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2016-17 Performances


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6.3 Season Average Rating
Appearances
51
Goals
9
Assists
6
Yellow cards
10
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I think Jose should use Pogba like how he used Lampard or Sneijder.

I was never a big fans of how he used Fabregas in a deeper role.

Pogba biggest strengths are his vision, range of passings, key passes, dribbling skills, and he likes to do a long range shooting. His decision making are poor when he plays deeper but when he plays more advance role he makes good decision because his instincts are delivering the final ball to the attackers. Get two quality midfielder behind him (one who can defend and the other one can either dominate or control midfield), we will be able to get the best out of him.
 
I think Jose should use Pogba like how he used Lampard or Sneijder.

I reckon that's the intention for long term. He doesn't really have the two midfielders to play behind him for that right now though.


Carrick - would perfect but can't play all the time and his levels have dropped.

Herrera - Very good but not really the role for him.

Fellaini - Zero distribution and not very good defensive.

...and that's about it. We need two rock hard CMs with good distribution behind him and just to allow him to be that luxury player.
 
I think Jose should use Pogba like how he used Lampard or Sneijder.

I was never a big fans of how he used Fabregas in a deeper role.

Pogba biggest strengths are his vision, range of passings, key passes, dribbling skills, and he likes to do a long range shooting. His decision making are poor when he plays deeper but when he plays more advance role he makes good decision because his instincts are delivering the final ball to the attackers. Get two quality midfielder behind him (one who can defend and the other one can either dominate or control midfield), we will be able to get the best out of him.

I reckon that's the intention for long term. He doesn't really have the two midfielders to play behind him for that right now though.


Carrick - would perfect but can't play all the time and his levels have dropped.

Herrera - Very good but not really the role for him.

Fellaini - Zero distribution and not very good defensive.

...and that's about it. We need two rock hard CMs with good distribution behind him and just to allow him to be that luxury player.

All well and good but if it's true Griezmann is our number one target then this isn't possible.
 
Or hes just a 24 year old midfielder having a decent season adjusting to a faster league. Hes been hurt by unreal expectations and missed chances by him and his teammates but other than that hes been fine. Hes never sulked or ran away. Hes always tried even when it didnt go well which is much better than hiding. He created at least two solid chances per games most of the time. He doesnt really showboat and he clearly is one of the hardest workers on out team. His dancing and haircuts mean nothing. Hes 24 stop acting likes hes a 28 year old has been.

why does your thing say you support man city? you said "our team". anyways, good post.
 
The standards at this club have massively dropped to the point where I guess it's reasonable to say Pogba has had a good season. If you said that at our peak under SAF, that's a completely different story. He'd probably be just about passable.
 
All well and good but if it's true Griezmann is our number one target then this isn't possible.

Griezmann can play as an inside forward in 433 formation just like how Jose used Eto'o. And there is no guarantee that Zlatan is going to stay next season means he can also be our main centre forward.
 
The standards at this club have massively dropped to the point where I guess it's reasonable to say Pogba has had a good season. If you said that at our peak under SAF, that's a completely different story. He'd probably be just about passable.

At any time under SAF, Pogba's season would be viewed on the weaker side, especially given he's 24. Fergie had players like Rooney at 24, Beckham at 24, Ronaldo was 24 when he went to Real, Scholes was a key player in the treble at 24 in 1999.

Pogba wouldn't get near these teams, and before anyone jumps on that, please remember that this is what Fergie did, not just my opinion!

Fergie didn't view Pogba's mindset and/or skill-set as worthy or suited to Man Utd so didn't play him, and then sold him for nothing.

SAF was winning leagues while making this decision. Now we decide Pogba is worth 90m quid and we're struggling to make Top 4...

I thought Fergie was wrong with Pogba - in fact, I actually thought it was a decision akin to hiring Moyes, I really did. A sign that he was past it. I viewed it as him playing his old favourites and not giving Pogba a chance, but I dunno now.

SAF was a genius at spotting players who had something in them that would contribute to a great team, whether that be skillful, 'star' players like Ronaldo, Giggs, Rooney, Cantona, Beckham, RvP, or hardworking grafters that he could rely on - Park, Fletcher, Valencia, etc.

