Pogba

Red_toad

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If we continue with the 4-2-2-2, the squad depth currently looks like this:

Fwd1: Rashford / Greenwood
Fwd2: Cavani / Ronaldo
LAM: Sancho / Pogba
RAM: Bruno / VdB
CM1: Fred / ??
CM2: McT / ??
LB: Telles / Shaw
RB: Dalot / AwB
CB: Bailly / Maguire
CB: Lindelof / Varane.

I think we've effectively replaced Pogba with Sancho. The backup LAM spot can go to one of the kids (Amad / Hannibal / Elanga).

I'm more worried about the CM spot. If one of McFred is injured, there's no one to take their place.
So no Martial, Mata or Matic in the squad now?
 

bosnian_red

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How do you figure that when in this system he can play in two positions (in the pivot or as the LAM)?

And he presses more than any of our players except Fred, not to mention being far more talented than the others as well.
His pressing is usually really bad, let's not cherry pick a few stats this season to make it look like he is a good presser (which he flat out is not). And no, he can't play in the pivot. As the LAM, he is significantly more limited than Sancho is too. There is no point to Pogba in our squad past depth and a distraction.
 

Mainoldo

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His pressing is usually really bad, let's not cherry pick a few stats this season to make it look like he is a good presser (which he flat out is not). And no, he can't play in the pivot. As the LAM, he is significantly more limited than Sancho is too. There is no point to Pogba in our squad past depth and a distraction.
He can’t play LAM? Very strange that considering he’s performed best as a Left side forward. LAM is a lot more easier for him as he doesn’t have to take people on from far wide.

He’s our best option for that role with Sancho playing RAM.
 

JPRouve

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His pressing is usually really bad, let's not cherry pick a few stats this season to make it look like he is a good presser (which he flat out is not). And no, he can't play in the pivot. As the LAM, he is significantly more limited than Sancho is too. There is no point to Pogba in our squad past depth and a distraction.
It's not just this season, it's the same story every seasons. Now the trend is that he is good at pressing high which in theory fits with what we may want to do.
 

jeff_goldblum

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Obviously the squad is stronger with him in it, but the numbers being bandied about simply don't represent value for money for someone who has only delivered the quality that sort of money should buy in maybe 5-10 games a season on average since he got here. If that kind of wage packet is a red line for him (and it's perfectly possible that the figures mentioned are just tabloid nonsense or a ludicrous opening gambit which everyone expects to get haggled down), we'd be better off cutting our losses and investing the money elsewhere.
 

Teja

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So no Martial, Mata or Matic in the squad now?
Yeah I actually forgot about Martial, so he could be backup at forward or at LAM behind Sancho.

There's no point even bringing up Mata, he won't start in any sort of serious game. Matic can't do full 90 every week. Or even a full 90 mins in a single game - he looks gassed by about 60 mins.
 

GazTheLegend

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He can’t play LAM? Very strange that considering he’s performed best as a Left side forward. LAM is a lot more easier for him as he doesn’t have to take people on from far wide.

He’s our best option for that role with Sancho playing RAM.
How often has he performed well as a left sided forward bar the first game he ever played there Vs Milan?

I mean I love Paul Pogba but let's be honest here, he has literally 6.5 months left of his Manchester United career, if he plays a single minute before he signs a new deal it's still a total waste of time.
 

Mainoldo

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How often has he performed well as a left sided forward bar the first game he ever played there Vs Milan?

I mean I love Paul Pogba but let's be honest here, he has literally 6.5 months left of his Manchester United career, if he plays a single minute before he signs a new deal it's still a total waste of time.
The fact you are saying the first time he played on the left was against Milan just means we shouldn’t take the rest of what you said serious.

Go look at Mason Greenwood’s goal against Leipzig.
 

Firestorm

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He needs to go now, he’s been a complete waste of money. SAF got rid of him for a good reason -he was very rarely wrong - a selfish player with a piss poor attitude. He’s never going to fit in RRs 4-2-2-2 high pressing game plan so best to just off load him in January.
 

