Paul Pogba revisited

[Red_Aaron]

No doubting his huge talent and I feel that had he stayed the first time around and had to establish himself into that dressing room he could've really been a huge player here

By the time he came back there was no strong culture in place to keep him on track, indeed he was considered a leader within the squad which only lead to further downfall in standards imo. Far too selfish and not prepared to suffer on the pitch. It's no surprise that when Ibra was here he was a lot more disciplined - he needed that kind of character in the squad to keep him in check

People point to his World Cup performances but in many ways that's the easiest stage for a player to focus on, especially when you're as talented as he was. It's the week in week out that was his problem, bothering to turn up and perform against against the midtables in the shit grounds with the agricultural tactics. The number of times he'd lose the ball in his own defensive third by fecking about was infuriating but I'm not sure he cared really, particularly in the last season or so

In Oles interim period he was absolutely brilliant, no doubt keen to embarrass Jose by showing how good he was without him. He was the best player in the country for 2-3 months before he started to lose interest again and fell back into his bad habits

He's definitely an example of right player wrong time

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

I view him as one of the first key contributors to our lack of professionalism in the changing room.

He slowly lowered the bar for excellence in the team but was adept enough at maintaining his image on social media whilst doing it.

Absolutely this.

It was no coincidence that his attitude shifted dramatically when Zlatan wasn’t there to put manners on him. He fell out with Jose shortly afterwards, looking to drive his new car home on his own after a defeat away to I think Newcastle was what Jose said.

People around him helped build a toxic environment and attitude. Even the stupid hair stuff, he even died his hair blue just before a Manchester derby. Its not that this is a big issue in itself , its the absolute tone deafness of the things these players do, Garnacho prob learned a few things from these modern social media players.

And the worst for me was that his online stuff did affect him. I remember him saying during the World Cup he stopped online stuff to focus on France. Jose said the very thing , something on the likes of “when Pogba is in a closed tournament environment it suits him”.

What annoys me most is these players get massive money and basically suit themselves. They want all the good , the money the extra popularity and they act like they deserve it and we should just be grateful they play for us.

All the talk of Pogba was that he was a lovely lad , which is nice. But he had a horrible attitude and was badly advised by his piece of sh*t agent which was part of the reason Ferguson let him go.

I wasn’t happy to see his career nose dive as it did, but I see him as the saddest waste of a quality footballer we bought. He could flick a switch and be immense (city away game obviously sticks out). And he could actually handle the pressure and still play well, which is sad because his problem was simply his attitude. He did it to himself.

 

[antk]

Grown adults holding a grudge for dancing years later is still one of the most ridiculous things happening around here.

 

[CMRobbo7]

Overrating him still by having this thread.

Overrated.
No loyalty.
Money more important than football.
One of biggest flops in my lifetime (yes he was a world record buy at the time).
Good passer on his day.

Bruno has had a million times more impact.

I think it’s fair to say that until his body broke down in his last two seasons then Pogba was a key player for us…So in terms of impact, this I don’t get? What is the impact? 100 goals? But 40% are penalties. League performance? Worse. Team performance? Worse. Individual performances? I’d argue Bruno has had more lower level performances. More extended periods of poor performance and the team has had worse performances and results.

Trophy wise it’s equal. League wise we were much better pre Bruno.

Pogba…

16/17 PL 6th League cup winners, Europa League winners

17/18 PL 2nd FA Cup runners up

18/19 PL 6th

19/20 PL 3rd

20/21 PL 2nd Europa league runners up

——————

Bruno

20/21 PL 2nd Europa league runners up

21/22 PL 6th

22/23 PL 3rd EFL cup winners FA Cup runners up

23/24 PL 8th FA Cup winners

24/25 PL 15th Europa league runners up

 

[Uncle Mainoo]

Grown adults holding a grudge for dancing years later is still one of the most ridiculous things happening around here.

I thought I was alone. The irritation reading that comment alone just brought me back to the time of feeling the need to defend him just because of people’s stereotypical beliefs.

I still think his time here is judged mainly on off the field activities which should be perfectly fine for any individual footballer.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

Grown adults holding a grudge for dancing years later is still one of the most ridiculous things happening around here.

