He was mediocre but for me he is simply not a CM and Mourinho is misusing him. Just Fellaini next to him is such a weird restriction of one so talented. Play two behind him who can set him free going forward. It's so blatantly obvious that Pogba isn't this box to box Keane type driving force. Not sure what Jose is seeing.
6
Season Average Rating
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He was poor and great in instances but you guys need to understand that a midfielder can't just turn up and run the show if the platform isn't there.
City's tactics and pressing caused problems for us all over the pitch and especially in the middle because they were playing like 6 in the middle of the pitch at times because of their movement.
Either play Miki in front of him and Fellani/Herrera beside him or play two behind him (Fellani/Herrera/Schneiderlin etc).
Silva looked like Iniesta AND Mascherano combined there. Why? The space was closed when we had the ball so he could chime in with commited tackles and interceptions and when they had the ball, he had options EVERY single time.
Our lack of pressing and structure meant as soon as Pogba got the ball, he had to literally dribble past at least 1-2 players before he could do anything progressive with it.
He'll improve no doubt but no one, not even Messi can be at their best without the right platform.
City's tactics and pressing caused problems for us all over the pitch and especially in the middle because they were playing like 6 in the middle of the pitch at times because of their movement.
Either play Miki in front of him and Fellani/Herrera beside him or play two behind him (Fellani/Herrera/Schneiderlin etc).
Silva looked like Iniesta AND Mascherano combined there. Why? The space was closed when we had the ball so he could chime in with commited tackles and interceptions and when they had the ball, he had options EVERY single time.
Our lack of pressing and structure meant as soon as Pogba got the ball, he had to literally dribble past at least 1-2 players before he could do anything progressive with it.
He'll improve no doubt but no one, not even Messi can be at their best without the right platform.
Agree
Yep, so typical. He was good in the previous two games and while today was not his best day, it happens. Talk about him not being worth the fee etc. is ridiculous at this stage, he's an amazing player.Some very harsh posts
Needs to cut down his decision making time a bit, especially against a side who will press you so fast like City. Seemed like he lost the ball a lot in that second half.
Completely agree with the "moments" bit. I've always thought that about Pogba.
However, Lampard was given the luxury of having a system built to make sure he makes teams suffer. We're not doing that with Pogba. With pairing him in a two with Fellaini which is a bit of a joke to be honest.
Needs to impose himself on games. Too much of a passenger today.
Thought he was a bit poor, he looks a bit rangey with the ball sometimes. Nothing was really coming off for anyone today. Take this as fuel and be better next time.
Think it's harsh to make out he's a big game hider. He's just being played in an inefficient position for his talents/strengths.
Play him behind the striker and be done with it.
Play him behind the striker and be done with it.
He looked exhausted more than anything. Same with Bailly near the end.
Moments of brilliance. Bit too selfish at times, needs to look up and pass. Overall, he was poor but not helped by the stupid first half set up.
Wasn't on the ball enough, simple as. We concentrated too much on the right side of the pitch, with Rooney being on the ball the whole time, who was mediocre once again... We should have focused on the left with shaw Pogba rashford and later Herrera.
The posts aren't harsh, we paid a world record fee and Herrera and fellaini were significantly better in the middle.
Possibly he's still too used to the Italian slower tempo, especially playing for Juve who are so much more dominant than even their nearest competitors you have the world of time on the ball.
What makes you think he's suited to playing behind the striker? Juve stuck him out on the left so he could drift in and out of games. He's never been a playmaker. All we've done is give him basically the same role but with Fellaini doing the job of two men in midfield, which for the most part he's relished.
Nowhere near as bad as some are making out but needs to push on to dominate big PL fixtures.
No where near fit enough yet, much more to come from him when he is fully fit.
He doesn't get on the ball enough.
When he does, the ball sticks to him and he does something good with it.
When he does, the ball sticks to him and he does something good with it.
Explains the reports of why we wanted another midfielder next to him. Thought he did well, just without a partner of his calibre to really make our midfield dynamic.
