If he keeps this going I'm going to have a sour taste in my mouth looking at how we watered him down playing him in the double pivot all these years
6
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 42
- Goals
- 6
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 9
- Status
He got into good positions so many times, on another day he would have ended up with goal or assist. Villa defended with lot of players and they closed him very quickly which led to lot of blocked shots.
The way he holds the players when shielding the ball and let the ball to roll is just brilliant.
The way he holds the players when shielding the ball and let the ball to roll is just brilliant.
He probably would've got a goal if not for that utterly bizzare refereeing where Kavanagh whistled for a head injury, turned out to be the player's knee, then Villa somehow ended up with a free kick even though we had possession 8 yards out
He probably would've got a goal if not for that utterly bizzare refereeing where Kavanagh whistled for a head injury, turned out to be the player's knee, then Villa somehow ended up with a free kick even though we had possession 8 yards out
Yeah, that was awful decision.
We spent 89M on a player who, prior to moving to United, heavily impressed on the left side of a three or left midfielder.
We bought him and immediately played him as a 6 and wondered why we weren't seeing the same performances.
Don't get me wrong, he's put in some really good performances as a 6, but you can see the difference when he's further forward.
Going forward, I would play him there and really prioritise a centre midfielder in the summer.
I really like him on the left wing.
Been fantastic of late. We all know he's capable of it.
Still makes no sense how someone so big for a footballer to be this technical
Still also makes no sense that he’s literally streets ahead and ten times the talent of his brothers who also play football and has the same genes. Such a unique footballer
His bros are terrible footballers indeed. No wonder they live through him
Zidane and Berbatov were also tall players with great technical skill.
I feel like he defends much better from the left too... Its a much simpler (relatively) task then defending as part of a midfield two which certainly helps, but yeah, he's working hard
Maybe in this era but in previous eras there were alot of big players who were brilliant technically. These days I can only think of him and Illicic.
Plays with so much swagger from the left. Occasionally a bit too much that he loses awareness.
any news of him signing an extension?
Bergkamp as well.
We are finally seeing the best of him and it took us five years to do so. That play up till our penalty was absolutely class, all his own work
In great form lately. Long may it continue. The further up the pitch he plays, the better he is.
The way his refereeing luck has tended to go, on another day he’d have caught the player’s head and been sent off for trying to control a football.
I'm surprised the ref didn't book him for taking the piss.
I have to admit, as one of his biggest critics, he's been a revelation on the left wing. He has terrific technique both both feet, can cross with both feet, and is surprisingly nimble.
He rarely shoots from distance does he? It was I believe one of his best attributes when he came here, what happened?
On current form he gets the left wing ahead of Rashford, who needs to adjust to the right or improve his general game from the left.
He rarely shoots from distance does he? It was I believe one of his best attributes when he came here, what happened?
On current form he gets the left wing ahead of Rashford, who needs to adjust to the right or improve his general game from the left.
I am one of the few it seems that thinks he's fine in most games in the two midfield positions. But he's been absolutely wonderful at the left wing. The link up between Shaw and Pogba is so smooth, reliable and a pleasure to watch. The best business we can do this summer is extending his contract.
I remember asking for left wing pogba ages ago, though unfortunately it's our most stacked position. But this is easily the best form of his career IMO. He's been unplayable. And it helps balance out our front 3, as we need the one side to be a creator. He's even putting in a good shift defensively!
He only started playing on the left in mid-January, and the consensus was that he had been playing well since the beginning of December. In that period, he had many good games in midfield.
He can do it, but I do wonder, considering the player - why would you want him to? His strengths lie elsewhere. The things that made Pogba a star player have been his offensive and creative traits, and he’s never been that great defensively. I think Ole has always tried to ‘cheat’ a bit though and get him in that role as he wants someone in that area that can pass a football. But I’ve seen him have many ‘simple’ games in front of the defence playing a secure game where people have said ‘this is what we want to see, a mature performance’ or something like that. But is it really what we want from Pogba? Even if he can do it, can’t help but feel it would be a waste. Why would anyone want a Pogba in their team that doesn’t break forward or go looking to get on the ball? If that’s the job spec, better off getting a different player with different strengths.
Rio Ferdinand captured it well in one interview when he said: ‘ people keep saying Pogba can’t defend. Stop asking him to defend then!’. He said the same thing about Yaya.
