How would you feel if he walks away for free in 1 years time after an underwhelming season ?
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How would you feel if he walks away for free in 1 years time after an underwhelming season ?
Since I have a deep feeling this is one of the very last pages in Pogba performance thread (ever), I would like to share an interesting stat I came by. One poster said " the stats say we are a better team with him in it than without him", what obviously trigerred me to verify if that's actually true.
Turns out it's quite the opposite:
Source
Turns out we're actually getting the least points per game (PPM) with Pogba in the team from all of Matic (tops that list but significantly lower number of appearances), Fred, McTominay and Bruno (who by the way played a shocking amount of games). We've also scored the least number of goals with him on the pitch. The goals scored/conceded is a bit screwed by Leeds/Tottenham games (although I don't see a reason not to take them into account). However, the points per game number is very interesting and maybe eye-opening for some people here.
As @bosnian_red mentioned, the explanation might be some players subbed off with a good score (although that rarely happened for us), and some players being picked for easier games. But I don't think it would explain such a difference as Fred and McTominay were used against every heavy opponent after the Tottenham game.
Anyway, however you look at it, Pogba impact on this team is rather overrated.
Good post. I’ve been saying this for ages. The stats were there. Even the s#n newspaper picked up on this but our fans can’t for some reason.
Forcing him back into the midfield has repeatedly hurt us, slowed us down, made us susceptible on the counter and way too easy to dispossess in key areas and the stupid penalties. posters act like he just doesn’t fit because of the players around him but we’ve already tried all the possible combinations of players around him, the different systems and even different managers to accommodate him. He’s been played out of the team by the much more aggressive and consistent Bruno. Simple enough. Some transfers work and others don’t.
We are fine without him if we replace his creativity, which we more than have with Bruno and Sancho. We’ve moved on from Pogba in the middle unless we are stuck. It’s time for the fanbase to do the same. Stick him on the left, most attacking in a 3 or on a plane and be done with it. A true one off on the ball when given space and he’s in the form. Application and teamwork fluctuates too often for him to be a serious option in the middle for us anymore. At this point a luxury player as far as this squad is concerned.
I don't deal with hypotheticals. Pogba, on the whole, has been good since Ole has taken over (arguably our best player with Jose in charge, too) so nothing suggests he would have a poor season.
Ok but the hyptothetical will be reality in 12 months time when he leaves for free for the 2nd time in his career (unless the club can sell him now).
Nothing suggests that he would have a poor season except stats that prove that we did worse from a points perspective when he played last season.
Where do you think he should play?
(I'm asking because I just can't see him having a great season "stuck" in a double pivot alongside Fred - or McTominay).
Paris.
With Pogba, if PSG are interested and willing to pay Sancho money for him, you sell him.
He is an excellent player but will never be that in England or in the United system. Italy and international football don't have as much frenetic pressing and that is great for him.
If we do sell him, we would need to buy a replacement. And that would be in addition to our interest in Camavinga.
He is an excellent player but will never be that in England or in the United system. Italy and international football don't have as much frenetic pressing and that is great for him.
If we do sell him, we would need to buy a replacement. And that would be in addition to our interest in Camavinga.
I think Ole will use him very similar to the way he used him last season. Against teams we'll dominate (which you'd expect to be most) he'll play in the pivot, and against teams we could struggle with, he'll play on the left.
Of course, this all depends on the form of the players. People will ask what happens to Rashford, Sancho, Martial, etc but if you're at United, then you need to expect competition for places. We had it every season under Sir Alex, and Ole is slowly starting to create something similar.
He's going to leave, might as well sell him now.
Can't believe @Borys went back to using the stats about playing time again when we had these arguments before in this very same thread.
The funny thing @Ali Dia was defending Pogba and calling for providing context to these stats.
The funny thing @Ali Dia was defending Pogba and calling for providing context to these stats.
Ask me in 12 months' time then.
There are so many factors that come into play when discussing this.
He’ll sign a new deal this summer or will be sold you’d hope.
Cant fecking leave him go for free.
Cant fecking leave him go for free.
Appreciate the answer - thanks.
To be honest, I don't feel very confident about him in the pivot at all - not even against "weaker" opposition, not over the course of a season. And - not least - not if his partner there isn't going to be upgraded at all.
On the left in a free-ish role? Completely different story. He can actually do very well in that sort of role.
We've signed Sancho who is going to take over the extra creative burden. At some point you just have to say there’s no value left in this unless we totally change system and most likely by default end up sidelining Bruno. On the left I thought he was much less likely to cost us defensively and he was a breath of fresh air compared to what Rashford was contributing by the time he started getting played there instead. Back into the midfield in a two in the final and it was poor stuff. He’s just not a consistent box to box.
I agree. Actually, signing Sancho is the nail in the coffin of this Pogba situation.
Based on how Ole used Pogba over the season (he realized in later stage he's not going to turn into a proper playmaker), I am sure he's looking for another midfielder already.
If we could use the Pogba money and go for someone like Locatelli it would make us a much more slick unit.
The one constant problem with Pogba is Raiola. At the minute Pogba holds all the cards in his future and we can be sure Raiola will be milking it for all he's worth. I've no doubt if Pogba signs his new contract (netting Raiola a shit load of money) within a year or 2 at the most we'll be hearing repeat statements of Pogba needing a new challenge. In other words Raiola wanting to bump up his and Pogbas bank balance again for a final big payment before Pogbas value decreases. We know this is going to happen so why people are so Intent on Pogba singing a new contract is beyond me.
Has the cult of KDB become more important than the player
Great person for the dressing room despite the nonsense people spout
No clubs outside of EPL have money after pandemic except PSG. Pogba won't go anywhere unless it is a swap deal.
Good news for our upcoming season.
I actually don't see us benefitting at all from selling him this summer.
Can't see us ending up with a better situation
Correct, he'll have an incentive to play well (being out of contract in year). That plus if we continue buying well this window, we might actually be in a better situation with him than without
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