I for one am looking forward to watching two extremely talented midfielders in tandem.
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
Danny Higginbotham: In Pogba and Fernandes Man Utd have TWO world-class playmakers… Prem rivals face dilemma over which one to stop
- Thread starter Adnan
- Start date
Why is Danny Higginbotham’s name in caps?
Copy and paste..
I understand people are excited about the possibilities. I think we should be wary about the Spurs fixture. We can fall in to the trap of hype, I hope for the first game we stay in what's best for the team. Fred and Scott might be the best option with Bruno. We can't expect Pogba to play 90 minutes.
Now get Partey behind them 
I think Mourinho would adopt a very negative approach if we started both Pogba and Fernandes. I can see him parking the bus. And if he does try to adopt a more adventurous approach then that will also be potentially to our advantage if the back line can stay consistent.
Can’t wait to watch us get stuffed by Spurs 3-0 now.
It’s written in the bloody stars. Great form gets halted by the pandemic, everyone is salivating over a fully fit side and the first time we see Fernandes and Pogba in a midfield together. Mourinho. Race for top 4 being tense.
It’s all too predictable, the hype and bubble burst cycle will continue.
It’s written in the bloody stars. Great form gets halted by the pandemic, everyone is salivating over a fully fit side and the first time we see Fernandes and Pogba in a midfield together. Mourinho. Race for top 4 being tense.
It’s all too predictable, the hype and bubble burst cycle will continue.
I better be wrong.
It’s highly possible tbh. And if I’m honest, as much as I’m looking forward to seeing them together in theory - in reality this COVID Hackney Marshes PL football just won’t be a proper picture at all, and to me, adds to the unpredictability of it all. Anything can happen because it’s hard to predict what the player’s mindsets will be like playing a training style match. Part of me doesn’t feel right that these games have real points on the line, as part of a season that has up to now been conducted in a very different environment.
Maybe I’m just getting nervous the closer the game comes and trying to make excuses early!
Haven’t watched football in such a long time I’m [for once] ridiculously optimistic about these 2 playing together.
I expect a goal & assist each vs Spurs.
I expect a goal & assist each vs Spurs.
It's about time. We're getting our swagger back fingers crossed.
I'm looking forward to Martial & Rashford going up another level instantly with more space, and a happy Pogba showing his undoubted class alongside the majestic Bruno.
Things are looking quite tasty if I say so myself!
I'm looking forward to Martial & Rashford going up another level instantly with more space, and a happy Pogba showing his undoubted class alongside the majestic Bruno.
Things are looking quite tasty if I say so myself!
You will be mate. Fingers crossed.
Away to Mourinho I agree we should play a team which we know 100% is solid. But the beauty of Pogba is his versatility. We could easily play him on the left in whichever setup, be it a diamond or 442 alongside Bruno, Matic & Fred/McT.
He's actually been a really solid pundit.
I think the best formation for the both of them is the 442 diamond, similar to what was used against Everton. Having them both on the pitch as an 8 or Pogba as a DLP next to a Fred or Matic with Bruno ahead would be less balanced, but really excited to see the possibilities.
I think the best formation for the both of them is the 442 diamond, similar to what was used against Everton. Having them both on the pitch as an 8 or Pogba as a DLP next to a Fred or Matic with Bruno ahead would be less balanced, but really excited to see the possibilities.
I haven't really seen Partey much, but is he that much on Fred or McTomminay?Now get Partey behind them
We will smash them
Wouldn't be surprised if we play the 3-5-2 away to Spurs, so Ole needs to decide whether he wants the workman midfield of Fred/Mctominay at the base, or whether Pogba will start in place of 1 of those.
He might end up saving Paul for the FA cup a few days later or bring him on as an impact sub depending how he feels in training.
Tricky decision as if we start Pogba and we lose it'll bring a whole load of unfair pressure back on him.
Because we're shouting
Against small teams who sit back I think Pogba and Bruno will be great.
Against top teams, I think Pogba will need to carry the responsibilities of defending and creating attacks. Some managers might opt for someone who takes less risks on the ball in these types of games. I would be tempted to start both against Spurs but we could benefit from having someone like McSauce man-mark Son out of the game.
Against top teams, I think Pogba will need to carry the responsibilities of defending and creating attacks. Some managers might opt for someone who takes less risks on the ball in these types of games. I would be tempted to start both against Spurs but we could benefit from having someone like McSauce man-mark Son out of the game.
This really would be the ultimate false turning point.
Honestly, I don't see these two as a viable pairing for most games. I can see either one of two problems happening - either a Gerrard-Lampard type issue, where both try and adjust their game for the other and both end up diminished as as result; or that we get glorious chaos as both of them drift into pockets of space all over the pitch, hurting the opposition but leaving us wide open in the middle of the park.
With really strong tactical coaching, there is an outside chance it would work, but with respect to Ole I dont see him as that kind of coach.
With really strong tactical coaching, there is an outside chance it would work, but with respect to Ole I dont see him as that kind of coach.
City have Silva and KDB, as well as Bernado Silva. It's only right that you have more than one top playmaker in your 11. Over-reliance on Pogba in our midfield has been an issue for a while, looking forward to seeing them play together.
They should be for us what Silva and KDB were for City.
That's my thinking. We just need to find the third ideal player, Fred could be that player if he improves a little bit his tackling and covering abilities. For creative midfielders Fernandes and Pogba are above average when it comes to defending, they are just generally too high to be key defenders but with the both of them in the same XI it will be a matter of awareness, understand where the other is and balance the formation.
