Status
Not open for further replies.

Sideshow Bob

Avatar & New Members Forum Mod
Joined
May 8, 2011
Messages
42,894
145AFADD125942FB98CF1E7F55CBD006.ashx

2016/17 Statistics


Appearances
Total 5
Premier League 4
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Europa League 1

Goals
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Europa League 0

Assists
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Europa League 0

Yellow Cards
Total 1
Premier League 1
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Europa League 0

Red Cards
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Europa League 0​
 
Haha that's very true! He's already a high profile and expensive flop. There I've called it.
 
Premier League: Manchester United 2-0 Southampton - 19th August 2016

He was class.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
Thought he was sensational to be honest. I thought motm because he was everywhere doing everything. He pressed, he tackled, he won the ball in the air, he dropped in to help the team defensively. On the ball he was a real menace, he ran at people, went past people, always looking forwards and looking to play a team mate in.

He's exactly what this team have been missing and he's going to add so much! And to think that was his debut... Well second debut but first meaningful one.

Fair play to him as well... With minimal training he went the distance and still looked lively at the end.
 
Looks a bargain considering that this was only his first game for us and that he only going to get better.
 
Exactly what we have needed for years. A midfield player with pace and power that can go past the opposition midfield and draw out there defence.
 
He's such an exciting player to watch. He is the kind of player who when he gets the ball you expect something to happen. You know he's going to go past people and create an opening. And my god is he strong!
 
Yeah wasn't bad was he? :) Didn't expect that from him straight away having only been in training a week.
 
8 take-ons completed
5 interceptions
4 shots
2 chances created

Something that I can't ever remember us having in the centre of midfield? Certainly not for a long long time anyway. A player who takes people on, but who covers for the team as well and looks to play the more difficult creative pass.
 
We've not had one since Keano.

Paul Pogba can become like these two United legends says Ryan Giggs

This from Giggs says it all for me "We get too hung up on 'he's a sitting midfielder or he's an attacking midfielder' but why can't a midfielder do everything? That's what they're supposed to do."

For years we got obsessed with the need for an attacking creative midfielder, myself included, when we got one, it didn't work (Kagawa) so we bought another (Mata), didn't really work so we stuck him out wide where he's had more of an impact. Their fashionable but they don't really work and over the past year i've started to realise it. Attacking midfielders, defensive midfielders... lets get back to midfielding midfielders. Imagine having a Scholes next to Pogba!
 
We've not had one since Keano.

Paul Pogba can become like these two United legends says Ryan Giggs

This from Giggs says it all for me "We get too hung up on 'he's a sitting midfielder or he's an attacking midfielder' but why can't a midfielder do everything? That's what they're supposed to do."

For years we got obsessed with the need for an attacking creative midfielder, myself included, when we got one, it didn't work (Kagawa) so we bought another (Mata), didn't really work so we stuck him out wide where he's had more of an impact. Their fashionable but they don't really work and over the past year i've started to realise it. Attacking midfielders, defensive midfielders... lets get back to midfielding midfielders. Imagine having a Scholes next to Pogba!

As great as a player as Keano was, was he really the kind of player who used his skills and pace to go past people? I know that he contributed a lot to our all around game but he wasn't someone who went past people in the way Pogba does.

But yes I agree with Giggs why do we need to label him as a certain type of player?!

Let him go out there and do what he does best, and that is a bit of everything. That's what makes him a nightmare because he's so unpredictable and pops up all over the place. Sure in some games he's going to need to be more defensively aware and that's not to say he wasn't the other night... But sometimes he will need to just sit a little deeper and hold his position more but those games will be few and far between. And in fact doing that takes away from the special player he is. Sure he can do that job as be did for France... But you don't get the player who takes a game by the scruff of the neck and wins you games.
 
Premier League: Hull City 0-1 Manchester United - 27th August 2016

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
Friendly: Italy 1-3 France - 1st September 2016

Assist.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
Premier League: Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City - 10th September 2016

I suspect he'll be disappointed by today's performance. He should have imposed himself, especially in the second half.
 
He is not going to be world class every week but he had his moments, a quiet game but he is going to get better and better as the season goes on. Some of his touches were loose but the way he glides past people with sleight of feet is awesome to watch at times.
 
He should have imposed himself yes but it's early days and a couple of times in the first half I saw him driving forwards. City had so much possession it was always going to be a real struggle for him.
 
Just watched Carragher's post match analysis. His assessment of Pogba's positional awareness/discipline was fair and a reason why United were out numbered in midfield.
 
United were outnumbered in midfield because for me Jose for his tactics wrong and should have gone 4-3-3. I think we would have benefited more from Herrera or Schneiderlin being in there which could have then allowed Pogba more freedom to control the game. In a two man midfield he didn't know whether to stick or twist.
 