I thought I was alone. The irritation reading that comment alone just brought me back to the time of feeling the need to defend him just because of people’s stereotypical beliefs.

I still think his time here is judged mainly on off the field activities which should be perfectly fine for any individual footballer.

Who is holding a grudge? It’s simply an observation.

Zlatan and Ronaldo love the social media stuff aswell, but the difference is that they were driven to succeed on the pitch so it had absolutely no bearing on their performances.

If you court public attention online, you will get it. But when you play poorly you will get all the wrong attention for reasons you created, just like Garnacho at United.

I don’t care what United players do off field once they are doing it on the pitch. But you can’t ignore off field stuff when it starts to impact how they play. Pogba spoke regularly about how the attention he was getting was effecting him so it was an issue.

You can pretend it’s not relevant or you can try to understand the psychology of football and how this sort of negative attention can affect a player. And because the player is the one flaming the attention, they’ve nobody else to blame but themselves.

I wasn’t irritated that Pogba did loads of online stuff, it was that it clearly affected how he played when things weren’t going well he’d hoped.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Pogba was scapegoated for me in an era that where we where still considered that we should be a top team.

He was class and those around him were not to the level required. Over time the scapegoating, playing with an underperforming team and the injuries did eventually catch up to him but that's besides the point really

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

Pogba was scapegoated for me in an era that where we where still considered that we should be a top team.

He was class and those around him were not to the level required. Over time the scapegoating, playing with an underperforming team and the injuries did eventually catch up to him but that's besides the point really

The highest paid players have the highest demands/expectations. People say “money doesn’t matter” but it does and it’s naieve to try to ignore it. Look at how much stick Bruno gets at times and whatever anybody dislikes about him, they wouldn’t say he doesn’t care or isn’t trying.

Pogba effectively stopped performing because he was not happy as he said himself. I don’t understand fans of United excusing players not arsed to try cause they “aren’t happy” while the team struggles.

It used to be if you don’t perform you are offloaded, Ferguson ditched players who were doing far more than Pogba for far less but Woodward was desperate for Pogba to work out so wouldn’t sell him.

It wasn’t all Pogbas fault , he wanted to move and wasn’t allowed , ironically because he was such a strong online presence that Woodward mentioned when he joined. (Pogba was Woodwards wet dream signing).

The Pogba situation (not all the players fault) was and is emblematic of what’s been wrong at United all this time. Massive money thrown to fix a problem, Looks like should be doing way better but ends in toxic drama.

 

[Denis' cuff]

Pogba + agent. What a fecking pair. These defending him must’ve been 5 yo

Epitomised the state of the club at the time and since

Obvs as much management’s fault but hey, let’s knock Jose who called out him and Shaw, Martial but lok who got binned.

Shaw still here, Sir Jim.. do it

 

[Dansk]

He needed a better team around him. Had the talent but not the discipline to be the focal point. Also, let's not forget that he did have attitude problems. Refused to follow the club's medical advice and chose his own doctors, conveniently always in places like Miami and Dubai where he could simultaneously enjoy a luxury vacation. Clear lack of effort in the latter half of his time here. Cared more about his social media presence than about the club. Refused a lucrative new contract because he thought he deserved to be paid even more after all that, and then made a ridiculous documentary where he dragged the club through the mud. His injuries also had a tendency to coincide with the colder season in England, and while none of us can say we know that he feigned injury in order to avoid playing, his behaviour certainly made it easy to suspect it.

 

[sugar_kane]

I don’t think time has changed my opinion of him even slightly.

Both then and now I thought he was insanely talented but also very immature.

On the pitch his biggest downside was holding on to the ball for too long, doing some weird shielding thing and invariably giving it away but often I was seeing him make passes which were genuinely elite level.

Off the pitch he seemed fairly idiotic but not significantly more so than many other players we’ve had over the years, and the environment can be partly blamed for that given how many knobheads we seem to churn out.

He wasted his best years with us, and it was clear that’s what was happening at the time.

