I don't think he was fit yesterday. We saw his class a few times when he shrugged off City players and carry the ball forward but he was very sluggish throughout.
6
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 51
- Goals
- 9
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 10
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We need to relive him of some defensive duties. Team needs to be built around him
I think it was more to do with composure: he played the occasion and not the game.
Carragher showed an excellent analysis after the game on Sky which highlighted Pogba's ill disciplined positioning during City's dominate 1st 30 minutes.
He was chasing the ball instead of applying the zonal system Mourinho had agreed with the team. That left gaping holes next to Fellaini for City to exploit.
Composure is one thing, reactivity another. He was Rooney-esque to every challenge in the first half.
I think Jose dropped a clanger not getting Carrick involved thus far this season. His calmness and positional discipline has been key in our derby successes over LvG seasons. That's in addition to starting two very not match fit players as our main outlets in attack as well.
I.meant his lack of composure; ie getting sucked into the emotions of the Derby instead of playing to an agreed game plan.
We are saying the same thing
Very poor performance from him today.
Agree with this. Sometimes players have an off day. Unfortunately today we had off days from Mhiki, Lingard and Pogba.
Also I keep hearing that Rooney should have been dropped. I have been calling on Rooney to be dropped for a while now but who would play in his place today? Mhiki didn't cover himself with glory and I am not sure about Mata. Maybe Herrera.
He was terrible today. I hope he puts this game behind himself and works on his positioning.
Worst player on the pitch after Lingard and Micki today.
If he put in the same performance Herrera did in 45mins, we will all be having a different discussion. He was very poor, nothing to do with formation or other players.
No point defending him because of his price tag. He was absent today. Money well spent.
What we spent on him is irrelevant at this point. Either he's free, 5M, 50M or 500M pounds, that is irrelevant. The point is as player, he was poor. End of.
We'll get the best out of him in a 3 man midfield.
I am pretty sure that is what I said. But if you want to be combative for the sake of...
90% of player's performance depends on their own will to play.
I mean come on... You pay 175 million for a player. That player better be the freaking wizard out there on the field! Especially at home. I will be patient but he is already lacking contributions. Ibrahimovic on the other hand is already scoring left and right.
He did play in a 3 man midfield in the 2nd half. Was still non-existent.
He was poor, went missing throughout. But, he didn't have a proper pre-season & it showed, he's not up to speed mentally and physically, and against a top class opposition, it's going to be exposed.
Was not as bad as some are making out. He did what he is best at, driving forward with the ball. He looked poor because Fellaini was getting the run around and neither of them were covering De Bruyne properly, and when he pressed forward we had little movement up front for him to play the ball on to. He is never going to be a DM but he does need one alongside him.
Thought he was one of our better players, and the only one who could comfortably shrug off City's pressing while still moving the ball forward. The problem was he was getting the ball too deep and didn't have enough license to get forward. He needed more support and didn't get it until Herrera came on. His lack of pressing off-the-ball but still being exhausted by the 70th minute or so was concerning, however.
He should be at number 10 in my opinion.
Put Schneiderlin and Fellaini behind him. Drop Rooney.
Put Schneiderlin and Fellaini behind him. Drop Rooney.
I agree with some in here that he would be better in a three man midfield, but I don't think that can be used to justify the performance. Okay maybe he won't be at his best in a two man midfield but he certainly has to be better than that.
This is what I saw. Maybe you can criticize his defensive positioning, but from a touch perspective he was one of our better players. He needed to get more involved in the 2nd half though. That was probably due to a couple of reasons. Bad positioning, fitness, playing as more of a 10/targetman, or Mou making the team play hoofball. Whatever the case, he needed to get more involved in the 2nd half.
The lad struggles in a 2 man midfield! That's a known fact even before he came to United. He performs best when played in a 3 man midfield with a license to go forward.
Herrera--------Schneiderlin------Pogba
I think this would do much better.
Herrera--------Schneiderlin------Pogba
I think this would do much better.
He looks like a man who has not had a pre season
I don't think he was poor. To me he showed that he wanted to do something. I thought first half he was good, always looking to go forward and bring the ball forward and beat his men. Second half he wasn't good but I'm more surprised with how Bailly's rating is higher than any United players apart from Herrera in red cafe.
Yet he did the exact opposite yesterday. He was worse in the second half, if anything, when he was part of a midfield three. He had a bad game. It happens. Stop looking for other people to blame.
Didn't even notice he had a hat on.
When he got on the ball he did well with it. The issue was he didn't get on it enough. People want him to control games, that really isn't the player he is or has been. The reason that is such as issue for us is because we don't have a controlling player in midfield. Blind can do the role but I would only play him in a 3 (He's too slow and once beaten can't recover) so we have some issues in terms of lineup. I would play Herrera (who is competent in build up but he isn't disciplined defensively and chases the ball should be coachable though)/Schneiderlin (who is defensively sound can cover ground but is quite average in building up play) with Pogba. That will allow Pogba to play higher up and do what h does best committing player in central ares which disorganised the opposition and creates space, playing the final ball and getting on th send of things and his long strikes. He's a player who needs to be used well.
Yep and unless my memory completely fails me he has played in many different positions for both Barca and Spain over the years and always done well, even on the wing and that's a far bigger difference than being in a 2 or 3 man midfield. If Pogba's as good as the price tag suggests he should be then as a midfielder he should be comfortable in any kind of midfield setup.
It's different but the degree level is easier, especially considering both Iniesta and Pogba's skill sets.
Well obviously what you're saying is nonsense. Of course he would drop him to improve the team.
Needs to spend less time dabbing and getting fancy haircuts and more time on the training pitch.
Debut aside, he's been average-poor.
I agree though, he needs to be pushed further forward - he doesn't have the positional discipline to play as a defensive midfielder. All over the shop yesterday.
Debut aside, he's been average-poor.
I agree though, he needs to be pushed further forward - he doesn't have the positional discipline to play as a defensive midfielder. All over the shop yesterday.
If only it were that simple.
Irrelevant but why has he had 3 haircuts in 3 matches?
We knew this before he signed. Pogba is not a 2 man midfield player.
The problem always comes back to Rooney. Get rid of him and we can get more out of Pogba. Our team should be built around him. He shouldn't be playing in a 2 man midfield whilst the clown ahead of him messes up half our attacks. A midfield 3 with Pogba as the most advanced, that's the way to go.
when you're winning or losing, the world will always look differently....as will the players. He wasn't has bad as people make out. He close control in tight areas is crazy and often city had to foul him to stop. But him in the city team and I'm guessing we'd have seen a different player.
It honestly is. I think people still think Rooney is guaranteed because of the captain always plays lvg thing, now if he is poor Mourinho will drop him. He is one of our better players currently though so won't get dropped to accommodate Pogba who hasn't exactly looked like a world beater.
Nail on head. Unless Jose quickly realises this and plays Pogba in his best position, Pogba is going to get criticised by pundits, opposition fans, media, etc for being indisciplined or not worth the money. This will lead to him being labelled a world record failure - and the end of Jose's reign. Hopefully it won't come to this!
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