Please, let them blow their budget on him. They've so much to fix, ageing & unmotivated players, that his signing would do little to improve their lot.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
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For that sum I hope we do exactly that.
When you put it in those terms, signing Pogba for that kind of money is madness.
I dont usually care about how much we spend (because apparent we are rolling in it at the moment) but Lacazette, Kondogbia and Gundogan would take our team MUCH farther than just Pogba.
Herrera-Kondogbia-Gundogan is our midfield sorted for the next 5 years.
And then we lose in the quarter final of the champions league to a team containing Kroos-Pogba-Modric. The cafe goes wild saying why didn't we just sign Gareth Bale.
Imagine having a player like Pogba coming through the ranks eh...
Barcelona have experienced quite a few coming from their ranks.
Boy, that would be great.
I'd back him to have a big performance in the final. He's close to full fitness atm, been back for a while and Allegri is giving him as much game time as possible. Just watched him in the match vs napoli and he was making the napoli midfielders look incompetent. Obviously barca is a different matter altogether but he's got the game to turn it on vs them and if he gets that last 10% back before the final, he's going to give them a whole host of trouble.
exactly.
give me one elite, world class player over three really good (or even great) players any day.
Who would you class as great but not world class in centre midfield?
It becomes increasingly frustrating to see the greatest clubs in the world begging for his signature, throwing huge sums of money at him, when we had him and gave him away for a used condom and dodgy cinnamon taste vaseline.
This will always be a laughing stock item in the history of football and an example in managing classes to highlight that one has to acknowledge the might of player power in today's football. We have been taught a 60 million pound lesson. We showed him who's boss we did.
This will always be a laughing stock item in the history of football and an example in managing classes to highlight that one has to acknowledge the might of player power in today's football. We have been taught a 60 million pound lesson. We showed him who's boss we did.
Kondogbia, Gundogan. That kinda level.
Wouldn't you rather have a midfield of those 2 plus Herrera than one of Pogba and 2 average players?
Out of the three, Gundogan is the one who has hit the highest level in the past. His performance against Madrid in the CL semi is better than anything Pogba has ever produced. If he's not world class, neither is Pogba.
Can't compare as we already have Herrera.
But I'd prefer Pogba, Herrera and Carrick, with a cheaper addition like Schweinsteiger than Gundogan, Kondogbia and Herrera, yes.
Gundogan may never reach that level again; Pogba may yet surpass it. I'll take the gamble on Pogba every day of the week, even if he does cost twice as much.
Gundogan may surpass that level again, Pogba may not reach it.
Obviously there are no certainties in football, but taking money out of it, would you take Gundogan over Pogba? Course not. Hence given money is available this year and in future years, I'd prefer to build the team with the best.
That's not really having 1 world class player over 3 great players though is it.
That's like saying you'd rather have 1 world class player and 2 great players than 3 great players which is pretty obvious.
The original comment was Pogba or Kondogbia, Gundogan and Lacazette. Those three would all cost far more than Schweinsteiger, and of course we can, and will, spend more than the amount it would cost to buy Pogba. So remove Schwei from the equation if you want, I'd still take Pogba because there would still be additional money to spend on additional midfield support, whoever it may be.
My point is that if we can obtain elite, we should take elite, instead of proportioning the money out amongst others, as if we're not one of the richest clubs in the world.
Perhaps I misunderstood you then. I thought you were implying you'd rather spend a set budget on 1 world class player than 3 great players. Obviously I too think we should be targeting the elite but not if it means disregarding the other positions we need to strengthen.
So for you it's best to upgrade one position immensely than 3 positions greatly? For me that's a bad idea, if we had a complete team I would agree with you but unfortunately we don't.
Andrea Pirlo has been asked about Paul Pogba again.
Pogba told the Telegraph:
Pogba told the Telegraph:
Pogba is already a magnificent player. Gundogan had his career cut short by a terrible injury and has yet to recover his form.
He's already recovered relatively good form during Dortmund's run to get back to a European finishing position in the Bundesliga. 31 apps this season, 22 in the league alone and 3 goals compared to 5 in 45 in his last full season when Dortmund were firing on all cylinders
I know it's probably been said three times on every page for 20 pages but....
single biggest mistake Fergie ever made.
Exactly the player we need. When you look at his career progression since he left us...and where we have ended up...he played a blinder.
and to have stopped this? we just needed to play him in CM instead of Rafa or Park. unbelievable.
single biggest mistake Fergie ever made.
Exactly the player we need. When you look at his career progression since he left us...and where we have ended up...he played a blinder.
and to have stopped this? we just needed to play him in CM instead of Rafa or Park. unbelievable.
But, but park is a hard-working, versatile consistent player with lots of PL experience. Playing Pogba was too big a risk.
What gets me most is how indifferent some United fans were about him getting a chance and preferred to bang on about Sneijder. It was only towards the end that they realised he was absolutely quality.
I remembered arguing till I was blue in the face that we shouldn't pursue Sneijder/another midfielder because we had Pogba. The reply was generally that most youngsters don't make it and he wasn't ready.
