Pogba

[dinostar77]

Roy Keane last night:

“I’d be looking at the goal they conceded in injury time, where he was really sloppy in midfield. That’s the bit I would be critical of,” the United legend told ITV Sport.

“That seems harsh because he has done some brilliant stuff. There is no doubting Paul’s quality, but it is just the other stuff, his maturity.

“We’ve mentioned all that. United have had all the problems as well, can he play in a two in midfield, he probably can’t because he doesn’t have the discipline.

“He was at his best in Juventus where he had a bit more freedom and was probably surrounded by more men and characters, they had better quality players.

“Even tonight, he leaves you frustrated. For all of the brilliant qualities going forward, I still think he lacks discipline defensively. That’s the key (to go to the next level). The top players do it week in, week out. Paul doesn’t do that.”

Patrick Veiria last night:

“I completely agree,” said Vieira. “When you look at his potential, what he can do in midfield, you expect more from him.

“If he played next to Roy he would maybe be a different player because he needs someone on his back putting him under pressure and being demanding of him.

“It is frustrating because he can give much more than what he is giving to the team.”

Surely either our existing midfielders need to be told to be on "Pogbas back" all the time or if we are going to sign a CDM then it needs to be someone whos not afraid to have a go at Pogba and keep him in check. Otherwise he cant be trusted in a 2 man midfield.

 

[DanClancy]

In fairness, and I am really not his biggest fan, he had moments last night where he was truly world class - the goal, that pass for Mbappe - but then he has a moment like the one where he lost the ball near the halfway line for the Swiss equaliser. France as a whole were complacent after the third goal went in - they probably thought they had it won. What the Swiss then managed to do is as much testament to their never say die attitude as much as it was the french team capitulating.

No consistency in his performances and he can't be trusted, everytime he plays he gets caught losing the ball in a dangerous place by trying to be too clever. Happened a few times against Germany and was lucky he wasn't punished, he'll never learn.

 

[Oldyella]

The really great players adapt; when Maradona went to Napoli for a world record fee he elevated them from a mid table side into one of the best teams of that era; he didnt have many world class players alongside him, if any, but through his skill, desire and ambition Napoli won their first ever League Titles, various other Italian trophies plus European honours. In Napoli, he is still worshipped as a God; I cant see Paul Pogba ever coming close to that sort of adulation.

Maradona is arguably the best player ever (and is, imo) so it's unfair to compare anyone to him.

 

[Dante]

International football is played at half the intensity of the Premier League. Switzerland bucked the trend yesterday by getting in France's face, and Deschamp's midfield couldn't handle it. It wasn't a positive advert for what Pogba would be like in a United shirt.

What Pogba can do reliably well is spot a pass. But every other one of his qualities he only seems to be able to do unreliably (even if it looks amazing on the odd occasion he pulls it off).

You can't afford a player like that in a midfield in most games (or at least not since nineties). And he doesn't have the workrate, quick tempo or press resistance to do it every game at as an AM. Nor the pace to do it regularly at leftwing.

So if we keep him, it'd be as floating option across 3 different positions. But each of them would be a judgement call based on what the opposition shape looks like. He's too good to be lumped into a category of 'luxury backup' but paradoxically not good enough for anything else.

 

[DWelbz19]

Surely either our existing midfielders need to be told to be on "Pogbas back" all the time or if we are going to sign a CDM then it needs to be someone whos not afraid to have a go at Pogba and keep him in check. Otherwise he cant be trusted in a 2 man midfield.

Or... We don't criticise a central midfielder for getting tackled 60 yards up the field and instead focus on the defence that was split like the red sea from a simple Xhaka pass?

Rewatch the goal. Pogba loses the ball sure, but the idea he was at fault for that goal is insane.

 

[red4ever 79]

Well at least now with his tournament over this should wrap up fairly quickly. Either he will sign a new deal presented to him early on, or he will leave for free next summer. Should all become clear fairly soon. I believe it will be the latter, for sure no-one will pay a transfer fee for him this summer.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

He's come 2nd in the PL twice playing predominantly in a 2 man midfield, to say he can't play there is hyperbolic.

That said I agree he's not optimal in that position. I'd switch to either a 4-3-3 or a diamond and see how it works with him in the left half space, in a freer role.

I wouldn't be moving Bruno away from the attacking role though. So you play Pogba as one of the other two and run the risk of getting over run in midfield.

