Pogba is the best midfielder in the world

[hellohello]

I was actually referring to this post not the thread title. Central midfield, not attacking midfield, not defensive midfield, central midfield. Central. Central.

Eriksen has played this season as CM though. Alli, Kane and Son further ahead with Winks, Sissoko and Eriksen behind. In fact he does more defensive work than Pogba. I think Pogba is a top midfielder with extreme strengths and exploitable weaknesses, and when things go his way and he is on form he is unstoppable. Eriksen is a more stable performer and also contribute more defensively and can control a football match.

Right now Silva, Silva, DeBryune, Eriksen and Pogba deserve a mention as the best creative CM in the PL for me.

People are sleeping on Eriksen. Perhaps he needs to go to Barca/Real and win trophies to get the recognition he deserves.

Unfortunately, a bit like Modric wasn't rated before he left for Madrid when he was obviously one of the best midfielders in the world.

 

[roonster09]

People are sleeping on Eriksen. Perhaps he needs to go to Barca/Real and win trophies to get the recognition he deserves.

He is very highly rated on Caf.

 

[Intilo]

Isn't this the same guy that got pocketed for whole 90 Minutes by Marquinhos and literally a flat track bully or you guys talk about someone else ?

Till he actually perform against world class team , he is nowhere near the best midfielder. I want to see him being unplayable against the very best of the world such Real Madrid , Barcelona , Juventus , PSG, Bayern before further judgement not just bullying dross such as Cardiff ,Bournemouth etc.

 

[P-Nut]

People are sleeping on Eriksen. Perhaps he needs to go to Barca/Real and win trophies to get the recognition he deserves.

I think of him more as an attacking midfielder, I'd compare him to Silva more than I would Pogba. He is massively rated on here though and most would be delighted if we signed him this summer, even with no actual position to play him in

 

[hellohello]

I think of him more as an attacking midfielder, I'd compare him to Silva more than I would Pogba. He is massively rated on here though and most would be delighted if we signed him this summer, even with no actual position to play him in

This season he has mostly played as a central midfielder in this diamond formation.

----------Winks---------
---Sissoko-----Eriksen
-----------Alli-------------
-----Kane------Son

The exact same role Pogba plays under Solskjaer, as the most advanced in a midfield three. But while Pogba makes more forward runs Eriksen holds his position more to dictate play (both of which is understandable considering how dangerous Pogba is in the box).

 

[KM]

People are sleeping on Eriksen. Perhaps he needs to go to Barca/Real and win trophies to get the recognition he deserves.

Eriksen is rightly lauded a lot on this forum. I don't think people are "sleeping" on him at all.

 

[roonster09]

This season he has mostly played as a central midfielder in this diamond formation.

----------Winks---------
---Sissoko-----Eriksen
-----------Alli-------------
-----Kane------Son

The exact same role Pogba plays under Solskjaer, as the most advanced in a midfield three. But while Pogba makes more forward runs Eriksen holds his position more to dictate play (both of which is understandable considering how dangerous Pogba is in the box).

Checked last few games average position, Eriksen is very close to striker than midfielders. Maybe that's to do with Alli missing though.

 

[hellohello]

Checked last few games average position, Eriksen is very close to striker than midfielders. Maybe that's to do with Alli missing though.

Yeah good point. He has played bit further forward without Alli I think, definitely against BVB he played as the furthest forward midfielder behind Son and Moura and we used a back 3. Against Leicester our midfield 3 was Skipp, Winks and Sissoko with Eriksen further ahead with Son and Llorente. Against Newcastle he was in a midfield 3 with Sissoko and Winks, but they were so deep that half our midfield could keep an average position in their half.

What site do you use to check average positions by the way?

 

[roonster09]

Yeah good point. He has played bit further forward without Alli I think, definitely against BVB he played as the furthest forward midfielder behind Son and Moura and we used a back 3. Against Leicester our midfield 3 was Skipp, Winks and Sissoko with Eriksen further ahead with Son and Llorente. Against Newcastle he was in a midfield 3 with Sissoko and Winks, but they were so deep that half our midfield could keep an average position in their half.