If he had elite mentality he could have helped dragged us back up but he didn’t, and we had no other leaders after Zlatan left to keep him in check.

On balance I feel more sad about talent squandered than any resentment towards him.

 

[Møllemanden]

Grown adults holding a grudge for dancing years later is still one of the most ridiculous things happening around here.

People are different I guess. I do hold a grudge against him. Whatever he wants to do when he's at home is fine by me. But yeah, dancing and performing various ridiculous hand signs on the pitch during a dark period in the clubs history is unacceptable. You can celebrate when there is something to celebrate.

Just do your f*cking job..

 

[StamsShinyHead]

For as much as we paid for him and his overall contribution, I see him as a failure. Had moments where he shone, but not enough to justify the price tag.

 

[Uncle Mainoo]

Who is holding a grudge? It’s simply an observation.

Zlatan and Ronaldo love the social media stuff aswell, but the difference is that they were driven to succeed on the pitch so it had absolutely no bearing on their performances.

If you court public attention online, you will get it. But when you play poorly you will get all the wrong attention for reasons you created, just like Garnacho at United.

I don’t care what United players do off field once they are doing it on the pitch. But you can’t ignore off field stuff when it starts to impact how they play. Pogba spoke regularly about how the attention he was getting was effecting him so it was an issue.

You can pretend it’s not relevant or you can try to understand the psychology of football and how this sort of negative attention can affect a player. And because the player is the one flaming the attention, they’ve nobody else to blame but themselves.

I wasn’t irritated that Pogba did loads of online stuff, it was that it clearly affected how he played when things weren’t going well he’d hoped.

I don’t think it’s worth diving into the real issue with Pogba here, as it’ll probably just be ignored or overlooked.

But to address your points; you mentioned Zlatan and CR7. At Pogba’s age, they were playing alongside teammates like:

Buffon, Thuram, Cannavaro, Montero, Zambrotta, Camoranesi, Emerson, Tacchinardi, and Del Piero.

And we all know the kind of teams CR7 played in.

Their individual brilliance was supported and amplified by the quality of the environments they were in. Now, let’s look at the team Pogba left, the one that made him one of the most sought after talents in Europe:

Buffon, Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli, Evra, Cuadrado, Vidal, Pirlo, Tevez, and Morata.

As has already been mentioned here, we simply didn’t have the culture or talent to elevate him in the same way. You can’t seriously claim that a World Cup winner —not a bench player, but a key figure in that French team, lacked the drive to succeed. If we are being honest they still haven’t truly replaced him.

 

[laughtersassassin]

At the end of the day we haven't had a CM even close to him post Fergie.

The passing he could do was out of this world

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

I don’t think it’s worth diving into the real issue with Pogba here, as it’ll probably just be ignored or overlooked.

But to address your points; you mentioned Zlatan and CR7. At Pogba’s age, they were playing alongside teammates like:

Buffon, Thuram, Cannavaro, Montero, Zambrotta, Camoranesi, Emerson, Tacchinardi, and Del Piero.

And we all know the kind of teams CR7 played in.

Their individual brilliance was supported and amplified by the quality of the environments they were in. Now, let’s look at the team Pogba left, the one that made him one of the most sought after talents in Europe:

Buffon, Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli, Evra, Cuadrado, Vidal, Pirlo, Tevez, and Morata.

As has already been mentioned here, we simply didn’t have the culture or talent to elevate him in the same way. You can’t seriously claim that a World Cup winner —not a bench player, but a key figure in that French team, lacked the drive to succeed. If we are being honest they still haven’t truly replaced him.

You need only look at Bruno’s consistent contributions to see that quality players can still perform well and Bruno isn’t in a United team as good as the one Pogba had.

All players don’t have the same drive to succeed , that’s a given unless you presume every top footballer has the sense sort of competitive drive. Do you think Sancho has the same drive as players who take a pay cut to get on the pitch ?

I see it as much that players ego can help drive them to qualify or can prevent them reaching their potential. Do you think if Pogba had Roy Keane’s drive , he’d of just played great in spurts?

