[Scarecrow]

What's with his obsession with roulette? When was that last time it worked other than in that Adidas commercial? I hardly ever remember it was successful for him even his time at Juventus. Last time I saw a player who did roulette and successful was Kagawa against Real Sociedad.

He loves it. He did pull it off quite often in Juve, to be fair.

 

[Borden]

Played like he gave a shit in the second half (like the rest of the team). Just that was a big improvement. On a lucky day he bags a goal too.

 

[CR#7]

much much better 2nd hf worked his ass off

 

[Handré1990]

Terrible for much of the game. Him and Zlatan has played most games though, maybe both could do with a little break?

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Is it just me or is he scared of contested headers?

 

[Scholesy]

He needs to go into beast mode.
He is too lethargic. Blind over hit pass to him and he kind of kicked a fuss. I don't think he has a big ego but needs to just work hard, he has massive ability and presence.

 

[m1y2]

Like if he decided to stop making himself look like a donkey after the half time, was quite impressed with his use of the ball and ability to dribble, was consistently troubling whoever he got to challenge

 

[Manny]

I thought he was good in the second half. Worked hard and showed commitment to making sure we got the win.

 

[Seveneric]

Was better in the 2nd half, but then so was most of the team. Which only goes back to what has been said before. He doesn't seem to be capable of being a motivator i.e. someone that stands out even if the team is shite, or someone that can drag the team out of being shite. He's only good at excelling when everyone else too is excelling. Not BPITW or even best midfielder in the world form.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Pretty shit.

Again

 

[AR87]

Feels like everything he does he's trying to do something too spectacular or think 3 steps ahead of what needs to be done in that particular moment. Thought he looked about 300x better in the second half and showed flashes of great touch towards the end, which I think was also the best he's played since his debut against Southampton, in which he didn't seem bogged down with tactical instructions or whatever.

There's a great player in there I suspect we'll see before too long. The first touch improving is still 90% of the problem imo.

 

[VP89]

Did some stuff but was broadly unspectacular. Would've rather seen Mata occupy the pockets in the number 10 role and quicken the tempo in the final third.

 

[VeevaVee]

I like how prepared his is to shoot. If we can get the team attacking with more speed and creating more chances by pulling the defenders around I think his shots from the edge of the box will start being very dangerous and catch teams out.

 

[Striker10]

Pogba is a very good young player but we're still creating a shape to make it all fit together. We saw earlier in the season, that he can link our play and be very effective. It's a pity his chance didn't go in but there's plenty more to come from him.

 

[mattsville]

He had a good game, hit the post, burst into the box a few times and dominated the possession on a number of occasions high up the pitch, that's what the centre forward should have been doing, he tried his heart out elsewhere and used his intelligence in a lot of situations to keep the ball and progress in a positive manner.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Not everything came off for him today, but he worked hard, especially in the second half. Still need to find a position for him - especially in the 'bigger' games, where he's going to have a big influence on the game. Not just his position, but also the personnel around him.

 

[RedStarUnited]

His off ball running was better today. The runs beyond Ibra is what he should be doing more of.

 

[Giant Midget]

Just needs to keep things simple and it will come.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Really needs to work on his balance. There're shades of Zidane in the way he manipulates the ball but he has to learn to keep it close to him and use his body to his advantage. Especially in the center and especially in England.

Yeah I agree but I think it's great personally. He's overdoing it because he's usually completely surrounded and given the ball in those situations where it's either 1) pass it back safely 2) hold it and pass it back safely/forward 3) do what he does, which is hold it, turn AND dribble it through/pass 1 or 2 players lol.

Obviously the correct thing to do is play the simple and sometimes more effective pass/decision but it shows great character and ability to consistently try those things. Once we find the right team selection and he's get the time on the pitch (by us pressing opponents and taking control possession wise in a proactive manner) we will see those Zidane-esque drop of the shoulders and dribbles, open up space in the central areas. That is going to do wonders for our attack.

 

[berbatrick]

Yup, he needs to work on his decision making. Both when he is surrounded and when he's free. He often tries to do too much on his own, and with his poor form it fails, a lot.
I think it's a matter of knowing his teammates better and trusting them. The talent is there, you can see it in 1 out of 5 things he tries.

 

[roonster09]

He is very unlucky. He has scored 3 goals and hit the woodwork 3 times already. Small margins.

Saying that, his overall game was average and it looked like he played as second striker today sometimes.

 

[OldTrevil]

Unlucky not to come away with a goal after that beautiful move, I want to see him play behind a technically good speedster like Martial or Rashford if he plays more as a 10. The way some people talk you would think he has been here for a whole season or more with nothing to show, jeez people give him time ffs. Some things I see here I only expect from oppo fans on a wind up.

 

[VanGaalEra]

Scored 3 already and hit the woodwork 3 times. Could easily be sitting here with 5+ goals and 3/4 assists.

