Pogba's Return Role

[DickDastardly]

While I don't want us to extend him because I don't see him as an ideal fit, we are not a better team without him and we do need someone with most of his skill set. But most importantly if it's zero then what is the other poster talking about?

Probably because Paul hasn't played a lot this season so his memory is going back to last couple of seasons.

Pogba tops the table with two conceded pens which we all remember.

And i remember reading some findings that put Paul in the top 10 of error prone players in the league.
That study didn't just use a "mistake" as a direct goal conceded - they had some other parameters such as duels lost, aerial duals lost, loss of possession, etc....

How I look at football, his cons column is way longer then his pros one.

And as an extra - the whole agent/brothers circus irks me.

 

[JPRouve]

Probably because Paul hasn't played a lot this season so his memory is going back to last couple of seasons.

Pogba tops the table with two conceded pens which we all remember.

And i remember reading some findings that put Paul in the top 10 of error prone players in the league.
That study didn't just use a "mistake" as a direct goal conceded - they had some other parameters such as duels lost, aerial duals lost, loss of possession, etc....

How I look at football, his cons column is way longer then his pros one.

And as an extra - the whole agent/brothers circus irks me.

Let me ask you this and I want a very honest answer. How many times have you seen a teammate give the ball to Pogba when he was marked?

 

[DickDastardly]

Let me ask you this and I want a very honest answer. How many times have you seen a teammate give the ball to Pogba when he was marked?

Honestly, can't remember the last time i saw him play so anything i answer would be biased by my opinion on him.

Maybe that Leeds game. That was fun.

My overall opinion on his time at United is bad. He never proved to be anything like a top midfielder, regarding of his "price".
People will pull out the "France NT" analogy, but even there he was sub par.
Kante is twice the midfielder.

Pogba has a habit of overcomplicating and showboating.
His head is rarely in the game, like he's never 100% concentrated purely on the football.

I know most people wouldn't agree with me, and that's fine.

I do however believe when we find his replacement, we will flourish.

And he, whatever his next club will be, will fade away into mediocrity.

 

[kthanksbye]

Did the club and player signed a contract that ended in January 2022?

Pogba should know, he's been contemplating leaving since 2 seasons now.

 

[JPRouve]

Pogba should know, he's been contemplating leaving since 2 seasons now.

That doesn't answer the question, unless I'm mistaken contemplating a move isn't forbidden and doesn't ago against the terms of any contract.

 

[kthanksbye]

0. This season at least.

That's in 9 games in the PL.

Zero is also the number of goals scored this season.

We all know he's not a defensive midfielder. But that lack of defensive duties is damning. Or at least, it was when he played.
He's lost more duels then he's won, his number of tackles is laughable and his discipline is lacking (yellow and red cards, penalties conceded).

The only good thing he did this year regarding his stats is his assist statistics.
Which is misleading as well, because more then half of them came vs an opened up Leeds.

Please don't sign a new contract with him. We don't need him.

I didn't know the numbers, but this surely is not a 400k/week player, far from it.

What's sad is that we've still offered him a contract, and some fans truly believe he will come back and elevate the team.

 

[JPRouve]

I didn't know the numbers, but this surely is not a 400k/week player, far from it.

What's sad is that we've still offered him a contract, and some fans truly believe he will come back and elevate the team.

It's a good thing that he doesn't earn 400k/week then.

 

[kthanksbye]

That doesn't answer the question, unless I'm mistaken contemplating a move isn't forbidden and doesn't ago against the terms of any contract.

It does show his intentions doesn't it? It also shows how keen he is about playing for us. If not these his performances show that.
He's had some good games, a few great ones too, but overall he's looked nothing more than marginally interested in playing for us. Don't know if that is specific to the club or that's his general consistency, but either way, it's not good enough.

 

[kthanksbye]

It's a good thing that he doesn't earn 400k/week then.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I remember reading that is the amount on the contract we've offered him.

 

[Pintu]

My overall opinion on his time at United is bad. He never proved to be anything like a top midfielder, regarding of his "price".
People will pull out the "France NT" analogy, but even there he was sub par.
Kante is twice the midfielder.