I don’t disagree that United’s dysfunctional setup definitely hurts players and managers. But attitude and mentality to difficulty can be different for different players. Pogba , at best, didn’t have the mental strength to get over his own ego and just didn’t put in a shift every game. Was clear as day to anybody who watched him play for United.

 

[Uncle Mainoo]

You need only look at Bruno’s consistent contributions to see that quality players can still perform well and Bruno isn’t in a United team as good as the one Pogba had.

All players don’t have the same drive to succeed , that’s a given unless you presume every top footballer has the sense sort of competitive drive. Do you think Sancho has the same drive as players who take a pay cut to get on the pitch ?

I see it as much that players ego can help drive them to qualify or can prevent them reaching their potential. Do you think if Pogba had Roy Keane’s drive , he’d of just played great in spurts?

I don’t disagree that United’s dysfunctional setup definitely hurts players and managers. But attitude and mentality to difficulty can be different for different players. Pogba , at best, didn’t have the mental strength to get over his own ego and just didn’t put in a shift every game. Was clear as day to anybody who watched him play for United.

There’s a difference between putting in a shift and not doing what the fans expected of you. For ages I wanted Micheal Carrick to dominate a game like Steven Gerrard, the day I got over that was the day I really appreciated him as a player. Paul Pogba performed in line with how Paul Pogba plays — and so did Jadon Sancho. The difference is, Sancho just isn’t that good. I’ve never seen Sancho control a game or pull us out of a difficult situation.

And that actually reinforces my point: it’s easy to subconsciously lump both players into the same category. It’s similar to how no one ever brings up Jack Grealish when discussing underperforming players. Grealish wins a Champions League final, gets drunk afterward, and everyone laughs. Pogba dances, and suddenly it’s treated like a crime.

As for Bruno — credit where it’s due. He’s achieved a lot here, and while he’s getting plenty of criticism now (much like Pogba once did), when he eventually leaves, people will have to acknowledge what he’s contributed.

The main issue with Bruno is that his playing style has made it difficult for us to function as a cohesive, dominant midfield unit. His poor positional discipline often leaves gaps, and honestly, the only system that can succeed with Bruno in midfield requires two central midfielders behind him to cover those weaknesses I.e. the “McFred” setup and I think we can all agree you’re not building a top-level, evolving side with McFred in the middle.

So individually kudos to Bruno. Do we have a better team with Bruno over Pogba? I don’t think so at all.

 

[Dansk]

I don’t think time has changed my opinion of him even slightly.

Both then and now I thought he was insanely talented but also very immature.

On the pitch his biggest downside was holding on to the ball for too long, doing some weird shielding thing and invariably giving it away but often I was seeing him make passes which were genuinely elite level.

Off the pitch he seemed fairly idiotic but not significantly more so than many other players we’ve had over the years, and the environment can be partly blamed for that given how many knobheads we seem to churn out.

He wasted his best years with us, and it was clear that’s what was happening at the time.

If he had elite mentality he could have helped dragged us back up but he didn’t, and we had no other leaders after Zlatan left to keep him in check.

On balance I feel more sad about talent squandered than any resentment towards him.

Wasted his best years with us, but he certainly shares part of the blame for that fact. While not everything was his fault alone, he seemed to arrive thinking he could just coast on talent alone and not have to take it seriously, and it has always been obvious that this was the real problem.

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

There’s a difference between putting in a shift and not doing what the fans expected of you. For ages I wanted Micheal Carrick to dominate a game like Steven Gerrard, the day I got over that was the day I really appreciated him as a player. Paul Pogba performed in line with how Paul Pogba plays — and so did Jadon Sancho. The difference is, Sancho just isn’t that good. I’ve never seen Sancho control a game or pull us out of a difficult situation.

And that actually reinforces my point: it’s easy to subconsciously lump both players into the same category. It’s similar to how no one ever brings up Jack Grealish when discussing underperforming players. Grealish wins a Champions League final, gets drunk afterward, and everyone laughs. Pogba dances, and suddenly it’s treated like a crime.

As for Bruno — credit where it’s due. He’s achieved a lot here, and while he’s getting plenty of criticism now (much like Pogba once did), when he eventually leaves, people will have to acknowledge what he’s contributed.

