Our 2nd best midfielder

Rozay

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No point judging players by their ceiling, when we very rarely see Pogba's.
McTominay is more consistent, and has been the better of the 2 for us this season.
I’m not sure either of those assertions are true tbh. If Pogba didn’t get injured all of two games ago, I don’t think at that point anyone would have been saying Scott is having a better season than him. His form has been quickly forgotten though, as has Scott’s poor form earlier this season. What nobody will ever forget, of course, is that Pogba started the season badly and had 4 poor games.
 

KW2006

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Ability wise Pogba is the best. If he could be as determined as Bruno he would be considered one of the best players in the generation.
 

Bondi77

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Ability wise Pogba is the best. If he could be as determined as Bruno he would be considered one of the best players in the generation.
If’s
Would be’s
Could be’s
This is a thread in itself and I think Pogba would rate highly along with many others that have played the game.
 

The Substitute

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Pogba. People tend to forget quickly, but the two months he had before his injury (and we played a lot of games) he wasn't our second best mf, he was by far the best mf, including Bruno.

Ridiculous how people get so biased because of all the other stuff that surrounds him.
 

Raveneye

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Bruno is considered Manchester United's best midfielder not because his top level is beyond Pogba's, but because he has proven that consistently valuable in his overall contributions and importance to the club.

Under that standard, Fred is no. 2. Fred's energy and consistent output of tackles and drive have made him the most valuable player in the team off the ball and he's overall contributed more over the past two seasons than Pogba has.

It wouldn't take anything ridiculous for Pogba to overtake Fred, mind. Pogba's consistency has overall been on the up, and if he could just stay fit longer he'd naturally overtake Fred by dint of sheer difference in ability. Pogba can be world class and Fred cannot. Fact is though that Pogba's injuries (and to a MUCH lesser extent, his consistency and agent) have made him a squad player in effect if not on paper.
 

NinjaZombie

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It's Scott McSchweinsteiger for me. Nice to see him bringing goals to his game.

Pogba a close second. When the conditions are right and he's fully focused on the game, he's the best midfielder, even. His tendency to be hot and cold is what holds him back.
 

OrcaFat

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Pogba when he’s at it.

But the balance of the team requires a true no.6 when he plays and none of our players are really up to the task. Given that and accepting his fluctuating form and fitness, I can’t say selecting him is always the best idea.

Pogba is better than either Fred or McT but as a pair they are probably ahead of Pogba-plus-one-other.
 

davidmichael

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If by best we’re talking actual best player then it’s Pogba and it’s not even close, yes he’s inconsistent and I’m not exactly his biggest fan but as far as ability goes I’d say on form he’s as good as Fernandes.
 

Bwuk

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Bruno doesn’t really play in midfield for us.

It’s Pogba. Bruno > Pogba > McTominay > Fred
 

Denis' cuff

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Pogba off form not only has a lower bottom level than the other two but is and has been, a direct liability, several times.
It would also help if he could be arsed putting in the occasional appearance and even better, something like commitment to the overall cause when he does.

on form, definitely 2nd best.
 

passing-wind

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I personally think Fred's errors with giving away possession on a game by game basis shouldn't have him near such a discussion. Pogba is the second best especially with his influence in the build up.
 

Brightonian

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I personally think Fred's errors with giving away possession on a game by game basis shouldn't have him near such a discussion.
And yet I'd say out of Pogba, McT and Fred this season the one whose absence hurts us the most when he's left out is Fred. He's the only one with any capacity to do the job of a DM.

It's all well and good arguing about which of them is the best, but it's kind of academic when it comes to actual football matches. What matters is which combination works the best. I'm chuffed with all four of them in different ways this season. None of them is a weak link in our midfield. The weakness there is the absence of a properly defensive DM, Matic now being too old to rely on.
 

The Brown Bull

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Without a doubt Bruno is numero uno but who do we think is second?
Popular opinion would say Pogba but Mctominay is rapidly improving to the extent where he would have to be a contender.
I must admit I thought Jose was having a laugh when he brought him int the first team setup and even gave him an individual award for his efforts but he has most definitely risen to a level which I thought he was incapable of but now I struggle to find a weakness in his game.
I don't accept that Bruno is a midfield player in the true sense. He's a gifted footballer for sure and I am glad we have him but he strikes me as more of a 10 than a central midfielder. We need Bruno boy do we need him but we need that midfielder general too.
A Roy Keane type.
 

Tarrou

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I find it hard to chose, they are all good players

Pogba on form for sure

If I could only keep one I'd pick McT though
 

Ace

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Bruno
Pogba
————
McTominay
————
Fred
Matic

?van de Beek?
 

Raveneye

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I don't accept that Bruno is a midfield player in the true sense. He's a gifted footballer for sure and I am glad we have him but he strikes me as more of a 10 than a central midfielder. We need Bruno boy do we need him but we need that midfielder general too.
A Roy Keane type.
OP said midfielder, not central midfielder. Attacking and defensive midfielders would also count, I would think.
 

The Brown Bull

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OP said midfielder, not central midfielder. Attacking and defensive midfielders would also count, I would think.
Balls. A midfielder is a midfielder is a midfielder. Someone who links defence and attack. Don't give me this bollocks about attacking or defensive mids.A midfielder , a true midfielder can do both but most importantly they can link the play.
Bruno doesn't do that. That's not a critisism it's just a fact.
Roy Keane was a midfielder. So was Michael Carrick, Nicky Butt, Bryan Robson, Seba Veron, Ray Wilkins, Johnny Giles etc etc.
Bruno is no more a midfielder than Stephen Gerrard was, or Frank Lampard.
 

r0x0rwolfo

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No point judging players by their ceiling, when we very rarely see Pogba's.
McTominay is more consistent, and has been the better of the 2 for us this season.
Overall McTominay has been more conistent than Pogba this season. Hard to split Fred and McTom at the moment as they give us completely different things. McTominay has outscored Pogba over the last two seasons and Fred provides energy rarely seen from Pogba.

Pogba's excellent at headers, and forward passing and isn't far behind when everyone's on form.

I'd say.

McFred
Pogba
Matic
 

starman

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On YouTube highlights, Pogba, hes head and shoulders no.1, even above Bruno, in reality, for a 90 minute game, probably MCT.
 

Eternitiy

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I view Fernandes as a forward, so for midfielders I would say McTominay is our second best and Pogba our best.
 

Raveneye

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Balls. A midfielder is a midfielder is a midfielder. Someone who links defence and attack. Don't give me this bollocks about attacking or defensive mids.A midfielder , a true midfielder can do both but most importantly they can link the play.
Bruno doesn't do that. That's not a critisism it's just a fact.
Roy Keane was a midfielder. So was Michael Carrick, Nicky Butt, Bryan Robson, Seba Veron, Ray Wilkins, Johnny Giles etc etc.
Bruno is no more a midfielder than Stephen Gerrard was, or Frank Lampard.
I think you'll find yourself in a minority if your position is that Gerrard and Lampard were not midfielders.
 

The Brown Bull

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I think you'll find yourself in a minority if your position is that Gerrard and Lampard were not midfielders.
Doesn't bother me. I'm in good company as John Giles doesn't describe them as midfielders either. I do think they were excellent footballers just not midfielders.
 

lost7

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Pogba before the injury had been playing really well and was probably on par with Bruno in terms of being our best performer. He's inconsistent yes, but I'd say he's miles ahead of what McTominay and Fred offer