Yes. That’s why Kanté is the one taken off at half time in the WC final and Pogba is the one creating and scoring a third goal to put it beyond Croatia.

And how did France win the NL playing without Kanté in the final and semifinal ?

 

[JPRouve]

It does show his intentions doesn't it? It also shows how keen he is about playing for us. If not these his performances show that.
He's had some good games, a few great ones too, but overall he's looked nothing more than marginally interested in playing for us. Don't know if that is specific to the club or that's his general consistency, but either way, it's not good enough.

Do you apply that logic to every other player? Because surely you do realize that you are suggesting that transfers and free agency shouldn't be a thing. Players contemplate leaving their current clubs and clubs contemplate selling their current players.

 

[kthanksbye]

Do you apply that logic to every other player? Because surely you do realize that you are suggesting that transfers and free agency shouldn't be a thing. Players contemplate leaving their current clubs and clubs contemplate selling their current players.

In context yes, if you really believe Pogba is like say Ronaldo, who made his intentions to leave and SAF was still playing him, then you're just being dishonest to yourself.

 

[JPRouve]

Honestly, can't remember the last time i saw him play so anything i answer would be biased by my opinion on him.

Maybe that Leeds game. That was fun.

My overall opinion on his time at United is bad. He never proved to be anything like a top midfielder, regarding of his "price".
People will pull out the "France NT" analogy, but even there he was sub par.
Kante is twice the midfielder.

Pogba has a habit of overcomplicating and showboating.
His head is rarely in the game, like he's never 100% concentrated purely on the football.

I know most people wouldn't agree with me, and that's fine.

I do however believe when we find his replacement, we will flourish.

And he, whatever his next club will be, will fade away into mediocrity.

You see that's the problem, when you say things like that you are just detached from reality.

 

[JPRouve]

In context yes, if you really believe Pogba is like say Ronaldo, who made his intentions to leave and SAF was still playing him, then you're just being dishonest to yourself.

That posts makes no sense. What are you talking about?

 

[DickDastardly]

Yes. That’s why Kanté is the one taken off at half time in the WC final and Pogba is the one creating and scoring a third goal to put it beyond Croatia.

And how did France win the NL playing without Kanté in the final and semifinal ?

Ah yes, it was inevitable.

I really don't want to get into that debate.

 

[kthanksbye]

That posts makes no sense. What are you talking about?

Too rich coming from someone who claimed that I said free agency shouldn't be a thing, because clearly, I never said that.

We'll know what I'm talking about again, when he plays a few games for us.

 

[DickDastardly]

You see that's the problem, when you say things like that you are just detached from reality.

Why do you say that?

Because of his involvement in the world cup winning team?

You know what game comes to mind when Pogba played for France?
The Switzerland 3-3 game.
After he scored a blinder, he didn't follow up. He didn't stay concentrated to the end.

Then he goes on and loses the ball in the center and the swiss come back.
That's the way he plays most of our games.
Unconcentrated.

 

[JPRouve]

Too rich coming from someone who claimed that I said free agency shouldn't be a thing, because clearly, I never said that.

We'll know what I'm talking about again, when he plays a few games for us.

I don't know what you are talking about, your post made no sense to me. Literally. I don't know what context you are referring and I don't see what Ronaldo has to do with it.

In your previous post you had an issue with Pogba contemplating a move and said that it showed how keen he was to play for us. And my question is whether you realize that all players contemplate leaving their clubs at some point, the vast majority actually leave their clubs and seldomly do you see clubs or fans suggest that these players should be shunned.

 

[kthanksbye]

Why do you say that?

Because of his involvement in the world cup winning team?

You know what game comes to mind when Pogba played for France?
The Switzerland 3-3 game.
After he scored a blinder, he didn't follow up. He didn't stay concentrated to the end.

Then he goes on and loses the ball in the center and the swiss come back.
That's the way he plays most of our games.
Unconcentrated.

