He was never the problem until we bought Sanchez and Mourinho started to criticise him publicly as a result of rancid team performances. The early season narrative spun quite quickly.
Still, Milinkovic Savic...
6
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 37
- Goals
- 6
- Assists
- 16
- Yellow cards
- 5
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
Still, Milinkovic Savic...
What a performance. His place in the team of the tournament is sealed after this game.
Yup, his performances at the WC have really made an embarrassment to some of the threads and moaning on here last season.
Pogba when he is mentally tuned in is a fantastic player. Its easy to forget that he was really good for united in the first half of last season. Then he came back from the suspension and injury with a completely wrong attitude and he was horrible. Don’t know what happened between Jose and him but I really hope we get to see this Pogba next season.
World class player. I hope he stays at the club for years to come.
How so? He has been so focused in his performances in the WC and these contrast strongly with his performances in the PL last year.
Pretty frustrating watching him play like he's actually part of and responsible to a team during this tournament, as opposed to the often indisciplined and indulgent displays we saw in a Utd shirt last season. Really hope he can bring this attitude and maturity back with him, got all the tools to be the best.
It's completely the other way around.
It's a perfect example of how all Pogba debate dictates he can't win. If he played like today in a defeat/draw to City there would be accusations of cowardice and hiding. It wouldn't be fair, but still.
What a game he had.
He's simply benefited from a more defined role rather and having better players - who also know what they're doing - around him.
Want to see him kick on now.
Want to see him kick on now.
It absolutely does not matter, if Pogba has a good game, if Pogba has a shit game, if Pogba has a mediocre game, either for France or United or in a charity match; group game, league match, semifinal, final, Community Shield, either he or Mourinho or someone else employed by the club, just generally United in some capacity, will be criticised.
It's tiring.
It's tiring.
I'm referring to all the bollocks threads that claimed we were ruining him because we asked him to be a midfielder. We even had the same people saying Deschamps was ruining him
Excellent today, even more so than he's been all tournament. De Bruyne on the other hand was absolute shite but I haven't seen almost any criticism, Lukaku's already being lambasted
Some people seem to think that criticizing a player means you think he is shit, and not that you rate his talent so highly that mediocre performances are a disappointment. See also Nevilles' criticism of him, understands his level of talent, knows how good he can be, not going make excuses for him, doesn't mean he doesn't rate him, complete opposite really.
I still think he has some problems with Mourinho, was absolutely immense today for France.
Any of his should-have been assists giffs @GifLord
Credit to France, somehow making it to the WC final despite having to carry a donkey like Pogba for 90mins every match...
Was absolutely immense...
The reality, in my opinion, is that his performance tonight would not have drawn the same praise in a United shirt. He can’t win. His main highlights were defensive, and people would say he did ‘well’ but ‘should do more’ (I.e - put the ball in the top corner from 30 yards). While the likes of Kevin and Coutinho were doing that more regularly from a similar area of the pitch, Pogba will be seen to ‘not be doing enough’. People are just interested in highlights. The other players I mentioned have more of them, so to the lazy Twitter-clip fans - they are better.
Pogba is also a prisoner to his Juventus highlights. So many in the UK are apparent experts in the player he was at Juve, but the reality is, again, they likely just say goals and flicks on Twitter, and thought he would be doing that all day long in the PL.
Pogba is also a prisoner to his Juventus highlights. So many in the UK are apparent experts in the player he was at Juve, but the reality is, again, they likely just say goals and flicks on Twitter, and thought he would be doing that all day long in the PL.
No white text?
Disagree. He gets a lot of praise when he puts in composed performances for us.
The biggest criticism he gets is that he often dallies on the ball and invites pressure on him while trying to roll the defender. When it works it looks great but more often he will lose the ball (hitting the ground to ask for a foul too) and put the team under pressure as the opponents get a go at a counter attack.
For France he seems to be releasing the ball a lot quicker than he did in various games for us last season. He seems a bit more focused and alert. Which I'd expect given the occasion to be honest.
If he brings that increased level of maturity next season he'll be immense.
Don't think that's true but he's also expected to play a different role for United.
I'm getting the predictable texts saying how he was the worst on the field again and didn't show up and is riding his team mates coattails etc; but on Planet Earth he was immense today. What a performance in a World Cup semi-final against a great side.
Whatever "problems" he was with Jose hope they are mended because he's a great player and we need this level of player.
Whatever "problems" he was with Jose hope they are mended because he's a great player and we need this level of player.
Pretty sure it was sarcasm.
If that was the case France would have lost. We all know his bottom level is atrocious.
