I know, and often - his ability to be utterly terrible and still score is down to him being the one who takes the penalties.
And yes, Pogba was the penalty taker at a point too.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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- Goals
- 6
- Assists
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- Yellow cards
- 9
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I know, and often - his ability to be utterly terrible and still score is down to him being the one who takes the penalties.
And yes, Pogba was the penalty taker at a point too.
What? He’s had a lot of off games where he’s scored or assisted from open play.
I think its more like Pogba knows he's leaving but he, being a winner with an elite mentality, and a Utd boy at heart, probably wants to win the premier league before leaving.
This is exactly what it feels like to me. But, given what we've seen, I also feel like if we lose the next two his new found inspiration might, sadly, evaporate pretty fast.
Pogba is a disgrace, turns up when he feels like it. Last night proved what he can do which we very rarely see.
I get the Pogba hate and alot of us were very critical a month ago.
However; these comments are silly because he's actually been one of our better players since.
He has had an influence in most games. West Ham, SU, Burnley.
I’m aware of that. He’s also had a lot of games where he has played well. But the fact that, as is often repeated, he has ‘the ability to not play well and still contribute’ is in no small part down to the fact that he takes our pens, which offers him a direct opportunity to ‘contribute’ in games that he doesn’t play well.
You are the disgrace here.
And last night isn’t even close to being the best he’s played for us, which in itself highlights how the overall team narrative affects individuals. A good performance, coupled with us going to the top of the league carries far lore weight.
He’s played well more often than he hasn’t since Ole joined for a start.
Exaggeration on both sides. He had a purple patch when Ole took over but has been uniformly shit for a long time until his recent renaissance, coupled with periodic nonsense form his agent in the press. You can understand most of us being pissed off with him. However, we're a fickle breed. I ,like most, am prepared to forgive and forget if he keeps this form and attitude up.
He's been great the last few games. Long may it continue
I can elaborate, if you like. He had a purple patch when Ole took over indeed, and then finished that same season poorly. He had a mixed start the following season, which only lasted a handful of games before being injured. Or ‘injured’, if you prefer. He only returned from injury after lockdown, and was again in top form for the rest of the season, aside from about 3 poor games. This season, he started slowly due to health and fitness issues, and has again been playing well since November. That is Ole’s time here. So unless you want to classify his time injured as ‘playing poorly’ - it isn’t true that he simply felt like playing well last night and we’ve never seen it. He’s had plenty of good games since Ole joined.
As for understanding the sentiment towards him, I don’t know personally. I’ve always felt that a section of our fans have used his agents comments to validate their feelings towards him, rather than to form them. There has been an underlying sentiment of distrust and disconnection since he returned. This is why every time Pogba has player well for us, the same sect of fans are trying to figure out some sort of agenda behind it, as opposed to ever considering that he maybe wants to play well for Manchester United.
The comments from Raiola came well after the negativity began, but people clearly felt they were now free to speak freely having been given a crutch by the Pizza man.
I've noticed it for a while now. Even when he has a 8/9 on 10 performance, they'll either overlook his contribution or there's always qualifiers being used and they can't just comment on the performance itself.
It'll be quiet when he plays a brilliant penetrating pass when they'd be 'oohhing and aahhing' when De Bruyne does the same. Outside stuff has to be brought up to balance their begrudging praise.
It's a bit weird since that's never the case for our other players when they play well but for some reason certain pundits/commentators have dug themselves into a certain position so deeply that it seems to annoy them having to praise him at times.
No, I wouldn't consider selling him at all given his current form.
This is conspiracy theory stuff. After 4 years of total inconsistency, maybe commentators are conditioned into being sceptical.
These commentators hyped him up (we all did) when he was signed and he let them (and the fans) down badly. It’s not their fault is they are now cautious about declaring the second coming.
He has been top class lately, no denying that.
its all about what he does on the pitch. It’s all I’m interested in - his agent is a minor annoyance.
one of the biggest problems has been the expectations around him - they were always unrealistic. He’s a excellent player, but not a world class one.
Corrected
He was completely anonymous in the first half, although most of our players were to be fair. But he was great in the second half. Was finding the ball more, was way more involved in the game and finding space. And obviously scoring the winning always helps.
As long as Ole can find a way to get him to perform and help, that's that should matter right now. There will come a time for him to be sold although it would too funny to read the reactions in here if he stays.
If our manager can find it in himself to go above emotion and use him for the team's gain, the fans should calm down too.
If our manager can find it in himself to go above emotion and use him for the team's gain, the fans should calm down too.
Not really when they do the exact same thing with Ole while praising his contemporaries for less.
You can praise performances in a vacuum as is the case for the majority of players in the league while discussing the other stuff when that's the topic of discussion.
What we're saying is that the same energy used to constantly bury certain players when poor is rarely ever reciprocated when they play well and that's the issue. There'd be no complaints or 'conspiracy' as you want to put it if there was consistency.
All 3 of his goals this season have had some (to varying degrees) element of luck about them
May the luck continue!
May the luck continue!
I don't doubt he always wants to play well. But how much has he wanted it? How much desire has he had?
I don't doubt he always has some level of motivation to win while at United. It is fine margins in the top level, just a 5% difference in the level of motivation and desire can make a big difference in performance.
My ideal scenario is, Pogba plays like this consistently and commits to the club. I just don't see it happening.
But, whatever the reason, if he plays like this till the end of the season, and even beyond that, I'm happy.
