Pogba had a great game definitely, but hell no Bruno didn't have a bad performance dude!!
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Don't know what people expect from him when he's playing so deep and the other midfielder is dropping into the back four. Can't count the amount of times he got us out of dangerous situations that noone else on our team could have. Progressed the ball well. Not some incredible performance but more than ok.
I just reckon it’s too late for him for many posters. If we sold him, got a new midfielder in and he put in the exact same performance tonight, I cannot imagine there would be posters criticising.
I still think he plays too deep and would have far more influence on the game if he played higher up.
He was very good today. More solid than spectacular although he had some nice moments too.
I was impressed by Pogba. He did a lot of dirty work, especially on aerial balls. Also showed good composure on the ball, especially late on in regular time and in the first half of extra time.
I'll say it again until I'm blue in the face, it's quite pitiful he's playing like a glorified midfield enforcer and ball recycler.
Can we have some proper coaching to control the midfield and dominate teams without needing to run ourselves in the groud? 9/10 anywhere time he got near the edge of the ball he played brilliant short passes into feet or created openings with his hesitations and drop of the shoulders. Just a shame, he's playing like one of the last men and everyone else is in front of him. Ridiculous to expect him to 'do more' without basically vacating the centre of the pitch.
I thought he was very disciplined, did a lot of dirty work and as usual show his class with extremely progressive passes in tight spaces. Played a few bad passes and dailled at times but this 4-2-3-1 aka 4-2-4 is not his or the team's best formation.
Can we have some proper coaching to control the midfield and dominate teams without needing to run ourselves in the groud? 9/10 anywhere time he got near the edge of the ball he played brilliant short passes into feet or created openings with his hesitations and drop of the shoulders. Just a shame, he's playing like one of the last men and everyone else is in front of him. Ridiculous to expect him to 'do more' without basically vacating the centre of the pitch.
I thought he was very disciplined, did a lot of dirty work and as usual show his class with extremely progressive passes in tight spaces. Played a few bad passes and dailled at times but this 4-2-3-1 aka 4-2-4 is not his or the team's best formation.
He was running the midfield by himself in the first half, second half he set the rythm of the game very well.
Want to see more from him in a game like this. More creativity and drive forward.
He’s a one man midfield at times.
The distance between the 3 midfielders is insane.
The distance between the 3 midfielders is insane.
Players don’t produce ‘spectacular’ performances sitting in front of their defence. Like many, I’d like to see him involved further forward, but of course, the team comes first and I suspect Ole feels he needs him more in a deeper role.
They don’t seem to realize that midfielders who are capable of producing that performance don’t exactly grow on trees.
I obviously hold high expectations for him, but his (Bruno) passing just hasn’t been good enough in the last few weeks, bit too sloppy. Bad is a bit harsh maybe, but while he’s had worse games recently, he still needs to do better than tonight.
Then write to Ole and tell him to change his position. For the role he player, he had plenty drive and creativity. I want to see more too, but we can’t just demand he is at the heart of the attack if playing in a double pivot.
Won an awful lot of headers tonight, which surprisingly Savage picked up on. The grittier side of his game is often neglected — he is normally judged on whether or not he’s making defence splitting passes most of the time, despite playing very much as a disciplined CM.
On whether he was ’solid’ or ’spectacular’, I’d say he was spectacularly solid. If Verratti for example put in that performance, everyone would be drooling. From a player playing in double pivot, you can’t expect much more.
Some of the comments are laughable. 'He ran the game' what on earth were you watching? He played some nice long passes but nobody ran that game for us.
In saying that I still thought he was the best out of a bad bunch tonight in midfield but that doesn't mean he was great and any better than a 6 out of 10. Bruno, Fred n Matic just happened to be worse.
This was Copenhagen not Bayern Munich. We should be walloping teams like that with the money that's been spent on this team. Pogba probably cost more than their entire team put together.
In saying that I still thought he was the best out of a bad bunch tonight in midfield but that doesn't mean he was great and any better than a 6 out of 10. Bruno, Fred n Matic just happened to be worse.
This was Copenhagen not Bayern Munich. We should be walloping teams like that with the money that's been spent on this team. Pogba probably cost more than their entire team put together.
Let me pose a question.
If you were manager and were building a team around Pogba, what position would you play him?
Where should he play?
