[MattofManchester]

Right or wrong, what this club needs to do is to stop listen or think what Sir Alex Ferguson would do. Or class of 92' and so on.

I think the point to be made here is that Manchester United as a football club are far bigger than Paul Pogba and his agent and should have cemented themselves as such.
However, we've caved to him and his agent and now we're losing the guy we spent 80m on for free a second time round.
Nevermind he spends most of his time looking like he can't be arsed.

We've been behaving like a small club who's desperate to hold onto big name players.
In the past, they put up a fuss, they were out the door. It was that simple.
The club will always endure.

 

[Jacob]

Hear me out, Bruno is bad for us.

 

[Hugh Jass]

I think the point to be made here is that Manchester United as a football club are far bigger than Paul Pogba and his agent and should have cemented themselves as such.
However, we've caved to him and his agent and now we're losing the guy we spent 80m on for free a second time round.
Nevermind he spends most of his time looking like he can't be arsed.

We've been behaving like a small club who's desperate to hold onto big name players.
In the past, they put up a fuss, they were out the door. It was that simple.
The club will always endure.

This. Ferguson was ruthless.

 

[RuudTom83]

Come January Pogba can sign a new contract with anyone…if it’s not United then Ole doesn’t need to worry himself with how to fit Paul into the starting eleven.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Hear me out, Bruno is bad for us.

Hahahahaha. This nonsense needs to stop. You will literally blame anyone but that dabbing prat, won't you?

Bruno Fernandes has come in and been great. Scored goals galore and won our player of the year twice.

I really hate this fanbase with their agendas. Now starting to blame players who have actually performed consistently for us to excuse Pogba. Paul Pogba is the problem and always has been.

Ole's something has to give comments were about him. I'm sure of it. He's done for now and I'm personally happy because no matter who is in charge he will continue to disappoint.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Come January Pogba can sign a new contract with anyone…if it’s not United then Ole doesn’t need to worry himself with how to fit Paul into the starting eleven.

And it will be the best thing for all parties. The Pogba experiment hasn't worked. Didn't work for Jose or Ole. He's just not right for us and the PL. He needs to play in a league where they stand off you to succeed.

 

[Jacob]

Hahahahaha. This nonsense needs to stop. You will literally blame anyone but that dabbing prat, won't you?

Bruno Fernandes has come in and been great. Scored goals galore and won our player of the year twice.

I really hate this fanbase with their agendas. Now starting to blame players who have actually performed consistently for us to excuse Pogba. Paul Pogba is the problem and always has been.

Ole's something has to give comments were about him. I'm sure of it. He's done for now and I'm personally happy because no matter who is in charge he will continue to disappoint.

Actually, I want Pogba gone but not Bruno.

I want Bruno to be more disciplined though. You cannot afford a free role in modern football. He's all over the place and provides no support to the midfield, which is shit to begin with.

Either play him as a lone striker or a proper 8.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Actually, I want Pogba gone but not Bruno.

I want Bruno to be more disciplined though. You cannot afford a free role in modern football. He's all over the place and provides no support to the midfield, which is shit to begin with.

Either play him as a lone striker or a proper 8.

Bruno will be fine because he has talent and work rate. Goes along way that. He will get his form back and soon just you watch.

Pogba only has one of those things. He has talent in abundance but one of the worst attitudes I have ever seen at the club. His days are thankfully numbered. Don't see him signing a new deal and I don't want him to.

It's Bruno Vs Pogba and Bruno wins every single time

 

[Godfather]

Hahahahaha. This nonsense needs to stop. You will literally blame anyone but that dabbing prat, won't you?

Classy

 

[Escobar]

Well, I would have expected Pogba to take over more ownership and lead on the pitch. But he doesn't. He plays well when we're flowing, but plays shit when we don't. From such a senior figure I'd expect more

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Classy

His behaviour along with his agent has been really classy, no?

Don't care anymore. This Pogba fanboy nonsense is just destroying our club. You can change the manager ten more times and he will still be same player. He can't handle PL football. He doesn't like the tempo and pressing.

If I was a betting man he's the man Ole is referring to about something had to give. And he'd be right to do it. He doesn't fit in our team.

Jurgen Klopp wouldn't have Pogba anywhere near Liverpool's team. He doesn't work hard enough.

 

[NoPace]

Come off it. Top 5 player for the France team maybe.

They really rely on him to create a lot, remember they used center backs at fullback in 2018 and Deschamps mostly chooses runners around him and they often just try to play a solid game and rely on Pogba to hit balls over the top to Mbappe and now Benzema. He seems to me the central midfielder (not counting 10s like De Bruyne) who plays the most dangerous passes in behind in international football. Probably the best player in the 2018 World Cup final.

