[amolbhatia50k]

And yet I was slated for saying this back in August....

Surprised you were.

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.

I don't think he should play behind the striker. He should play in a similar role to what Lampard did at Chelsea. Or Di Maria at Madrid. An offensive minded midfielder allowed the licence to roam and bomb forward who has two other midfielders around him giving him that freedom.

As for Fellaini being given the role of two midfielders, as the offensive midfielder, if we're saying that's what Pogba is, what support is he getting from his midfield (Fellaini alone) in comparison to Lampard (Makele and Essien)?

 

[Godfather]

Wasn't in the game even half as much as he should have

 

[Giant Midget]

So basically you are blaming Pogba's bad performance on Fellaini?

Did I say that? I agree that he was below par today. Selfish, not positioned well defensively and not inventive with his passing.

A lot of it is down to a shit performance, but some is also due to the fact that he's not a CM for a 4-2-3-1 (at least yet). A midfield 3 with Herrera and Fellaini would get the best out of him and a lot of our players (and allows us to phase Rooney out, but that's for another thread)

 

[Midfield]

Remember that Evra also had a nightmare in his manchester derby debut. Paolo Pogba still have more than 30++ games this season to prove the price tag.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

Not good enough to play in a midfield 2 against the best teams.

Has to be played further forward with protection behind him. But then we'd have to drop Rooney, and that's a no no.

 

[bosnian_red]

Thought he just looked a bit overawed by the occasion and couldn't get into the game. He obviously has loads of talent and you can see that whenever he gets the ball, but he needds to learn how to dictate games and pick them up when things aren't going well.

 

[ReDDHDevilS]

Okay game for me. He's at least trying which was my biggest concern regarding Pogba. The managers sit-back tactics and putting him alongside Fellaini in a 2-men midfield against a Pep team didn't help either.

 

[Nanook]

There were times when you thought he was going to lose it but he somehow wriggled past a defender or two, that's the only good thing I can say about his game today

 

[Borden]

Expected more of a fight from him, but he just let the game pass him by.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

Much better in a 3 than a 2 for me right now.

 

[Jazz]

Just play him in a midfield 3 in his best position. What's the point of spending all that money to then waste him? He also needs to step up as well - but I don't doubt that he will do it. Mou just needs to make the right decisions for the team, however hard it may be.

 

[blitz133w]

He was great in the 1st half. When the whole team was getting dismantled by city, not only did he hold his ground but he was the spine of the team. His dribbles gave precious extra few seconds for others to regroup and collect their breaths. Most of our counter attacks went through him. It was suicide starting just Fellaini alongside him today. Mkhi and Lingard were abysmal and kept losing the ball which makes the job of a CM even more difficult. There were instances where he started our attack out of nothing only for Zlatan and Rooney to feck things up. The only reason we didn't concede more in the first half was because of him. He was basically a one man midfield against a world class city side. Obviously this took a toll on him and he started fading in the 2nd half. Herrera shouldering some of the burden should have allowed him to get back into the game but he couldn't.

Some of his dribbling is simply outrageous. He shields the ball so well and pulls off some crazy passes. He needs better players around him to show his true potential. I would agree he had a poor second half. He's worth every penny we paid for him

 

[Carl]

He was alright. You expect more though.

 

[Kostur]

He has to stop trying to do everything by himself. This touch of magic is needed, sure, but not in every bloody attack.

 

[Kag]

This. People keep saying he is much better playing further forward and he could well be but there are plenty of players who are much better further forward. One of the expectations from a midfielder is to give some control to the team, find the right tempo but he hasn't shown that so far here.

Anybody thinking that we bought Pogba to the control the game is going to be disappointed. It isn't his game. He's an attacking midfielder that is supposed to be in there to create and score goals.

 

[izec]

Pogba will come good. He is new, a bit tired, and wrong tactics didnt help. He showed some magic at times, but then again tried too much. He needs to shoot more, 2 or 3 good occasions were he passed it instead of giving it a go, especially with an insecure keeper i wanted hm to shoot a few times.

 

[Yagami]

I thought he was decent today considering he's not really suited to a 2 man midfield. Especially against a Guardiola team. Hoping to see us play a 3 man midfield soon so we can get the best out of him.

 

[roykeane19]

Remember that Evra also had a nightmare in his manchester derby debut. Paolo Pogba still have more than 30++ games this season to prove the price tag.

Evra was not the expensivest player in the world. I believe we got took to the cleaners again. For example the 3-4 most expensivest players recently, where Ronaldo, Bale, Suarez, Neymar. Every single one are game changers and worth their price tag. We always buy good players, but not world class, and spend twice then what they are actually worth

 

[ManUnitedCanuck]

Thought Pogba was trying to do too much on the ball today. He'd keep dribbling when he could have easily layed it off. It came off at times, like end of first half when he created an opportunity but most times he just became outnumbered and gave the ball up.

 

[JaffyJoe]

Like I said before we signed him, he's not there yet. With the way we are set up he needs to be controlling the midfield. He needs some coaching to become the player everyone treats him like he already is.

Horrible in the first half and missing for long periods of the second. He just doesn't get involved enough.