Should have bought Kante when we had the chance.

 

[Pablo18th]

Pogba is definitely the best player we have, but his potential hasn’t been unleashed in the United shirt. Right now I’m optimistic of three reasons:

1. His performance in Euro 21
2. Sancho and Pogba will be a great match; Arrival of Sancho will lift Pogba to a new level at United.
3. A “new” formation which is build around Pogba’s strengths and weaknesses

Bruno have had more impact on the team, but I think it’s more important to focus on how to get the best out of Pogba. Bruno is a great player, but it’s quite obvious that Pogba’s top level is a knot higher. I also think Bruno is a more flexible player; not as sensitive to formation or position as Pogba. That’s why I’m not worried if Ole decide to prioritise Pogba’s needs before Bruno’s - if he introduce a new formation next season.

"Getting the best out of Pogba" has resulted in France winning 1 out of 4 including an upset against Swiss. That form will be terrible in a league campaign. Keep in mind that international opposition is not as good as club opposition also.

 

[Reyoji-Utd]

It says it all really when we still have this conversation after 4 yrs about how to use Pogba correctly.

We know what he can and cant do with his game. Really, its hard now to argue that hes best suited in our midfield because you have Bruno and him together and i dont know even a peak Kante can help shield them off their defensive responsibilities for a whole season. The balance is not there, and i dont know if we will ever achieve any trophy with them two playing together.

People tend to use his France performances to mask the bad side of him but its different between 7 games tourament vs 50/60 games seasons.

 

[Dante]

The Euros proved how good the likes of Dan James and Paul Pogba are.

 

[romufc]

It says it all really when we still have this conversation after 4 yrs about how to use Pogba correctly.

We know what he can and cant do with his game. Really, its hard now to argue that hes best suited in our midfield because you have Bruno and him together and i dont know even a peak Kante can help shield them off their defensive responsibilities for a whole season. The balance is not there, and i dont know if we will ever achieve any trophy with them two playing together.

People tend to use his France performances to mask the bad side of him but its different between 7 games tourament vs 50/60 games seasons.

I find it quite weird when people say Bruno and Pogba cannot play together.

France won the world cup with Pogba and Griezman, who essentially has the same role as Bruno at Manutd.

They start with those two, they are never any questions raised about Griezman and Pogba being able to play with one another.

Our issue is Pogba, which is the same issue France had yesterday, he is oblivious to the match situation. With all the talent he has, he can pass, score worldies and everyone is raving about him but the mistake that led to the Swiss equaliser happens too regularly where he tries something in the middle of the park and loses it and teams transition quickly.

 

[MUFC OK]

Nothing has changed. Still needs a top class DM to do the dirty work next to him.

 

[Reyoji-Utd]

I find it quite weird when people say Bruno and Pogba cannot play together.

France won the world cup with Pogba and Griezman, who essentially has the same role as Bruno at Manutd.

They start with those two, they are never any questions raised about Griezman and Pogba being able to play with one another.

Our issue is Pogba, which is the same issue France had yesterday, he is oblivious to the match situation. With all the talent he has, he can pass, score worldies and everyone is raving about him but the mistake that led to the Swiss equaliser happens too regularly where he tries something in the middle of the park and loses it and teams transition quickly.

Yes sure they can play together like your example with Griezman in a tournament with 7/8 games.

What im trying to point out is that its completely different in circomstances between tournament and league (38 games). EPL is getting harder and harder and as we can see hes got found out more and more. Teams focus on getting ball off him cause they know he likes to hold on the ball. I think if he can dial down his tendency to show off his skills and play more simple then it might be turn out even better. It maybe about what Keane and Viiera said about his maturity and consistency that makes it easier for some of us to view his departure indiffrently.

 

[Maticmaker]

We saw the best and the worst of Paul Pogba last night...agree wholeheartedly with Keane and Veiria.
Trouble is if he is so unpredictable in the French National team, what chance has Ole got?

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Played exactly how I expected him to, like one of the best midfielders in Europe. Called it, sign a DM now ffs.

Let’s stop p*ssing in the wind with McFred and try to make the most of our most expensive investment ever shall we.

Like some of us have said a million times now we need a top DM whether Pogba stays or goes regardless. Just so happens that our best player plays his best football next to one, who knew.