He could see into players' minds somehow and he knew the difference between a winner and a loser. Maybe that was his biggest skill? I dunno.

But whatever he saw in Pogba, he didn't want it in his Utd team. Maybe he liked Pogba as a person (as I do), but could just see that his decision making and lack of intensity wasn't enough for his team, or maybe he didn't like his style of play, or maybe he actively disliked something about his attitude.

I don't know, maybe others do. But I wouldn't imagine Fergie thinks too highly of Pogba's tranfser fee, wages, or performances this season.

It's pretty obvious really, given the standards that Fergie demanded, the players he cultivated, and his disdain for over-payed players and agents.
 
Fergie didn't view Pogba's mindset and/or skill-set as worthy or suited to Man Utd so didn't play him, and then sold him for nothing.
.

ManUtd didn't sell Pogba, they did everything in their power to retain him but he made his mind up and left on free transfer without signing contract.
 
ManUtd didn't sell Pogba, they did everything in their power to retain him but he made his mind up and left on free transfer without signing contract.

Please respond to whole post - if you just pick parts of it out of context it creates squabbles rather than discussions.

Utd simply had to play Pogba to keep him - he left because Fergie wouldn't play him, as my post details, and as you surely know.
 
Please respond to whole post - if you just pick parts of it out of context it creates squabbles rather than discussions.

Utd simply had to play Pogba to keep him - he left because Fergie wouldn't play him, as my post details, and as you surely know.

Your post is lot of assumptions and the main point itself is wrong. ManUtd/SAF didn't sell him, if anything tried everything to retain him. So SAF not rating him falls flat there. SAF was gutted and he made a point saying Pogba made his decision long back and blamed his agent.

Probably you don't remember it fully or just fitting some narratives to suite your agenda.

Your point is SAF didn't want him in his ManUtd team but he wanted Pogba to stay, just that he thought 18 year old Pogba wasn't ready and Pogba thought he was and he proved he was.
 
Your post is lot of assumptions and the main point itself is wrong. ManUtd/SAF didn't sell him, if anything tried everything to retain him. So SAF not rating him falls flat there. SAF was gutted and he made a point saying Pogba made his decision long back and blamed his agent.

Probably you don't remember it fully or just fitting some narratives to suite your agenda.

Your point is SAF didn't want him in his ManUtd team but he wanted Pogba to stay, just that he thought 18 year old Pogba wasn't ready and Pogba thought he was and he proved he was.

I remember it well. Pogba didn't leave Utd on good terms, and felt he was treated harshly by SAF. SAF wasn't impressed by Pogba or his agent. That's what happened.

SAF was playing teenagers throughout his entire career, he paid 30m for Rooney as a teenager, played Ronaldo as a 17 year old.

He didn't rate Pogba as worthy of any game-time, WHY?

And he's proved nothing against what Ferguson thought of him, if anything, surely, Fergie's decision is seeming more insightful than when he was at Juve in that wonderful midfield.
 
At any time under SAF, Pogba's season would be viewed on the weaker side, especially given he's 24. Fergie had players like Rooney at 24, Beckham at 24, Ronaldo was 24 when he went to Real, Scholes was a key player in the treble at 24 in 1999.

Pogba wouldn't get near these teams, and before anyone jumps on that, please remember that this is what Fergie did, not just my opinion!

Fergie didn't view Pogba's mindset and/or skill-set as worthy or suited to Man Utd so didn't play him, and then sold him for nothing.

SAF was winning leagues while making this decision. Now we decide Pogba is worth 90m quid and we're struggling to make Top 4...

I thought Fergie was wrong with Pogba - in fact, I actually thought it was a decision akin to hiring Moyes, I really did. A sign that he was past it. I viewed it as him playing his old favourites and not giving Pogba a chance, but I dunno now.

SAF was a genius at spotting players who had something in them that would contribute to a great team, whether that be skillful, 'star' players like Ronaldo, Giggs, Rooney, Cantona, Beckham, RvP, or hardworking grafters that he could rely on - Park, Fletcher, Valencia, etc.

