Pogba & Fernandes in the same midfield

[Jaae]

This surely cannot continue. At least not in Ole's favoured 4231 formation.

I still believe Bruno was signed to replace Pogba with the idea being that the latter would be sold this summer. Coronavirus has put paid to that so we are now looking at a season of trying to accomodate both of them into the same side, creating an obvious inbalance.

Not only do their favoured positions on the pitch clash, their style of play doesn't even compliment eachother.

Does Ole have the stones to drop Pogba?
Will he change away from his preferred formation to accomodate both players?
Will he keep playing them in a 4231 and pretend nothing is wrong?

 

[Bobski]

6 months ago the narrative was that having Bruno would take pressure off Pogba, gave him more space and less defensive attention, and that would be the final piece to allow Pogba to shine.

 

[paulscholes18]

Should change to a 4-3-3, but seems to stuck in his ways to do so

 

[Chief123]

It’s not the best time to make that assessment when Pogba clearly isn’t match fit and looks miles off the pace.

There wasn’t many issues in the run of games since project restart when they both played together. Pogba isn’t really the issue. The issue is our spine is so suspect to the counter attack due to lack of pace in Matic, Lindelof and Maguire. It’s not the best base to have behind Pogba and Bruno.

 

[Lewnited]

It could work, but we don't have the setup for it. We opt for our DM to often drop in to defence create a back 3, while Bruno, Greenwood and Rashford all stay high up the pitch. So long as we continue to persist with Pogba as the only body in the centre of the field, there's no way it will work.

 

[afrocentricity]

It’s not the best time to make that assessment when Pogba clearly isn’t match fit and looks miles off the pace.

There wasn’t many issues in the run of games since project restart when they both played together. Pogba isn’t really the issue. The issue is our spine is so suspect to the counter attack due to lack of pace in Matic, Lindelof and Maguire. It’s not the best base to have behind Pogba and Bruno.

/End of thread

 

[eire-red]

Bruno is the influential maestro we've been waiting 4 years for Pogba to become.

It's not even a discussion for me, if they both can't play together then Bruno is the main man, all day long.

We look so unbalanced with Pogba in midfield, if we could get enough for him to strengthen the squad as a whole then surely it should be something we are considering?

It's crazy how Ole keeps selecting him though in that deeper role. He's such a liability and actually at times I think he gives the opposition the incentive to press us.

Class player on his day, but unfortunately they're few and far between.

 

[harms]

Their positions don’t clash and we’ve seen how well they complimented each other just a few months ago. The issue is their form (especially Pogba’s) and the lack of appropriate personnel around them. I also don’t think that Ole has ever tried to play with a proper midfield three with them as number 8s.

 

[Santoryo]

It’s not the best time to make that assessment when Pogba clearly isn’t match fit and looks miles off the pace.

There wasn’t many issues in the run of games since project restart when they both played together. Pogba isn’t really the issue. The issue is our spine is so suspect to the counter attack due to lack of pace in Matic, Lindelof and Maguire. It’s not the best base to have behind Pogba and Bruno.

Very well said.

The people behind Pogba and Bruno are simply too slow, glacial which means almost every counter or long ball bypassing the midfield is a scramble. I've seen some situations where opponents play a long ball forward which under normal circumstances(meaning a more mobile defense) would have dealt with casually but with us it's a scramble and we find ourselves sweating because both of Maguire and Lindelof don't have much pace to get to some long ball quicker than opponents strikers who start few yards behind them. It's quite unfortunate. Ole should be looking to play at least 1 pacey CB, Maguire-Lindelolf is a bad combo and restrict us in things we could try to do(such as pressing much higher and try to be on the front foot all the time).

 

[Bebestation]

Pogba is just not good enough for this CDM like role he plays.

Theres no difference to our team in a 433 than a 4231 except more freedom to our whole starting 11.

Unfortunately, ole is a defensive minded manager aiming to play on the counter. He doesnt want to dominate as a team and let Bruno & Pogba get in to a creative partnership in the middle of the park - it's one or the other depending on the position they end up. We have Bruno dropping all the way back to CDM/CM position whilst Pogba is running circles in such positions. If we played both of them in a level where they only have to focus on moving forward rather than dropping back - then they would add creativity to our team at a point where the other midfielder is preoccupied in his defensive duties.

This is why Fred & Mctomminay play better with Bruno in my opinion- in a 4231 they play more aggressive defensive minded, pressing the attack soon as they come and leave Bruno Fernandes closer to a creative CAM position more often.

Pogba in a 4231 wont work - what he did for France wasnt all by himself.