GazTheLegend

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The fact you are saying the first time he played on the left was against Milan just means we shouldn’t take the rest of what you said serious.

Go look at Mason Greenwood’s goal against Leipzig.
What? He played as an 8 that game????
 

AFC NimbleThumb

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Wary of the Pogba debate because you either get classed as fan boy or hater, which is a bit silly really.
He is a very talented player, capable of being someone who change a game, superb passer and gets a few goals but he is also 28,inconsistent and seemingly injury prone, so to give him the kind of money he wants, I wouldn't do.
Level headed critique you rarely find in a Pogba thread.
 

arthurka

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He has been tried and tested and the results are in. We need to let him go, time to rebuild with players who want to be here.
 

Adam-Utd

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He has been tried and tested and the results are in. We need to let him go, time to rebuild with players who want to be here.
I have nothing against Pogba and i'd be happy if he stays - but at the same time he's not really a great CM, he's good on the wing but we have other wingers already.

He's now going into the last contract of his career wanting serious money - we aren't even sure where he fits in.

Add on the fact his agent keeps talking about him wanting to move, maybe it is best to just say goodbye? Will pogba really be great into his 30s?

I think he'd be better off going to a slower league again personally. give him time on the ball and he's world class. He'd eat italy alive.
 

arthurka

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I have nothing against Pogba and i'd be happy if he stays - but at the same time he's not really a great CM, he's good on the wing but we have other wingers already.

He's now going into the last contract of his career wanting serious money - we aren't even sure where he fits in.

Add on the fact his agent keeps talking about him wanting to move, maybe it is best to just say goodbye? Will pogba really be great into his 30s?

I think he'd be better off going to a slower league again personally. give him time on the ball and he's world class. He'd eat italy alive.
I agree we should never in a million years give him 350k-450k for staying here. With this new style we will need runners and players who follow rigid and strict patterns and guidelines. Can't see him doing that. We have been trying to fit him in for almost 6 years and still no one knows what his best position is. Simply Red said it best that if we don't know him by now we will never ever ever know him.
 

Reapersoul20

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You just have to ask what part María Zulay Salaues plays in all of this? Seems to me like she is trying to engineer a move back to Bolivia and causing issues at home until she gets what she wants. Would explain the erratic performances. She already got him to change religion, and now football club too ? Man is whipped beyond belief.
 

sglowrider

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You just have to ask what part María Zulay Salaues plays in all of this? Seems to me like she is trying to engineer a move back to Bolivia and causing issues at home until she gets what she wants. Would explain the erratic performances. She already got him to change religion, and now football club too ? Man is whipped beyond belief.
He changed religion? He's catholic now?
 

Will Singh

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I think we need rid of him as he’s attitude is stinking out the place, we all respect SAF in here and I think he’s judgement to get rid of him was the correct one!
 

bosnian_red

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He can’t play LAM? Very strange that considering he’s performed best as a Left side forward. LAM is a lot more easier for him as he doesn’t have to take people on from far wide.

He’s our best option for that role with Sancho playing RAM.
Hes good as a LAM, I'm just saying he doesn't make our best 11 ahead of Sancho or Bruno in that spot.
 

lex talionis

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Ralf will not put up with Paul’s antics. There’s plenty of room on the bench for players who have greater ambitions than United.
 

Posh Red

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Yes. I was reading the book again today and he wanted to keep him most of us know the agent prevented that.
I’ve just seen another couple of posts about Fergie getting rid of him. Unbelievable!

I agree that it’s best for him to move on now, partly because it just hasn’t worked out football wise, but also because of the amount of nonsense that seems to get thrown around about him by a section of the fan base. If he’s not faking an injury, he’s disrupting the dressing room according to some. Bad attitude, accused of partying too much, show pony, too many haircuts etc etc; it gets so tiresome to read.

Gutted it never worked out for him because he’s a unique player that can be so exciting to watch on his day, but it is what it is, and it’s time to move on.
 

The Cat

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I’ve just seen another couple of posts about Fergie getting rid of him. Unbelievable!