 

[dustfingers]

Anybody thinking that we bought Pogba to the control the game is going to be disappointed. It isn't his game. He's an attacking midfielder that is supposed to be in there to create and score goals.

Well, he plays in a midfield two. I know the kind of player he is but there is a contrast between the way you expect him to play and the way he is positioned on the pitch.

 

[Kag]

Well, he plays in a midfield two. I know the kind of player he is but there is a contrast between the way you expect him to play and the way he is positioned on the pitch.

He plays there because Mourinho won't drop Rooney. Pogba has played his entire club career as an attacking midfielder with license to roam. He's always had two other midfielders to mop up.

 

[Irrational.]

Fernandinho had him on toast. Completely ineffective performance.

He'll have better games.

 

[Raoul]

Paul was a victim of our first half lineup and tactics. He did make a couple of really good runs but eventually go either fouled or barged off, which is imo a sign that he is still (re)adapting to the pace in England, where he probably had a bit more time on the ball at Juve. Once that is corrected we will see him at his best.

 

[Water Melon]

He plays there because Mourinho won't drop Rooney. Pogba has played his entire club career as an attacking midfielder with license to roam. He's always had two other midfielders to mop up.

×100 this.

 

[dustfingers]

He plays there because Mourinho won't drop Rooney. Pogba has played his entire club career as an attacking midfielder with license to roam. He's always had two other midfielders to mop up.

I agree with you. He is very similar to Yaya toure in terms of the way he influences the game plus a few other positive things about him. Will be interesting to see when will we get the best out of him. He is a top player no doubt but he is not a true central midfielder like Kroos or Modric are. And if he keeps playing in this midfield two with fellaini we are going to get blown by good midfields.
My question probably would be how we get the best out of pogba. Is he a number ten?

 

[Zebs]

That pass to Shaw in the first half with the back spin on it.

 

[Dobbs]

It's still his pre season really and it looked like it. He was blowing hard around 70 mins.

 

[PedroMendez]

He plays there because Mourinho won't drop Rooney. Pogba has played his entire club career as an attacking midfielder with license to roam. He's always had two other midfielders to mop up.

Caf was in denial about that for quite some time, but it is obviously true. He is incredibly creative and he can unlock defenses, when he has the freedom to express himself. That is his strength. At the moment he plays too deep. His passing and decision-making isn´t consistent enough for a CM. As CM he ends up being a ball-carrier.

 

[Kag]

I agree with you. He is very similar to Yaya toure in terms of the way he influences the game plus a few other positive things about him. Will be interesting to see when will we get the best out of him. He is a top player no doubt but he is not a true central midfielder like Kroos or Modric are. And if he keeps playing in this midfield two with fellaini we are going to get blown by good midfields.
My question probably would be how we get the best out of pogba. Is he a number ten?

I don't think he's a ten. I'd play him exactly where he played at Juventus and build around him accordingly. The most advanced midfielder, usually working on the left side of the pitch.

 

[dustfingers]

I don't think he's a ten. I'd play him exactly where he played at Juventus and build around him accordingly. The most advanced midfielder, usually working on the left side of the pitch.

Didn't juve play three at the back though? We will see how it goes with him this season but either we are not making the best use of pogba or he doesn't really stand out it big games.

 

[sincher]

Looked a tiny bit short of full fitness like a few others from both teams.

I have no worries about him in the middle though.

 

[M Bison]

Looked way off the pace, particularly in the first half. To get bossed by Silva and Fernandinho is very disappointing.

I can't stand this "he's not good enough to play in a 2" none sense. Of course he is, he just needs to step it up a gear. I'm sure he will and will dominate in future but simply not good enough today in my view.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I actually thought he was our best player during City's onslaught. Especially going forward. However he faded and faded more.

He's got to be better. Need to surround him with 2 other midfielders.

 

[M Bison]

I actually thought he was our best player during City's onslaught. Especially going forward. However he faded and faded more.

He's got to be better. Need to surround him with 2 other midfielders.

I really don't get this sort of comment, can you explain further?

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I really don't get this sort of comment, can you explain further?

His positional sense of the game is not good enough to play in a 2 man midfield. He needs support in midfield to thrive.

His best form for Juventus came in the left of a 3 man midfield. We need to replicate that. Hopefully as he matures and ages, his positioning defensively improves and he dictate the game better.

 

[LouisDanGaal]

He plays there because Mourinho won't drop Rooney. Pogba has played his entire club career as an attacking midfielder with license to roam. He's always had two other midfielders to mop up.

Why wouldn't Mourinho drop Rooney if it would benefit the team?

 

[ottosec]

He was fine.

 

[kouroux]

His positional sense of the game is not good enough to play in a 2 man midfield. He needs support in midfield to thrive.

His best form for Juventus came in the left of a 3 man midfield. We need to replicate that. Hopefully as he matures and ages, his positioning defensively improves and he dictate the game better.

His best form for France also came in 3 man midfield.

 

[BlueCelery]

He was invisible in many big games for Juve too. He plays in moments, that's just the kind of player he is. Mourinho wants him to be his Lampard and he was exactly the same. It's just unfortunate his moments in this case were two near-goals as opposed to two goals.

Could you elaborate? You mean Lampard never turned up in big games?