 

[charlenefan]

Unpopular opinion: our most balanced side in 2020 came between Bruno arriving and lock down i.e. when Bruno had Matic and Fred behind him

 

[bosnian_red]

They can play together fine, they just need to be better. They just kept giving it away, especially Pogba. Doesn't matter who your partner is, if a midfielder plays like Pogba did today, its never going to work.

 

[K_Ash]

Unpopular opinion: our most balanced side in 2020 came between Bruno arriving and lock down i.e. when Bruno had Matic and Fred behind him

and then looked absolutely devastating with Bruno, Paul and Matic.
Dominated the future Europa League Winner with Bruno, Paul and Fred

 

[Leftback99]

It doesn't work and never will. We can't control games because both are too wasteful in possession, you can get away with one being main the creator.

Pogba doesn't have the workrate and intensity to play in CM in a two, never has, never will. It only works when he's given loads of time and space.

I agree with the OP that we expected Pogba to leave this summer.

 

[Zoo]

Pogba does need to go forward more.

 

[jackal&hyde]

Didn't see any problem for however many games they played last season. But lets ignore that and judge everything on 2 games when we are obviously unfit

 

[ChaddyP]

pogba clearly not at the races. we played some beautiful stuff when we came back from lock down with both in the side. He came on against spurs and changed the game for us. Something not right with pogba. Maybe hes suffering still from Covid effects

 

[RedRonaldo]

Both have been pissed poor in past couple of months to be fair.

 

[Zlatan 7]

Our midfield was wide open today, the way Brighton cut through it was alarming

 

[Drainy]

Pogba less than 4 weeks after having Covid and having no pre-season being slaughtered for a lack of sharpness... Ole isn't managing him properly and I am someone who is generally supportive of the manager.

 

[TMDaines]

Should change to a 4-3-3, but seems to stuck in his ways to do so

Either that or he recognises that we don’t have a legitimate holding defensive midfielder. Matic, Fred and McT aren’t holders and all want to chase the ball to make tackles. I still think we should go 4-3-3, because we couldn’t be less def defensively solid, but none of our current guys are ideally suited for being the deepest man screening the defence, hence a double pivot.

 

[starman]

Pogba is simply a liability in CM when he is pressed, he doesn't know how to deal with it, people use the excuse of covid or fitness, no, its he being pressed to death over the last two games and crumbles. Its the difference between a great player and a good one, finding the space which he unable to do that deep without being caught out.

Pogba is a world class talent, but will never be a world class player in CM, imo, his best chance is playing as a AM where he can be more risky, but then do you drop Bruno? For me its one or the other.

Matic &/or Fred &/or MCT &/or VDB must be the in pivot and Pogba or Bruno ahead

 

[Web of Bissaka]

They can play well together... just that you know..

 

[Jean claude van hire]

I think it can work but the third midfielder needs to be one hell of a player. Someone with Matics intelligence but Kantes energy. Does that player exist, possibly?!

 

[El Jefe]

I hate it. Before we signed Bruno, we all questioned how it would work. It started perfectly but unless we're absolutely bossing the game, it will always give us problems. Both are too loose with the ball and Pogba is an accident waiting to happen playing so close to our box. It would be interesting to see how they'd do in a 433 with a DM like Ndidi and sorry to say but under a better manager. Pogba looks uncomfortable where he is both on and off the ball.

Bruno while he is a very good player doesn't even seem like he's part of the midfield unit, he basically does whatever he wants out there.

 

[Rocknrolla69er]

It's a challenge for places, earn your spot

So for the box to box role, in which Pogbas been lethargic and sloppy for the past two games, that role now goes to Van de Beek

 

[Garethw]

What an absolute load of bollocks I’m reading in here!!

95% of managers throughout the fecking world would be creaming their pants at the thought of having Pogba and Fernandes in their midfield lineup.

The problem we have is that Manchester United have appointed a tactically clueless manager that has absolutely no idea outside of a very rigid and defensive formation.

 

[King Andow]

It’s not the best time to make that assessment when Pogba clearly isn’t match fit and looks miles off the pace.

There wasn’t many issues in the run of games since project restart when they both played together. Pogba isn’t really the issue. The issue is our spine is so suspect to the counter attack due to lack of pace in Matic, Lindelof and Maguire. It’s not the best base to have behind Pogba and Bruno.