What site do you use to check average positions by the way?

Whoscored.com.

Sometimes I check betweentheposts for passing maps but now a days most of their content is for premium users only.

 

[ryan_forlan]

Does Pogba have the talent and potential to be the best CM in the world? Yes.
Did he have that potential when we paid a world record fee for him? Yes.
Will he be the best midfielder if he continues doing what he is doing (even 75% of this) for say 2-3 seasons? Oh yes, no question.
Do I think he will become the best midfielder in this world? OH yes!!
Is he the best midfielder in the world right now? No, not a chance. The performances that he has put, have not been for a long enough period of time for us to claim this.

 

[hellohello]

Whoscored.com.

Sometimes I check betweentheposts for passing maps but now a days most of their content is for premium users only.

Thanks!

 

[Shiva87]

Isn't this the same guy that got pocketed for whole 90 Minutes by Marquinhos and literally a flat track bully or you guys talk about someone else ?

Till he actually perform against world class team , he is nowhere near the best midfielder. I want to see him being unplayable against the very best of the world such Real Madrid , Barcelona , Juventus , PSG, Bayern before further judgement not just bullying dross such as Cardiff ,Bournemouth etc.

Dross including Chelsea, City and Spurs?

Things our own players have to do to convince us that they are as good as anyone else.

 

[DWelbz19]

People are sleeping on Eriksen. Perhaps he needs to go to Barca/Real and win trophies to get the recognition he deserves.

Eriksen is a fantastic player. He’s not a central midfielder, though.

 

[Brightonian]

Eriksen is a fantastic player. He’s not a central midfielder, though.

I dunno, I think he probably is to the same extent that Pogba is.

 

[Lebo]

Pogba reminds me of Frank Lampard in a way. The guy who will have brilliant stats but not truly excelling in Midfield duties.

Ball retention is poor half the time, concentration is poor, tacking is average, positioning defensively is average, poor decision making in deeper areas. Great teams generally have that one guy in midfield who will give you 6/10 performances every minute of the game except 2 or 3.

Maybe what I said is a bit confusing but the thing is I can bet on Pogba scoring 20goals and getting 20 assists per season more so than any other midfielder. I can’t bet on him going to Nou Camp and give 5/10 game.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Does Pogba have the talent and potential to be the best CM in the world? Yes.
Did he have that potential when we paid a world record fee for him? Yes.
Will he be the best midfielder if he continues doing what he is doing (even 75% of this) for say 2-3 seasons? Oh yes, no question.
Do I think he will become the best midfielder in this world? OH yes!!
Is he the best midfielder in the world right now? No, not a chance. The performances that he has put, have not been for a long enough period of time for us to claim this.

ding ding ding, we have a winner.

 

[Intilo]

Dross including Chelsea, City and Spurs?

Things our own players have to do to convince us that they are as good as anyone else.

Chelsea is in terrible form , City drop their gear because they thought they already won the game and what is spurs ? We all watch how he did nothing against top class PSG team , being manhandled by Marquinhos like playing with kids, Fellaini had more contribution against Juventus and Real Madrid ( Super Cup )than him. The likes of Zidane and Xavi at their peak, runs their team week in week out against anyone. This thread is embarrassing , we have Liverpool this weekend , let's see what he can do against Henderson, Fabinho, Keita , Wijnaldum , Milner before we start talking whether he is the best midfielder , let's hope he didn't get pocketed.

 

[P-Nut]

Chelsea is in terrible form , City drop their gear because they thought they already won the game and what is spurs ? We all watch how he did nothing against top class PSG team , being manhandled by Marquinhos like playing with kids, Fellaini had more contribution against Juventus and Real Madrid ( Super Cup )than him. The likes of Zidane and Xavi at their peak, runs their team week in week out against anyone. This thread is embarrassing , we have Liverpool this weekend , let's see what he can do against Henderson, Fabinho, Keita , Wijnaldum , Milner before we start talking whether he is the best midfielder , let's hope he didn't get pocketed.