He could see into players' minds somehow and he knew the difference between a winner and a loser. Maybe that was his biggest skill? I dunno.

But whatever he saw in Pogba, he didn't want it in his Utd team. Maybe he liked Pogba as a person (as I do), but could just see that his decision making and lack of intensity wasn't enough for his team, or maybe he didn't like his style of play, or maybe he actively disliked something about his attitude.

I don't know, maybe others do. But I wouldn't imagine Fergie thinks too highly of Pogba's tranfser fee, wages, or performances this season.

It's pretty obvious really, given the standards that Fergie demanded, the players he cultivated, and his disdain for over-payed players and agents.

Well, Sir Alex did play him a few games not much because in his age at that time he might not be ready to make a big step. Players like Rooney and Ronaldo are different, they have played more games when they were teenager.

Sir Alex also clearly wanted him to stay by offering him the contract means he wanted Pogba in his team but Pogba chosen to leave the club.
 
I remember it well. Pogba didn't leave Utd on good terms, and felt he was treated harshly by SAF. SAF wasn't impressed by Pogba or his agent. That's what happened.

SAF was playing teenagers throughout his entire career, he paid 30m for Rooney as a teenager, played Ronaldo as a 17 year old.

He didn't rate Pogba as worthy of any game-time, WHY?

And he's proved nothing against what Ferguson thought of him, if anything, surely, Fergie's decision is seeming more insightful than when he was at Juve in that wonderful midfield.
If Fergie didn't rate Pogba then why did he offer him a new contract? Stop twisting things to suit your agenda, it cheapens the rest of your points
 
If Fergie didn't rate Pogba then why did he offer him a new contract? Stop twisting things to suit your agenda, it cheapens the rest of your points

How much did we sell him for?

How much would he have been sold for if a new contract was signed?

For crying out loud Fergie rather played Rafael in MF instead of giving Pogba minutes - he clearly didn't rate him. Why would you not play a player that you rate...!?

Fergie had no problem playing teenagers, he had no lack of minutes for Pogba, he just didn't rate him as bringing anything more to the team than was already there, otherwise, again, why wouldn't he play him?

It's fair enough if you disagree with Fergie, or me, it's fair enough if you've been enchanted by Pogba's brilliant moments this season, it's fair enough if you're very susceptible to Adidas and Utd's skillful marketing campaigns - but I've not got a fecking agenda, I'm not a politician, I'm a football fan with a different opinion than you.

The Pogba transfer has intrigued me from the beginning, it's not a usual transfer and as a Fergie kid, I'm not gonna lie to myself if it seems clear that Fergie, somehow, knew that Pogba wasn't cut out to excel in the English game, and lest we forget, that's what Man Utd stars do - they excel, they don't do 'ok'.

I have utterly nothing to gain by talking about Pogba to you. Adidas and Utd the brand have a lot to gain from you.
 
How much did we sell him for?

How much would he have been sold for if a new contract was signed?

For crying out loud Fergie rather played Rafael in MF instead of giving Pogba minutes - he clearly didn't rate him. Why would you not play a player that you rate...!?

Fergie had no problem playing teenagers, he had no lack of minutes for Pogba, he just didn't rate him as bringing anything more to the team than was already there, otherwise, again, why wouldn't he play him?

It's fair enough if you disagree with Fergie, or me, it's fair enough if you've been enchanted by Pogba's brilliant moments this season, it's fair enough if you're very susceptible to Adidas and Utd's skillful marketing campaigns - but I've not got a fecking agenda, I'm not a politician, I'm a football fan with a different opinion than you.

The Pogba transfer has intrigued me from the beginning, it's not a usual transfer and as a Fergie kid, I'm not gonna lie to myself if it seems clear that Fergie, somehow, knew that Pogba wasn't cut out to excel in the English game, and lest we forget, that's what Man Utd stars do - they excel, they don't do 'ok'.