Of the 8-10 teams that can really win the World Cup/Euros/Copa, I'd say he'd be in my International XI of the post-Spain treble ('08, '10, '12), along with Messi, Vidal, Kroos, Bonucci, Chiellini, Cristiano, Modric and Griezmann. No idea who the 3rd defender and keepers would be, I'd have to properly think about that, but unless I'm forgetting someone those guys feel like the core of the XI. Maybe I'm forgetting someone who has done brilliantly but whose team is garbage like Lewandowski'.

 

[CloneMC16]

This. Ferguson was ruthless.

The same man that pandered to Rooney? Rooney was acting like he was bigger than this club and he was given a new contract. Sir Alex also backed Cantona after he kicked a fan in the middle of a game. A lesser player would have been sacked immediately. He was ruthless and shipped out players that were already on the downward slope.

 

[Hugh Jass]

The same man that pandered to Rooney? Rooney was acting like he was bigger than this club and he was given a new contract. Sir Alex also backed Cantona after he kicked a fan in the middle of a game. A lesser player would have been sacked immediately. He was ruthless and shipped out players that were already on the downward slope.

In fairness he threw him onto the bench i think it was for a big CL game against Madrid. He also went public about his disgust at what Rooney was doing.

 

[CloneMC16]

In fairness he threw him onto the bench i think it was for a big CL game against Madrid. He also went public about his disgust at what Rooney was doing.

He still didn't sell him. We gave him a new contract. Until RvP arrived, Rooney was the main man. I stand by what I said. Sir Alex sold players that he didn't think were good enough any more. He wasn't ruthless towards players that he thought still had plenty to offer to the club. He wasn't happy with how Rooney acted, but he accepted it. I think if Sir Alex stayed for another season, Rooney would have probably been sold that summer. He was starting to decline at that point.

Ole may even drop Pogba now. Based on the comments he made after the last game. He has dropped Pogba multiple times.

 

[romufc]

A new season, yet the topic remains the same. How to unlock Pogba, his best position, why he plays better for France.

The France bit is quite simple actually, the pace of play suits Pogba. International football is slow and boring, teams don't press or play with high intensity.

Pogba cannot play in a league where the CM is required to run alot, he needs to be let go for the better of Manutd.

 

[The Irish Connection]

Pogbas best position is floating in off the left, he showed that at Juventus and for us in spells. It’s utterly bizarre that we signed Sancho and are now playing him on the left when there was Rashford, Pogba, Martial and even Lingard there.
Surely the scouts could see that Sancho looked more suited to the left?
I saw it but knew that he could play on the right too.
Tbh, it’s feeling like a carbon copy of Sanchez although at least Sancho is young.

Blame has to go on the Glazers again though too. They pushed for the perfect PR signing in Ronaldo and got it done in days but flat out refused the required midfielder.
The pressure was off because everyone said ‘but Ronaldo’ (delighted he’s here all the same).
I wouldn’t be surprised if they stirred up the city interest through Mendes as well to really get the fans favour after it swung the other way.

 

[Jeppers7]

Player ratings season so far

DDG 8
Varane 7
Shaw 6
Greenwood 6
Ronaldo 6
AWB 5
Pogba 5
Fred 4
Sancho 4
McT 4
Bruno 4

Others not really played enough.

When your best players are keepers and defenders and you’ve got Ronaldo Sancho Pogba Greenwood Bruno etc then the issues aren’t individual players. We need a manager that gives our players a chance. A platform to perform.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Player ratings season so far

DDG 8
Varane 7
Shaw 6
Greenwood 6
Ronaldo 6
AWB 5
Pogba 5
Fred 4
Sancho 4
McT 4
Bruno 4

Others not really played enough.

When your best players are keepers and defenders and you’ve got Ronaldo Sancho Pogba Greenwood Bruno etc then the issues aren’t individual players. We need a manager that gives our players a chance. A platform to perform.

Shaw has been one of our worst players. 4 max for him.

 

[Frank Grimes]

A new season, yet the topic remains the same. How to unlock Pogba, his best position, why he plays better for France.

The France bit is quite simple actually, the pace of play suits Pogba. International football is slow and boring, teams don't press or play with high intensity.

Pogba cannot play in a league where the CM is required to run alot, he needs to be let go for the better of Manutd.

Agree completely.

 

[Nicolarra90]

Don't actually remember, but was Pogba who did the backpass that started the shambles of the first goal?