I agree that it’s best for him to move on now, partly because it just hasn’t worked out football wise, but also because of the amount of nonsense that seems to get thrown around about him by a section of the fan base. If he’s not faking an injury, he’s disrupting the dressing room according to some. Bad attitude, accused of partying too much, show pony, too many haircuts etc etc; it gets so tiresome to read.

Gutted it never worked out for him because he’s a unique player that can be so exciting to watch on his day, but it is what it is, and it’s time to move on.
I really don't like the way he loses the ball while trying to hold off players it seems he thinks it can't be taken off him and it is time for him to go but I really don't think he is bad for the dressing room that one seems particularly unfair he seems very popular.

It's just time, better for him and the club.
 

USREDEVIL

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I'm holding out any opinion as i reckon a lot of the players are going to look a lot better under Ralf. Let's see what happens over the next couple months.
 

RedRonaldo

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Rangnick demands his 2 no.10 to work very hard in his 4222 system, to which I think Bruno and Sancho would be best fit for this role.

Pogba doesn’t strike me as a player who would work hard for anyone.
 

Mr PG

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His pressing is usually really bad, let's not cherry pick a few stats this season to make it look like he is a good presser (which he flat out is not). And no, he can't play in the pivot. As the LAM, he is significantly more limited than Sancho is too. There is no point to Pogba in our squad past depth and a distraction.
This is not true. A Pogba Fred pivot dominated even Seville in the europa finals and would dominate majority of games especially with the whole team working together like Saturday. He's a game-changer when on form...we should try to keep him but not overpay.
 

Bebestation

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Rangnick demands his 2 no.10 to work very hard in his 4222 system, to which I think Bruno and Sancho would be best fit for this role.

Pogba doesn’t strike me as a player who would work hard for anyone.
I'm not sure.

Pogba to me seems like someone who can put effort in when the game is happening right in front of his eyes and further away it is from your own goal.

Pogba when playing deep almost feels like a black hole that sucks the opposition player in and is able to get through Pogba to which he has no defensive ability to make up for.

Maybe I'm wrong, but Pogba being asked to press the back line of the opposition seems more likely or basic than to do the defensive work of a CDM double pivot player.

I guess we just have to wait and see if it happens.
 

Mr PG

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I agree we should never in a million years give him 350k-450k for staying here. With this new style we will need runners and players who follow rigid and strict patterns and guidelines. Can't see him doing that. We have been trying to fit him in for almost 6 years and still no one knows what his best position is. Simply Red said it best that if we don't know him by now we will never ever ever know him.
350k is fair wages to avoid losing him. People are crazy not to realize Ander Herrrera of all people is on 300k/wk.
 

bosnian_red

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This is not true. A Pogba Fred pivot dominated even Seville in the europa finals and would dominate majority of games especially with the whole team working together like Saturday. He's a game-changer when on form...we should try to keep him but not overpay.
Have you missed the past 5 years? Just because they dominated possession in a europa league match doesn't mean they dominated the game. Pogba has repeatedly shown he can't play in a double pivot. Why is it that every time he is out with an injury, people seem to get amnesia and think he could do it? He can't. Just stop.

"When on form". Ah, the 1 month every 3 months, and then he spends another 2 months injured? Pogba wants to go, and we shouldn't want to keep him at this point.
 

FrankWhite

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Based on what Ralf said about mostly wanting players on their first/second contracts due to motivation, I think he probably won't keep Pogba, a player looking for his last big payday.

What seems to be happening on here though, is a lot of people are drawing questionable conclusions about players suitability to Ralf's playing style, based on performances under Ole rather than their abilities, and Pogba and few other players seem to be on the unfavorable end of these conclusions. I think what is inarguable is that all players have had large periods of good and poor performances under Ole, in systems we can all agree were always less than the sum of their parts.

I personally cannot wait for his return from injury just out of curiosity of how he'll fit in. Assuming Ralf decides to keep him off course.
 
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Mindhunter

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350k is fair wages to avoid losing him. People are crazy not to realize Ander Herrrera of all people is on 300k/wk.
Two wrongs do not make a right. Also Ander is on that high a salary because it also includes his signing-on bonus which is in lieu of the money he saved PSG for joining them as a free transfer. It is similar to Sanchez although we swapped a player for his transfer.
 

