[Rozay]

To be fair he was standout for a long while in the entire Premier League let alone for Manchester United

I think it was exaggerated. He scored more than half of his goals from the spot I think, and the ‘see, that’s the great thing about Bruno, even when he’s not playing well he can still contribute’ was becoming more the rule than the exception.

 

[VP89]

I think it was exaggerated. He scored more than half of his goals from the spot I think, and the ‘see, that’s the great thing about Bruno, even when he’s not playing well he can still contribute’ was becoming more the rule than the exception.

Id like to see the stats on this. Even in his poor season now his chance creation is just ridiculous. Theres little to doubt his output. Of course the other areas need tweaking but its not a talent or physical limitation. A top manager can cut those bad habits out from him and still keep him effective.

Same can be argued for Pogba, mind, but hes never really shown it for extended times for me. Even in Juventus days, when he was good it was hot but it didnt last consistently then either

 

[JPRouve]

Id like to see the stats on this. Even in his poor season now his chance creation is just ridiculous. Theres little to doubt his output. Of course the other areas need tweaking but its not a talent or physical limitation. A top manager can cut those bad habits out from him and still keep him effective.

Same can be argued for Pogba, mind, but hes never really shown it for extended times for me. Even in Juventus days, when he was good it was hot but it didnt last consistently then either

It's not more than half. He has scored 21 penaltys out of 49 goals.

 

[Rozay]

It's not more than half. He has scored 21 penaltys out of 49 goals.

I’m talking about his first year exclusively tbh.

 

[Bebestation]

Looks like I probably guessed right with what his next club is going to be.

 

[JPRouve]

I’m talking about his first year exclusively tbh.

I assumed you were but his stats as a whole don't change the point that you made. I think that he is a very good player but his stats shouldn't be used to make a strong point.

 

[Rozay]

Id like to see the stats on this. Even in his poor season now his chance creation is just ridiculous. Theres little to doubt his output. Of course the other areas need tweaking but its not a talent or physical limitation. A top manager can cut those bad habits out from him and still keep him effective.

Same can be argued for Pogba, mind, but hes never really shown it for extended times for me. Even in Juventus days, when he was good it was hot but it didnt last consistently then either

I disagree personally. I agree, he is a chance creating machine - which looks great on the highlights and on Opta - but there is just too much else to a football match. How often are you playing a final pass in a game? What about the rest of it?

And I do think there is a talent and physical limitation issue too. He has a specific set of talents, that are fantastic in certain circumstances, but I don’t think he’s that talented in other situations. My take is, generally speaking, if Bruno gets the ball and I can’t see the opponents goal within the frame on my television screen - he is generally an average footballer. If he gets the ball and the opponents goal (or at least opponents box) is within the frame, he is a special player. Which is perfect for a striker/forward, not so much for a ‘midfielder’. And I think in the ‘middle’ areas he lacks both the short passing, agility and dribbling talent and also the physical capabilities. He is weak and has poor acceleration, and his most common means of dealing with that is to fall down and hold his ankle (more often than not, not getting the decision either). I just don’t see him suited for a great team, except perhaps in a Firmino role.

As for Pogba, he certainly does have physical limitations too, for me, although he’s not lacking the talent required to play CM. Well, unless we are counting tackling as a talent, because he’s terrible at it. Biggest issue is his inability to cover ground. He needs a bit more Fred to his game.

I still maintain that neither will be fixtures in our next great team. I think Pogba could be part of a great team, but certainly not one that plays with a 10. Will need to be 3 actual midfielders, with him being the least defensive of the three. Which has never happened here, except for a brief spell under Ole.

 

[Rozay]

I assumed you were but his stats as a whole don't change the point that you made. I think that he is a very good player but his stats shouldn't be used to make a strong point.

I think his stats play a huge part in the narrative behind the point I was responding to, in that ‘he was the outstanding player in the league for a spell, not just our team’. I think that narrative was largely building around his exceptional statistical output, of which a higher than normal percentage of his goals were penalties.