It's a team problem as DDG isn't good with his feet under pressure. He should only be allowed to do clearances and not passes.

Not blaming Pogba, that's poor coaching.

 

[kouroux]

His behaviour along with his agent has been really classy, no?

Don't care anymore. This Pogba fanboy nonsense is just destroying our club. You can change the manager ten more times and he will still be same player. He can't handle PL football. He doesn't like the tempo and pressing.

If I was a betting man he's the man Ole is referring to about something had to give. And he'd be right to do it. He doesn't fit in our team.

Jurgen Klopp wouldn't have Pogba anywhere near Liverpool's team. He doesn't work hard enough.

"This Pogba fanboy nonsense is just destroying our club" You do love to talk crazy. Please do elaborate on that part

 

[kouroux]

A new season, yet the topic remains the same. How to unlock Pogba, his best position, why he plays better for France.

The France bit is quite simple actually, the pace of play suits Pogba. International football is slow and boring, teams don't press or play with high intensity.

Pogba cannot play in a league where the CM is required to run alot, he needs to be let go for the better of Manutd.

Tbh, the recent games vs Belgium and Spain were higher level and intensity than most PL games so it's not about that IMHO.
Pogba is just not the right fit at the club and it has nothing to do with the pace of the league.

 

[Jim Beam]

I think the point to be made here is that Manchester United as a football club are far bigger than Paul Pogba and his agent and should have cemented themselves as such.
However, we've caved to him and his agent and now we're losing the guy we spent 80m on for free a second time round.
Nevermind he spends most of his time looking like he can't be arsed.

We've been behaving like a small club who's desperate to hold onto big name players.
In the past, they put up a fuss, they were out the door. It was that simple.
The club will always endure.

It's not that simple. The club would have quite possibly sold Pogba if there was an adequate offer on the table, but it never came. Raiola probably wouldn't be that loud if Fergie is around and that's about it. Letting Pogba go for some minimal offer is not a smart piece of business either. And I think the club improved somewhat in that sense. Emotional, nostalgic decisions are still there though (Solskjaer, Ronaldo, etc).

 

[Craig Ward]

Cannot wait for him to leave.

Over hyped garbage.

Not a very good PL player and why we insist on pandering to him and trying to "fit him in" to our team is beyond me. Every single time he plays in midfield he will make a mistake.

Good riddance.

 

[romufc]

Tbh, the recent games vs Belgium and Spain were higher level and intensity than most PL games so it's not about that IMHO.
Pogba is just not the right fit at the club and it has nothing to do with the pace of the league.

Just because games are against better opposition, does not mean the game was with more intensity. Also, just to inform you France played a 3-5-2 because they did not have Kante.

Which meant Pogba had 3 CB's behind him and another DM also alongside. International football does not have anywhere near the same intensity as the PL.

He needs other players for him to work, that does not suggest at top class player IMO. he has world class ability but isnt a world class player.

 

[MiracleInMadrid]

Well, I would have expected Pogba to take over more ownership and lead on the pitch. But he doesn't. He plays well when we're flowing, but plays shit when we don't. From such a senior figure I'd expect more

This. It also show every time a new big name is introduced to the squad. To me, it looks like he's been handing over his role and authority every time someone like Bruno, Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo has been brought in. That shows me that he just isn't a leader.

I see him as a "cherry on the cake"-kind of player. He can't be trusted as an integral part of a unit - he's too inconsistent and doesn't impose himself into that role. I see that as the main reason why we haven't managed to build the team around him. I also think that is why he's worked so well at a very coherent Juventus team, and a well-drilled french national team.

 

[Escobar]

This. It also show every time a new big name is introduced to the squad. To me, it looks like he's been handing over his role and authority every time someone like Bruno, Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo has been brought in. That shows me that he just isn't a leader.

I see him as a "cherry on the cake"-kind of player. He can't be trusted as an integral part of a unit - he's too inconsistent and doesn't impose himself into that role. I see that as the main reason why we haven't managed to build the team around him. I also think that is why he's worked so well at a very coherent Juventus team, and a well-drilled french national team.

A true great player performs well when things aren't working out. Then they step up, and we had plenty of those in the past at United. Pogba just isn't one of them and I believe it is rather a mental thing

 

[MiracleInMadrid]

A true great player performs well when things aren't working out. Then they step up, and we had plenty of those in the past at United. Pogba just isn't one of them and I believe it is rather a mental thing

My post doesn't say it explicitly, but I completely agree with you.