And no, signing a DM is NOT ‘building a team around Paul’ but he’s every bit as good as a player you should build a team around anyway.

Last night Pogba played alongside the best Defensive Midfielder of the last decade in Kante and even then the space left by those two was immense. Yeah, Pogba was great going forward but Xhaka (yes the same Xhaka who has been a laughing stock at arsenal on and off for the past 5 years) carved them two apart regularly and that was in huge part to Pogba not covering the ground you need to in that position.

I agree completely that we need to sign a true defensive midfielder. I think the only true DM we have in the first-team squad is Matic (who is 32), Fred and Mctominay are box to box players and can leave us short both in creativity and in true defensive cover.

But I don't think signing a DM even a top-quality 1(which lets be honest is really unlikely especially if we sign Sancho this summer) will solve the were does Pogba play problem.

 

[Hammondo]

Roy Keane last night:

“I’d be looking at the goal they conceded in injury time, where he was really sloppy in midfield. That’s the bit I would be critical of,” the United legend told ITV Sport.

“That seems harsh because he has done some brilliant stuff. There is no doubting Paul’s quality, but it is just the other stuff, his maturity.

“We’ve mentioned all that. United have had all the problems as well, can he play in a two in midfield, he probably can’t because he doesn’t have the discipline.

“He was at his best in Juventus where he had a bit more freedom and was probably surrounded by more men and characters, they had better quality players.

“Even tonight, he leaves you frustrated. For all of the brilliant qualities going forward, I still think he lacks discipline defensively. That’s the key (to go to the next level). The top players do it week in, week out. Paul doesn’t do that.”

Patrick Veiria last night:

“I completely agree,” said Vieira. “When you look at his potential, what he can do in midfield, you expect more from him.

“If he played next to Roy he would maybe be a different player because he needs someone on his back putting him under pressure and being demanding of him.

“It is frustrating because he can give much more than what he is giving to the team.”

Surely either our existing midfielders need to be told to be on "Pogbas back" all the time or if we are going to sign a CDM then it needs to be someone whos not afraid to have a go at Pogba and keep him in check. Otherwise he cant be trusted in a 2 man midfield.

His creative balls forward were great, his passing technique for these are one of the best in the world.

Bigger problem, more than the fact hes a massive problem with defense + losing the ball, was that one was running the midfield in any of their games. They struggled to dominate games against the Swiss, Hungary and Germany (missed the Portugal game). No one is the leader in that midfield, no one is the general controlling the game with the ball.

You run into a problem where you need the rest of the midfield to do 90 percent of the work so that he can excel in that last 10%. He looks amazing in clips, but looking at the whole games for France, the midfield in general was poor.

If we play Pogba, we can't play Bruno because defensively its terrible, they both lose the ball and leave the defense open. Neither run teams game, dictating with the ball. If you want to be a top team you need someone to do that.

So you need your last player to do all the defensive work, and run the game for the team and that player has never existed since football began.

 

[RUCK4444]

Last night Pogba played alongside the best Defensive Midfielder of the last decade in Kante and even then the space left by those two was immense. Yeah, Pogba was great going forward but Xhaka (yes the same Xhaka who has been a laughing stock at arsenal on and off for the past 5 years) carved them two apart regularly and that was in huge part to Pogba not covering the ground you need to in that position.

I agree completely that we need to sign a true defensive midfielder. I think the only true DM we have in the first-team squad is Matic (who is 32), Fred and Mctominay are box to box players and can leave us short both in creativity and in true defensive cover.

But I don't think signing a DM even a top-quality 1(which lets be honest is really unlikely especially if we sign Sancho this summer) will solve the were does Pogba play problem.

This is the problem we do have 1 actual DM but he’s past it, so past it.

I disagree that Pogba won’t improve with a DM beside him, he definitely would, we saw it when there was a spell of Matic playing well when he first arrived.

Sure there will be weaknesses, there are in every team, that doesn’t mean we should not try to do the obvious and improve who plays alongside Pogba.
His quality is unquestionable, I can’t say the same for our approach to getting the most from him on the pitch for us though, I’ve said that for a long time, years before this tournament.

 

[POF]

It seems like it's United management strategy of extending when 1 year left on contract. De Gea, Shaw, Rashford, Martial, Bailly, Henderson, Jones (?), etc resulting of them getting this gigantic wages that make it hard to sell them later (when needed). And now probably with Pogba.