The main issue with Bruno is that his playing style has made it difficult for us to function as a cohesive, dominant midfield unit. His poor positional discipline often leaves gaps, and honestly, the only system that can succeed with Bruno in midfield requires two central midfielders behind him to cover those weaknesses I.e. the “McFred” setup and I think we can all agree you’re not building a top-level, evolving side with McFred in the middle.

So individually kudos to Bruno. Do we have a better team with Bruno over Pogba? I don’t think so at all.

I don’t know what they dance thing you are referring to.

What exactly do you feel was unfair expectations put on him ? He was unbelievable for 3 months when ole took over. Nobody in the squad had changed , the only thing preventing him doing that earlier in the season was his relationship with Jose. A manager who made him vice captain at start of season to try and somewhat build bridges with him.

I remember his interview after we started that season with a win and he was whining about being unhappy. The issue wasn’t there wasn’t enough quality around him; it was that he wasn’t arsed to play for the manager. Not the first player to do that but that sort of ego stuff is corosive and we’re still trying to offload those sort of characters from the squad.

I don’t understand how people still try to make out Pogba was some victim of circumstances.he was right at the centre of the issues he had at the club.

 

[SirScholes]

True… but Pogba had a lot more goals and assist even with prattling about.

he’s only been there 5 minutes mate

Pogba is a highlight player, yes did some great things but also cost by trying to be billy big bollocks on the edge of his own area

 

[DuruttiColumn]

Feel quite sorry for him… the stick he got when he signed for us was unreal. Yet you have an 115m signing in Wirtz racking up nothing and he ain’t getting the same treatment.

Come on, don’t be daft. Wirtz is getting criticism even though hes only been at Liverpool for 2 minutes.

 

[daveskimufc]

We just didn't get what we paid for. And unfortunately he took loads of stick for it. I don't go to games often but managed to get to his return game vs Southampton and he was brilliant. Thought we genuinely had a fecking world beater. But he just faded

 

[BorisManUtd]

We just didn't get what we paid for. And unfortunately he took loads of stick for it. I don't go to games often but managed to get to his return game vs Southampton and he was brilliant. Thought we genuinely had a fecking world beater. But he just faded

Yeah he was a beast in that game vs Southampton, looked like incredible upgrade in midfield after Schneiderlin and others we had there.

 

[Rozay]

There are/have been a number of PL players who - if they had played EXACTLY how Pogba has played for much of his time here - the narrative would have been much different. Grealish and Wirtz come to mind first, although it is obviously very early days for Wirtz. Still, my point is, if his first season or two here were a replica of Pogba’s - I am confident he would be declared a success.

Separately, it’s very hard for any individual to receive praise in an underperforming team. Goalkeepers are the easiest, because it’s easy to build a narrative of a GK saving a sorry team. But I’ve seen United come 2nd or 3rd in recent years and never get a player in the team of the season, for example. Their players are not considered to have had ‘good seasons’, even if the team was better than 95% of the rest of the league. It’s because with United, the demand is to win. And if you don’t, you will be judged based on how far you are away from that.

Pogba certainly had his flaws, and by the end of his time here, injuries had finished him completely. It also didn’t help him that De Bruyne was reaching phenomenal levels for a winning team down the road. But for the first few years, he was very good and one of the best players in the league. Everyone who played against him has always spoken of how he was levels above.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player subjected to such an orchestrated media campaign of negativity, perhaps aside from Balotelli and perhaps Sterling, at a point.

 

[Tallis]

He was good to very good in the first 3 seasons but perhaps got more criticism than he should have because of his price tag and expectation. Falling out with Mou hurt his reputation.

After that, there was just injury after injury. If he had replicated what he did in the first 3 seasons for another 3 seasons, he would have been a good signing overall.

 

[Uncle Mainoo]

I don’t know what they dance thing you are referring to.

What exactly do you feel was unfair expectations put on him ? He was unbelievable for 3 months when ole took over. Nobody in the squad had changed , the only thing preventing him doing that earlier in the season was his relationship with Jose. A manager who made him vice captain at start of season to try and somewhat build bridges with him.