I blame Mourinho for his struggles at United. Can't believe he tried taking on a player of this quality. Pogba is a world class talent and it's up to Mourinho and the coaching staff to do more to get the best out of him. Pogba's problem isn't one of position etc. We don't need to know if he's better in a 2 man midfield or 3 and all that. The reality is that he's a top midfielder that can play anywhere but he needs a defined role where he can utilize his passing from deep, drive through the midfield to initiate counters and also help out with defense. He is being asked to do too much at United.
If he played like that with Manchester United, I don't think that we'll have won the EL or finished at the second place in the league...
France has a lot of WC players not only Pogba !
Sanchez, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Herrera, Jones, Lingard, Matic, Lukaku aren't WC... they wouldn't be near the french NT if they were french
Maybe the problem isn't Pogba but the manager and the players around him...
Look at Messi, with average players around him, he isn't the same player so how can Pogba be good with this average squad
France has a lot of WC players not only Pogba !
Sanchez, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Herrera, Jones, Lingard, Matic, Lukaku aren't WC... they wouldn't be near the french NT if they were french
Maybe the problem isn't Pogba but the manager and the players around him...
Look at Messi, with average players around him, he isn't the same player so how can Pogba be good with this average squad
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Mate really?If he played like that with Manchester United, I don't think that we'll have won the EL or finished at the second place in the league...
France has a lot of WC players not only Pogba !
Sanchez, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Herrera, Jones, Lingard, Matic, Lukaku aren't WC... they wouldn't be near the french NT if they were french
Maybe the problem isn't Pogba but the manager and the players around him...
Look at Messi, with average players around him, he isn't the same player so how can Pogba be good with this average squad
And no wonder, the man dropped him for McTominay and Fellaini.
I think ultimately, the Paul Pogba people expect is one who does what Coutinho did here every other week, or what KdB does. Anything less will get a ‘should do more’. He can have a ‘disciplined’ performance, but ultimately - I’m not sure that is the player everyone thinks we bought. He’s not Kante. And I agree to an extent. It’s just that he’s so unique. He should be playing how he played tonight, but also be the kind of goal threat Coutinho or Kevin is when he goes forward. He has the ability to, and I honestly think, sadly for him - he has kind of already shown he can too while in Italy. I agree the media wouldn’t say he was ‘poor’ after a performance like tonight- but they want a real goal threat. Hence his praise for a performance like he had at the Etihad this year is what people want more of. They saw Toure charge through teams and score for years. I think that until that happens, he will be seen as not maximising his capabilities.
As I said, I agree to an extent. Good as he was tonight - I still want him to be that midfielder who gets 10+ league goals for us. He strikes the ball well with both feet, but has lost all conviction when doing so these days. I imagine that he puts them in the top corner in training - but appears to lack the mentality to be a consistent game changer at the moment, which is sad as he doesn’t lack the ability.
This more than anything.
Again, I don't agree. That doesn't match my expectations of him. I won't consider him a failure if he doesn't get 10+ goals and 20+ assists. Some might, but not me and I don't think the majority will. I didn't see much criticism in that direction last year.
He does a lot more defensive work in our third of the pitch that KdB and Coutinho don't drop so deep for (as was highlighted today) and I'm happy for him to be in a position in CM rather than as a #10. He's also a powerful runner arriving late in the box during an attack and I think being deeper suits him more.
I just want him to raise the floor a bit. He needs some maturity to not try silly things and put the team in danger when it's not his day or when it's unnecessary. When Pogba was bad last season, he's really bad. That's what he needs to improve on, because when he's on form he's great and we have seen and know that.
Why.. there arent many clubs who could buy our topplayers. Madrid, Barcelona and maybe PSG if they break the bank.
I think its great that Pogba is showing the critics that he isnt the lazy midfielder and is a waste of money people claim that he is.
If PSG would sign Pogba i do expect loads of happy topics popping up judging from how many people want him gone during matchday...
IMHO it's just about the relationship between a manager and his player. Deschamps know what Paul can and probably wants to do but he makes him understand he needs him differentlly. That he doesn't need to run the show by forcing but he will run it automatically when he plays a faster brand of football that doesn't require too many touches on the ball.
Some speeches, even if valid, are impossible to get through to some people if the person saying it isn't doing it the right way with the person in front of him.
I hope Jose, makes Pogba understand that he needs him to be the one of this WC for Man United
Some speeches, even if valid, are impossible to get through to some people if the person saying it isn't doing it the right way with the person in front of him.
I hope Jose, makes Pogba understand that he needs him to be the one of this WC for Man United
I thought he meant there must be a reason they don't look as good playing for us
Oh alright.
Tactics maybe.. also the world cup arent that many matches. If Pogba plays 7 good matches in a row for United but has a bad one after that the whole PogbaOut brigade will constantly mention that he was bad that one match.
Personally i dont think Pogba has been bad for United at all. I wouldnt trade him for any other midfielder in the league for example.
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