Does anyone know what's the advantage of this strategy?

The only advantage I can see is to give all of the cards to the player and his agent so you have to massively overpay to keep the player. It's genius.

Bruno is way better than Pogba, still talking after 4 seasons of getting the best out of a 28 year old. You know why Pogba is class for France? Because he's got great players around him, doesn't need to have defensive discipline. This is the big one, plays about 7 games a year. When it's over 38 in the league he gets found out. He's undeniably talented but doesn't deliver especially for United when it really matters. He's likely going in the Summer, hope the **** in here follow him too.

Pogba is better for France (especially in tournaments) because it's a short series of top level big games. He's more motivated.

Pogba is one of the most talented midfield players I've ever seen. He can do it all, when he can be bothered.

You compare him to a player like Scholes and Pogba is naturally far better defensively. He can get up and down, he can tackle, he's great in the air and he's physically strong.

The only reason he struggles defensively is because he doesn't want to do it.

 

[Gavinb33]

Where is this evidence he can play on the left coming from?

Roy Keane last night:

“I’d be looking at the goal they conceded in injury time, where he was really sloppy in midfield. That’s the bit I would be critical of,” the United legend told ITV Sport.

“That seems harsh because he has done some brilliant stuff. There is no doubting Paul’s quality, but it is just the other stuff, his maturity.

“We’ve mentioned all that. United have had all the problems as well, can he play in a two in midfield, he probably can’t because he doesn’t have the discipline.

“He was at his best in Juventus where he had a bit more freedom and was probably surrounded by more men and characters, they had better quality players.

“Even tonight, he leaves you frustrated. For all of the brilliant qualities going forward, I still think he lacks discipline defensively. That’s the key (to go to the next level). The top players do it week in, week out. Paul doesn’t do that.”

Patrick Veiria last night:

“I completely agree,” said Vieira. “When you look at his potential, what he can do in midfield, you expect more from him.

“If he played next to Roy he would maybe be a different player because he needs someone on his back putting him under pressure and being demanding of him.

“It is frustrating because he can give much more than what he is giving to the team.”

Surely either our existing midfielders need to be told to be on "Pogbas back" all the time or if we are going to sign a CDM then it needs to be someone whos not afraid to have a go at Pogba and keep him in check. Otherwise he cant be trusted in a 2 man midfield.

Keane and Viera are correct in this summation, for all Pogba's qualities and they are for all to see, he does end up playing in moments and you remember them because generally they are that good however over the 90 minutes you need more than a few passes and a goal if you are playing in a 2 in midfield because in that kind of a midfield you have to roll your sleeves up at times and get dirty because you cant expect Kante to cover you for the full 90 minutes as good as Kante is there will be a time when he cannot do it as proved last night.

Thats why Keane and Scholes was a perfect midfield 2, because Scholes for all his qualities didnt mind the dirty work and sometimes he probably liked it a bit too much.

I also take umbrage with all the talk of needing better players at United to get the best out of him which would probably hold true if we were playing the best teams week in and week out, in his last game for us he was outplayed by Etienne Capoue and Parejo who are decent pros but you shouldn't need prime Makele/Keane/Viera to beat them really.

 

[Infra-red]

This is the problem we do have 1 actual DM but he’s past it, so past it.

I disagree that Pogba won’t improve with a DM beside him, he definitely would, we saw it when there was a spell of Matic playing well when he first arrived.

Sure there will be weaknesses, there are in every team, that doesn’t mean we should not try to do the obvious and improve who plays alongside Pogba.
His quality is unquestionable, I can’t say the same for our approach to getting the most from him on the pitch for us though, I’ve said that for a long time, years before this tournament.

If we are seriously considering trying Pogba in a two behind Bruno, we need his partner to not just be a DM - he must be a one-man defensive army, a superman of a player. Prime Kante/Ndidi, basically.

Not sure who is out there that could perform that role. Tchouaméni has the talent, but that is a lot of responsibility for a 21 year old.

 

[Abraxas]

I wouldn't be overly critical of the pass he gave away prior to the goal, the ball is going to be lost occasionally. A lot still had to happen for that goal to go in.

The overall ambling around, lack of intensity at certain moments of the game and generally poor defensive work would be the concern for France and that's pretty much what we see at club level.

