The Manchester United Thread XX

I do think Pogba has a massively underrated passing range.

Reply 2541

Louis.

16

Original post by Fizzel

I do think Pogba has a massively underrated passing range.

Not what we bought him for though is it? How is the "Pogba 16/17 season highlights" video going to bang if he's just adding drive from midfield and bringing others into the game. Everyone (CC Kenan) knows we bought him to stand 30 yards from goal and take potshots whenever he gets the ball.

Reply 2542

Original post by Louis.

Not what we bought him for though is it? How is the "Pogba 16/17 season highlights" video going to bang if he's just adding drive from midfield and bringing others into the game. Everyone (CC Kenan) knows we bought him to stand 30 yards from goal and take potshots whenever he gets the ball.

I heard someone describe him as a multifunctional-specialist. A player who can play variety of specialist roles in a team, whether that is DM, DLP, B2B or AM, he can play them all to a standard where he could feature for just about any team in the world. However the one time he really doesn't perform is if a manager does what France did which is drop him into a midfield seemingly without a clear role and expect him to play each role as required to the same standard. He seems to be the kind of player who responds well to a defined role in a system.

But yeah, do expect an £86m worth of Coutinho style highlights reel by the end of season. Minimum roi.

Also good to see the news Lukaku is staying at Everton. There is a real dearth of good strikers about atm, and Zlatan not a long term option. If we make CL this season, we'll need another striker for sure, and I feel if we want Lukaku we'll be able to get him ahead of other sides without much problem. That said, Griezmann does seem to have pre-occupation with our club. Could see that happening if El Cholo decides he's done all he can.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2543

Louis.

16

Original post by Fizzel

I heard someone describe him as a multifunctional-specialist. A player who can play variety of specialist roles in a team, whether that is DM, DLP, B2B or AM, he can play them all to a standard where he could feature for just about any team in the world. However the one time he really doesn't perform is if a manager does what France did which is drop him into a midfield seemingly without a clear role and expect him to play each role as required to the same standard. He seems to be the kind of player who responds well to a defined role in a system.

But yeah, do expect an £86m worth of Coutinho style highlights reel by the end of season. Minimum roi.

I don't think he could specialise as a DM/DLP though. Obviously he'd be okay because he's so talented, but I'm not sure he'd ever be considered world class if he wasn't given the license to run with the ball from deep. That's the crux of it imo. Can't say I watched every minute of France but from what I did see he just didn't have any license to get forward. Sissoko offered the threat from deep because in international tournament football you don't want one of your two central midfielders going walkabout.

While he played in a 2 for us against Southampton he was generally given every opportunity to break forward when he wanted, and that's when he looked at his best. In the 2nd half there was a 10 minute spell where we looked electric and that came from Pogba just deciding to take players on whenever he got the ball. The question will be how we continute to give Pogba that license in games we won't control as easily.

Spoiler

Reply 2544

Original post by Louis.

I don't think he could specialise as a DM/DLP though. Obviously he'd be okay because he's so talented, but I'm not sure he'd ever be considered world class if he wasn't given the license to run with the ball from deep. That's the crux of it imo. Can't say I watched every minute of France but from what I did see he just didn't have any license to get forward. Sissoko offered the threat from deep because in international tournament football you don't want one of your two central midfielders going walkabout.

I dunno I think it was just a bit of a disconnect in midfield. Pogba's best game was probably the Iceland game in which he played as a 6, it is only Iceland, but I think he could play there if asked. It would be a bit of a waste of his offensive capabilities and is probably mentally at least his weakest position. He played a somewhat DM role at Juv, when Pirlo floated out of position. I don't think Pogba played badly at the Euros but again, I think people were expecting a dominant display which meant a clear role which I think he rarely had. I do fully expect him to play as a regista later in his career though. At the moment with his athleticism its unjustifiable.

While he played in a 2 for us against Southampton he was generally given every opportunity to break forward when he wanted, and that's when he looked at his best. In the 2nd half there was a 10 minute spell where we looked electric and that came from Pogba just deciding to take players on whenever he got the ball. The question will be how we continute to give Pogba that license in games we won't control as easily.

Yeah I think he does best when he has the ability to get forward, even at the Euro's he looked a lot better with Kante in the side. I think we all know how we are going to get the best out of Pogba, and that is to drop Rooney. If you want to give him that license he needs to part of a midfield 3 where he can break forward and have the other midfielder still provide the same cover. That is not going to happen until Rooney costs Jose in a big game.

Spoiler

Reply 2545

scrawlx101

Original post by Rk2k14

Martial needs to concentrate on the pitch instead of throwing shade at his ex.
Been out of it recently.

Zlatan and Pogba bromance tho.

easy to say but he's young and all that plus he has a kid with this woman its not so easy to forget when he has an emotional tie to her

Reply 2546

Danny the Geezer

21

Oh no not Fonte god no.

Reply 2547

Dirtybit

Griezmann and Varane next season :h:

Reply 2548

Dirtybit

Future Elite midfield pairing

Reply 2549

SirAlexFerguson

14

Original post by Dirtybit

Future Elite midfield pairing

Maybe in four years as 6*4 = 24

Reply 2550

swirly

14

Original post by SirAlexFerguson

Maybe in four years as 6*4 = 24

thoughts on HD Brows?

Reply 2551

bigmansouf

Thoughts on The German holding the club hostage. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37176015
he needs to leave inside holding on to Man utd just to make more money

Reply 2552

bigmansouf

I hope Phil Jones is sold the worst player ever

I still rate Jones

Happy to hear that from Basti

Original post by Louis.

I still rate Jones

My man. When it comes to pure man-marking, he still has way more talent than Smalling and Bailly - don't care what anyone says.

Reply 2555

Louis.

16

Original post by Kenan and Kel

Happy to hear that from Basti

My man. When it comes to pure man-marking, he still has way more talent than Smalling and Bailly - don't care what anyone says.

The future is Smalling, Jones, Bailly and Fosu-Mensah at RB, CB, CB and DM. Don't care about the combination. Just get them all on the pitch. Clean sheets for days.

Reply 2556

Dirtybit

Jones would probably be quite good if he could get a run of games, but that's his only set back tbh. When he does get a few games back from injury he has had some terrible cameos. Doesn't really help.

Reply 2557

If Jose can make Cahill look like a competent defender no reason Jones can't reach Nesta levels.

He's worth keeping around if we can get him fit and again if Jose can keep Terry fit all season, its worth seeing how he does with Jones.

Reply 2558

Rk2k14