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2020-21 Performances

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6.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
42
Goals
6
Assists
6
Yellow cards
9
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Was fecking terrible in the deep central role last night.

Roma players ran off him so easily.

He is a much better player further up the pitch free from as much defensive responsibilities as possible.
 
Even though I think the team as a whole was casual and was in energy conservation mode for most of the match thanks to the fixtures coming up. Keeping that in mind, Pogba was still atrocious. I can understand not busting a gut for the entire match, but he just played really poorly. But in saying that, he has been one of our best players lately, so this performance should just be an outlier due to the circumstances. Well, at least I hope it's that. I'm pretty sure we will see McFred in the middle in the final and Pogba on the left. I have a feeling Rashford will be coming off the bench in the final. That is currently our most balanced team.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
It was funny hearing Savage continue to bang his drum about us being a much better side with Pogba in a deeper role despite the horror show unfolding in front of him. At least Scholesy had the good grace to concede that Ole was right about the better balance we get with McFred.
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Oh you’re back :lol:
 
Had a poor game....first in absolutely ages, Leicester away off the bench in December I’d say. It happens, the whole team were shocking defensively and probably only Fred, Bruno and Cavani had good games in my opinion. Who cares....we were through from kick off tonight. Job done let’s go win the final.
 
Aside from passing, he just doesn't possess the attributes needed to excel in a deeper role, that's just not the type of player he is. All the questions about consistency/effort are nonexistent when he's further up - I don't think he's had a single poor game in an attacking role this year. This is all pretty clear. The question is, how do you fit the two of Pogba/Rashford on the team if they both need to play on the left?
 
emdee said:
This is all pretty clear.
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Yeah, it seems clear enough to me. He can function in a deeper role under ideal circumstances - but it's not for him, really, and certainly not over time as his default role/position.

emdee said:
The question is, how do you fit the two of Pogba/Rashford on the team if they both need to play on the left?
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You can't.

But that is - or should be - a luxury problem: if we have better alternatives in other positions (better than playing Rashford up front, or on the right - and better than playing Pogba deeper, or on the right), then you pick one of them on the left and bench the other.
 
As I've said many times before, the role Pogba has been playing on the left this season resembles the one he excelled in for Juventus - a sort of free AM role.

For me, it's the only role he's ever truly excelled in on a regular basis.

Given Ole's preferences, I'd say our best XI at the moment is:

DDG/Henderson


Lindelöf--- ----Maguire
AWB----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shaw


McTom-----------------Fred


-------------------------------------------------------------------Pogba
Bruno
Greenwood-----------------------------------------------------------------

Cavani​
 
Just been watching a few YouTube vids of pogbas long range passing, left foot also incredible...we don't see that anymore do we really unless I'm mistaken.
 
I think it's funny and a little embarassing that after 4 years since Pogba joined we're coming to the conclusions:
1) he's not a midfielder (or at least not a good one)
2) he's at his best attacking from the left (with minimum defensive duties)
Which is pretty much what we knew already when he signed from Juve.

How much time we've wasted now trying to be too smart and shoehorn him in midfield because he looks like he has all the attributes to be a perfect deep lying playmaker?
 
emdee said:
Aside from passing, he just doesn't possess the attributes needed to excel in a deeper role, that's just not the type of player he is. All the questions about consistency/effort are nonexistent when he's further up - I don't think he's had a single poor game in an attacking role this year. This is all pretty clear. The question is, how do you fit the two of Pogba/Rashford on the team if they both need to play on the left?
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I wonder why he's not being used even occasionally in the no 10 role, where we lack any other credible alternative to Bruno? I know it's not his ideal role, but he has performed well there at times in the past.
 
Borys said:
I think it's funny and a little embarassing that after 4 years since Pogba joined we're coming to the conclusions:
1) he's not a midfielder (or at least not a good one)
2) he's at his best attacking from the left (with minimum defensive duties)
Which is pretty much what we knew already when he signed from Juve.

How much time we've wasted now trying to be too smart and shoehorn him in midfield because he looks like he has all the attributes to be a perfect deep lying playmaker?
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Its quite puzzling. Ole literally used him and saw him shine as LCM with freedom to roam in his interim days. After that 2018/2019 season we changed formation to 4-2-3-1 using Pogba at the double pivot with Mctominay and Lingard/Pereira at AM. We made Lingard the key man in attack and Pogba a supporting role. I'm still confused as to why we did this and didn't just stick with the 4-3-3 from Ole's interim days. Play Pogba LCM, Fred or Mctominay RCM and Matic DM. We'd have probably had better results back then.