On paper it looks amazing, just like when we had ADM and Falcao in the same team. I hope they click and we don't end up work a Gerrard-Lampard for England situation on our hands. Having two world class players in the same XI doesn't always mean fireworks from the get-go.
To add to this, having FBs who are very good defensively might help in accomodating both.
I don't see much problem playing both in most games, playing 4-3-3 or variant of 4 CMs can be good for us.
Also we started season with Pogba in double pivot, so Bruno will just replace Lingard or Andreas in attacking mid role
I'm very interested to see Fernandes and Pogba, however briefly, play together. To me, they see football very differently. Some talk about Pogba's "hollywood" passes, and it makes me think of when Beckham started playing very long, often ineffectual, passes from the right side of deep centre midfield - it was a criticism levelled at a player who seemed to have forgotten his real strength - crossing and passing from further forward and wide. Pogba genuinely has hollywood passes in his locker, the ability to open up a team with one pass from deep midfield. He plays them with such an A to B Occam's razor approach that it makes a lot of the rest of his game, where he can dawdle, quite frustrating - when that defence splitting pass isn't on, I think he struggles with the idea of keeping the game ticking on or doing something else. The quality of team-mates in central midfield may have been part of this.
Fernandes on the other hand plays short passes in penetrating ways beautifully. He organises other players with his passing, he gives and receives the ball in ways that make other players better. He is, when necessary, all about the quick wit, the bit of invention. It is very early days for him, of course, but he has more of that playful, quick passing style. How the two then play together? Good players play well together. It's interesting how much better Mata has looked with someone else on his footballing wavelength next to him for instance, who values the movement and speed of pass, not the availability and speed of player. I imagine the two of them will be excellent together - drop off and Fernandes will cook up a move to play through you, or bash in a long shot. Push up, and Pogba will kill with through balls.
The defensive balance is more concerning. I'm not convinced by Pogba's dynamism. This may be because, as the Guardian article wrote the other day, he is a box to box midfielder in style, in an age that struggles to accommodate them, and therefore he feels a constant need to save himself for the next great heave (usually in an attacking direction). He has had injury issues. We shall see. Surely the pair of them start against Spurs though. That's the statement of intent, if it works as it could Tottenham won't get near the ball, and Fernandes strikes well from distance, providing a threat which was absent before against low block teams.
That’s ok because they won’t play as a pairing and we don’t play 442.
And I will add to this that Fernandes likes to drop deep while Pogba likes to make forward runs. Neither shy away from the ball which has also been an issue for us in the past with large periods of times during games where Lingard or Pereira were literally useless. It should play a big role for both players because they won't be alone.
Last edited:
Yeah, Bruno is sort of ball magnet so he drops deep lot of times, Pogba making runs from the deep should help Bruno too.
Two very good players playing in different position (AM and CM) should make the team better and also should push each other to perform even better.
I can't wait to watch them play together with Rashford and Martial in the attack.
James and Greenwood each add a different dimension to the attack. James as the natural winger to stretch the pitch and Greenwood as a 3rd forward
Yeah 4-3-3 will h Rashford, Martial, James/Greenwood in the attack with James or Greenwood coming on or 4-4-2 with Rashford and Martial as strikers with James and Greenwood coming on should give us enough quality and depth.
Now it's upto Ole to fit all the pieces to make a proper functional unit.
We have few very good players and on good days we might see very big scoreline.
WEB OF BISSAKA: Finally.. having two top playmakers back is so good. United's best teams in the past always have more than two WC and top level playmakers. Get more please Ole!
Obviously these 2 could potentially take this team to the next level,but I just hope that the manager can find a system that can bring the best out of both....The manager has to find a way to integrate and get the best out of both these players....
It's a possibility. It's going to be an odd game, against a strong opponent, after a long lay off with no warm-up games. Think how rusty the team always looks in the first couple of pre-season friendlies; that's the stage of readiness they're likely to be at. We saw a lot of Bundesliga teams looking very wobbly in their first couple of games back, and the overall quality of the football was poor.
The answer, of course, is not to overreact to a result, positive or negative. It's just one game. Losing it won't mean the eleven games before it were 'false' and winning it doesn't mean we'll be bagging the treble next season.
Pogba wont be ready for this game. He will likely come at 65 minutes and would do the same for the following game.
Sancho was out for 3 months and he was not match fit till 3 games later and did not start the byern game.
Sancho was out for 3 months and he was not match fit till 3 games later and did not start the byern game.
Whatever formation you play, having 2 midfielders whose tendency is to wander around means you're going to leave big gaps (unless you have a monster at DM, which we dont). If we're going to rotate then that'd be fine on the pitch, but having Pogba benched regularly will probably become a side show.
Hopefully they actually combine as well as people are expecting.
After Van Gaal and Mourinho I think it’s fair to say it’s been years since we were truly exciting to watch, hopefully now we have a bit more creativity we can start to play some good stuff again.
After Van Gaal and Mourinho I think it’s fair to say it’s been years since we were truly exciting to watch, hopefully now we have a bit more creativity we can start to play some good stuff again.
Its been so long since I last watched a match. Forgotten about the rules already. How many players in a side now? Whats offside?
This/.
We’ve got the luxury of having both of them in the squad & we must do everything to make it work.
We need to begin imposing our style on every game.
I have high expectations for the 2.
I'm hoping this break has done James some good, he looked like he could use a bit of time out of the limelight, he was struggling a bit towards the end.