I have utterly nothing to gain by talking about Pogba to you. Adidas and Utd the brand have a lot to gain from you.
Fergie also loaned David Beckham to Preston at the around the same age that Pogba left. Does that mean he didn't rate him? Obviously not, he just felt he wasn't ready. Isn't it likely he felt the same about Pogba?
You have to remember that central midfield requires more maturity than most other positions which is why many cm's tend to peak later than others. Take Frank Lampard for example or even Paul Scholes who didn't hit his peak as a proper midfielder until his later years.

The fact you can say definitively that Fergie knew that Pogba wasn't cut out for English football probably shows that you underestimate the importance of patience in young players.
 
I remember it well. Pogba didn't leave Utd on good terms, and felt he was treated harshly by SAF. SAF wasn't impressed by Pogba or his agent. That's what happened.

SAF was playing teenagers throughout his entire career, he paid 30m for Rooney as a teenager, played Ronaldo as a 17 year old.

He didn't rate Pogba as worthy of any game-time, WHY?

And he's proved nothing against what Ferguson thought of him, if anything, surely, Fergie's decision is seeming more insightful than when he was at Juve in that wonderful midfield.

Not all teenagers are same. SAF also didn't play Scholes when he was a teenager, so what?

Like I said, either you don't remember well or twisting and adding your own narrative to suit your agenda.
 
Not all teenagers are same. SAF also didn't play Scholes when he was a teenager, so what?

Like I said, either you don't remember well or twisting and adding your own narrative to suit your agenda.

Again, I don't have an 'agenda'. I have a different opinion to you.

What would I have to gain through persuading you to agree with my opinion? Actually take a little break and think about this.

Companies like Adidas have an agenda for you, even Utd as a club have an agenda for you to like Pogba, I guess.

I don't, I'm a fan who's written long, explanatory messages to you about my views. You clearly don't value me doing this and instead of responding in kind you're spoiling for a squabble and going down the semantics and agenda route.

Lets just agree that Utd is a great club and Fergie was a genius manager.

Pogba has everything still to prove here, lets hope he does.

Get your facts right. We didn't sell Pogba.

Right, so how much did we sell him for...? Answer, £0.
 
We've all been fooled by Adidas and Man united, the frauds :lol:

fecking hell. I should unfollow adidas and ManUtd on twitter. Fooled by them so easily and liked Pogba rather than watching him playing for us.
 
fecking hell. I should unfollow adidas and ManUtd on twitter. Fooled by them so easily and liked Pogba rather than watching him playing for us.
I promised I'd never let this happen again after they duped me into thinking Beckham was world class :wenger:
 
Face it, every fan in the world would love to have Pogba in their team. But it's because we are fecking loaded that is why we can afford to buy him and have him in their team. If he was playing for another club today, we would have been jealous of that
 
Griezmann can play as an inside forward in 433 formation just like how Jose used Eto'o. And there is no guarantee that Zlatan is going to stay next season means he can also be our main centre forward.

Neither being his greatest position though. He plays best just in behind a main striker. So in our current formation that would be in the #10 position but pushing further forward.

I don't know where he'd fit in a 433 as we'd have a major lack of width with Griezmann and Martial being the wingers in that formation. Whilst also leaving Mkhi with no position.
 
How much did we sell him for?

How much would he have been sold for if a new contract was signed?

For crying out loud Fergie rather played Rafael in MF instead of giving Pogba minutes - he clearly didn't rate him. Why would you not play a player that you rate...!?

Fergie had no problem playing teenagers, he had no lack of minutes for Pogba, he just didn't rate him as bringing anything more to the team than was already there, otherwise, again, why wouldn't he play him?

It's fair enough if you disagree with Fergie, or me, it's fair enough if you've been enchanted by Pogba's brilliant moments this season, it's fair enough if you're very susceptible to Adidas and Utd's skillful marketing campaigns - but I've not got a fecking agenda, I'm not a politician, I'm a football fan with a different opinion than you.

The Pogba transfer has intrigued me from the beginning, it's not a usual transfer and as a Fergie kid, I'm not gonna lie to myself if it seems clear that Fergie, somehow, knew that Pogba wasn't cut out to excel in the English game, and lest we forget, that's what Man Utd stars do - they excel, they don't do 'ok'.