I remember his interview after we started that season with a win and he was whining about being unhappy. The issue wasn’t there wasn’t enough quality around him; it was that he wasn’t arsed to play for the manager. Not the first player to do that but that sort of ego stuff is corosive and we’re still trying to offload those sort of characters from the squad.

I don’t understand how people still try to make out Pogba was some victim of circumstances.he was right at the centre of the issues he had at the club.

It’s unfair that Jack Grealish and Florian Wirtz cost more than him and neither will be critiqued or scrutinised like Pogba.

There’s always a tonne of excuses as to why Pogba’s case is different but like someone stated above his career here would have been perfectly fine for anybody else not named Paul Pogba. As to why that is I believe I know, but it’s something that never really gets clarified to a satisfactory level for “me”.

Eitherway for the longevity here and the moment a he had. He was a 7/10.

 

[Fortitude]

Expected Bryan Robson like levels....actually got output that Clayton Blackmore exceeded.

Don't know about levels, rather, people expected a Bryan Robson regen who could put the team on his back, carry it and have that innate understanding of what to do at all times.

He was misprofiled. Badly. And then judged against that strawman for his time here. On top of that, once Mourinho character assassinated him, it became open season.

Juventus showed the exact blueprint of how to use him properly. Subsequently, we ignored it and played him in a way that displayed no thought or understanding into what they were actually buying had taken place.

Not the first nor last post-Fergie expensive player brought in who the staff had no idea what to do with.

 

[ItDoesntEvenMata]

Sorry but this is a ridiculous disservice to Ozil, Ozil always made things happen and was vital in that Real Madrid team. He was great at arsenal too. Ozil was a different league compared to Pogba.

It’s unfair that Jack Grealish and Florian Wirtz cost more than him and neither will be critiqued or scrutinised like Pogba.

There’s always a tonne of excuses as to why Pogba’s case is different but like someone stated above his career here would have been perfectly fine for anybody else not named Paul Pogba. As to why that is I believe I know, but it’s something that never really gets clarified to a satisfactory level for “me”.

Eitherway for the longevity here and the moment a he had. He was a 7/10.

Grealish was a fairly big part of a side that won a Treble. Wirtz has played 7 games

Both have received plenty of stick

 

[Chumpsbechumps]

It’s unfair that Jack Grealish and Florian Wirtz cost more than him and neither will be critiqued or scrutinised like Pogba.

There’s always a tonne of excuses as to why Pogba’s case is different but like someone stated above his career here would have been perfectly fine for anybody else not named Paul Pogba. As to why that is I believe I know, but it’s something that never really gets clarified to a satisfactory level for “me”.

Eitherway for the longevity here and the moment a he had. He was a 7/10.

It’s been clarified in detail, you just don’t like the answer. If you are implying skin color is playing a role you can F**k off with that culture war nonsense.

Grealish isn’t a United player and never was , so I’m not sure why you think he’s a comparable player on any level. City players by default don’t have the same scrutiny as United ones.

 

[DevilRed]

Primadonna.

Will be forgotten in another 5-10 years.

 

[DuruttiColumn]

The reason he didn’t ever reach the heights he could have been as that most boring of things in football… injuries

I heard early on the medical staff has concerns about the number of small injuries he was picking up and it became chronic after 2 years or so

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Ultimately did not live up to expectations which was to be a world class midfielder, but he was comfortably better than many others, we had higher standards when he was signed. Finished second, won the Europa League etc.
He was much better than for example Enzo Fernandes has been.

The circus around him didn't help, but when we watch our midfield today I just laugh.

Pretty much this. He was a victim of far too many fans not actually watching a player that their club has signed. Everyone assumed he was going to be some rampaging box to box player with 10/10 technique when he was always far more a Zidane like creative mid that you had to build the structure around.

I also think the “inconsistent” label was a joke compared to how many skate by being far more inconsistent or just down right horrid these days. He was also genuinely excellent his first two seasons here yet that seems to get forgotten or downplayed because he did dances, got haircuts, and wasn’t a pure 10/10 every match. Rubbed too many the wrong way and they could never see past it.