He'll end up with 10 + goals and 10+ assists this season quite easily. I'd be disappointed if he actually doesn't end up with 25 goals/assists for the season combined.

 

[Adam-Utd]

People definitely hold him to a different standard than other players according to this forum. Yes he wasn't great in the first half but then nobody was. Everybody was misplacing passes and there was no cohesion in the team.

2nd half everybody got their act together and he got much much better, and was drastically unlucky not to score. You can see the pace of the league is a little faster than he is used too, but I have no doubt he will adapt.

All the good signs are there, it will come. Love the way twice on counters he was the only man in the box. Great desire.

 

[Murray3007]

can Jose trying to get him to play the way lampard did obviously with more style, getting in to the box, allowing more longer range shots, the boys close control is top notch, just needing to learn when to release it and when to dribble, no doubt it will come tho, hopefully trys to play Carrick and Herrera in with him more give him a bit more freedom and less to worry about going the other way.

 

[Scarecrow]

can Jose trying to get him to play the way lampard did obviously with more style, getting in to the box, allowing more longer range shots, the boys close control is top notch, just needing to learn when to release it and when to dribble, no doubt it will come tho, hopefully trys to play Carrick and Herrera in with him more give him a bit more freedom and less to worry about going the other way.

I don't think so.

 

[Murray3007]

I don't think so.

And ?

 

[JJ12]

His first touch can be shit at times.

I think he's looking to do too much at times. Once the team has settled and he can start to play naturally I think he will prove to be the star we know he can be.

Pairing him with Fellaini was a dreadful option. Plays much better with a composed Carrick who can control the game.

 

[Jed I. Knight]

Scored 3 already and hit the woodwork 3 times. Could easily be sitting here with 5+ goals and 3/4 assists.

He'll end up with 10 + goals and 10+ assists this season quite easily. I'd be disappointed if he actually doesn't end up with 25 goals/assists for the season combined.

He probably will, thanks to a bit of stat padding Europa, as well as playing every single minute (doubt he'll be rested much).

That said, I think I saw some signs of improvement yesterday, in the second half, without being able to put my finger on what it was exactly. But I have a feeling we'll come into some form the next few weeks, and he'll play a signficant part in it.

 

[tom33]

Looked tired, but then he has played, what? Monday, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday? 4 games in 10 days?

 

[Scarecrow]

And ?

Just saying. It looks like one of his biggest problems.

 

[Murray3007]

Just saying. It looks like one of his biggest problems.

you must watch a different Pogba to me, gets out of tight situations all the time but then trys to beat another player and loses it or when he trys to pass it,

 

[Chaky_Best]

I was just mad with him in the first half. He lost 10 balls in 45 mins. That just too much for a midfielder.

He was better in second half when Shaw was good defensively and Herrera and Carrick cleaning things a bit in midfield, he had room to bomb forward so that was a good second half performance.

He's a strange player, and he always tries too much, even a simple pass.

He really needs to simplify his game, press higher and stronger than he does, get the ball back, and give it as soon as possible

 

[arthurka]

Am sick of this bullshit.

Mate 10 games... Give it time..

 

[Scarecrow]

you must watch a different Pogba to me, gets out of tight situations all the time but then trys to beat another player and loses it or when he trys to pass it,

Maybe we think of different things when saying "close control".

He's got quick, long legs and he is very athletic which allows him to change the direction of his body and the ball very quickly. That's how he gets out of tight situations, but more often than not he ends up in them by taking a poor touch or miscontrolling the ball in the first place. He looks a bit clumsy at times with the ball because he tries to take as little touches as possible and thus lets the ball go too far from his body and he ends up in a stretched position, compromising his balance and control. Hence the poor "close control", in my opinion.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

In a strange way his comprehensive shitness in this game was reassuring. He was getting absolutely everything wrong. Misplaced passes, heavy touches, losing physical battles, failing to win headers, basically making a pig's arse of stuff we all know he is capable of doing very well. It's not ideal having what should be our most important player in such bad form but at least it confirms that this is an issue of form, rather than the more worrying possibility that he's one of many players who has what it takes to shine in Serie A but not in the Premier League.

 

[Righteous Steps]

He will come good, but he needs time, he isn't Messi he isn't Neymar or Suarez he is a young midfielder in a new league he won't score goals and assist every game so if thats the only way you're expecting him to repay back that 90m fee, expect to be disappointed....forever.

 

[Adisa]

He's been thrown into the thick of it after a 5 week holiday and no preseason. I think the first few months should be a write off.

 

[Distracted Steward]

I'm just. It seeing the advantage of playing Pogba at #10 ahead of Mata. The defensive advantage is just about theoretical. What it does to passing, possession and interplay leaves little to keep the opposition honest.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Carragher was trashing him at half time saying that he should be playing like City's Garcia and keeping play ticking over.