I cannot believe some of you lot would happily get rid of him after 1 season. For me, he has shown enough to suggest he will become the player we want him to be. Christ, give the guy at least a couple of seasons.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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- Goals
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- Assists
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- Yellow cards
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Whoever is echoing these sentiments about selling him are just off the scale mental in my opinion. He's easily the best midfielder we have had since Scholesy.
I give him 6/10 for the season so far
Anyone not mental would have him at either a 6 or 7.
Chuck in an 8/10 next season and we are all happy
He's just having a bad run of form. He was great earlier in the season.
If even half of those attempts that hit the post/bar had gone in he'd be sitting on about 13 goals for the season so far from a midfield position and people would be calling this an amazing return.
People need to be more patient ffs.
If even half of those attempts that hit the post/bar had gone in he'd be sitting on about 13 goals for the season so far from a midfield position and people would be calling this an amazing return.
People need to be more patient ffs.
Where the hell you got these bolded parts from? Talking nonsense.
Quite a few different opinions here.
For me; if he applies himself properly in training and actually works on ironing out his mistakes and improving his game he can become a great player. If he believes he is already there, and can just enjoy 'being a footballer' he might never be an amazing player.
I don't understand the people who want to pretend he hasn't erratic and inconsistent, even before this 'bad tun of form' I didn't think he played amazingly. Pogba before Liverpool is almost becoming the same as 'Shaw before the injury'. He hasn't been effective enough, and that's not purely because of other people not finishing the chances he creates. Some people sound as if other teams don't miss chances, and Pogba would automatically have double figures outside of the United finishing curse.
For me; if he applies himself properly in training and actually works on ironing out his mistakes and improving his game he can become a great player. If he believes he is already there, and can just enjoy 'being a footballer' he might never be an amazing player.
I don't understand the people who want to pretend he hasn't erratic and inconsistent, even before this 'bad tun of form' I didn't think he played amazingly. Pogba before Liverpool is almost becoming the same as 'Shaw before the injury'. He hasn't been effective enough, and that's not purely because of other people not finishing the chances he creates. Some people sound as if other teams don't miss chances, and Pogba would automatically have double figures outside of the United finishing curse.
I don't want to get rid of him. It's quite apparant that he has something to his game most footballers don't have. His passing range is almost on par with Scholes, albeit not as intelligent perhaps. He needs to play the easy pass more often and know when to release the ball quicker. Also, when opposition players manage to outmuscle him he looks like a fool for trying what he tries.
I think he'll come good, but I was unsure about us signing him in the first place.
I think he'll come good, but I was unsure about us signing him in the first place.
Pogba's underwhelming performances have been 'the elephant in the room' all season long.
Even now many people deny it.
Its a perfectly apt use of the analogy.
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You think Pogba has gone under the radar?
Even if the world's most expensive player tag was disregarded, Pogba has still been very underwhelming since he signed.
Woeful again last night, although granted it was difficult to play football on that pitch
Echoing this because it's spot on.
I have scanned back through this quickly to see who these posters are that want to sell Pogba after one season but I cant see anything like that. Who is saying it, @sammsky1?
If we'd bought him for £15m people would be saying he was one of the buys of the season, despite the recent form. But because he was £89m, people are upset that he's not some Zidane/Kaka-level beast right from the get-go.
He's barely through half a season FFS!
He's barely through half a season FFS!
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I suspect @Glory Glory Denis Irwin is wrong about that.
I've been following football for 25 years now. I know one thing for sure- you need to be careful when it comes to judging players in their first season.
That's why i don't understand why people write Pogba off.
That's why i don't understand why people write Pogba off.
Anyone suggesting he's not going to make it here is jumping the gun for sure.
However I also think it's fair to say some in this thread are downright deluded when it comes to praising him or defending him for mediocre and at times really poor showings - he's had many this season.
Key example is the League Cup Final. I thought he was terrible - genuinely gash. So did every person I spoke to in person. Then on here people were saying he played brilliantly...
For me personally, when his passes aren't coming off or he's getting the ball pinched off him, I expect him to work hard at least (do the basics well) but typically he's a lazy sod and that is very hard to accept, especially in big games.
I'm not seeing that many people "defending him for mediocre performances" rather than defending him from all the reactionary bullshit.
The thread seems divided between people who think he should be given time and those who think he should be sold!
That is plainly false.
Wait, what? There's now people saying they wouldn't mind if he was sold 
I dont think there are no. To read this thread is to learn how urban myths are born.Wait, what? There's now people saying they wouldn't mind if he was sold
As far as I can ascertain one person said he thought half our fans would be happy to sell Pogba if we recouped all our money. He didnt actually say he wanted that himself, we can maybe assume he does feel that way but he didnt actually say it.
Then everyone started acting like a load of people DO want to sell him. I havent noticed a single person say it though.
In fact I would say most people in here are largely in agreement: he has been great at times, pretty poor at others, its his first season, we all hope he improves.
Wait, what? There's now people saying they wouldn't mind if he was sold
Hypothetically, for £90m.
But don't let the pesky 'hypothetically' stop you from breaking out the green smiley of superiority!
Talented footballers should be in a better shape to handle bad conditions than bad footballers.
Not really.
Pogba is a new brand. Two sides, Raola and especially ManUnited invested into it in a hope it will pay back. We don't know what expectations were there at the time of the deal - 1) that he will pay back immediately 2) he will pay back in the future.