This was a point I made in another Pogba related thread prior to this game, the idea Pogba is this miraculously different player in a France shirt seems ludicrous to me, or at least I cannot discern the massive difference. He is a brilliant in moments player, if you look at his numbers in terms of productivity he displays the same for us. I would say he's got a better partner for France, they have been a more successful team and generally less critical eyes on him for France and that accounts for most of the difference in perception. There is nothing inherently different in what he is showing and at this point it is this player we have to account for in our thinking, not this "ideal" of Pogba that seems false.

 

[bsCallout]

Or... We don't criticise a central midfielder for getting tackled 60 yards up the field and instead focus on the defence that was split like the red sea from a simple Xhaka pass?

Rewatch the goal. Pogba loses the ball sure, but the idea he was at fault for that goal is insane.

You do realise the space for the pass was in the space Pogba vacated? Whichever way you want to spin it it was poor discipline in the final moments of the game.

 

[spiriticon]

If he wants to stay and his ass of an agent shuts up, I would love for him to stay.

If he gets 400k a week though, I demand Cristiano levels of performance from him. None of this 'He's good but you have to play to his strengths" bullshit. No, for 400k a week he can fit into our team and be fecking excellent at it.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

This is the problem we do have 1 actual DM but he’s past it, so past it.

I disagree that Pogba won’t improve with a DM beside him, he definitely would, we saw it when there was a spell of Matic playing well when he first arrived.

Sure there will be weaknesses, there are in every team, that doesn’t mean we should not try to do the obvious and improve who plays alongside Pogba.
His quality is unquestionable, I can’t say the same for our approach to getting the most from him on the pitch for us though, I’ve said that for a long time, years before this tournament.

Disagree that first season with Pogba and Matic pretty much after every game there was a debate on here as to whether he can play in 2, and Mourinho shuffled his position quite a few times between a number 10 and back to try and get the best of him. At club level, he has never really delivered at part of midfield 2 on a regular base and the guy is 28, not a young player.

But obviously have a high quality, DM playing next to Pogba would help the situation and there would be more times when we would be able to get away with it and there are times Pogba can be disciplined, we saw that in the world cup final 3 years ago were really he basically sat back for most of the game even at the expense of his attacking threat. But the disciplined performances are expectations rather than the rule, especially at United and even at Juve he had a bit of reputation of going missing from games.
The problem with Pogba has always been consistency, can you trust him 2 be switched on enough and cover the ground needed to play in a midfield 2 week in week out. To regularly switch mindsets mid-game to realizing he needs to the not and gritty work, not the headline-grabbing stuff. So far I don't think we have seen that from Pogba.

I think this season has been his best at United, and this is a season where he started the season on the bench and played most of it on the left-wing and very little in midfield compared to the previous seasons at the club.

Also even if you think that Pogba can play regularly in 2 besides a top DM. Currently, we don't have one, there are a few of them about, and considering we are likely to spend around £80 million on Sancho the chances of us signing one is very slim. So realistically we will be going into next season without 1

 

[Nytram Shakes]

If he wants to stay and his ass of an agent shuts up, I would love for him to stay.

If he gets 400k a week though, I demand Cristiano levels of performance from him. None of this 'He's good but you have to play to his strengths" bullshit. No, for 400k a week he can fit into our team and be fecking excellent at it.

yeah agreed, if he wants that kind of wages he needs to be playing at a level that we have only seen glimpeses off

 

[DWelbz19]

You do realise the space for the pass was in the space Pogba vacated? Whichever way you want to spin it it was poor discipline in the final moments of the game.

Eh? Rewatch the goal.

Pogba gets tackled in Switzerland’s half from a really poor pass by Benzema. The backline is then all over the place. Kimpembe in particular is having a howler. It’s like people are seeing stuff that isn’t there!

3:25

 

[Lightbringer]

Pogba is not motivated enough to do the dirty work on a regular basis in less important league games, he lacks that certain drive and only shows up momentarily. EUROs and World Cup are perfect for him, just a few important games on the biggest stage.

 

[clarkydaz]

Eh? Rewatch the goal.

Pogba gets tackled in Switzerland’s half from a really poor pass by Benzema. The backline is then all over the place. Kimpembe in particular is having a howler. It’s like people are seeing stuff that isn’t there!