Agreed. But it's definitely a problem at the moment. Playing an impaired Pogba in front of our weak back 4 and pairing Matic is suicide. If he's not properly fit he shouldn't be starting and Fred should get the nod as he'll complement Matic better and won't be defensively inept. For me the manager's overdependence on individual brilliance is to blame here. Pogba in a wheelchair could create more than our CM backups and bail us out with something special, that may be it.

 

[Sandikan]

I think we'd all agree that Pogba is better the further forward he plays.

So unless we can devise a Man City style formation with one centre midfield animal doing all the donkey work, allowing 2 attacking mids centrally, it does mean it's most likely we'll have to put up with trying Pogba as a deep lying "playmaker"

 

[UmbroDays]

Just what the heck is our best formation if it’s a 4-3-3?!

I generally don’t know what Ole is trying to build with this team

 

[Toni's Left Foot]

pogba clearly not at the races. we played some beautiful stuff when we came back from lock down with both in the side. He came on against spurs and changed the game for us. Something not right with pogba. Maybe hes suffering still from Covid effects

Was Pogba actually Covid symptomatic or did he just test positive?

 

[Superden]

just play them both as AMs in 4222, with 2 out of matic, mctom and fred behind them makes so much sense.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Should change to a 4-3-3, but seems to stuck in his ways to do so

Pogba can’t play in a 4-3-3 with Bruno, both 8s have to work really hard for it to work. Pogba won’t run up and down the pitch all game.

 

[soapythecat]

Just what the heck is our best formation if it’s a 4-3-3?!

I generally don’t know what Ole is trying to build with this team

Last season there were glimpses of his projection for the team - or so we thought. The purchase of VdB shows how disjointed the team is. So unbalanced now, and it’s obvious when you watch is play.

 

[el3mel]

Bruno is the influential maestro we've been waiting 4 years for Pogba to become.

It's not even a discussion for me, if they both can't play together then Bruno is the main man, all day long.

We look so unbalanced with Pogba in midfield, if we could get enough for him to strengthen the squad as a whole then surely it should be something we are considering?

It's crazy how Ole keeps selecting him though in that deeper role. He's such a liability and actually at times I think he gives the opposition the incentive to press us.

Class player on his day, but unfortunately they're few and far between.

Careful. I said this in another thread and got slaughtered.

 

[Jaae]

It’s not the best time to make that assessment when Pogba clearly isn’t match fit and looks miles off the pace.

There wasn’t many issues in the run of games since project restart when they both played together. Pogba isn’t really the issue. The issue is our spine is so suspect to the counter attack due to lack of pace in Matic, Lindelof and Maguire. It’s not the best base to have behind Pogba and Bruno.

Their positions don’t clash and we’ve seen how well they complimented each other just a few months ago. The issue is their form (especially Pogba’s) and the lack of appropriate personnel around them. I also don’t think that Ole has ever tried to play with a proper midfield three with them as number 8s.

Didn't see any problem for however many games they played last season. But lets ignore that and judge everything on 2 games when we are obviously unfit

Ah yes. That mythical run of 3 games against Sheffield, Brighton and Bournemouth that will surely go down in United folklore.

Which was ofcourse followed by a run of 5 league games where we looked disjointed, unbalanced and relied on penalty after penalty. A run which has now extended to 7 league games at the start of this season...

The excuse last season was the players were tired after too many games. Now it's a lack of fitness and Pogba had coronavirus... There is always an excuse.

 

[elnorte]

It’s not the best time to make that assessment when Pogba clearly isn’t match fit and looks miles off the pace.

There wasn’t many issues in the run of games since project restart when they both played together. Pogba isn’t really the issue. The issue is our spine is so suspect to the counter attack due to lack of pace in Matic, Lindelof and Maguire. It’s not the best base to have behind Pogba and Bruno.

True but making an assessment based on all the time he has been with us would be entirely justified to which you would come to the same conclusion.

 

[UmbroDays]

Last season there were glimpses of his projection for the team - or so we thought. The purchase of VdB shows how disjointed the team is. So unbalanced now, and it’s obvious when you watch is play.

As per the other VdB thread, it’s true I have no idea why we bought him.

Could have got a more developed rotation player, but he’s 23 and needs first team experience. Not 7 mins off the bench.

 

[afrocentricity]

Y'all do realise this is the 2nd league game right?

 

[Chief123]

True but making an assessment based on all the time he has been with us would be entirely justified to which you would come to the same conclusion.

Yes I would come to the same conclusion that the base behind him has never been good enough throughout his whole time at Utd. We’ve just had terrible defenders one after another which we then blame on Pogba for not being a very good defensive midfielder. Put a Van Dijk behind Pogba and he suddenly becomes one of the best midfielders in the world.