I know it is perhaps an odd criticism to level at someone who has won the games biggest prize, but I struggle to shake the feeling that Paul Pogba hasn't realised that the point of a football match is to win the game rather than to convince the people watching that he is a talented footballer.
6
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 22
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Nah his brothers are too busy organising their next press conference to talk about how poor old Paul should leave.
Woeful. Prob sulking that he wasn't captain
I don´t agree he was that bad today. He is the creative force in the team, that was obvious also today. He can be more accurate with his passes, but at least he sees those passes. He will be very important for United this season.
Hopefully that was just because he was out for a while but he was very very poor
That header attempt just before the first half was absolutely woeful, even I would have put that in with my eyes closed
Wow on those stats. I think if we were winning games he wouldnt be picked apart so much. Thats his only downfall, not being on the winning side enough for United. If the team could get that sorted he'd be adored.
Eyo, touched a nerve there. I feel like Rashford has the same issue too. It is a mentality trait they both seem to share in abundance and while they certainly do have their moments, that mentality hasn't really contributed with their development at footballers.
The worst thing is, you are probably spot on. I didn't think about that, but it makes a lot of sense.
You can't have your initials shaved into your hair and then perform like that, made him look a bit silly.
Hopefully he was just rusty.
Hopefully he was just rusty.
I know it's a bit weird to moan about the takers in a penalty shoot out where we scored all 5, but I'm going to anyway... Him not a penalty was just weird.
Either we think winning this game isn't important enough for one of our actual penalty takers to take a pen... Or he couldn't be arsed to take one. Either way it's bizarre
Either we think winning this game isn't important enough for one of our actual penalty takers to take a pen... Or he couldn't be arsed to take one. Either way it's bizarre
A completely average player for most of his time at United. Even when our standards are low for a player to stand out he rarely does.
Made a mistake not selling and reinvesting, could have had 2 midfielders and a back up striker for the money
Made a mistake not selling and reinvesting, could have had 2 midfielders and a back up striker for the money
He'll be back for Arsenal!
He really is not very good at them though.
I thought he started well, and combined with Chong down the left. Faded badly in the 2nd half though.
As for penalties, last time he tried to take responsibility it ended badly, so can't really blame him. IMO he's not really a penalty specialist so I'm ok with him not taking one.
As for penalties, last time he tried to take responsibility it ended badly, so can't really blame him. IMO he's not really a penalty specialist so I'm ok with him not taking one.
Incredible how quickly the reputation of players inflate out of all proportion to the reality of their contributions as soon as they miss a few games with injuries. Will people never learn?!?
sack pogba sell giggs
People now criticising him for not taking a penalty are just looking for something to moan about him. I thought everyone agreed that Pogba sucked at penalties and shouldn't take them. Now that he's realised his pen record isn't exactly stellar he backs off from taking them which is also to the benefit of the team and people still find ways to complain about that.
He keeps taking penalties and the same people would be writing essays complaining about his ego and him playing for himself.
There is simply no winning in cases with some players when it comes to people on these boards.
He keeps taking penalties and the same people would be writing essays complaining about his ego and him playing for himself.
There is simply no winning in cases with some players when it comes to people on these boards.
Gone next year.
To just tell you how disorganized we seem to be as a club, Axel Tuanzebe was named as captain for tonights' match over him. The fact that he didn't even want to take a penalty is just bizarre with so many kids out there.
To just tell you how disorganized we seem to be as a club, Axel Tuanzebe was named as captain for tonights' match over him. The fact that he didn't even want to take a penalty is just bizarre with so many kids out there.
Inconsistent. Inconsistent within 10 minutes never mind a season.
I don’t know, maybe as a World Cup winning midfielder in his prime he could stand out above some spotty 16 year old Rochdale reserve kid.
What I'm hoping as well.
Crap
The reality is players like Pogba don’t give a flying feck about games for a third-rate league cup match. He’s coming back from a month off, he’s playing nobodies, and this was just a game for him to warm back up, nothing more. Players of his level don’t care about these games. This is why Tottenham is already out, they couldn’t be bothered to play their best players because this is a worthless cup. These league cup ties shouldn’t even exist anymore, it’s a complete waste of time for everybody except the young players who get no playing time in the league.
He seemed frustrated with his form though. He can't blame shit around him when he was messing up a lot as well.
Anyway. Axel grew up in Rochdale so he captained the side and I can see why the kids took the pens.
Anyway. Axel grew up in Rochdale so he captained the side and I can see why the kids took the pens.
Pretty much this, but dont let that get in the way of a bash of United and its players.
The clubs direction tonight for first teamers, go out, dont get fecking injured, work on fitness.