If you were manager and were building a team around Pogba, what position would you play him?
Where should he play?
Their keeper made a record number of saves you melt
blame poor finishing not the creation.anyways aren’t you the first one moaning about his commitment and desire? You wouldn’t know a good midfield performance if it slapped you in the face.
I’d like to see the midfield trio closer together with Bruno dropping a little deeper and Matic sitting a little, be good to see Pogba and Bruno both getting chances to move forward.
Their keeper made a record number of saves you melt
anyways aren’t you the first one moaning about his commitment and desire? You wouldn’t know a good midfield performance if it slapped you in the face.
He's scored just 1 goal in over 20 appearances. Apparently I'm meant to believe he's world class and up with KDB.
He was okay at best tonight. Better than Fred, Bruno n Matic who I thought were all below par. Pogba did okay. He certainly didn't set the game alight and this was against a team who'd struggle to finish top 10 in the PL.
I would agree with this. They were playing quite vertical at times, although I remember a good vertical combination between the 3 one time.
Thought Pogba was good for most of the game. Think he became more passive towards the end of the 2nd half which continued into extra time where he was a passenger in the 2nd extra time. Coincidentally,the 2nd half of normal time is when Martial came alive compared to his quiet first half.
There were about 3-4 times his good idea didn't have the right execution in the 2nd half. Kind of like Bruno.
I'm a fan of Pogba. Whether you like him or not, we don't have another central midfielder that does what he does. I'm not saying he's irreplaceable but we would need a replacement if he were to leave. Personally, I hope he stays.
I thought he had a good game tonight but I just wish Ole would play him further up the pitch, or af least be given license to get forward more. I'm amazed at how often I see Matic further forward and joining in the attack whilst Pogba sits back and covers.
I thought he had a good game tonight but I just wish Ole would play him further up the pitch, or af least be given license to get forward more. I'm amazed at how often I see Matic further forward and joining in the attack whilst Pogba sits back and covers.
Ah, the old Nou_Camp has returned tonight I see. And no, you’re not supposed to be comparing him to KDB, I think the difference in their roles in their teams are pretty clear. Compare Bruno, if you indeed wish to make the comparison.
Like I said he was the best in the midfield tonight out of a very bad bunch. Certainly didn't dominate and dictate anything though for me. He was steady at best. The others were just worse.
Still don't see this truly wonderful untouchable player like others do. It's either the manager, his position, his teammates at fault.
He's got 1 goal in over 20 appearances this season. Yes he's been injured a lot but he's still now played in a third of the games. Is that world class to you?
It needs to be rectified and asap.
There's no way this current structure will work vs better teams.
Since when is scoring so important for a deep midfielder?
he isn’t playing a role where youd expect him to score regularly, but many are asking to push him more forward.
clearly your idea of a good performance is scoring, but he does a lot more for the team in terms of build up play and keeping possession moving.
I feel your bias is just getting in the way unfortunately.
Did OK today, was tidy enough and kept his positioning and passing simple and on point. Some good defensive work today for a change too.
Comical shot at goal through that would even have made Lukaku wince. @GifLord Can you oblige?
In summary he was OK. But not any more.
Comical shot at goal through that would even have made Lukaku wince. @GifLord Can you oblige?
In summary he was OK. But not any more.
He's not playing an advanced role, few goals and fewer assists is in line with where he's currently playing, compared to other CMs he's in a similar ball park.
I tend to agree with @Nou_Camp99 that some of the comments regarding Pogba's performance are ridiculously OTT.
To say he ran the midfield tonight just blatantly isn't true.
He was just OK tonight, nothing more nothing less imho.
It’s nobody’s fault. He did not play badly, only you seem to be looking to hold someone responsible for his performance. ‘Steady at best’ is an absolute bollocks assessment of his performance tonight, and if you cannot realise that it displays clear predeterminations from you then I suspect that you have long decided you will never be satisfied with the particular player. He has been given a certain role in the team, and has done it well. It is not a role where he is expected to win the game for us, but I’m unsure what else you think would have elevated his performance above ‘steady at best’.
