[Mr PG]

Pogba is a big unit and like Usain Bolt it takes him tome to get going and his lateral movements will never be quick.

It’s really down to physics even though he can improve a little by increasing his awareness

 

[limerickcitykid]

James was poor in that position.

The match thread at half time was full of people calling him the best player on the pitch.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

James played well last night. Looked like he had a point to prove. Turns out working very hard helps when you’re in a midfield two.

 

[roonster09]

James played well last night. Looked like he had a point to prove. Turns out working very hard helps when you’re in a midfield two.

He wasn't in midfield 2. They had Martinez, Thiago and James in midfield 3.

 

[roonster09]

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[promisedlanchiao]

I don’t get why people keep saying that Pogba can’t play in a 2. Weren’t his best games of the season in a 2 at the start of the season and when he came back to steer the ship a bit and get us back on track after a shaky spell while he was out?

For me, obviously his best position is in the LCM role in a 4-3-3, but to me we should be playing 4-2-3-1 with Pogba at LCM against all teams aside from the top 6 at home and against all teams aside from the top 10 in away games. My reasoning for this is because in these games, we’ll need to put the focus on the whole team to break through bus-parking teams instead of just relying on Paul to single-handedly cut through teams. In the other games though, I believe that it is a good tactic to have Paul, Alexis and Rom leading our counter attacks and scoring goals as they are our best attacking players in my opinion.

I hope this is how Jose makes us play next season. Exciting, attacking football in some matches and exciting, counter attacking football in others.

 

[Icemav]

I don’t get why people keep saying that Pogba can’t play in a 2. Weren’t his best games of the season in a 2 at the start of the season and when he came back to steer the ship a bit and get us back on track after a shaky spell while he was out?

For me, obviously his best position is in the LCM role in a 4-3-3, but to me we should be playing 4-2-3-1 with Pogba at LCM against all teams aside from the top 6 at home and against all teams aside from the top 10 in away games. My reasoning for this is because in these games, we’ll need to put the focus on the whole team to break through bus-parking teams instead of just relying on Paul to single-handedly cut through teams. In the other games though, I believe that it is a good tactic to have Paul, Alexis and Rom leading our counter attacks and scoring goals as they are our best attacking players in my opinion.

I hope this is how Jose makes us play next season. Exciting, attacking football in some matches and exciting, counter attacking football in others.

Agree somewhat.

Pogs has and he can. But that works against certain opposition and I would say some weaker teams that are a bit soft defensively. We have seen our side overrun too many times in midfield and Pogba presently isn't combative enough to smash all comers. Also tactically a midfield 2 just doesn't suit many opposition. He has worked well recently in a 3 which has allowed him to break forwards into the box a la Lampard... we crushed City with that tactic. He waltzed right through them. With Matic and Herrera supporting he was able to boss Dembele, that would not have worked in a 2. No point at the moment pinning him back as a regista or a holding mid, we won't get the best out of him that way. But I see your point but perhaps a tad oversimplifying to say that he should be in a 2 at home against all team bar top 6... I would say any team that aggressively presses us requires more midfield support.

 

[Canagel]

So I look at James out there and I can't help but think why can he play deep in a two but Pogba can't be expected to have any defensive responsibility and needs two people beside him to do all his work.

James was not playing in a two. It was 3 in midfield with Martinez and Alcantara.

 

[AP88]

So I look at James out there and I can't help but think why can he play deep in a two but Pogba can't be expected to have any defensive responsibility and needs two people beside him to do all his work.

The truly great footballers thrive when being converted from attacking to deep-lying midfielders; Pirlo, Modric, Scholes, Schweinsteiger pre-injuries, Makelele, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Toni Kroos can/will eventually take that step too. Eriksen is dropping deeper for Spurs and gluing their play together. The key is their football intellect - Pogba has none.

Pogba’s a street footballer; the iceing on - but never the actual - cake.

 

[Greck]

Pogba's suitability in a two is dependent on his partner. The other midfielder needs to have legs, mobility and workrate because Pogba and Matic are severely lacking in some of these categories whereas Matic's immobility hurts us going forward. Wish he played like Spurs Dembele.

The real reason Pogba can't play in a 2 is how bad he is defensively both in mobility and reading the game (the latter of which Matic is defensively better at). Physically he runs like a giraffe about to fall. See the first goal Tottenham scored. Watching him chase down the ball could get its own comedy channel.