But Zidane didn't run the team week in week out did he. It's the one blot on his copybook that he wasn't as consistent as some of the other greats. He was a big game player, if you had a crunch game he's the one you'd want on your side, playing someone bottom of the league? Best off giving the job to any of the other great players he's compared to.

 

[Shiva87]

Chelsea is in terrible form , City drop their gear because they thought they already won the game and what is spurs ? We all watch how he did nothing against top class PSG team , being manhandled by Marquinhos like playing with kids, Fellaini had more contribution against Juventus and Real Madrid ( Super Cup )than him. The likes of Zidane and Xavi at their peak, runs their team week in week out against anyone. This thread is embarrassing , we have Liverpool this weekend , let's see what he can do against Henderson, Fabinho, Keita , Wijnaldum , Milner before we start talking whether he is the best midfielder , let's hope he didn't get pocketed.

You can keep the jury out on this one, but it's amazing how every time he has delivered a world class performance, you've discounted it as an opponent issue.

City very much wanted to beat United and win the title. His goals were not because City made it easy for him. 'What is Spurs' really? Spurs is a top team by all means and currently 5 points of first. 3 of which were lost because of a peice of brilliance by Pogba.

Chelsea may have an up and down form at the moment, but they were definitely up for the game. Their issue was a lack of tactical flexibility by their manager. Pogbas contribution in those two goals (our offence) was imperative to take advantage of that.

In any event - none of the above makes any of those teams dross.

Our team is 2-3 years away from really having a squad that can compete for the CL title - assuming good decisions are made from here on. That has nothing to do with Pogba. If anything, him and Hererra being in the form that they are is actually hiding a lot of these weaknesses.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Pogba reminds me of Frank Lampard in a way. The guy who will have brilliant stats but not truly excelling in Midfield duties.

Ball retention is poor half the time, concentration is poor, tacking is average, positioning defensively is average, poor decision making in deeper areas. Great teams generally have that one guy in midfield who will give you 6/10 performances every minute of the game except 2 or 3.

Maybe what I said is a bit confusing but the thing is I can bet on Pogba scoring 20goals and getting 20 assists per season more so than any other midfielder. I can’t bet on him going to Nou Camp and give 5/10 game.

That's the funny thing. Mourinho kept banging on about him being like Lampard, but he never truly let him try and be him.

He wanted him to be Lampard + Makelele, he never did what Solskjaer did and let him off the leash unless it was towards the last 10-15 minutes of a match, and funnily enough when he did do that early last year, we were hitting teams for 3/4 goals.

 

[scholesyboy18]

He is nowhere near the greatest mid to play for this club.

Also he seems to play well behind two actual midfielders. So that's more like playing behind a striker with hardly any defensive responsibilities.

Its really an insult to the great midfielders who have graced this game.
For some reason people have obsession with so called midfielders who scores goals, but these so called midfielders hardly can play well in 2 man midfield setup.
If we compare his goal scoring to players who play behind strikers, then he is just another good player. Nothing more.

 

[TMDaines]

The likes of Zidane and Xavi at their peak, runs their team week in week out against anyone.

Sorry, what? The myth of Zidane is based on a handful of big matches, mostly finals. Week in and week out for most seasons of his career he seriously under delivered. Worse still are the seasons when a side was built around him and he was found wanting.

 

[glazed]

Isn't this the same guy that got pocketed for whole 90 Minutes by Marquinhos and literally a flat track bully or you guys talk about someone else ?

To be fair Marquinhos had help from his team mates. That was really an illustration of how much better than the rest of the team Pogba is, so that neutralising him neutralised the main threat. You couldn't do that to him if he was in a team full of world class players because you'd just make it easier for someone else.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

To be fair Marquinhos had help from his team mates. That was really an illustration of how much better than the rest of the team Pogba is, so that neutralising him neutralised the main threat. You couldn't do that to him if he was in a team full of world class players because you'd just make it easier for someone else.