I have utterly nothing to gain by talking about Pogba to you. Adidas and Utd the brand have a lot to gain from you.


100% agree. He knew Pique wasn't as suitable to the pace and physical demands of the Premier League as Jonny Evans, and he knew that Pogba wasn't dynamic or intense enough to dominate Premoer League midfields.

He was also wary of commercial whores, something that significantly strained his relationship with Beckham. There's no chance he'd have sanctioned a move for Pogba, especially at the extortionate price paid. But this is the modern United, Woodard's crusade to create the most marketable Europa League club in history; selling a record number of shirts with mercenary names on the back is Ed's idea of success, and those very mercenaries are why the club has fallen from grace in a sporting sense.

Pogba is like a naive man's Zidane; one of the Agnelli's once described Zizou as more entertaining than useful, and that's what Pogba is proving to be for United.

Indeed, like United, Juve have historically been about the collective, rather than collection of stars. Nedved replaced him and added better balance to the team, and played major part in their pre-Calciopoli success. United need to start embracing that former formula of sporting success; Spurs have clearly plagiarised it, and have created the most exciting, commendable team that the Premier League has seen post-Fergie.
 
100% agree. He knew Pique wasn't as suitable to the pace and physical demands of the Premier League as Jonny Evans, and he knew that Pogba wasn't dynamic or intense enough to dominate Premoer League midfields

Are you being serious about Pique? You might want to check some of our history why Sir Alex sold Pique. And he was clearly stronger and quicker than Evans.

He wanted Pogba to stay, he knew Pogba has the future to play for United but Pogba didn't want to stay and refused the contract that we offered. That Rhyme guy was a bit drunk. It can't be called "we sold him" if we never have a negotiation with Juventus from the first place.
 
100% agree. He knew Pique wasn't as suitable to the pace and physical demands of the Premier League as Jonny Evans, and he knew that Pogba wasn't dynamic or intense enough to dominate Premoer League midfields.

He was also wary of commercial whores, something that significantly strained his relationship with Beckham. There's no chance he'd have sanctioned a move for Pogba, especially at the extortionate price paid. But this is the modern United, Woodard's crusade to create the most marketable Europa League club in history; selling a record number of shirts with mercenary names on the back is Ed's idea of success, and those very mercenaries are why the club has fallen from grace in a sporting sense.

Pogba is like a naive man's Zidane; one of the Agnelli's once described Zizou as more entertaining than useful, and that's what Pogba is proving to be for United.

Indeed, like United, Juve have historically been about the collective, rather than collection of stars. Nedved replaced him and added better balance to the team, and played major part in their pre-Calciopoli success. United need to start embracing that former formula of sporting success; Spurs have clearly plagiarised it, and have created the most exciting, commendable team that the Premier League has seen post-Fergie.
Well, one of the Agnelli's was then plainly an imbecile.
 
100% agree. He knew Pique wasn't as suitable to the pace and physical demands of the Premier League as Jonny Evans, and he knew that Pogba wasn't dynamic or intense enough to dominate Premoer League midfields.

He was also wary of commercial whores, something that significantly strained his relationship with Beckham. There's no chance he'd have sanctioned a move for Pogba, especially at the extortionate price paid. But this is the modern United, Woodard's crusade to create the most marketable Europa League club in history; selling a record number of shirts with mercenary names on the back is Ed's idea of success, and those very mercenaries are why the club has fallen from grace in a sporting sense.

Pogba is like a naive man's Zidane; one of the Agnelli's once described Zizou as more entertaining than useful, and that's what Pogba is proving to be for United.

Indeed, like United, Juve have historically been about the collective, rather than collection of stars. Nedved replaced him and added better balance to the team, and played major part in their pre-Calciopoli success. United need to start embracing that former formula of sporting success; Spurs have clearly plagiarised it, and have created the most exciting, commendable team that the Premier League has seen post-Fergie.

