Paul Pogba v Frenkie De Jong (not the title m1tch wanted to see)

charlenefan

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A debate for the ages, even before Messi or Ronaldo so let's finally settle it

Ones definitely going, one might be possibly coming

Paul Labile Pogba vs Frenkie de Jong; who's the better midfield maestro?
 

Red the Bear

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This thread may be taking the piss a bit but meh who cares :lol:

I say pogba is the flashier of the two with probably a better eye for goal, de Jong much better at just being a metronone like play building machine from the back, and he excels at it, just pure delight.
Neither really fulfilled their potential yet and to be honest I don't think pogba ever will, hopefully the odds are much better with de jong.
 

bosnian_red

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Right now it's easily de Jong as Pogba has declined. Both at their peaks is probably Pogba as De Jong hasn't hit his potential yet. De Jong far more consistent.

Different players though, different skillsets, different roles. Funnily enough, Barcelona were trying to shoehorn De Jong into a role that Pogba would excel in, while we tried to shoehorn Pogba into a role De Jong would excel in. You want Frenkie to orchestrate play, to be the guy picking the ball up from the defence and progressing it through midfield, especially with how secure and press resistant he is. It's Modrić-esque. You want Pogba to be used in the Zidane type role, in the opposition's half. You want him to receive the ball from someone like De Jong in the more advanced positions. You want to have the security that when he does lose the ball, the opposition won't be in a great chance right away.
 

Red the Bear

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horsechoker said:
I always read FDJ and think it's a former American president
Click to expand...
Aye aye aye, the world renowned Frenklien de(lano) jongsvelt .
The man who got up from his Barcelona induced paralysis to lift up United and United a fanbase!
 
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izec

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They would be good together, alongside someone doing a lot of running and defensive work.

I dont see it as one vs the other, different positions in midfield, players, strengths and characters as well.
 

Offside

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“PP6” for United was one of the most brainless mercenary’s in Premier League history.
 

Trex

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They're both talented players.
De Jong has shown he can be more a leading player and more reliable capable of dominating games (Ajax, National team) than Pogba.
He also has a more balanced skill set.
Pogba more capable of the spectacular.
Pogba the better dancer.
Pogba has better range of hairstyles.
 

matherto

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Can we change the title to their full names. The acronym shite is annoying.
 

charlenefan

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I do feel FDJ will fit us better than Pogba ever did

With Pogba we never knew where his best position was so patchy was his form but we know FDJ will sit in the 6 which is both we want him and he wants to be
 

Jeppers7

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An eye opener for some….DeJong is a class class act….but he won’t fix Manchester United.
 

Crashoutcassius

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I think people have a slightly different perception of de jongs strengths vs reality. I think what he really excels at is carrying the ball and not losing it. you could argue that carrying the ball is pogbas major strength as well, plus maybe the quality in delivery which de jong can't quite match. id say the major plus in de jongs column is he is less careless with the ball and probably tactically less of a liability ie. we aren't likely to be talking about how to unlock de jong after 5 years, he will probably do a job regardless of his partner
 

Rams

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Pogba has all the skill set and athleticism in the World, in terms of talent he’s the best. Yet, he just doesn’t get it. His reading of the game and decision making is poor.
Frenkie reads the game brilliantly, has fantastic technique and passing range. He’s so difficult to rush because he always seems to be able to find space and his eye for the right pass is 2nd to none. He also is a strong athlete, a lot faster than you realise and he can dribble. His weakness is he struggles to score and doesn’t make many assist. So to use him properly you need to play him in front of the defence and not too far up field as they do at Barca. You want to give him the ball early on in the attack every time. First port of call, and he will weave his magic.
 

laughtersassassin

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I don't really care to discuss as it's close enough. All that needs to be remembered is that FDJ is a Pogba replacement.

It's not improving in any real way on what we had. Another Midfielder is a must.

Same with if we get Antony. It's only replacing Greenwood and getting us back to maybe what we already had which also wasn't enough.


Many more will be needed
 

Blood Mage

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Pogba is a mezzala who has always struggled to play in a pivot, Frenkie won't have that issue as he's a proper central midfielder. Pogba is probably the more talented player though.

If the club hierarchy hadn't been so clueless we would have started signing players who are suited to a 433, so we could use Pogba in his preferred role on the left of a midfield triangle. But we didn't do that, so it was a waste of time all round.
 