I remembered arguing till I was blue in the face that we shouldn't pursue Sneijder/another midfielder because we had Pogba. The reply was generally that most youngsters don't make it and he wasn't ready.
I see it as a Board mistake. He should have been signed on deal he couldn't refuse & loaned. Hindsight is great I know
I see it as a Board mistake. He should have been signed on deal he couldn't refuse & loaned. Hindsight is great I know
Lets keep it real, the biggest mistake SAF ever made was appointing Moyes, it wasn't letting Pogba go.
I think letting Stam go (for Blanc!) really messed up our defense for years and ranks up there but appointing Moyes was literally a billion dollar mistake.
The annoying thing about that Pogba situation is how immediately made an impact in Italy. 37 appearances in his first season and 51 in his second according to wiki. This isn't getting unlucky with some unknown youth player who slowly develops into a world beater. He was clearly capable of playing at this level, and fair play to him for having the self belief to make the move and prove that he was good enough. People can spew the 'young player must wait for his chance' rhetoric, but the fact is that a career in football is short, and if you don't have the backing from the senior staff, then you're likely to look elsewhere. If he wasn't going to get a chance in that midfield, I'm not at all surprised that he fecked off to Italy. Blah, so frustrating!
Pogba hasn't performed to gundogan's level of 2 years back, ever.
So "average players" is silly talk.
Gundogan and Herrera would be ridiculous. A player like Gundogan who has no problems attempting risky, quick one-touch passes round the corner. And then Herrera's movement and fearlessness. They'd be creating the most ridiculous angles for each other constantly.
Throw in Schneiderlin, who can play himself.
Throw in Schneiderlin, who can play himself.
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It's frustrating but the reality is that young players can suddenly "click" and go from only good enough for a few sub appearances to ready to start every first team game in the space of a few months. We see it happen all the time. This looks as though its one of those situations where everything went against us in terms of his contract situation, rate of development, impatient temperament and the agent advising him. A perfect storm, with no easy solution. Like you say, incredibly frustrating but sometimes it just isn't meant to be.
Gundogan and Herrera would be ridiculous. A player like Gundogan who has no problems attempting risky, quick one-touch passes round the corner. And then Herrera's movement and fearlessness. They'd be creating the most ridiculous angles for each other constantly.
Throw in Schneiderlin, who can play himself.
Pogba would be great too, but in a different way.
Neither does Mata. Or Herrera. My problem with this side has for ages been that no-one makes the effort to get in behind, and so we can't even attempt those passes. Gundogan fits Dortmund like a glove with the way they all offer great movement. My worry is that if he came here this area of his game would be nullified like we saw with Mata when he joined. Or dare i say it, Kagawa. You can have the most creative player in the league, but if the side around him is as static as we are then what's he to meant to do?
Hopefully Memphis helps this but it won't change overnight.
He is the number 1 target of Josep Bartomeu in his attempt to become/remain Barca president in this year's elections. After former sporting director Zubizarreta got sacked in January, Bartomeu hired a "transfer adviser" to fill his spot. Incidentally the transfer adviser is named Ariedo Braida (former Milan director) and happens to be Marotta's (Juve sporting director) best man. It's not even a big secret, his sole purpose is to lure Pogba to Barca with his connections. Here is a recent photo of Braida having lunch with Marotta:
Direct quote from Bartomeu:
Neymar performing some tapping up duties:
So it's definitely not just Dailyfail type of rumours but pretty concrete interest.
The up to date rumour is that PSG, Madrid and Barca are interested the most but Pogba doesn't want to join PSG and prefers Barca the most (there are also some older quotes from Pogba floating around where he says he likes Arsenal and Barcelona) and the only stumbling block are the transfer fee and wage demands. Apparently Raiola wants Pogba to be the 2nd best paid player at Barca after Messi, which Barca doesn't accept so far.
Direct quote from Bartomeu:
Neymar performing some tapping up duties:
So it's definitely not just Dailyfail type of rumours but pretty concrete interest.
The up to date rumour is that PSG, Madrid and Barca are interested the most but Pogba doesn't want to join PSG and prefers Barca the most (there are also some older quotes from Pogba floating around where he says he likes Arsenal and Barcelona) and the only stumbling block are the transfer fee and wage demands. Apparently Raiola wants Pogba to be the 2nd best paid player at Barca after Messi, which Barca doesn't accept so far.
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I mentioned Herrera. I said they'd be brilliant together becuase they're both fearless. Maybe I didn't make that clear.I think Gundogan would take us towards that fluid style. Him and Herrera would just create those angles that other players (Mata included) are sometimes afraid to receive/play the ball in. It's not even the getting in behind I'm talking about here, it's the incredible movement and the willingness to play into those congested areas. Coming short, playing it round the corner etc.
Mata's sort of like that, but I think he's still less willing to receive the ball under pressure, because he can't ride a challenge or shield the the ball as effectively. He's also less willing to give the ball away. Gundogan (peak Gundogan anyway) and Herrera do this for fun.
The very centre of our team would contain two extremely confident and comfortable pass-and-movers with agility and the ability to ride a challenge, for the first time in ages.
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I'll probably get lynched for this, but I think we'll look back and wonder what the insane hype about Pogba was for.
This.
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