Reminds me of Pep Guardiola double man marking Valencia out of that CL final.

 

[Intilo]

To be fair Marquinhos had help from his team mates. That was really an illustration of how much better than the rest of the team Pogba is, so that neutralising him neutralised the main threat. You couldn't do that to him if he was in a team full of world class players because you'd just make it easier for someone else.

And he did get neutralised so how is he the best ? Many top teams has tried to neutralised Messi or Ronaldo and they still run riot in most games which is why they both had 10 ballon d'or among them. Pretty sure we all expect "the best midfielder" to put a dominating performance and inspire us against European Elite last week only to watch him pocketed by some unknown from farmers league and red carded. I am waiting the day Pogba can show how unplayable he is when a top team with top players tried to neutralised and fail. Till now i don't see it yet , He always gets neutralised when it matters.

 

[DWelbz19]

Sorry, what? The myth of Zidane is based on a handful of big matches, mostly finals. Week in and week out for most seasons of his career he seriously under delivered. Worse still are the seasons when a side was built around him and he was found wanting.

Again, it’s just total bullshit that gets peddled against Paul Pogba because he is Paul Pogba.

Even when Madrid weren’t in this horrid run of form, were Toni Kroos and Luka Modric running games ‘week in week out’? - with their 1 league title in 4 years, I’m going to wager maybe not. David Silva is oft mentioned - how many times has he dominated CL games ‘week in week out’ in his 8 years at City? De Bruyne? Kante’s having a lame season and people are quick to caveat this to Sarri’s tactic and system, but would happily slag Paul Pogba off despite suffering the same symptoms under Mourinho!

Now I’m not saying Pogba is comprehensively better than them or anything, but it’s so infuriating how people are happy to brand these players as superior or the very best, but reserve their praise for Pogba, or riddle it with these extended caveats they don’t place on those other midfielders.

 

[RedorDead21]

Sorry, what? The myth of Zidane is based on a handful of big matches, mostly finals. Week in and week out for most seasons of his career he seriously under delivered. Worse still are the seasons when a side was built around him and he was found wanting.

Sorry Zidane shone in a handful of matches?......the myth is with your view, not the majority of the football world who think the opposite. The finals is where it really counts so those who make the difference in those like he did more than any other player really for a 5-6 years is worth special praise if anything.

Zidane is light years ahead of Pogs right now. It's Rawkish to to think otherwise. Perhaps at the end of his career it wont be.

 

[Jib]

Sorry Zidane shone in a handful of matches?......the myth is with your view, not the majority of the football world who think the opposite. The finals is where it really counts so those who make the difference in those like he did more than any other player really for a 5-6 years is worth special praise if anything.

Zidane is light years ahead of Pogs right now. It's Rawkish to to think otherwise. Perhaps at the end of his career it wont be.

Zidane was nothing in front of Pogba at the same age. Like a lot of great midfielders btw.

1 world cup ( scored in the final )
4 scudetto
2 italian cup
3 italian super cup
1 english league cup
1 Europa League ( scored in the final )
1 CL and Euro runner-up

3 times in the Serie A team of the year
4 times in the ballon d'or short-list
1 time in the FIFA Team of the year
1 time in the UEFA Team of the year
Best young player at the World Cup 2014
Top Serie A assists provider in 2016...

Better stats than 95% of the world's best midfielders while being often played out of position by Mourinho..

Put some respect on Pogba's name. At the same age ( 25 ) Zidane, Lampard, Yaya Touré, Gerrard, Modric, KDB were absolutely nothing in front of him.

 

[cyberman]

Sorry Zidane shone in a handful of matches?......the myth is with your view, not the majority of the football world who think the opposite. The finals is where it really counts so those who make the difference in those like he did more than any other player really for a 5-6 years is worth special praise if anything.

Zidane is light years ahead of Pogs right now. It's Rawkish to to think otherwise. Perhaps at the end of his career it wont be.