 

[kouroux]

Just because games are against better opposition, does not mean the game was with more intensity. Also, just to inform you France played a 3-5-2 because they did not have Kante.

Which meant Pogba had 3 CB's behind him and another DM also alongside. International football does not have anywhere near the same intensity as the PL.

He needs other players for him to work, that does not suggest at top class player IMO. he has world class ability but isnt a world class player.

They were very intense, not much different from a typical PL game. The PL is very overrated when it comes to this mythical intensity. There are many other reasons for me as to why he isn't performing as consistently as he should than this "intensity". He simply may not suited for United's needs and that's it.

 

[hungrywing]

They were very intense, not much different from a typical PL game. The PL is very overrated when it comes to this mythical intensity. There are many other reasons for me as to why he isn't performing as consistently as he should than this "intensity". He simply may not suited for United's needs and that's it.

Bolded part seems ripe for some interesting data analysis.

 

[Escobar]

My post doesn't say it explicitly, but I completely agree with you.

Got it mate, just a shame that he can't make that step up

 

[kouroux]

Bolded part seems ripe for some interesting data analysis.

I will add this too, the intensity is higher than everywhere else but I don't think it explains why Pogba isn't performing consistently. As far as I am concerned, the reasons are multiple and they involve the player himself (his own shortcomings) and the coaching too.

 

[Lynty]

Great player, wrong fit.

I'd bench him for the season now, use him as rotation.

He's not signing a contract - so time to move on and get some balance in midfield, pace on the wings and go back to counter attack.

 

[RUCK4444]

I will add this too, the intensity is higher than everywhere else but I don't think it explains why Pogba isn't performing consistently. As far as I am concerned, the reasons are multiple and they involve the player himself (his own shortcomings) and the coaching too.

Surely who he’s partnered with is the single biggest (glaring) difference between when he plays for France and when he plays for United.

Coaching, of the entire starting 11, and our tactics come into it, but he’s not partnered with anybody here who is remotely as good defensively.

He’s a luxury player, an elite level one, except we haven’t afforded ourselves that luxury by doing the necessary, like France do. Where he consistently delivers.

 

[kouroux]

Surely who he’s partnered with is the single biggest (glaring) difference between when he plays for France and when he plays for United.

Coaching, of the entire starting 11, and our tactics come into it, but he’s not partnered with anybody here who is remotely as good defensively.

He’s a luxury player, an elite level one, except we haven’t afforded ourselves that luxury by doing the necessary, like France do. Where he consistently delivers.

I can only agree with what you typed.

 

[Jeppers7]

A true great player performs well when things aren't working out. Then they step up, and we had plenty of those in the past at United. Pogba just isn't one of them and I believe it is rather a mental thing

We’ve probably not had one of those since fergie retired. Not consistently anyway. There were numerous occasions last season where the team were poor and Pogba stepped up but generally as a club we tend to be either good or bad collectively. Greenwood has done it a couple of times this season. Other than that you might have to go back to last calendar year for someone different to have stepped up when the team was poor. Certainly no one we have currently tends to play well if the team doesn’t. Maybe a defender but that is obviously going to be true

 

[hungrywing]

I will add this too, the intensity is higher than everywhere else but I don't think it explains why Pogba isn't performing consistently. As far as I am concerned, the reasons are multiple and they involve the player himself (his own shortcomings) and the coaching too.

I hear you. I'm just thinking that regarding that earlier bolded part, it would seem that current data analysis abilities should be able to 'quantify' it AKA "by metrics A, B, and C through H, the PL is 1.84 times more intense than league X. If one then chooses to adjust according to metric I, which is calculated via applying matrices blah blah blah..."

EDIT: Oh, God. This actually can come back to Pogba (or any player in general).

Raiola: I want five-hundred million. My client leads the league in every key statistic for his position.
Club Executive: Well actually, according to the data, your client will perform to point-six-five of his current metrics in our league. And that's before you factor in the simulated metrics when plugged into his new teammates and manager. So... No.
Raiola: *throws chair in general direction of computer*

 

[kouroux]

I hear you. I'm just thinking that regarding that earlier bolded part, it would seem that current data analysis abilities should be able to 'quantify' it AKA "by metrics A, B, and C through H, the PL is 1.84 times more intense than league X. If one then chooses to adjust according to metric I, which is calculated via applying matrices blah blah blah..."

Not of a fan of xG, xA I see

 

[hungrywing]

Not of a fan of xG, xA I see

xCommunicate them all!

On a more serious note, I do believe in the usage of things like xG, xA. And very very smart people (unfortunately often for very very bad rea$on$) are continuously trying to improve them.