Tyrion

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In my FM save, I sold Pogba and replaced him with FDJ. We won a league and champions league double while Pogba flopped. FM never lies. Our victory is inevitable.
 

jesperjaap

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Rams said:
Pogba has all the skill set and athleticism in the World, in terms of talent he’s the best. Yet, he just doesn’t get it. His reading of the game and decision making is poor.
Frenkie reads the game brilliantly, has fantastic technique and passing range. He’s so difficult to rush because he always seems to be able to find space and his eye for the right pass is 2nd to none. He also is a strong athlete, a lot faster than you realise and he can dribble. His weakness is he struggles to score and doesn’t make many assist. So to use him properly you need to play him in front of the defence and not too far up field as they do at Barca. You want to give him the ball early on in the attack every time. First port of call, and he will weave his magic.
Click to expand...
Agree with most of this, but the first paragraph is the most important one and why I disagree with the first sentence.. Dejong is the better player as he reads the game well and has much better decision making. It makes him more of a team player, it means he fits better into a system and it also means he can play in a midfield slot without needing to build structure around him.

There is no doubting Pogba has fantastic ability...but he didnt break through here in his first spell, he was good yet still inconsistent especially in big EUropean games at Juventus even with such good players around him in Vidal and Pirlo....I think his time there has been over rated and in his second spell here bara three month period he has had some great moments games, but all sporadic amongst average and sloppy ones. Yet we have paid him big wages, a huge transfer fee and let him go twice for free.

Pogba will be a player remembered here in twenty years, but for all the wrong reasons, huge talent that for me performance wise only really did it Internationally with any consistetency to the talent he posseses. DejOng has done more at both AJax and Barcelona performance wise than Pogbas club career already, definately the better player and if he comes here I think that would become evident very quickly
 

alexthelion

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It should be Pogba, he has all the skill in the world but, apparently, neither the brain or will to use it.
 

Yakuza_devils

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This is not a debate at all. It has to be De Jong. De Jong always give his all in every match. Run, press, pass, tackle and etc with full commitment week in week out. He performed well in Ajax and Barcelona. His fitness, skills and attitude are top class

Meanwhile, PP is the biggest mercenary ever know to football. Jog on the field, mouthy agent belittling the club that pay him week in week out, always injured, more interested in holidays and social medias, had plan to feck the club with free transfer for the last 5 years.
 

Martial

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No comparison.

Pogba is a complete and utter bluffer who puts himself above the team.
 

VeevaVee

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Rams said:
Pogba has all the skill set and athleticism in the World, in terms of talent he’s the best. Yet, he just doesn’t get it. His reading of the game and decision making is poor.
Click to expand...
He never seemed to learn to play to his skillset. Always seemed like he played to be the player he wished he was rather than what he could/should have been, and certainly not what was best for the team. Remember that very long period where he constantly held on to the ball for too long? Trying to waltz through the entire opposition midfield, not passing when he should...I'm convinced he thought of himself as some untouchable midfielder that could keep the ball as long as he wants, where players just fall to his wayside and he has all the time in the world to decide what to do with it. The reality was pretty different - either being tackled or missing the right opportunity to pass.
 

simonhch

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Style vs Substance
Pogba vs De Jong
 

MadDogg

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bosnian_red said:
Right now it's easily de Jong as Pogba has declined. Both at their peaks is probably Pogba as De Jong hasn't hit his potential yet. De Jong far more consistent.

Different players though, different skillsets, different roles. Funnily enough, Barcelona were trying to shoehorn De Jong into a role that Pogba would excel in, while we tried to shoehorn Pogba into a role De Jong would excel in. You want Frenkie to orchestrate play, to be the guy picking the ball up from the defence and progressing it through midfield, especially with how secure and press resistant he is. It's Modrić-esque. You want Pogba to be used in the Zidane type role, in the opposition's half. You want him to receive the ball from someone like De Jong in the more advanced positions. You want to have the security that when he does lose the ball, the opposition won't be in a great chance right away.
Click to expand...
That is absolutely my impression of it as well. We've been trying to play Pogba the way De Jong should be used, while Barca have been trying to play De Jong how Pogba should be used. Both have had good periods, but neither have been as good or consistent as what they were expected to be.

Both would probably play very well together, alongside another midfielder in there who is defensively solid. Alternatively, a straight swap would have worked well for both clubs a couple of years ago. Pogba's apparent decline and the emergence of Barca's other young midfielders have changed that from their point of view.

The OP specifically asked about which was the better 'midfield maestro', so that would definitely be De Jong.
 

DevTheRed

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Pogba is more talented but Frenkie is the better footballer.

Pogba is amazing but he over complicates football so much.
 

Mainoldo

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As bad as Stretford Paddock.

Pogba has left guys… rejoice.

Shouldn’t this be in the football forum?
 
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