This is really his best season for us. Consistently good for more than half the season overall.
Yeah agree with all of that. It's a team game and you have players with different strengths and weakness. It's manager's job to fit the players who compliment others well.
Indeed. I think, for Pogba personally, the problem arose with switching from a 433 to a 4231. His most natural role would be in a 433.
As it stands, I think he, Bruno and Rashford should be high level options that can play in each other’s roles where only two of the three start most games. That is what the top squads like City and PSG have. Sometimes Icardi or Kean is brought in, other times Di Maria is in the front 3, other times he’s in the middle 3 etc. Pogba can play as an 8, 10 and 11 - and I think between him, Bruno and Rashford - they should push each other there.
Ideally we’d sign a top quality CM who plays more often than not too. Sometimes Pogba will play with him, but more often Fred or Scott. Depending on form, fitness or opposition, Pogba then starts more often in the 11 or the 10, or not at all. He’d likely still start most games across the 8, 10 or 11 - but it will be up to him, Bruno or Rashford to make themselves indispensable in any of their roles. This would make them like Mahrez, Bernardo, Sterling, KDB, Jesus where there is no fixed starter amongst them. Except Kevin perhaps, but his role is not fixed.
Absolutely loving how Pogba has been playing for the last few months. He's my favourite player to watch for his tendency to do the absolutely preposterous without looking like he's trying - that arrogance can take us back to the top, and I pray that he stays.
Also really happy to discover that he was one of the first footballers to speak out against Israel's ongoing assault on al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. It's a great feeling when your favourite players are aware of stuff like this (also, shout outs to Riyadh Mahrez and Achraf Hakimi for their messages)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/sports/footballers-voice-solidarity-with-palestinians/2236225
Also really happy to discover that he was one of the first footballers to speak out against Israel's ongoing assault on al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. It's a great feeling when your favourite players are aware of stuff like this (also, shout outs to Riyadh Mahrez and Achraf Hakimi for their messages)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/sports/footballers-voice-solidarity-with-palestinians/2236225
He's scored a few belters this season from distance. West Ham and Fulham away spring to mind.
Ole switching from the 433 that did so well in the interim period to a 4231 and putting him in the pivot never really made sense to me.
"I feel loathed to select him on this occasion" - him and quite a few others on RedCafe when he has a MOTM performance.
"I feel loathed to select him on this occasion" - him and quite a few others on RedCafe when he has a MOTM performance.
This is the problem Pogba has. People just don’t like him and therefore they cannot assess him fairly.
Sounds like a caf member
Pretty uncalled for though from an actual paid journo. His perhaps poor literary skills didn’t allow him to more subtly disguise his emotions here. He could have worded it a little more cleverly, but he’s been a little too explicit with his ‘it hurts me to praise him even though I don’t really like him’ sentiment. Even caftards aren’t as obvious!
He and Shaw link up so much better than him and Rashford it has to be said.
It's always interesting watch a team evolve, and it feels like Pogba has found his position in the team now.
Another aspect is teams/opposition take time to combat a player/tactic, I feel teams are getting more aware of Bruno, so its important to keep the team developing and adding Pogba to the attacking mix has certainly helped that.
Sort the RW out and it becomes very difficult to stop.
Another aspect is teams/opposition take time to combat a player/tactic, I feel teams are getting more aware of Bruno, so its important to keep the team developing and adding Pogba to the attacking mix has certainly helped that.
Sort the RW out and it becomes very difficult to stop.
Which says more about Shaw than it does about Pogba or Rashford. Especially when you see how well Rashford links up with Shaw whenever he gets to play on the left.
I think it's more that Pogba looks to play the 1-2 passes to work his way into the box, rather than Rashford would rather dribble and look for a shot/pass into the box immediately.
For a counter attacking style obviously it's better for Rashford, but in tigher matches having Pogba wide helps us retain possession better IMO.
I dunno. Look at the 1-2 Rashford played to set up Shaw’s shot vs Villa. Or the way Rashford picks out Shaw’s overlapping runs when he plays LW (did a nice reverse pass to put AWB through in the first half of that game too.
Rashford’s definitely got issues around decision-making and running down blind alleys but I don’t see a big difference between him and Pogba in how well they link up with Shaw.
- Status