3:25

its not a bad pass from Benzema, he's getting pressed by 3 players. Pogba takes a touch then turns into the player

 

[devilish]

The really great players adapt; when Maradona went to Napoli for a world record fee he elevated them from a mid table side into one of the best teams of that era; he didnt have many world class players alongside him, if any, but through his skill, desire and ambition Napoli won their first ever League Titles, various other Italian trophies plus European honours. In Napoli, he is still worshipped as a God; I cant see Paul Pogba ever coming close to that sort of adulation.

Maradona would shit on Scholes, Gerrard, Pirlo, Lampard, Zidane let alone Pogba. He would make the likes of Keane look like Robbie Savage or McTominay. No one can be compared to a prime Maradona.

 

[padzilla]

I made a specific point, which you challenged: That he is a diligent and effective presser. Stats may not be everything, but when a player demonstrably has a very high number of presses it is hardly wrong to describe him as "diligent", and when he has both a very high number of presses and a high success rate in his pressing it is hardly wrong to describe him as "effective" on the press.

It's pretty evident from stats that he also actually brings quite a lot of quality to the team in many respects. But it's gotten to a point on the caf where it's hard to have a rational discussion about this. In my opinion, a lot of people have just gone a bit overboard in their negativity about the McFred pairing, and in their conviction that they're a pair of defensive midfielders. The facts don't back that up.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to argue that they are not good enough to be a starting XI pairing at United. I don't think so either. But that's not the same thing as being bad. They're not. In fact, all things considered it is probably true that for most games they have been our best option this past season.

Again we all know that stats isn't everything, but when you have a situation where the stats tell a considerably more positive story than eye-test based fan opinion AND the players are preferred as starters by management much more often than the same fans would have liked, then it's highly likely that the players are actually better than they are being given credit for by fans. Also, we all know (or should know, at least) how the eye test works (or doesn't) once you start viewing players through a very negative lens whenever you're watching them. It's confirmation bias bonanza, you notice the stuff that confirms your misgivings, and tend to miss or dismiss the things that contradict it.

Mcfred

I made a specific point, which you challenged: That he is a diligent and effective presser. Stats may not be everything, but when a player demonstrably has a very high number of presses it is hardly wrong to describe him as "diligent", and when he has both a very high number of presses and a high success rate in his pressing it is hardly wrong to describe him as "effective" on the press.

It's pretty evident from stats that he also actually brings quite a lot of quality to the team in many respects. But it's gotten to a point on the caf where it's hard to have a rational discussion about this. In my opinion, a lot of people have just gone a bit overboard in their negativity about the McFred pairing, and in their conviction that they're a pair of defensive midfielders. The facts don't back that up.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to argue that they are not good enough to be a starting XI pairing at United. I don't think so either. But that's not the same thing as being bad. They're not. In fact, all things considered it is probably true that for most games they have been our best option this past season.

Again we all know that stats isn't everything, but when you have a situation where the stats tell a considerably more positive story than eye-test based fan opinion AND the players are preferred as starters by management much more often than the same fans would have liked, then it's highly likely that the players are actually better than they are being given credit for by fans. Also, we all know (or should know, at least) how the eye test works (or doesn't) once you start viewing players through a very negative lens whenever you're watching them. It's confirmation bias bonanza, you notice the stuff that confirms your misgivings, and tend to miss or dismiss the things that contradict it.

They aren't a pair of defensive midfielders - that's the problem neither one of them has the ability or discipline to play that role by themselves hence why both of them are put there to cover for each other's shocking inability to make simple passes to team mates. Both of them are hardworking and brave but I would expect anybody to be able to match those attributes, having desire and a good attitude should be a pre-requisite in any industry.
The real problem is they are starting week in, week out when their performances don't warrant that - Fred, especially, gets praised to the high heavens when he doesn't make a series of calamitous mistakes.
Both good guys who would run through a wall for United but when you are in the heart of the engine room at a team with aspirations to be in contention for major trophies, it's simply not good enough, we lose far too much in creativity and guile when they play.
Going back to the original post, ideally we would cash in on Pogba now and rebuild the midfield, to bring in a few who are almost halfway between to workrate of McFred and the ability of Pogba, and bring in a central defender as well as a right sided attacker but we know we will probably just sign Sancho and maybe a central defender and the team will stutter through games again because we give the ball away so much.
The likes of Pogba and Martial have so much talent but they lack anything resembling consistency yet we reward them with renewed contracts time and time again.