And he’s scored 1 in 20 this season. He’s someone playing in a double pivot, and that is the metric you have chosen to decide whether he is ‘world class’ or not? What I’s recommend is from now on, try and forget Pogba is Pogba when you watch us, and then in the context of the role he’s playing, ask yourself if you are happy with the performance at the end of the game, and what more you would have liked from a top class player in this role. You have spoken about goals this season. What about the passing he has displayed this season? The chances he’s created for others? Do those not contribute to a midfielder being world class? Or is it just goals? The fact that his replacements, or most alternatives cannot replicate the passing he has displayed is why he’s world class.
And if you wish to use goals as his defining metric, and Kevin De Bruyne as the gold standard, perhaps you should have a look at the goals/games record of both players. Pogba and De Bruyne have an almost identical goals/games PL record since they have both been in Manchester. Of course, there will be a ‘but’. You will never be satisfied because you have long decided that you won’t. If you think tonight’s performance was ‘steady at best’ - then even I concede, that he won’t be able to get to world class, not by your standard anyway. That’s because he will likely not play much better than he did tonight. We have to decide whether we think that is a good enough standard in the context of his role or not ultimately. You clearly think that a player in such a role should be doing much more. I can concede from now, Pogba won’t be doing much more than that in this role. The difference is that objectively, most people would consider it a good performance, as if you read most of the comments around you, was the case tonight.
Was only 2nd (to Maguire who got 7) for aerials won (6) out of everyone on the pitch. He's a big help in that regard defensively, and it goes under the radar.
Generally deep lying playmakers aren't judged on their goals. But you go ahead and keep being clueless.
What would more than ‘okay’ have looked like, out of curiosity? And yes, GifLord - please track down footage of a poor shot he had so we can have a chat and laugh about it.
Was my motm was a disciplined and understated game. The amount of defensive work he got through was crazy. So many times he got Bruno in only for him to mess it up.
Was disappointed in him tbh and it wasn't this Matic came on, he decided to start playing
He should be playing higher than Fernandes, he has a better final ball. If we fix the buildup then we can play a 4-3-3 and get him up the pitch.
That said, he did have a good game from deep today.
That said, he did have a good game from deep today.
Played well..
He was OK, much like Fred or Matic. It was ok but it wasn’t noteworthy. We won 1-0 and it wasn’t a vintage team performance so it’s not as though many were noteworthy performances.
more than OK in his role tonight would have been more interceptions or tackles in defensive 1/3rd, he played one sublime forward pass in first 15 mins (I complimented in match thread), would have liked to see a few more. An assist or defence splitting pass that led to an assist.
For example: martial was making mistakes or invisible For entire first half. But I really noticed him in 2nd half. Ditto Mata really influenced the game in extra time. I though Bailly was also very involved and helped the team several times.
Pogba: he was OK, but nothing very memorable or having a major impact on the result.
I still vividly remember his influence in OGS’s first 4 or 5 games: that’s is memorable and a lot more than ‘ok’.
Just my opinions.
Matic was poor. Pogba was clearly much better. He also made several defensive interventions, to the point that the commentators praised him for it, and Hargreaves was moved to say ‘what a pass from Pogba’ on a few occasions. He passed the ball forward several times, through the lines into Bruno and our forwards, who were all several yards in front of him. That’s how the team gets forward. If say, Scott, was playing his role instead, those passes wouldn’t have been made.
We won 1-0, and no he didn’t have an assist or a pass that led to an assist, but we created several chances, and the performance offensively was good, but for that.
In general, you seem to have an unusual interpretation of the different midfield roles. Using his first (let’s call it 4 or 5 games, as we’re clearly trying to downplay here) games under Ole as a metric when he was playing as an offensive midfielder is ridiculous. Have you ever seen world class midfielders who are not #10s? Perhaps you should start focusing on their performances and looking for Pogba to do something like that. As a case study or homework, I can recommend Toni Kroos perhaps. Kevin De Bruyne isn’t the only world class midfielder that everyone needs to emulate. In his own team, he has had other world class midfielders performing different roles, like Fernandinho for example.
I take it you have watched Toni Kroos or Marco Verratti play before. What does a better than ‘ok’ performance look like from one of them? Do you measure by their assists? Is it tackles? This issue seems easily fixable. If you understand Pogba’s role in the team, we can then start to brainstorm as to what a good execution of such a role looks like. If you can only see Kevin De Bruyne, or Pogba last season as the sole definition of ‘world class midfielder’, then I agree with you, Pogba is unlikely to ever score more than ok so long as we persist with this set up.
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