 

[peller]

To be in said team of the year you have to be consistent over an extended period of time. If you're speaking years - then no player at United has been so for a very long-time - Bruno at a stretch.

We bought Matic and Fred because we needed players/midfielders. I don't even recall a line-up in which all three started. If the logic is "we bought X while A was here" then every time we buy a player, I guess we're building the team around anybody else that was here before them.

So basically Pogba was never being consistent year in year out?

I never understood the whole thing about 'unlocking' Pogba or building the team around him. We simply needed a balanced midfield with each player doing their part and whose strengths and weaknesses gelled properly. Something which every team in the world tries to do in the midfield, but for some reason we never seemed to aim for. We spent the vast majority of time shoe-horning players into roles (most obviously Pogba and Fred) that they 'could' do but never really suited them. Then wondered why they were inconsistent and struggled to actually function as a proper midfield.

Also how many times did we actually play Matic-Fred-Pogba together? I only found six games in all competitions over their first two seasons together. I also remember in the first few seasons Matic and Fred always struggled to play together as they got in each others way, probably due to both of them (and Pogba as well for that matter) preferring to play on the left side. I distinctly remember that as it was the combination that I wanted playing together in 19/20 as, in theory at least, it was our most balanced midfield until it became obvious that Matic and Fred didn't work well together. It wasn't until the last season or two we had them that those two started to form any kind of decent partnership (probably due to Matic dropping so deep by that stage that he was virtually a defender).

Neither did i understand but that was Pogba's man united story in nutshell: "we need to get him manager who understands him", "we need to get players to unlock him", "we need to play him in his best position". It was never Pogba's own fault why he failed reach the height here, always someone's else.

 

[TsuWave]

So basically Pogba was never being consistent year in year out?

He evidently was consistent end up in team of the year - so the idea he was never consistent it’s verifiably false. If you’re adding “year in/year out” qualifiers then that’s not the same argument as “never”

 

[MadDogg]

So basically Pogba was never being consistent year in year out?



Neither did i understand but that was Pogba's man united story in nutshell: "we need to get him manager who understands him", "we need to get players to unlock him", "we need to play him in his best position". It was never Pogba's own fault why he failed reach the height here, always someone's else.

The media and fans making up big talking points about what Pogba needed shouldn't really be held against him if we never actually did the obvious and simply build a balanced midfield. People talked like Pogba needed some super specific midfield and system that was built purely around him, when in reality the system that he was at his best at (both at Juve and the brief time we played it at Utd) was probably the most common and successful midfield that the top teams had been using for the previous decade. We just never did that.

It's not really any different that if we'd been playing Bruno in a midfield two for the majority of his time here. Would it be fair in that case to blame Bruno entirely for not reaching the levels he could have and being much more inconsistent than he would be as a #10? Or should we put some blame on him for the faults he does have, but also recognise that the club basically set him up to fail by limiting his strengths and highlighting his weaknesses?

 

[Robbo*]

My view is that he is like Gerrard in that he roams around without sticking in a position, does maverick stuff etc but cared much less than Gerrard about the club and therefore ended up using his talents less frequently, whereas Gerrard had the will to drag his team along with him. Pogba was ultimately a huge disappointment, but isn’t alone and the club will have played a part in not enabling him to be as good as he should have been.

 

[Overhaul FC]

Paul Pogba was, and still is the best CM since Paul Scholes for Man United.

Anyone that doesn't believe that just doesn't know football well enough.

No1 else has come close to him in 10/11 years, including Bruno if he's playing as the number 8.

There are only a handful of CMs today that could be considered Pogbas equal but they don't want to come and sign for us. I'm grateful to Pogba for coming to United and his debut is still one of the best debuts I've ever seen at Old Trafford. His talent and strengths can only be rivalled at United by Scholes as CM in the last 20 years.

 

[holdsteady]

A youtube footballer for the youtube generation

 

[Yagami]

Great player wasted on terrible managers.

 

[Uncle Mainoo]

A youtube footballer for the youtube generation

You’ll have to clarify what both mean? I have no idea what that is!