronaldo when we were regularly reaching Champions League finals and dominating the Premier League.
So what? Is it better not to have one of the best players in the world so one player doesn't stand out as much? Or to employ a style that is less reliant on him but doesn't get the best out of him a la Jose?
So what? Is it better not to have one of the best players in the world so one player doesn't stand out as much? Or to employ a style that is less reliant on him but doesn't get the best out of him a la Jose?
Well obviously not, but it'd be the only way we'd get a definitive answer to the question that crops up every time he strings a few decent performances together, and we're winning matches.
It's called "franchise player". He's doing as expected (under Ole).
Before Pogba, it was Van Persie, before RVP it was Rooney, before Rooney it was Ronaldo..
Now how long before we start calling him a flat track bully..
Now how long before we start calling him a flat track bully..
“I am happy for Paul, he is carrying the team and showing what a great midfielder he is, how complete he is. He has everything, and he is showing it on the pitch." - Mata
So according to Mata, a fellow team mate, Pogba is carrying the team. But I guess some on here want to argue that fact. Well 
So according to Mata, a fellow team mate, Pogba is carrying the team. But I guess some on here want to argue that fact. Well
No more so than another team without its talisman. The worry though is the lack of creative nous without him. Short of putting Mata on steroids and playing him as a #10, we don’t have much in the way of creativity without Paul (the odd Ander through-ball notwithstanding).
Think back to when Cantona was banned for the king fu kick and also when Keane was out for nearly a whole season with injury. When we lost Scholes to retirement we felt it too.
You can't help it, when a player becomes an integral part there is no way to limit the impact when they are missing for whatever reason. Just have to accept it.
You can't help it, when a player becomes an integral part there is no way to limit the impact when they are missing for whatever reason. Just have to accept it.
When you have a WC player, it’s always the case.
They become your talisman and team is set up and built around them and play to their strengths.
This is the case for all such players.
They become your talisman and team is set up and built around them and play to their strengths.
This is the case for all such players.
Depends on the next midfielder we bring in but I wouldn't give this thread too much importance until next season
Sorry. All those players you mentioned were part of squads that had many outstanding, not good, outstanding players.
I am surprised many on here are quite relaxed about. It's a huge worry for me. We need some one else to take the spotlight away from him... by that I mean, take control of the game, at least in part, create, dominate... set our tempo, slow our play down, and then quicken... he is the only player we have that does this. Other's do important jobs in the shape of the team... but we need another character out there, to take the game on. And I am not sure whether we have other players (who can help us win and control matches..) to the level he can.
Christ I wish we bought Modric all those years back. That's why I would take Ozil you know. In a heartbeat.
you're over reacting
Are Barca too dependent on Messi? Are Liverpool too dependent on Salah?
He's easily our best player, and we aren't fortunate like City where when KDB gets injured they can just slide in Bernardo Silva, but most teams don't have that luxury. I am concerned what it would mean for our form if we lost any of Pogba/Matic/Herrera, the drop off of quality between the starters and the subs for the centre mid position is quite alarming.
He's easily our best player, and we aren't fortunate like City where when KDB gets injured they can just slide in Bernardo Silva, but most teams don't have that luxury. I am concerned what it would mean for our form if we lost any of Pogba/Matic/Herrera, the drop off of quality between the starters and the subs for the centre mid position is quite alarming.
I'd have Özil as no1 target in the summer just so we'd have creativeness as a back-up for Pogba.
Strange question. You want your best players to play at their best. We’ve seen Martial and Rashford hit a new gear since Pogba hit his new gear. This what we want.
If anything, we’ve been too reliant on De Gea for the last six seasons, but fortunately that’s been less the case since Ole took the reins.
If anything, we’ve been too reliant on De Gea for the last six seasons, but fortunately that’s been less the case since Ole took the reins.
That much money to sit on the bench. We already have that problem with Sanchez.
Yep precisely, there are to my mind only about 2-3 CM players in world football who could do a good job of replacing Pogba on his current form and those players are at Barca and Madrid. The problem is just how big a drop off in terms of quality we have between our starting CM and the backup. There simply aren't many players in world football who have Pogba's skill set but we should have somebody who can come in for a few games and provide an adequate replacement, however at this point I don't believe we have such a player in the squad for either Pogba, Herrera or Matic and that is the problem, lack of adequate replacements for those three.
PS: Your English is absolutely fine.