I don't know how this is even something that needs to be said. Pogba's concentration is poor, his attention span is short, it is evident when he plays and it's also evident in his overall career where he's good in short tournaments and cannot keep his focus together in a 38 game league campaign, he's not the kind of player who will turn up week in week out and give you 7-8/10 performance.

 

[kthanksbye]

I don't know what you are talking about, your post made no sense to me. Literally. I don't know what context you are referring and I don't see what Ronaldo has to do with it.

In your previous post you had an issue with Pogba contemplating a move and said that it showed how keen he was to play for us. And my question is whether you realize that all players contemplate leaving their clubs at some point, the vast majority actually leave their clubs and seldomly do you see clubs or fans suggest that these players should be shunned.

And I said that you're being dishonest with yourself if you don't see how other players wanting to leave their clubs is not the same as Pogba. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Pintu]

Why do you say that?

Because of his involvement in the world cup winning team?

You know what game comes to mind when Pogba played for France?
The Switzerland 3-3 game.
After he scored a blinder, he didn't follow up. He didn't stay concentrated to the end.

Then he goes on and loses the ball in the center and the swiss come back.
That's the way he plays most of our games.
Unconcentrated.

This is beyond ridiculous and biased cherry picking.

Pogba did lose a ball but there are 4 others players making 4 different mistakes in that action. He didn’t do a Gerard slip. He just lost a ball. Bruno loses those balls every 10 mn.. And it is normal for creative players to lose the ball.

In the rest of the Switzerland game he created chances and chances more, not taken.

 

[JPRouve]

Why do you say that?

Because of his involvement in the world cup winning team?

You know what game comes to mind when Pogba played for France?
The Switzerland 3-3 game.
After he scored a blinder, he didn't follow up. He didn't stay concentrated to the end.

Then he goes on and loses the ball in the center and the swiss come back.
That's the way he plays most of our games.
Unconcentrated.

That's a typical issue. Pogba didn't lose the ball due to a lack of concentration, he was dispossessed because 1 swiss player was marking him and two other anticipated the pass and closed down on him before the ball even reached him. And even then there was 6 french players behind him, in all of that the player that lost concentration was Kimpembe who completely lost his man and created an opening.

Pogba shouldn't have received the ball in the first place and only one player was available to him, in one touch on the right wing which he probably didn't see and is easy for me to say with the proper camera angle.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

He'll be motivated. He has very few suitors and will want to impress if he wants to move.

If he wants to stay he's going to want a fat contract being paid the highest in the league.

The agent stuff doesn't bother me. His injuries and brain farts loss me off the most.

 

[JPRouve]

And I said that you're being dishonest with yourself if you don't see how other players wanting to leave their clubs is not the same as Pogba. I'll leave it at that.

Okay, I'm being dishonest but can you tell me what makes it not the same?

 

[gerdm07]

Usually Pogba plays a great match after being out for a while. I remember a match last season after about a month off he played and was easily the best player on the pitch. It's happened a few times if memory serves. The last time, sadly, he was terrible.

I'm expecting a great Pogba for the rest of the season and maybe that will be enough to get 4th and deep into some cups.

 

[Jeppers7]

Excited to see him back we’ve been dross without him, the majority of our players have been terrible for over 12 months. Hopefully we can get Pogba back to full fitness and he can give us the lift he gave us the second half of last season.

 

[Danillaco]

Could it be 4222 with him and Bruno ahead of McFred, or do you guys bet on 433 with Matic and Bruno?

 

[Lemon Moon]

Show pony?

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

like a new signing he said.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Will he ever play a full season again?

He would have been used in midfield but with Martial Gone and Greenwood suspended we will probably need to use him further forward a on occasion.

 

[Speako]

Ralf will play him on the left of a midfield three. If he does well he’ll stay in, if not he’ll be benched.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

I think for all the abuse Pogba gets, since he's arrived we've always been a much better side with him than without him. He attracts attention to himself when he has an odd bad game, but he has many more good ones too at a far higher level than the other midfielders are capable of.