RedRonaldo

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I'm not sure.

Pogba to me seems like someone who can put effort in when the game is happening right in front of his eyes and further away it is from your own goal.

Pogba when playing deep almost feels like a black hole that sucks the opposition player in and is able to get through Pogba to which he has no defensive ability to make up for.

Maybe I'm wrong, but Pogba being asked to press the back line of the opposition seems more likely or basic than to do the defensive work of a CDM double pivot player.

I guess we just have to wait and see if it happens.
Well maybe in a few games over the season he would, but I just don’t think he will do it consistently. He is too “moody” type player in terms of working hard for his team. But maybe Rangnick could change him, I don’t know.
 

city-puma

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Well maybe in a few games over the season he would, but I just don’t think he will do it consistently. He is too “moody” type player in terms of working hard for his team. But maybe Rangnick could change him, I don’t know.
True. After paying more attention on his on-field behavior and actions, I don’t think he is lazy or has wrong attitude. The same also applied to Martial. Their body language seems like they are lazy or don’t care a bit. It’s not. They are often affected by the situation when the things don’t go well with the team. They are frustrated really because they do care. In the other word, the mental toughness is what they lack a bit during the game.
 

Daengophile

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To be honest, I've never seen Pogba as being loyal to United. He's always been out for himself and he's always had an overrated opinion of his worth.

Sure, there have been days where he has been outstanding but these are in a small minority to him clodhopping around the paddock like a carthorse.

The truth of his value will be how much other sides are willing to pay for his services - and that will be the criteria for what happens next
 

forevrared

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Waste of space in the squad. Rarely, if ever, fit and in form for extended periods. We'll see short bursts of a useful player, then he goes off on an international break and does all he can to solicit a move before picking up a knock and sitting out a month or two. It's the same story time and again. His wages can be well spent elsewhere on multiple players who want to be at United.
 
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smi11ie

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It is the comments in the press by him and his agent, Utd don't need that. I don't care how talented the guy is. I hope Utd don't renew his contract.
 

Water Melon

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I fully rely on Ralf when it comes to Pogba. The Professor has vast knowledge and experience when it comes to judging players. Personally, I doubt Paul will stay at United. Rangnick is likely to start looking for young, hungry, energetic players who would play out of their skins for us, while being being on fairly modest wages compared to what the Frenchman and his agent want.
 

NinjaZombie

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I fully rely on Ralf when it comes to Pogba. The Professor has vast knowledge and experience when it comes to judging players. Personally, I doubt Paul will stay at United. Rangnick is likely to start looking for young, hungry, energetic players who would play out of their skins for us, while being being on fairly modest wages compared to what the Frenchman and his agent want.
If Rangnick's belief is that younger, more energetic players are the way to go, as people have been saying, then surely Pogba's time is finally up.

It's time to make proper footballing decisions and renewing Paul Pogba's contract for the money him and agent are asking makes little footballing sense when we have the likes of Hannibal, Garner and Shoretire to give opportunities to.
 

kthanksbye

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I’ve just seen another couple of posts about Fergie getting rid of him. Unbelievable!

I agree that it’s best for him to move on now, partly because it just hasn’t worked out football wise, but also because of the amount of nonsense that seems to get thrown around about him by a section of the fan base. If he’s not faking an injury, he’s disrupting the dressing room according to some. Bad attitude, accused of partying too much, show pony, too many haircuts etc etc; it gets so tiresome to read.

Gutted it never worked out for him because he’s a unique player that can be so exciting to watch on his day, but it is what it is, and it’s time to move on.
So he should leave because it hasn't worked out football wise and the fans are mean to him. I'm sure it has got nothing to do with the fact that Pogba has never consistently played well, simple as that, he has not done well the only job he was hired to do, there's no way around this, THIS is what it is. Not to mention that he has not been able to put a cap on his agent being out of line.
But sure, the fans don't deserve him because some of us say mean things on the internet.