In the 1st case, it's not happening obviously and that's a big mistake of decision makers which they should have admitted. In the 2nd there would have been no need to worry if he was treated like a young hope, the same way as Lingard and Rashford
The funny thing is it's neither happening. He is not punished when underperforming, Mou does not criticize him publicly as he does in case of other players, he is not substituted even and yet treated as world class. I have a feeling it's a burden put on him that he can't bear. He can't perform to that level yet.
The discussion of selling him now isn't practical in both cases. Even if it was a failure they'll try to squeeze everything first before admitting it. And there is always a chance he will grow into a mature class player.
We, guys, can't be permanently unhappy with the results, quality, etc and yet ignore the performance of a player appointed to be a main hope.
In the 1st case, it's not happening obviously and that's a big mistake of decision makers which they should have admitted. In the 2nd there would have been no need to worry if he was treated like a young hope, the same way as Lingard and Rashford
The funny thing is it's neither happening. He is not punished when underperforming, Mou does not criticize him publicly as he does in case of other players, he is not substituted even and yet treated as world class. I have a feeling it's a burden put on him that he can't bear. He can't perform to that level yet.
The discussion of selling him now isn't practical in both cases. Even if it was a failure they'll try to squeeze everything first before admitting it. And there is always a chance he will grow into a mature class player.
We, guys, can't be permanently unhappy with the results, quality, etc and yet ignore the performance of a player appointed to be a main hope.
Get out of it you fecking melon!
Why not? There had been lots of times when teams with class came to Russia in November or March in cold weather. Everyone expected these teams to struggle in adverse conditions, but in fact the opposite happened. These teams made the Russian team looking like they were playing in "Russia" not the other way round. One example 20.11.2012 2012/13 Spartak Moscow - FC Barcelona 0:3
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You got me there with that example of one of the best teams in the history of the game winning one match, over four years ago. Our players should be ashamed!Some posters really want Pogba sold? fecking insanity.
Meh, Shaw played well every game at the start of last season. He did actually look as if the penny had well and truely dropped up until that unfortunate injury.
Pogba has put in at least as many average to poor performances as he has done quality outtings for us to date, even prior the Liverpool game he was sporadic. Personally find it a bit odd some posters in here giving him 7/10.
7/10 compared to what? the usual midfield dross we've endured for the past few years? or 7/10 from a much touted world class talent?
If he's judged on the latter, he's had nowhere near a 7/10 season so far.
And no, the discussion is not based soley on last nights outting as some posters like to write off,
and no, nobody in here has said they want Pogba sold.
and no, nobody will be "happy" if he doesn't come good, we all desperately want him to be world class for us, ffs.
Yeah and nevermind that Spartac Moscow is a big club that plays at a stadium with a capacity of 84,745. Needless to say, the ground was in good condition. Anyone who wants to compare that to Rostov's "pitch" needs their heads checked.
I wouldn't take 90m for Pogba. What would we do with the money? There doesn't seem to be any shortage of transfer funds as it stands. His long range passing is very good, his technique and first touch are very good, and with all probability his goal return will be better next season. Maybe he needs a 3 man midfield to be at his best, maybe he needs some time to adapt to playing in a midfield two. How many 23 year old technical midfielders are defensively savvy and can hack being the superstar of a big club just fine? Not many. I think the defensive contribution and handling the pressure will come in time.
But he's been in a 3 man midfield quite often for us, and doesn't have the defensive discipline.
He's 23 and raw, but never worth the amount we paid for him. We paid for the potential, not the current form. Just have to hope he lives up to it.
He shouldn't really need much defensive discipline in a proper 3 man midfield. The problem is our only holding option is Carrick who doesn't have the legs to keep up in a high intensity game anymore.
I don't know why people are so worried about the price tag. Our spending and revenue clearly shows we no longer have a 'value in the market' mentality and we've got the money to back it up. Pogba is a quality player that has improved our team (and this is unquestionable - we haven't got anyone better) so let's just enjoy him.
Not me - don't think I've said that even once. I'm simply disappointed in his performances and not afraid to say so.
He is currently amongst a group of underwhelming Manchester United central midfielders I've watched.
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He wasn't great yesterday, and he's not been great for a little while now, but I'm just glad he didn't break his legs on that pitch to be honest.
I agree, he has less defensive duties in the front of a midfield 3, but he's been consistently poor in a 2 and certainly isn't "defensively savvy" like you claimed.
I hate this whole argument about us being able to throw money at any player and therefore not having an issue with overpaying for talent.
This next bit isn't to do with pogba, but just one of a few reasons as to why we shouldn't buy big just because we can:
Excessively valuing a player risks them buying too much into their own brand or struggling to live up to media pressure of their hype. It inflates the transfer market and obliges managers to build teams around marquee talent to avoid the risk of looking red faced.
Having an elastic wallet doesn't mean a club should spend big on talents that aren't worth the fee. It doesn't free them from allocating resources efficiently and risk falling further behind the pack. I look to Tottenham and Dortmund recruitment in much envy in that regard. I have no problems with buying 90m players if they are literally in the top 3-4 in that position, and I don't think Pogba is the best number 10 around.
Now that we have him I'd love to see him succeed, but I'm not agreeing to hyping his talent just because we paid big for him. He has a shit load of work to do.
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I didnt think you had to be fair, but as one of the more vocal critics i threw your name out there.
Im sure there are people who would take the money and run. A lot of people think we overpaid so it is hardly a massive surprise if a few people would take their money back if offered. But i definitely think its a minority, which is supported by the fact that even critics like yourself would advocate a wait and see approach.
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