Poor awareness also means he's constantly switching off and his defensive fundamentals are wrong. He's always trying to win the ball when he should be trying to steer the player from goal. Some of these can be corrected with coaching, at least to the point where he isn't a defensive liability.

 

[Jeppers7]

The truly great footballers thrive when being converted from attacking to deep-lying midfielders; Pirlo, Modric, Scholes, Schweinsteiger pre-injuries, Makelele, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Toni Kroos can/will eventually take that step too. Eriksen is dropping deeper for Spurs and gluing their play together. The key is their football intellect - Pogba has none.

Pogba’s a street footballer; the iceing on - but never the actual - cake.

I wonder at what age Cristiano will drop back ? Might be later in his career like Maradona, Ronaldinho and Zidane.

 

[reddevil702]

The truly great footballers thrive when being converted from attacking to deep-lying midfielders; Pirlo, Modric, Scholes, Schweinsteiger pre-injuries, Makelele, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Toni Kroos can/will eventually take that step too. Eriksen is dropping deeper for Spurs and gluing their play together. The key is their football intellect - Pogba has none.

Pogba’s a street footballer; the iceing on - but never the actual - cake.

All of the players you just mentioned had midfield counterparts that were just as talented. Place Pogba in a midfield with Kroos and Casemiro for example and his impact would be even greater than Modric's IMO. None of those midfielders have as much attacking responsibility as Pogba does for United and in a midfield 2 we are adding defensive responsibility (rightly so) but yet still expecting him to turn out the same attacking performance. Pogba is the "cake", we just have to find the right "icing".

 

[RDCR07]

The truly great footballers thrive when being converted from attacking to deep-lying midfielders; Pirlo, Modric, Scholes, Schweinsteiger pre-injuries, Makelele, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Toni Kroos can/will eventually take that step too. Eriksen is dropping deeper for Spurs and gluing their play together. The key is their football intellect - Pogba has none.

Pogba’s a street footballer; the iceing on - but never the actual - cake.

What in the actual feck are you on?

 

[limerickcitykid]

All of the players you just mentioned had midfield counterparts that were just as talented. Place Pogba in a midfield with Kroos and Casemiro for example and his impact would be even greater than Modric's IMO. None of those midfielders have as much attacking responsibility as Pogba does for United and in a midfield 2 we are adding defensive responsibility (rightly so) but yet still expecting him to turn out the same attacking performance. Pogba is the "cake", we just have to find the right "icing".

Pogba isn't even close to Modric. And he can hardly be claimed to have defensive responsibility the last few months seen as he does none of it.

 

[Canagel]

Pogba isn't even close to Modric. And he can hardly be claimed to have defensive responsibility the last few months seen as he does none of it.

If you put Modric in this team he wouldn't be doing better than Pogba is right now. Infact I don't think there's any midfielder that can do better than what Pogba is doing in this team. He is doing the maximum with what he has around him. Things need to be put into perspective.

 

[Stacks]

If you put Modric in this team he wouldn't be doing better than Pogba is right now. Infact I don't think there's any midfielder that can do better than what Pogba is doing in this team. He is doing the maximum with what he has around him. Things need to be put into perspective.

Exaggeration to the extreme. Modric would, just in a different manner. Modric wouldn't play a 4/10 game. he is more like Scholes in that his lower level could be a 7-7.5. Sure he won't score or assist more, but he would definitely run the game more. In fact their chance creation is almost identical and I don't see that as Modric's main game. He is a metronome, something that IMO Paul struggles to do consistently or as effectively.

 

[Loublaze]

Exaggeration to the extreme. Modric would, just in a different manner. Modric wouldn't play a 4/10 game. he is more like Scholes in that his lower level could be a 7-7.5. Sure he won't score or assist more, but he would definitely run the game more. In fact their chance creation is almost identical and I don't see that as Modric's main game. He is a metronome, something that IMO Paul struggles to do consistently or as effectively.

Any player can have a 4/10 game. Players like Scholes and Zidane had a few stinkers in their time

 

[United_We_Stand]

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[United_We_Stand]

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[limerickcitykid]

Probably because he offers absolutely feck all defensively and out of possession.

He should try actually having an outstanding game instead of just saying he can.

 

[Still ill]

Oh behave. And you talk about perspective? Are we talking about the last 3 games or in general?