Then we got Bruno which now limited Pogba playing in an advanced position that he excels in. I remember when Ole came in and Pogba was bossing it at LCM, the idea from the CAF was to get a hardworking box to box next to him and a deep lying play maker to help with creativity from DM. Barella, Ndombele and Neves were always mentioned. The switch to the 4-2-3-1 has changed everything and seems to has limited Pogba mostly. He's the one that always wants to leave anyways
 
Was he still fasting? it looked like he was knackered from the first minute. They were just running past him like he was stuck in 2nd gear, really unlike his recent performances.

We all have bad nights and i'm glad Ole recognised it as we got control back as soon as he went off.
 
On the back of saying he enjoys playing on the left side, Ole plays him in the 6 psoitoon, which is obviously his choice. I do think Pogba will continue be used in several positions if he stays, though. Ole has mentioned this in numerous interviews.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Was he still fasting? it looked like he was knackered from the first minute. They were just running past him like he was stuck in 2nd gear, really unlike his recent performances.

We all have bad nights and i'm glad Ole recognised it as we got control back as soon as he went off.
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Yes. Ends on Wednesday or Thursday depending on when he started, from what I understand.

I just think if we're going to continue with a 4231, we should have two sound defensive midfielders in there.

A ball playing midfielder and a ball winner. We have McTominay and Fred as the ball winners. We need a Carrick type beside them, in my opinion.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Was he still fasting? it looked like he was knackered from the first minute. They were just running past him like he was stuck in 2nd gear, really unlike his recent performances.

We all have bad nights and i'm glad Ole recognised it as we got control back as soon as he went off.
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He's not been able to keep up in that centre mid role for at least two years. Hasn't got the lungs or legs for it. Too heavy. Different story of course further up the pitch.

What Savage is seeing when he talks about Pogba providnig control I don't know.
 
Marwood said:
He's not been able to keep up in that centre mid role for at least two years. Hasn't got the lungs or legs for it. Too heavy. Different story of course further up the pitch.

What Savage is seeing when he talks about Pogba providnig control I don't know.
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Think he's talking about Pogba's range of passing which indeed is better than our current CM options - but he was clearly talking about reputation rather than performance.

It makes me laugh that they have no issues ragging on Fred when he makes 1 mistake, but Pogba can play that badly all game and not a mention of it.
 
Walters_19_MuFc said:
Yes. Ends on Wednesday or Thursday depending on when he started, from what I understand.

I just think if we're going to continue with a 4231, we should have two sound defensive midfielders in there.

A ball playing midfielder and a ball winner. We have McTominay and Fred as the ball winners. We need a Carrick type beside them, in my opinion.
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Why is Paul fasting?
 
Aston Villa 1:3 Man Utd
Very good again. We need to keep him & keep playing him further up the pitch where he can be a positive influence to the team.
 
That was brilliant play in the penalty incident. Forced the defender to make the contact.
 
With every match he plays higher up, I feel more and more annoyed that we wasted so many years forcing him deep.
 
Thought he was sloppy first half, as were most players to be fair, but he got better as it went on.

Did brilliantly for the penalty.
 
Class act. Quieter today than of late but along with Shaw and Maguire he tends to be our best player almost every game.
 
That left wing spot is 100% his. Get a top quality midfielder to replace McTominay and we’re nearly there.
 
Walters_19_MuFc said:
Do we get Sancho then, or do we push hard for a top-class midfielder and centre-back then?
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I’d be happy with either scenario, really. Ideally we get both, but I doubt we’ll do that in the current market with everything going on.
 
I think Solskjaer's nailed it with putting him on the left. We've found a way to accomodate him and Fernandes without sacrificing any defensive stability. He's a top player.
 
Did well to win the penalty. A rare moment of good defending from Pogba in the 2nd half. Some nice link-up play with Shaw. 3 unconvincing shots from distance (Opta seems to have viewed one as a cross).
 
He is one of the best players I've ever seen at shielding the ball. Ridiculous balance and control. Made Luiz look like an idiot there.
 
MoM performance today. Lots of energy and his link-up play with Shaw is superb.
 
The way he brought down the ball from the sky at one point in the second half was unbelievable. Anyone has got a gif of that?
 
AltiUn said:
I think Solskjaer's nailed it with putting him on the left. We've found a way to accomodate him and Fernandes without sacrificing any defensive stability. He's a top player.
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Remember Jamie Carragher laughing at that suggestion.

Who knew the manager that United clearly have a lot of faith in knows what he is doing?!
 
He wasn't even at his best today but still good, used his nous to win the penalty and the link up between him and Shaw is silky, he's so much better in the LM role.
 
Feels like we have Juventus Pogba finally now that we play him further forward/outwide
 
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