Exactly. I'm sick and tired of the leniency Pogba seems afforded everywhere. It's never his fault, always someone else. I was so excited when he rejoined, and I've deluded myself into being very excited every year, cause surely this is the year we'll see the real Pogba, right? Turns out its all memes and dancing videos on Instagram.
i’d love to see us sell pogba now tbh. Cba with the theatrics and his fat bellend agent anymore. Hes injury prone, constantly underperforms and seems to be an expert in giving away penalties. The odd good performance and the price tag are all distractions away from the fact he is totally second tier tbf. He isnt in the same boat as a scholes, lampard, gerrard, iniesta etc etc. Decent midfielder with an extra large gob. Sell him to psg and spend it on someone young and talented who wants to play for the shirt.
As was I. I wanted him back here since he left, but I have come to understand what type of person he is more now that he's returned. Where I once thought he'd be eager to learn and shape his game to suit what we want, he instead thinks he's the finished product and a few flicks and tricks is enough. And that washes with some supporters! It's unbelievable. He could and should have been so much more. Imagine if he had the drive and dedication of Cristiano Ronaldo...he'd have been an absolute monster in midfield. Probably unplayable. And yet people accept what he serves up, it's laughable.
Uh I'm pretty indifferent to pogba and would actually rather sell him but of course he's going to get a longer vacation that a bit part player
Agreed. It's time for both parties to walk away. Pogba clearly doesn't have the mentality of an elite footballer. If he ends up going to PSG to end out his career, will definitely be up there as some of the biggest flops for me. Yes he has a WC and some trophies from his time at Juve, but looking back at both the France and Juve teams, Pogba is not the out-and-out star of either team. Great player, horrible attitude/mentality.
Agreed. If anything he should be afforded a shorter vacation than a 'bit part player' as we're actually going to rely on him this season, what's the point of rushing James back to play 3 games only to not be seen again until January, while Pogba gets to do feck all, come back and be way out of match fitness for the start of the season.
A new CB to partner Maguire was always going to be a requirement in this transfer window before a ball in pre-season was even kicked. Even if we kept a clean sheet, it didn’t matter because we know we need to strengthen in that position regardless. I agree I want us to get this Varane deal done ASAP for two reasons - 1) so we can have him available for the Leeds Utd game on August 14th & 2) it still gives us time to get a defensive midfielder in before the window closes.
You make some good valid points and I totally get where you are coming from. A lot of our players made some costly mistakes out there but for me it’s also good to make these mistakes now in pre-season so you’ve got time to iron them out before the competitive action begins. It was a valuable learning curve for our youngsters in terms of giving them a taste of how huge a jump from U18’s/U23’s to the senior set up is and opening their eyes up on how not many players make it at this level because it’s simply a different ball game. The defeat to QPR will hopefully stand them in good stead going forward. TBH, I don’t think there was much in this game despite the scoreline. QPR had that crazy 5 min 2nd half spell in which every shot was going in but other than that, there was very little in it. Just a lack of composure in the final 3rd from our players proved decisive as we could so easily have got something from this game but the result is the least of my concerns when it comes to pre-season friendlies. It could have been easy for them to drop their heads when they went 4-1 down but the encouraging sign was - no they didn’t and they still kept plugging away against an experienced side. Unfortunately that breakthrough just never came due to a lack of composure and not being clinically ruthless enough in the final 3rd. Again, it’s a valuable lesson for them to learn from.
I agree with point 1. But regarding point 2, some of the players need to be contributing to squad depth. We cant be playing 60+ games with just those missing 18 or 20 incl the two who played today.
Lovely. Got tickets for that
I have no issue with the youngsters, they're really young and it's normal. Very few of them would make it at the top level anyway.
But those squad players won't be playing alongside the under 23s in the majority of the games your talking about, they will be playing alongside the 18 missing players who are all numerous levels above alot of the players we saw yesterday.
Sorry? How peculiar you ask me that! Because I pointed out we had a strong team out, which it was by the way.
So 2 out of 11, if that, against a championship team? Every season PL clubs lose league or FA cup ties to teams lower down the league than that, often with a stronger put out.
Yeah I’m not saying they didn’t play badly but at the same time, I’m not going to start pressing the panic button after just our 2nd pre-season fixture when there is still 2-3 friendlies still to be played and who knows a few those players could end up having a good game in our next pre-season fixture against Brentford. If those performances from those players continue in the next few pre-season friendlies then I’d start to get concerned. Personally I don’t rate our backup players long term as I don’t think the likes of Pereira, Williams, Matic, Mata, Tuanzebe are good enough overall anyway.
You make a good point, although it was against a Utd 2nd-tier team, it wasn't your full first team we were playing either. Of the four goals, two were poor defending by us but two were good goals anywhere in any league as well.
Yes, since 1973
Strong team
Newcastle lost to York a couple of weeks ago, not sure they'll even bother with the season after that.
Leicester lost to Burton on pens after drawing 0-0 yesterday. etc etc
Every time I watch him I feel the urge to sneak behind him, clap twice and yell "Come on! Wake up!"It's crazy that this was less than two years ago.
So, Mourinho is shite, Ole is shite, Sanchez, Darmian and Young were Ballon D’Or candidates once they left United?
True. It doesn't make any difference at all to the season. I just remember that awful preseason under Mou. Everyone said it didn’t matter but you can see how disjointed that pre-season tour.
Conversely I remember us having an amazing pre season with LVG and then starting horribly.
Sounds like you are the black and white guy. I just said that they all have done better since leaving (well Smalling debatable). But then again, Conte is a far superior coach than Ole.
Real lost 2-1 to rangers might aswell just give next years title to Athletico already.
I think to be fair, Serie A is below the premier league in terms of intensity and physical demands. Sanchez without a doubt went off a cliff in his final half season at Arsenal and never regained his mojo, that includes his international career as well, he might have had the odd spark at Inter, but he was hardly back to his best indeed he was still miles from it.
Seriously. That is such a great hit, and from his weaker foot too. (I presume it is his weaker foot as he was playing RB)
So fielding only 8-9 players then is what you want?
Pretty much says it all.