 

[Rhyme Animal]

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Very strange comments given that all anyone seems to be criticizing him on is his continual attempts at the Hollywood...

It's like he's in an alternate reality where he can't hear the praise he gets from fans and most pundits when he just keeps it simple, and instead thinks that people expect him to score more.

Like he's in denial to suit his own viewpoint or something.

I couldn't care less about his goals or assists, I just care about his overall performances.

Rom - I care about goals and assists, Sanchez somewhat (though again, his overall game matters more to me), midfielders all I care about is a solid performance.

That, to me at least, is where midfielders show their brilliance - in being consistent and functional.

 

[littleman]

Completely oblivious to what he's being criticized for.

 

[el3mel]

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Actually he has been criticized for his midfield role being non existent in some games not the goals and assists at all. Seems he didn't understand the problem.

 

[Stacks]

Any player can have a 4/10 game. Players like Scholes and Zidane had a few stinkers in their time

not according to Schmeichel.

 

[Greck]

His mind is still in last season where he was mocked for his low goal+assist tally. His fixed that but the next step is to improve the aspects that don't have stats

 

[Pogue Mahone]

So that was underwhelming. Two steps forward, one step back. Post-Fergie Manchester United in a nutshell.

 

[cyberman]

He could be at his worst in games like these. It's too easy for him to drift in these dead matches.
Even Herrera wasn't putting the effort in.

 

[el3mel]

Decent. Nothing more.

 

[MadDogg]

Fairly good first half. Didn't seem to get involved much in the second.

 

[Minimalist]

I really struggle to have much fondness for him to be honest.

Despite grabbing a goal, his attitude and effort at times today annoyed me.

 

[NinjaFletch]

I thought he was excellent up till his goal and was fully hoping to be able to come in to his thread and talk about complete midfield performances, but then he just gave up and let the game pass by as if he thought 'I've done my bit'.

 

[11101]

A goal and a solid performance. Nothing special but that's what he needs to do week in week out.

 

[Brightonian]

Don't really understand what he's getting criticised for. I was coming on here to praise him. We dominated the ball and attacked constantly after their goal, and he was running that show. We lacked cutting edge until near the end, but Pogba was the one keeping us on top of the midfield and providing plenty of ball to the forwards, so he can't be blamed for that - look at Lingard, Sanchez, Lukaku, Rashford if that's your problem with the performance.

Happy with him today. Not a barn-raiser but nonetheless at the level you'd want from your star midfielder, and maintained attacking intent which got him his goal.

EDIT: tl;dr: exactly what @11101 said right above this

 

[Jib]

Solid performance and another goal/assist against a big 6 team.

MOTM for me.

 

[breakout67]

So that was underwhelming. Two steps forward, one step back. Post-Fergie Manchester United in a nutshell.

He tried a back heel in the Arsenal box surrounded by 3 players, tried to dribble past the whole Arsenal midfield multiple times and lost the ball. I wouldnt call that good midfield play.

I'd give him a 7/10 which includes a goal, so if he wasn't fortunate to get the rebound it would have been an average performance. Can't really complain since this is a dead rubber. Hopefully, he puts in one of his worldie performances against Chelsea.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Second half performance seemed to mainly involve running into Arsenal players, falling over then thrashing round on the ground for a bit, all aggrieved. Such a frustrating player to watch.

 

[Minimalist]

Don't really understand what he's getting criticised for. I was coming on here to praise him. We dominated the ball and attacked constantly after their goal, and he was running that show. We lacked cutting edge until near the end, but Pogba was the one keeping us on top of the midfield and providing plenty of ball to the forwards, so he can't be blamed for that - look at Lingard, Sanchez, Lukaku, Rashford if that's your problem with the performance.

Happy with him today. Not a barn-raiser but nonetheless at the level you'd want from your star midfielder, and maintained attacking intent which got him his goal.

EDIT: tl;dr: exactly what @11101 said right above this

He was fcuking unremarkable at best. If that's a good performance from him, we're in trouble.

Lazy for large parts of the game, easy to win the ball off and ultimately bar his goal, didn't really create much.

 

[Adisa]

Thought he was the only player that started to come out with any sort of credit despite been average to poor.

 

[BusbyMalone]

Thought he was ok today. Much like the team he's wildly inconsistent. You would like to think that gets sorted out next season. That goes for both him and the team.