Which is about time, as it was previously him always hitting the woodwork.
Would absolutely include myself in that, when Raiola made his comments I would have benched Pogba for good after that.
Luckily I'm not the Manchester United manager (or half the people here for that matter!)
A lot of naive United fans out there who are easily pleased, a month of good performances doesn't cloud over the fact that a player we signed for £90m has been a disgrace. There are very players as naturally talented as Pogba, should have been one of the worlds best players for the last 5 years but his performances time and time again have been very underwhelming and that's without bringing his agent into it.
Pogba has had every bad pass scrutinised, every time he’s been tackled it gets pointed out, if he doesn’t play well it’s highlighted, if he plays well and the team loses it’s forgotten. To the point where most fans think he’s been poor overall for us. Nonsense.
in the last month Bruno hadn’t had a good game and off the top of my head he lost the ball in our half, trying to be clever against Leicesterleading to a goal and again last night with a very lazy attempt to control it leading to a very good chance for Burnley which Bailly blocked leading to a corner. On the flip side Neville blamed Pogba for City’s first goal last week just because he was in shot on the replay.
There isn't a player like him quite simply.
How many midfielders out there are winning 12 duels and still arriving on the edge of the box with the finesse on the volley? From a double pivot? And there needs to be a fresh conversation about his composure in high pressure games.
When the pressure is really on is when the special players are separated from the good players and once again he dropped a 10/10 Masterclass when it mattered the most, not for the first time too. A true big game player
How many midfielders out there are winning 12 duels and still arriving on the edge of the box with the finesse on the volley? From a double pivot? And there needs to be a fresh conversation about his composure in high pressure games.
When the pressure is really on is when the special players are separated from the good players and once again he dropped a 10/10 Masterclass when it mattered the most, not for the first time too. A true big game player
Im a fan therefore I'm fickle and likely to change my mind in a second. Pogba has been (sometimes) an absolute disgrace to the jersey - recently however he has looked the part. If he leaves in the summer and UTD have had a good season with a trophy in the cabinet. Can he go with his head held high, maybe not - but he can certainly take some pride in his recent performances and if IF he holds aloft the premier league trophy in May before heading off then he'll be forgiven for the last 3 years - at least with me he will.
1:22 was just ridiculous
Err.. you may have missed what happening last months or so, Pogba isn't going to stay beyond next summer, or we loss him for free.
I can include myself too tbh. What matters is that we can accept our views evolving depending on the situation. It's not good to be too stubborn
If him playing for a move leads us to a title then I could care less.
I also have a hard time seeing him actually leave if that did happen, Raiola's wishes be damned.
To be fair to Pogba his performance levels this season have been damaged by fitness, clearly leaner and sharper on the last few weeks.
The positional excuses need to stop, he can play any of the midfield roles to a high level if he is engaged.
The positional excuses need to stop, he can play any of the midfield roles to a high level if he is engaged.
I remember that period
He was so unfortunate because there were some worldies in there to.What's his excuse for the previous 4 seasons?
Last season he was injured for the majority of the campaign. The season before he made the premier league team of the season. He’s definitely been inconsistent but the team has been inconsistent. The criticism of Pogba always seems so over the top to me.
He don't need to be spectacular every game. If he could cut out silly mistakes and start being reliable most games. Having an off day once in a while isn't a problem
that’s why i’m cautious changing my mind. He has done fairly well ever since the famous Raiola comments. Is that enough? Simply no. He is still very moody. He is still not consistent enough. He needs lots of “pampering” to play well. He plays well when the team in general is playing well. Does he push the team when the team is not performing well? No. That’s why i’m cautious.
not taking anything away from his performance yesterday. Very good overall. But it will take more performances like this to make fans happy.
does he want to stay? That’s also another question.
Your use of the word ‘still’ in relation to Raiola’s comments leads me to believe you are referring to the games since then. And your conclusion of those games is that Pogba has been moody, inconsistent and requiring of ‘pampering’ (whatever that actually means) in order to play well. Which is of course, all nonsense and not reflective of the games within that period.
As for him not pushing the team and playing well when the team is on top - within the same period he’s come off the bench at Leipzig and dragged us back into contention, scored an equaliser in a game at West Ham where we were losing and being outplayed, and scored the winner and generally led the team’s impetus in a key game last night.
You don’t seem to be speaking of what is actually occurring on the pitch here. He’s played consistently well over the last 6 weeks and has stepped up at moments the team needed him. All in direct contradiction to everything you have just said. If you wish to remain cautious, it is your right, but I suspect you will ultimately prove yourself right as you have a differing version of events to reality anyway.
In excellent form, great time for it to. One of the few things that actually could push us into a true title challenge is him getting to peak form and staying there for the remainder of the season. Needs him to stay fit which has generally been his down fall during his time here.
I agree. I think Pogba being on the left, gives us a bit more balance. Rashford, Martial and Greenwood tend to stay to high, so when Bruno is also high up the pitch trying to find spaces to pick up the ball, our central midfielders are given the responsibility of getting the ball to one of those 4 players, which requires some off the ball sharpness and good touches ( to keep the ball) and good consistent dribbling ability/passing ability, to move the ball forward quickly or accurately, none of which any of our midfield options can consistently provide, even Pogba.
Pogba playing on that flank gives us a player with the propensity to come into midfield...this is perfect when Bruno is trying to find space higher up the pitch, and provides our defence and center midfielder and easier passing option coming deeper.
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