I don't understand this post? So you are arguing against the handful of matches comment by saying its the handful of matches that count? Which is it?
Its well known he was inconsistent throughout a season but he was one of the greatest big game players of all time. It's not like it's a little known fact.

 

[Massive Spanner]

Pogba is light years ahead of Zidane right now*.

Yeah but to be fair, Zidane's retired.

 

[roonster09]

Flat track bully

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[Canagel]

Dross including Chelsea, City and Spurs?

Things our own players have to do to convince us that they are as good as anyone else.

add bayern munich to the list amongst others. He bullied them in the allianz arena and nearly single handidly dragged his team to victory only to be let down by his teammates. the whole big game argument makes no sense since he proved his quality in the biggest games.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

It's almost like the narrative of "disappointing Pogba" that has been spouted by the media (who clearly didn't even watch most of our matches) since he came back to United has affected people to the point where they refuse to look past it and actually watch the player in a game nowadays. Quite sad but half of all footballing opinions are recycled garbage anyways.

 

[Jib]

add bayern munich to the list amongst others. He bullied them in the allianz arena and nearly single handidly dragged his team to victory only to be let down by his teammates. the whole big game argument makes no sense since he proved his quality in the biggest games.

He often scored beautiful volley goals against Napoli...

Great against Germany in the semi final of the Euro 2016...

Bullied CAF's favorites ( De Bruyne and Dembele ) in the semi final of the world cup...

But Pogba isn't a big game player...

 

[TMDaines]

Sorry Zidane shone in a handful of matches?......the myth is with your view, not the majority of the football world who think the opposite. The finals is where it really counts so those who make the difference in those like he did more than any other player really for a 5-6 years is worth special praise if anything.

Zidane is light years ahead of Pogs right now. It's Rawkish to to think otherwise. Perhaps at the end of his career it wont be.

If Zidane was all he was cracked up to be, week in and week out, he would have won more than three league titles, one major European trophy and some sort of domestic major cup. His sides achieved very sporadically and then his CV is padded with Super Cups and the like.

Juventus were more successful immeadiately before his arrival winning the league and Champions League. He won a couple of leagues with them, before dragging them down to 7th(!). he had two more underwhelming seasons with them, before moving off allowing Juventus to win the league without him again. Madrid went into decline with him over the five years, despite two major bits of silverware in the first two seasons, but they too had already won the league the year before he joined, and again went on to win the season two seasons immediately after he left, compared to the one season in five with him.

For a guy who won four bits of major silverware at club level in his entire career, the **** around Zidane is utterly bizarre. Big game player? Sure (although people tend to have a selective memory given his first two finals in the CL when he was well neutered). World class week in and week out? Never.

 

[SATA]

Ours

Now tell me there isn't any fan in the world who wouldn't want him in their team. I'll eat my hat and run naked across London

 

[PGLFC91]

Pogba is not the best midfielder in the world. Not even the best in the Premier League.

Showing good form and he is top quality no doubt but the best. Nah.

 

[glazed]

And he did get neutralised so how is he the best ? Many top teams has tried to neutralised Messi or Ronaldo and they still run riot in most games which is why they both had 10 ballon d'or among them.

I would point to Messi when playing for Argentina and how easily he gets neutralised then. World class players require a world class team to truly shine*


* except Maradona

 

[glazed]

Reminds me of Pep Guardiola double man marking Valencia out of that CL final.

That feels like a long time ago

 

[RedRonaldo]

That's the funny thing. Mourinho kept banging on about him being like Lampard, but he never truly let him try and be him.

He wanted him to be Lampard + Makelele, he never did what Solskjaer did and let him off the leash unless it was towards the last 10-15 minutes of a match, and funnily enough when he did do that early last year, we were hitting teams for 3/4 goals.

Mourinho only want loyal soldiers who listen to his orders, he has absolutely no place and tolerance for talented players who play with flair and freedom. First its De Bruyne and Salah, then its Pogba. They are all unwanted by Mourinho, yet they are all the best and most exciting player in the league right now.