Tbh, I've never seen him as someone who'll control a game for his team. He's not a modric sort of a CM. He's a highlights reel CM, big moments, big impact, you get what I'm saying. To expect him to run such huge matches is always going to end in disappointment imo. Still think his best use would be in a 4-3-3 with Fellaini and Herrera alongside him.
And yet I was slated for saying this back in August....
Herrera needs to play next to him. With Fellaini, we just fail to give the ball to Pogba in promising positions as he's so mediocre with his passing.
He was too much of a passenger. Not sure why that was the case though. He should impose himself on the game.
Pretty much the only one who can hold the ball in the midfield and not get robbed.
But he needs to assert himself more and starts to dominate the game, he clearly has the skills.
But he needs to assert himself more and starts to dominate the game, he clearly has the skills.
Anonymous today.
He isn't suited to playing deep.
He isn't suited to playing deep.
This is not the Serie A and his not playing for a team that's well above everyone else. A few more of this performance and threads like "How good is Pobga?" will start to appear. Still young, will need a few more seasons before he can display his full potential. Needs to work more for the team though.
He needs to learn he can't beat all the midfielders all the time.
Agree with Carragher. His positioning wasn't good defensively.
We should've started 4-3-3.
We should've started 4-3-3.
Think some of you guys are being harsh. He wasn't great, but he wasn't poor either. Your midfield is going to get ran over by Pep's team if you have 2 in midfield consisting of two big guys. The problem becomes worse when the attack fails very early in the build up.
Pogba was one of the few who were comfortable on the ball and his dribbling allowed the team to build a couple attacks. The problem was that the attackers weren't doing all that well. However, it's very easy to think he's poor if you think Pogba is the engine in the midfield. He was never that. I think some of you don't understand what kind of player he is. Vidal was the engine for Juve.
In the 2nd half, he should have been on the ball more. That's the criticism I would give him seeing as how United saw more of the ball in the 2nd half compared to the first.
Pogba was one of the few who were comfortable on the ball and his dribbling allowed the team to build a couple attacks. The problem was that the attackers weren't doing all that well. However, it's very easy to think he's poor if you think Pogba is the engine in the midfield. He was never that. I think some of you don't understand what kind of player he is. Vidal was the engine for Juve.
In the 2nd half, he should have been on the ball more. That's the criticism I would give him seeing as how United saw more of the ball in the 2nd half compared to the first.
He has to play the ball faster sometimes, besides that he is a threat with his dribbling and physic.
If we actually played him in a 3 man midfield he would improve aswell.
If we actually played him in a 3 man midfield he would improve aswell.
So basically you are blaming Pogba's bad performance on Fellaini?
Definitely. Was all over the shop. He's not a defensive midfielder, needs to push forward more and play in a position similar to KdB.
I fully expect him to turn the tide, but he was a complete none-entity in today's game. Even in the second half when he was afforded much more offensive freedom, he wasn't able to make much of a contribution.
For the kind of money we paid for him, we need him to influence games like these as opposed to his disappearing act today. As I said though, I fully expect him to contribute more in the future.
For the kind of money we paid for him, we need him to influence games like these as opposed to his disappearing act today. As I said though, I fully expect him to contribute more in the future.
This is the type of game where he needs to in a 3 man midfield with the 2 other CM's being the harder workers, Jose bottled it though.
He was bad yes, but he's not played too much since his return from holiday. Give him some time.
He could end up like so many players have in our 4-2-3-1 system which gets the least out of the talent we have. For some reason we are obsessed with it but it really doesn't suit the players we have.
I thought he was good when he got on the ball, but he didn't impose himself on the game at all.
Needs to perform in games like these which matter more. Dissappointed to say the least.
I agree, the second half was more disappointed when evaluating Pogba. The first half was a total collapse, and had little to do with Pogba. In the second half, he should have stepped up and made a proper contribution.
He needs to show more, hasn't set the world on fire yet but it's still early days.
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