Poor game today but even so at least he was trying to make something happen. I was losing my mind with the amount of time our fullbacks and wingers were getting towards the byline then just passing it backwards.. at least pogba was trying something. I dread to think what we would be like without him.
Can anyone explain why to play Pogba deep against Rochdale?
Him not playing a pen was good for us. He's hardly trustable when it comes to them is he? Especially when he was really having an awful day.
Thought he was garbage. He’s a World Cup winner and has played for Utd and Juventus. Tonight he played against Rochdale and was second best.
I’ve excused him a lot over the years based on the teams he’s been in but it’s generally starting to dawn on me that he’s just not very good.
he’s a player capable of world class things rather than a world class player.
I’ve excused him a lot over the years based on the teams he’s been in but it’s generally starting to dawn on me that he’s just not very good.
he’s a player capable of world class things rather than a world class player.
Terrible performance from him. Hopefully that was just due to him coming back from injury.
I don't recall people doing that. I recall people saying that he could help create a chance, and be a positive influence in our attacking third. Doesn't change the fact that we're still crap, hence why a lot of us were saying we were crap pre-injury and during the injury. And I'm pretty sure he'll prove this correct over a larger sample of matches. You're putting forth a strawman.
Should be played as a 10 in this squad.
Lets be honest it was impossible for him to show his mercurial talents whilst having Tuanzebe, Jones, Fred and Pereira around him. He was subliminally trying to play an incredible game but others gravitating around him just weren't in tune with his world class ability. It was like watching Georg Solti conducting but with a clowder of cats as his orchestra.
If the club has any ambition we'd sell the 20 other rank amateurs and build our squad around our best and only world class talent, who statistically rivals anyone on the planet if you narrowly filter by his strengths and filter out his weaknesses.
It's also important to note that the opposition focused on Pogba over everyone else. He essentially had half the opposition team occupying the spaces that he prefers to occupy; which in any normal scenario would allow goals galore for his privileged teammates.
It was also his first game back from a debilitating 3 week absence, so it would be absurd to expect him to look great against quality opposition.
/Edit Apparently the white text is needed?
If the club has any ambition we'd sell the 20 other rank amateurs and build our squad around our best and only world class talent, who statistically rivals anyone on the planet if you narrowly filter by his strengths and filter out his weaknesses.
It's also important to note that the opposition focused on Pogba over everyone else. He essentially had half the opposition team occupying the spaces that he prefers to occupy; which in any normal scenario would allow goals galore for his privileged teammates.
It was also his first game back from a debilitating 3 week absence, so it would be absurd to expect him to look great against quality opposition.
/Edit Apparently the white text is needed?
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One of United's better performers last night. Still a newbie and he can show well while Pogba a world cup winner v Rochdale can't hmm.
Like with Fred I think he was instructed to play it forward as quickly as possible, but like Fred it led to rushing things and misplaced passes, then he had moments where he dwelled on the ball, then he didn't take a penalty which was odd. Not a good night for Pogba at all.
Great news for Paul if true, i'm hearing that Rochdale whilst not impressed with his constant fannying around last night can see the potential in the lad, and have asked Manchester United if they can take him on loan.
I missed the game, but had hoped we'd play forward faster. That was the case? Were there any positives to it?
We struggle playing possession football as our attackers lack ability in closed space. It makes sense for our midfield to pass forward to the wings and give them room to attack, despite any errors that ensue.
It's a balance though, between pragmatism and playing with risk.
Can one assume that Pogba would have shared those sentiments with the manager prior to the game, and that he was selected in the full knowledge that he felt under no obligation to take the game seriously? I don't think so. If that really was his attitude, and he felt that it was an acceptable one, then the club is in more trouble than I care to imagine. It's not down to Pogba, or any other player, to decide which games to try in, and which games to coast in (he, like every other player, should always try when selected and never coast).
I seem to remember Paul Scholes throwing his toys out of the pram about being selected in a similar sort of tie, and discovering in pretty short order just who was in charge. Maybe it's time for Ole to start getting tough with anyone who thinks it's acceptable to be a prima donna.
As it happens, I doubt the shortcomings in Pogba's performance were the result of a lack of effort, but just a result of not having played recently
You're not living in the reality of a professional athlete who can play upwards of 60 games a year between club and international competition. These people aren't machines and this was just a game for him to get back into shape so he can, hopefully, perform better in the league games that actually matter, not this worthless competition. It's naive to think players will play their hardest and treat every game of equal importance, not to mention Pogba could risk injury going full clip with a month off. This was a perfect opportunity for him to get back into match fitness, which I suspect will still take a couple more games.
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