 

[devilish]

Its pretty amusing to see former players saying that Pogba needs a top DM to shine as if they discovered fire or inventing the wheel. Guess what? Scholes didn't shine with McTominay at his back. He did so with the likes of Keane and Carrick. Zidane had the likes of Deschamps and Davids at his back not Fred. Iniesta had Xavi and Busquets while Gullit had a certain Rijkaard and Ancelotti. Even the great Armando had the likes of Alemao and Fusi at his back. Playmakers tend to suffer if you put donkeys behind their arse.

 

[Rolaholic]

Bruno is way better than Pogba, still talking after 4 seasons of getting the best out of a 28 year old. You know why Pogba is class for France? Because he's got great players around him, doesn't need to have defensive discipline. This is the big one, plays about 7 games a year. When it's over 38 in the league he gets found out. He's undeniably talented but doesn't deliver especially for United when it really matters. He's likely going in the Summer, hope the **** in here follow him too.

I doubt even Bruno himself would agree with this especially after a piss poor Euros

 

[cyberman]

I doubt even Bruno himself would agree with this especially after a piss poor Euros

Well maybe the Portuguese manager should have got the best out if him. Its not as if the Euros suddenly becomes an every man for himself competition

 

[Polar]

Bruno is way better than Pogba, still talking after 4 seasons of getting the best out of a 28 year old. You know why Pogba is class for France? Because he's got great players around him, doesn't need to have defensive discipline. This is the big one, plays about 7 games a year. When it's over 38 in the league he gets found out. He's undeniably talented but doesn't deliver especially for United when it really matters. He's likely going in the Summer, hope the **** in here follow him too.

Agree Bruno has performed much better than Pogba in the United shirt. But no doubt Pogba’s potential and top-level (we only see glimpses) is above Bruno’s.

I’ve earlier suggested it’s time for United and Pogba to separate this summer because he didn’t fit the system we played and we shouldn’t continue wait on his potential to be fulfilled.

At the same time we should be able to think two thoughts at the same time:

1. Don’t mind if we sell and replace Pogba
2. If he stays: Play a system (formation) which takes Pogba’s strengths and weaknesses more into account.

No doubt Pogba is an asset we can’t ignore if he stays. Based on Euro 21, Pogba is our only world class offensive asset

 

[Castia]

I doubt even Bruno himself would agree with this especially after a piss poor Euros

He's clearly just tired, id take the 18 months and 40 odd goals he's scored for us as evidence rather than 2 weeks of Portugal at the Euros . Didn't he play like 70 odd games in the space of 12 months for United? him and Rashford are completely fecked.

Anyway unless we're planning to play 433 (we wont) then we should sell Pogba its pointless playing him in a 2 man midfield or from the left side. It's that simple, get rid.

 

[bsCallout]

Eh? Rewatch the goal.

Pogba gets tackled in Switzerland’s half from a really poor pass by Benzema. The backline is then all over the place. Kimpembe in particular is having a howler. It’s like people are seeing stuff that isn’t there!

3:25

Yes I've watched it plenty. Pogba shows a complete lack of discipline, he is nowhere near where he should be and completely vacates the space, leaving a huge gap for the pass after losing it.

Speak for yourself, you're not seeing what is there.

 

[bsCallout]

I doubt even Bruno himself would agree with this especially after a piss poor Euros

Even then he created the most chances for Portugal

 

[Castia]

No doubt Pogba is an asset we can’t ignore if he stays. Based on Euro 21, Pogba is our only world class offensive asset

Based on Euro 2020 Kane, Mbappe and Bruno are worth a combined 3m and the guy from Czech is an 80m striker. Euro form especially after this crazy year is a daft way to judge players.

But they will.

 

[Pablo18th]

its not a bad pass from Benzema, he's getting pressed by 3 players. Pogba takes a touch then turns into the player

Exactly. A lot of times there is no need to always take a touch, you have 10 of your mates out there, you can pass the ball first time. Him and Rashford have the same problem in that regard.

 

[Morpheus 7]

I doubt even Bruno himself would agree with this especially after a piss poor Euros

He was last season for United, not even up for debate. 28 goals and 11 as assists in all competition. Pogba got 6 goals and 9 assists, in all competition. Pogba been better for France in the whooping 4 games he played. The dab fan club should stick to playing Fifa, the reality is Bruno is way more important for United.