Pretty much agree. Even worse for me though was the fact that city footballs like to attack and not defend. If we had played martial on the left and Rashford on the right we would have kept their fullbacks engaged and forced them into areas they don't want to be. Speed was the key.
 
Pretty much agree. Even worse for me though was the fact that city footballs like to attack and not defend. If we had played martial on the left and Rashford on the right we would have kept their fullbacks engaged and forced them into areas they don't want to be. Speed was the key.

Completely agree! I can see what Jose was trying to do by going for players who would defend and help their full backs... But really he should of been more aggressive and he could have looked to make Sterling and Nolito defend against the pace of Martial and Rashford.
 
I reckon 4-2-3-1 will be used in the majority of games. Pogba will need to adjust.

Here's the video of Carragher's analysis on Pogba (7:25):

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
Carragher did a bit more analysis of Pogba's performance on MNF.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
I agree that 4-2-3-1 will be used most of the time but I think that's a mistake... You sign a player like Pogba I think you build your team around him. You play him in his best position and most would say that's on the left in a 4-3-3. But because Jose loves to play Rooney / have a number 10 he won't do it.

Jose used to be all about the 4-3-3 with pacey wingers so I don't understand why he doesn't go back to that and try it? Sure OK its one game and we shouldn't panic. I'm certainly not panicking because we were just outplayed on the day by a better team.

What I am surprised by also though is that actually Pogba can be disciplined. He was criticised at the Euros for sitting too deep and being too defensive. So we know he can do it. So either he thought in this big derby match he was too big for that... Or more likely he was told by Jose to roam about. My issue is neither situations make sense. Pogba will listen to tactics as he did at the Euros, Jose is a tactical genius as we all know...

So what happened?
 
Maybe Rooney has a clause in his contract that stipulates that we play him if he is fit. Otherwise I see no reason for three different managers to try and crowbar him into the team.
 
I just think Jose wants to see if he's able to revive Rooney a little bit? Maybe he thinks with the right players around him he could see an improvement in form? And to be fair I can understand why Jose would want to give that a go because an on form Rooney is a fantastic player. But by Xmas I think we will see Rooney drop down to the bench a lot more. That's providing Mkhitaryan can prove himself in the Premier league.
 
Europa League: Feyenoord 1-0 Manchester United - 15th September 2016

He's been a bit underwhelming since his debut. Very early days though.
 
Seem to remember people saying he was poor for first 10 games last season but went on to have his best season yet. Easy to forget after a very good debut that he didn't have a pre-season. £80m or not, players are players, they all need time. Agree with what Scholes said the other night about him too, think he's trying too hard at the minute, trying to do it all himself when he could use his team mates more. Scholes also said he needs more of a controlling midfielder next to him. Carrick of a few years ago would be ideal but hasn't played a minute this season yet and doesn't seem to be favoured and maybe that's a sign that he's not the player he was because he was first name on the sheet, legs maybe gone. Don't agree with Scholes much as a pundit but I did when he spoke about Pogba. Mourinho needs to figure out how to get the best out of him.
 
Seem to remember people saying he was poor for first 10 games last season but went on to have his best season yet. Easy to forget after a very good debut that he didn't have a pre-season. £80m or not, players are players, they all need time. Agree with what Scholes said the other night about him too, think he's trying too hard at the minute, trying to do it all himself when he could use his team mates more. Scholes also said he needs more of a controlling midfielder next to him. Carrick of a few years ago would be ideal but hasn't played a minute this season yet and doesn't seem to be favoured and maybe that's a sign that he's not the player he was because he was first name on the sheet, legs maybe gone. Don't agree with Scholes much as a pundit but I did when he spoke about Pogba. Mourinho needs to figure out how to get the best out of him.

Have to say I think the best thing they could do for Pogba right now is switch to a three in midfield and free him up. Let him get about the field and dictate without having to defend so much. Get Carrick and Herrera or Schneiderlin in midfield with him... Then as the season progresses and he gets fitter and settles more you can look to go back to a 2 man midfield if you really want.

That's what I'd do anyway because you want Pogba driving at teams and creating things... Yet against City he was criticised for not defending enough... Yet if he had then he'd be criticised for not influencing our attack enough.

He's caught in a tough situation and it's on the manager to help him out... And the way to do that is to get more men in midfield with him.
 
Premier League: Watford 3-1 Manchester United - 18th September 2016

While the formation used has been a contributing factor, I also think it is bit of an excuse. 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1; he needs to do better. He was equally as bad as Rooney.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Login or Register

Forgot your password?
or Log in using
Don't have an account? Register now
Back
Top