Doesn't look like Madrid will pay big money (wisely)
Who will pay big money for him?
Sounds like the De Gea situation from a few years ago. He wanted them more than they wanted him.
There is only one player there worth keeping and its not Lukaku.
Madrid fans have high standards and won't accept inconsistent performance or being invisible in big games. They know what they will get with Pogba so of course they will refuse such shite.
Mbappe <=> Pogba and we talk
FixedMbappe <=> Pogba and we laugh
They are entitled spoiled brats who also booed some of their best players like both Ronaldos, Bale, Raul and Zidane. Pogba would be an upgrade on a few of their under performing midfielders. He had better stats than all of them this season.
Are you serious? We should offer them Lukaku for Dybala in straight swap deal (their values are comparable according to transfermarkt) and look for a younger LB than Sandro.
Madrid fans are known bigots, these results have nothing to do with Paul's quality. He's better than all of their midfielders combined.
bite their bloody arm off to get that deal
This is all non matter. No player has everything and nobody is defined by what they don't have. It still doesn't change fact there's only one creative mind in our team and that's the one our fans wants rid off. No real passing DM/CM, no ball playing CB, no creative winger, nothing.I don't know if Pogba will leave but I really want him to leave because he would always want to leave and there is no use keeping an unhappy player and also, there are too much weakness in his game. He's obviously talented because he's highly visionary but his weakness needs a lot of work.
First, his work rate and stamina is something that need to be worked upon, which I doubt could be improved because he's got this langiud laid back style which makes him suitable for the no 10 role (similar to Ozil) however his first touch interplay, agility, movement and speed of thought are not as good hence why he keeps hovering between the no 10 and central midfield role. He's neither a no 10 nor a central midfielder.
Secondly, the weakness I already touched upon which are first touch passing interplay skills, movement and quick speed of thought are also needed in the midfield to control the tempo. Pogba's first instinct to have a feel of the ball before making a pass and his constant love for punting long ball into open space for a runner can only be effective in a counter attacking France setup which had Mbappe as a runner on the wing. If he was a no 6, it would be understandable (I actually feel he plays as a no 6 for France).
But to be able to control the tempo in the midfield as a no 8, a midfielder needs much more than just long passes. His speed of thought must be quick and must always be the right decision and also, he must always be on the move to help to keep the play moving through his passes and movement and also, provide options with his movement and position in the midfield.
Lastly, he should be able to make quick first touch vertical passes into open space in between the lines unless the middle is packed up hence the need to quickly switch play to the wings or make a long pass whenever an opportunity opens up for one however It's not just about making long passes like Pogba loves to do. I have watched Pogba many times and his first touch interplay are just not good enough. Even when he's not making his trademark long passes, his first touch vertical interplay is a bit slow, average and not zappy enough to keep the play flowing. So also is his movement. Obviously, he's not been helped by having a coward in Herrera on the pitch who hardly provides option while Pogba's on the ball and would rather hide until we're no more in possession but still, Pogba needs to do better. He's got talent in other areas such as his creativity/vision and passing range which are good however he's a bit of luxury to have in the midfield and need the midfield to be just perfect for him.
Since he wants to go to Madrid, I would love if we could use him to get Ceballos from Madrid. Let's say 100mil + Ceballos because Pogba would always want to leave like he's been singing all through the season hence it's better we start preparing for a life without him. While Ceballos doesn't have the passing range of Pogba, his first touch vertical interplay is one of the best. Likewise his movement and workrate. He's been much more daring while he's with the Spanish national team than with Madrid where he often withdraw into his shell, probably scared of making mistake. If we could bring in both Ceballos and Van de Beek into the midfield, we already solved our issue in the midfield because they are both incisive, good first touch passer and have got good work rates capped with Tonali at the base of the midfield.
I did a comparison stat with Ceballos, Pogba, Matic, Herrera and Van de Beek (His 2017/2018 stat when he was deployed as a no 8) (the eredivisie is obviously a weak league though but at least the stat shows us what he's capable of.
Not sure you can blame 2 defenders for his inept performances in midfield. Matic and Herrera yes but clutching at well plucked straws to blame players who have minimal impact on his performances. Bit like blaming Lukaku for De Gea having an off season.
But he wants to leave, doesn't he?
That is all true. We have a team attitude problem, and I think hes part of it and I think it shows in his play. Yes no one can do what he does and we depend on him a lot creatively, so we need to buy to fix that.
He probably does want to leave, but only because we've been shit and spent the entire last three years relying 100% on him to do everything. Then he gets torn apart in the media and by many fans when he can't do everything by himself.
There are others who need to leave before him. Players such as Sanchez, Rojo, Herrera (he's out at last), Matic, Lingard, Darmain, Young, Jones, Mata etc.
His workrate still needs to be better though, so is his movement and one touch play. He's got many flaws in his game as a midfielder. He's been good for us hence the reason I don't shit on him always but if he really wants to leave, I would jump on the chance to bring in a much rounder midfielder.
Absolutely. It's ridiculous to criticise Paul when there's no one even close to his level in our team. Just try to imagine where we'd be without the league points he's won on his own last season - probably near the relegation zone.
. Any ambitious club doesn't sell it's best players but we cannot give him the support like you have said so if he decides to leave I don't mind- he's far too good to be wasted in 6th place and EL football. Liverpool was already a well structured team before Coutinho left - this team has holes all over it so it's all the more strange if we think selling our only creative player is the first move that must happen.
the case of Paul Pogba is one that needs studying. I have never seen an academy graduate, who's by far the best player at the club, be so hated, and with seemingly no justifiable reason.
Go and rewatch some of last seasons performances and see if that JOGS your memory.
He doesn't need Kante nor Dybala to play better. He needs a playmaker like Marchiso or Pirlo.
if you think bad performances justify the vitriol he receives, especially when, despite said performances, he's still the most productive player at the club, then you should be first in line for the study.
Justifying them or not is a completely different topic but it is really easy to see why many fans turn against Pogba. His inconsistency, his super star reputation juxtaposed with his performances, expectations placed on him, the team's overall poor performances, his 'battles' with his manager, his own attitude and comments etc.