This is the modern United? You mean to say the last few seasons because we finish fifth instead of first or second? Let's get it right, the modern United mantra hasn't shifted for the best part of twenty years and has nothing to do with Ed Woodward's current position. This club has spent millons for decades. This club once avoided the FA Cup to (quite rightly) go globetrotting in pursuit of riches. Our manager once fell out with an Irish racehorse owner over horse semen, a move which would jeopardise his position. If that's not commercial I don't know what is. United have been on a crusade to be the most marketable club in sport for a long, long time. In essence, it's the right way to go, because if it isn't United then it will be some other (very well-run) club instead. Just because we happen to lose a few more games than we would like doesn't negate the business model, not one bit. And that we now spend more money on expensive footballers - instead of servicing debt - is only a good thing in the short and long term.

As for Pogba, Ferguson didn't know Pogba was not dynamic or intense enough. It's not true, for one, and certainly not now. The reality of the situation (and I argued this then) is that Ferguson was increasingly reluctant to give young players regular football. He was over-reliant on his old guard, choosing to manage and rotate the entire squad to the benefit of three or four players. It cost him a league title at the Etihad one night, and it cost him Paul Pogba. Not playing Pogba against Blackburn wasn't some grand plan. Nor was it some kind dismissal of the player Pogba would come to be in eight years time. It was the product of a gradual change in approach that minimised the impact young players could have on this club.

Generally, Pogba is fine. He does his job. So do our defenders. Our attackers aren't doing theirs, and to be frank, neither is the manager. When we start scoring more goals then the focus placed upon Pogba will decrease. It's only normal that criticism rears its head while we continue to play poorly week on week. Hence our best run of form - both in terms of results and aesthetically - between November and December coincided with articles praising Pogba's influence on the team. That will return if and when we start winning more games, and people start to realise (again) that both he and the midield are getting it spot on.
 
He wanted Pogba to stay, he knew Pogba has the future to play for United but Pogba didn't want to stay and refused the contract that we offered. That Rhyme guy was a bit drunk. It can't be called "we sold him" if we never have a negotiation with Juventus from the first place.

I asked, rhetorically, 'how much did we get for him?', and then also asked 'how much would we have gotten if he signed a contract?' - it was to illustrate to a poster with a similar manner to yourself that there can be other reasons why a club/manager want a player to sign a contract other than their desire to keep them at the club. If you look back, you'll see this.

Likewise, if you read posts/conversations properly before wading in and making rude comments about other posters, you'll be less likely to end up looking like a silly sausage.

Anyway, I'm sticking this in here because it's a good watch. Pogba's pre-match interview for the Anderlecht game.

Really like how he talks, and around 4.30 he talks about the PL and actually acknowledges that it's very different and essentially more difficult, something that foreign players and managers often seem loathe to do.

This really, really impresses me as it sounds like he's a student of the game, and also can admit that he's finding it challenging - these are the attributes that he needs to succeed here, the ability to admit to himself that he's not there yet.

 
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The state of this thread is quite funny. Some people acting as if Pogba has never played at the highest level before and now is currently struggling because he's been called on to do so.

All these examples about players x and y playing high level football at 24 while Pogba still struggling are funny. The guy managed to play at the highest level since 19 and one average season out of 5 years as a professional footballer after moving to a new league in very much rebuilding process doesn't change anything.

Lately I've realised there's been this sudden revisionism in regard to Pogba. Because it has become customary to hate on him and berate every single one of his performances, people have now resorted to rewriting history and pretend as if he's never shown top level football since a very young age.
 
The state of this thread is quite funny. Some people acting as if Pogba has never played at the highest level before and now is currently struggling because he's been called on to do so.

All these examples about players x and y playing high level football at 24 while Pogba still struggling are funny. The guy managed to play at the highest level since 19 and one average season out of 5 years as a professional footballer after moving to a new league in very much rebuilding process doesn't change anything.

Lately I've realised there's been this sudden revisionism in regard to Pogba. Because it has become customary to hate on him and berate every single one of his performances, people have now resorted to rewriting history and pretend as if he's never shown top level football since a very young age.

I think the people you're talking about are more miffed at the notion of Pogba's struggles being explained away 'because he's only 24'.

Indeed, your point about how he's highly experienced is the exact point that Pogba critics have actually been making.
 
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