Football narrative is often a little lazy, certainly nowadays, and I get the impression people look at the headline figures and go with what seems to make sense. For example, during his early spell, commentators regularly used to say how ‘unusual’ a stray pass was for him, and how much it wasn’t like him. They also sat in studio after studio and called him the ‘new Paul Scholes’, although the difference is night and day. Many people either don’t watch or pay attention to the detail. It’s the world that we are in in general. Everyone can only handle bitesize info and seemingly don’t really watch, they skim.

 

[AngliaRed]

Our most creative player.

What must he think when Bruno & Mctominay stay on the pitch and his number goes up.

 

[Jacob]

Our most creative player.

What must he think when Bruno & Mctominay stay on the pitch and his number goes up.

He's probably happy, seems like he couldn't care less.

 

[Bobski]

Some nice touches, but his fitness is little short of disgraceful.

 

[Brwned]

Our most creative player.

What must he think when Bruno & Mctominay stay on the pitch and his number goes up.

He’s probably thinking “thank god because I can’t ran for much longer”. He clearly cannot play at that intensity for 90 mins. None of our players can but he is among the least suitable for it. He did his job and probably came off when planned.

 

[bosnian_red]

He's like a statue in big games. So heavy footed and slow and can't ever find time to play his game.

 

[Swiss_Red89]

wouldn't have subbed him tbh.

 

[RomfordRed75]

One of his finest "I couldn't give a shit" performances. Just jogging about for 60 minutes, waste of space.

 

[Bobski]

He’s probably thinking “thank god because I can’t ran for much longer”. He clearly cannot play at that intensity for 90 mins. None of our players can but he is among the least suitable to it. He did his job and probably came off when planned.

He can barely play at intensity for 30 mins. Maybe it is the after effects of covid, maybe he is saving himself for his new club, maybe age and his huge frame is causing a few issues but he needs to get himself right.

 

[DWelbz19]

Massively lost something in his game fitness wise. I mean he’s always been a lax player defensively but now I don’t think he physically has it in him to see out full games of high intensity

 

[AngliaRed]

He’s lost his pace and sprint which would usually power him away from a player.

He also looks unfit which is strange as hes been back with us for like 2 months so you’d think the physio staff would notice his stats and data and tailor his training but he doesn’t look any fitter as the games come along.

Still our better player today.

 

[Bennie Blanco]

Part of the problem. Always has been, always will be.

 

[united for life]

One of his finest "I couldn't give a shit" performances. Just jogging about for 60 minutes, waste of space.

indeed. He doesn’t care anymore. He was smiling when he went out. No fecks given

 

[Banana Republic]

Our most creative…. My arse.
In the first half he lost possession or got dispossessed several times and apart from our best move of the match, had very little impact.
Second half, totally non-existent from the kick off.
Jogging around in no man’s land while it was all happening behind him in our own half.
Sorry, he’s a waste of space and the sooner he walks off, the better.

 

[Bobski]

I think most of us thought that Bruno would be pushed forward and Pogba would be deeper today. Probably the thinking was Bruno could at least cover the ground in the deeper areas but Pogba might give you a few moments of game changing class. Wasn't wrong from RR to be fair.

 

[caid]

Thought he was shite throughout. A passenger.

 

[Borys]

It hurts me to see him in our own half, but he had some decent moves in the final third.

I feel for him, I'm leaving my company in 2 months as well and my performance is similar.

 

[RedIan]

Don’t know if it was a lack of commitment but he was off the pace. In games like this we need our best players to step up, he didn’t he stepped back.

 

[zaafi]

Exactly the same player as he was in Juventus at the age of 21. Hasn't progressed one bit and his inconsistency is ridiculous.

 

[Longshanks]

Other than a couple of Good moments, he was generally very poor, first half took too many touches more often than not and gave the ball away too much, second half just jogged around the centre circle completely missing from the game.

