I mentioned in my post that I thought it was a perfect storm of events that lead us here. I'm not really of the belief that's he's been world class in every game since Raiola made his statement either so I'm already accounting for dips in form in his performances. The difference for me is that he seems motivated again. I think that has to do with the team playing better as a whole, the fact that we're now top of the league, and him knowing he's trying to force a move and needs a substantial offer in order to get that move away. If he has a bad game this week I don't think it will mean anything other than he had a bad game this week.
I don't think it's just a coincidence that his form improved so dramatically immediately after Raiola's statement and I don't think a couple of months of United being in good form has changed his mind about leaving either. Raiola said what he said at the direction of Pogba, or at the very least with Pogba knowing it was coming, I just don't think we should try to force him to stay if he doesn't want to be here. It won't work out well for either party.
I agree with much of that tbh. All except the playing well for a transfer part. Firstly, I think many of his detractors are deceiving themselves if they are of the view that he would struggle to gain interest from another top club anyway - and secondly - he’s played well many times over the years that he’s been here.
Other than that, I do feel that, naturally, there is an extra motivation in fighting for 1st place and fighting to maybe make the CL for a top player, and I agree that Pogba is likely incentivised further by the possibility of winning the league. But I don’t like the implication of ‘because we’re now top of the league’ either, unless that’s just semantics. Pogba has twice scored the goals that has put us top of the league himself - it isn’t like he has not played his part this season in us being where we are, he absolutely has been a key reason as to why we are top. But players will feel it for sure, it will give them a lift when chasing a title.
Also, we were nowhere near top of the league when he started this run of good form.
And I agree with you also that he hasn’t necessarily been world class in every game since Raiola either. In fact, I’m still of the personal opinion that I prefer him 10 yards further forward anyway, and I don’t think this is the best he’s ever played for us. What I do think though, as I’ve said on this topic for years - that the narrative is always different when your team is winning. You just become more appreciated when you contribute to success. Take the World Cup, where Pogba was lauded and everyone loved how he ‘kept it simple’ or whatever. A large part of the opinion was because France won. If they went out in the quarters - I think he would have been seen to have not done enough. Why didn’t he score goals and win the games for them would be the question. There is room to appreciate the good in his game in a winning team. Pogba has always had plenty of positives in his game for those who preferred to look at them. If City finished 6th, it will be almost like magic how people would start noticing the flaws in KDBs game. In a team, typically the players all need each other to help them look good. Right now, I think that is happening with us. Not necessarily Pogba being amazing, but him being part of a winning team. If we had lost some of these tight games over the last two months, his performances wouldn’t look so good.
As for you not thinking it a coincidence that his form improved so much after Raiola’s comments - neither do I, but I think the reason for that is different to what most seem to think. I remember the narrative surrounding him at the time - all the ‘he’s a disgrace’ and the rest of it, people questioning his attitude and the like, to the point where he felt compelled to issue a statement. To me, the most obvious reason that nobody seems to mention (maybe as it is on the positive side) is that he was extra determined around that time to show people that he is someone who actually cares about United, and not some unprofessional waster who is a disgrace to the club. For me, the determination and specifically, the fight he has shown on the pitch, is largely down to him being called into question as a man as much as as a footballer. I’ve always been someone who has never subscribed to the view that Pogba is some sort of Bond villain who plays for United under duress and really hates us. I don’t think that to be the case, and I think the loud chorus of that sort of view lit a fire under him, so I think it was closer to being the comments from the likes of Gary Neville and Carragher that have driven him more than those from Mino Raiola.
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). The second, perhaps most important, explanation is that COVID recovery took more time; COVID set him back more than we thought. He is now finally fit enough and in form.