I'd take the sometimes 4/10 Pogba, sometimes 9/10 Pogba over the constant 5/10 dross that McFred usually put out.

 

[Smores]

I think for all the abuse Pogba gets, since he's arrived we've always been a much better side with him than without him. He attracts attention to himself when he has an odd bad game, but he has many more good ones too at a far higher level than the other midfielders are capable of.

I'd take the sometimes 4/10 Pogba, sometimes 9/10 Pogba over the constant 5/10 dross that McFred usually put out.

Well yeah that's the issue the alternatives have always been worse but that doesn't make the criticism of his play any less valid.

He'll have some great games when he returns that's a certainty but he'll no doubt have those moments that show he's not ideal long term.

I can enjoy Pogba for what he is a lot more now that it's pretty much certain he'll be gone come the summer.

 

[Bestietom]

Left of a midfield 3.

Left of 3 in front of midfield 2. With Rashford moved to right.

 

[Ash_G]

I wonder if we can get Elanga to help cover defensively to help cover Pogba if we did try and get him and Bruno in a three similar to how Park used to be a counter balance. Not saying Pogba shouldn't put a shift in either but if Elanga can provide that energy to help provide some defensive protection which then allows Pogba to be a bit more expansive then it could work well in certain games. I think though that Bruno would need to continue playing from a deeper role as well to make this work.

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

Usually Pogba plays a great match after being out for a while. I remember a match last season after about a month off he played and was easily the best player on the pitch. It's happened a few times if memory serves. The last time, sadly, he was terrible.

I'm expecting a great Pogba for the rest of the season and maybe that will be enough to get 4th and deep into some cups.

If he has a blinder for the rest of the season and we gut a cup and/or top 4, and still wants to leave then I'd say fair play, good luck to him. Hopefully he does that but decides to stay, and kicks in under Ralph, in a proper system.

 

[romufc]

Usually Pogba plays a great match after being out for a while. I remember a match last season after about a month off he played and was easily the best player on the pitch. It's happened a few times if memory serves. The last time, sadly, he was terrible.

I'm expecting a great Pogba for the rest of the season and maybe that will be enough to get 4th and deep into some cups.

I have noticed this about him too, when he has had a injury lay off he comes back with fire in his belly.

I remember when he came back from injury post lockdown and him and Bruno for 3/4 games were linking up, one twos but then after 4 games it does tail off.

If we can get him firing till the end of the season, we can have a good end to the campaign.

 

[HailtotheKing]

I wouldn't even have him on the bench. He is a parasite and has no intention of playing for us again unless he is forced to. My only gripe is that we will lose him for free in the summer but i will be glad to see the back of him.

Dear oh dear, the hatred for Pogba is unreal. He’s just a super talented footballer that’s somewhat inconsistent (though even being inconsistent he usually racks up the best stats for us). By no means is he a parasite. Jessie Lingard is more of a parasite who has milked us for his brand. Jesus Christ what is Pogba’s crime exactly? I really don’t understand the depth of feelings he creates. His only crime in my eyes is not living up to his potential and having a social media presence as big as we do. But I don’t even see him doing anything bad with it. He hasn’t for example posted pictures of himself in a rival’s shirt.
I’m happy that Pogba was injured when we were playing badly, so he couldn’t be blamed at least. Guy gets way too much abuse.

 

[stevoc]

Left of 3 in front of midfield 2. With Rashford moved to right.

Don't think you are getting you get the best out of Pogba or Rashford playing them on the right. Both played well enough tonight there but I much prefer both working from the left.

I'd play Pogba left of a midfield 3 with Rashford in front of him most games.

 

[NoPace]

You see that's the problem, when you say things like that you are just detached from reality.

It's insane. How many players in international football have been better over the last 5 years? I think I made a list one and. you can make an argument that Pogba isn't top 5, but he's certainly top 10.

It won't work here, but he'll go to Madrid or PSG or wherever, have some of the same issues but play as the most attacking in a 3 (PSG maybe best suited for this with Verrati and a 6) and be very good.