 

[Marwood]

He'll always have moments of quality but the guy can't move. He's physically a different player from the one that arrived and has been for a couple of years.

Go look at pics of him at the end of his Juve time and beginning of his returm here. Compare to now.

 

[Leftback99]

Why is he so unfit?

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Limping through the season, avoiding injury, next career move is 100% done and dusted.

He can be a top player, but we have no business starting him. It's pointless.

 

[finneh]

Some nice touches, but his fitness is little short of disgraceful.

Reminds me of Lukaku when he was here. It seems like half the time he's struggling to haul his somewhat unresponsive corpse across the pitch.

 

[Hugh Jass]

He is part of the problem because he doesnt work hard enough both in possession and especially out of it.

Just compare phil fodens performance to pogbas in terms of workrate. Foden was sprinting all second half from Maguire to Lindelof.

Pogba is a terrific player attacking wise, but he just doesnt work hard enough.

 

[Roboc7]

He’s leaving at the end of season, he looks physically poor. I actually like Pogba but O wouldn’t pick him again now, five Hannibal a chance, we’re not getting anywhere near to top four with or without Pogba so let’s think about the future.

 

[Stacks]

I disagree personally. I agree, he is a chance creating machine - which looks great on the highlights and on Opta - but there is just too much else to a football match. How often are you playing a final pass in a game? What about the rest of it?

And I do think there is a talent and physical limitation issue too. He has a specific set of talents, that are fantastic in certain circumstances, but I don’t think he’s that talented in other situations. My take is, generally speaking, if Bruno gets the ball and I can’t see the opponents goal within the frame on my television screen - he is generally an average footballer. If he gets the ball and the opponents goal (or at least opponents box) is within the frame, he is a special player. Which is perfect for a striker/forward, not so much for a ‘midfielder’. And I think in the ‘middle’ areas he lacks both the short passing, agility and dribbling talent and also the physical capabilities. He is weak and has poor acceleration, and his most common means of dealing with that is to fall down and hold his ankle (more often than not, not getting the decision either). I just don’t see him suited for a great team, except perhaps in a Firmino role.

As for Pogba, he certainly does have physical limitations too, for me, although he’s not lacking the talent required to play CM. Well, unless we are counting tackling as a talent, because he’s terrible at it. Biggest issue is his inability to cover ground. He needs a bit more Fred to his game.

I still maintain that neither will be fixtures in our next great team. I think Pogba could be part of a great team, but certainly not one that plays with a 10. Will need to be 3 actual midfielders, with him being the least defensive of the three. Which has never happened here, except for a brief spell under Ole.

pretty spot on. He should be a false 9

 

[Red00012]

He’s halfway to Madrid /PSG

 

[Ali Dia]

On this kind of fitness and form he’ll be an expensive mistake for his next team too. Just not worth close to what he thinks he is. If he goes and plays AM for his next team he’ll be fine. He just hasn’t matured into a good enough box to box. Not physical or efficient enough for this league as a box to box

 

[The Corinthian]

Looked lost.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I think Pogba’s the single biggest factor behind us being a team that looks great in the first half and wank after half-time. Which is our biggest flaw under Ralf. His cardio is diabolical. He seems physically unable to play more than 50-60 minutes of football.

It kills us because he’s generally been playing quite well so long as he’s fresh and his replacements are absolutely wank. So when he hits a wall we completely fall apart.

He’s obviously keen to make an impression on his next employer. Not keen enough to get back to anything approaching proper match fitness but that’s not really needed to get him on the radar of some big clubs.

 

[Red Shorts]

He's gassed out early 2nd half every time. He shouldnt do so being back for over 6 weeks now

 

[RedStarUnited]

On this kind of fitness and form he’ll be an expensive mistake for his next team too. Just not worth close to what he thinks he is. If he goes and plays AM for his next team he’ll be fine. He just hasn’t matured into a good enough box to box. Not physical or efficient enough for this league as a box to box

Yeah a Pogba level player for free is a huge gamble.