Paul Pogba

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His confidence to take on the ball in tight spaces, and effortlessly turn away from trouble and find a good pass was impressive.

Different kettle of fish when we're under the kosh, and need to push forward for a goal though. In an intense PL game, with the score locked at 0-0, in a two-man midfield with us looking for the opener, would he look as comfortable? Well obviously not, but would he cope?

He's a kid. He's got years to learn. Most midfielder players don't develop that kind of comfort on the ball until well into their 20s. Hence why there are so few of them in that elite bracket. Pogba's got big potential. He could become a boss. Lets just sit back and enjoy it as he develops and see what he makes of himself in the future.
 
His confidence to take on the ball in tight spaces, and effortlessly turn away from trouble and find a good pass was impressive.

Different kettle of fish when we're under the kosh, and need to push forward for a goal though. In an intense PL game, with the score locked at 0-0, in a two-man midfield with us looking for the opener, would he look as comfortable? Well obviously not, but would he cope?

He will only be ready once he has more experience in the easier games. This is why I don't understand people saying not to give him a chance yet as he's not ready. There comes a point where a player is too good for the reserves and will only be ready for the first team once they have played for the first team a good few times. Pogba is at that level.

It's hard to say how Pogba would fare in that scenario, but it's safe to say he won't be facing it any time soon.
 
Great mind. Great technique. Great range of passing. Great control. Great physique.
 
So many of those who never watched him in the reserves are really showing their true colours in this thread. Slating him after his display in the Carling Cup, writing him off and saying he's nowhere ready, and now praising him as he's showing you what we who've watched the reserves have been saying for ages.
 
So many of those who never watched him in the reserves are really showing their true colours in this thread. Slating him after his display in the Carling Cup, writing him off and saying he's nowhere ready, and now praising him as he's showing you what we who've watched the reserves have been saying for ages.

I've seen him for the reserves and knew full well of his talent but still had concerns after his first few outings in the first team. He didn't look ready, even of only mentally, it wasn't exactly unfair criticism (although anyone actually writing him off was dumb). His confidence last night was fantastic to really see, though.

There were a couple of funny posts in the match thread though, total 180's in the space of 5 minutes :lol:
 
Yeah, leroy. In that sense I quite like the matchday threads. It's the one place where nonsense makes sense, because people just blurt out their initial reactions to events on the field.
 
So many of those who never watched him in the reserves are really showing their true colours in this thread. Slating him after his display in the Carling Cup, writing him off and saying he's nowhere ready, and now praising him as he's showing you what we who've watched the reserves have been saying for ages.

Perhaps his outings in the Carling Cup has given him that confidence which he showed against Stoke though?

And although he was ever as impressive, don't forget that the game was dead, he was played in a free midfield role with Carrick/Scholes absolutely dominating behind him, and Stoke had given up when he came in.

I think Fergie eases him into the first team picture the right way to be honest.
 
I've seen him for the reserves and knew full well of his talent but still had concerns after his first few outings in the first team. He didn't look ready, even of only mentally, it wasn't exactly unfair criticism (although anyone actually writing him off was dumb). His confidence last night was fantastic to really see, though.

There were a couple of funny posts in the match thread though, total 180's in the space of 5 minutes :lol:

Exactly.

It's not as though he doesn't have flaws in his game which are apparent even at reserve level. He looked fantastic last night but a 15 minute cameo in a free role against a woeful team that had been out-classed all night isn't the best test of his mettle.

No doubt he'll have a tougher test in the future, not look quite so impressive and get written off as shit again. S'all in the game yo.
 
No doubt he'll have a tougher test in the future, not look quite so impressive and get written off as shit again. S'all in the game yo.

Yup, word to Jonny Evans. Patience is needed. I would like Pogba to sign anew contract (a 5 year one at that) before heading out on loan next year.
 
It just annoys me that those who were the first ones to point out how bad Stoke were and how comfortable we were in the game fails to aknowledge the disjointed our team was when he got his chance in the cup. I know that those of us who've watched him in the reserves might play a part in all of this, as we've been hyping both him and Morrison (:() up to a point where everyone who watches Pogba for the first time might've expected alot more of then what he showed on his debut, but we were also not those who wrote him off after that game.

I'm just saying that I find it incredibly harsh to write someone off like plenty of posters on here wrote him off after his debut, claiming that he wasnt ready for first team football after watching him for less then a full match.
 
It just annoys me that those who were the first ones to point out how bad Stoke were and how comfortable we were in the game fails to aknowledge the disjointed our team was when he got his chance in the cup. I know that those of us who've watched him in the reserves might play a part in all of this, as we've been hyping both him and Morrison (:() up to a point where everyone who watches Pogba for the first time might've expected alot more of then what he showed on his debut, but we were also not those who wrote him off after that game.

I'm just saying that I find it incredibly harsh to write someone off like plenty of posters on here wrote him off after his debut, claiming that he wasnt ready for first team football after watching him for less then a full match.

Didn't he get moved out to defence that game? i thought he coped pretty well considering he was asked to do a job
 
If he thought that were an option I'm sure he'd simply leave

Nah, SAF can be very persuasive. Pogba's a top talent but he needs time and space to hone his mental approach to the game, not sure Old Trafford is the best place for that. Yesterday however he looked like he relished it but at other times he's lacked confidence. I don't want Pogba to be rushed because it could do him more bad than good.
 
Nah, SAF can be very persuasive. Pogba's a top talent but he needs time and space to hone his mental approach to the game, not sure Old Trafford is the best place for that. Yesterday however he looked like he relished it but at other times he's lacked confidence. I don't want Pogba to be rushed because it could do him more bad than good.

I agree with you on the last point but I'm sure SAF said he wanted to get him involved this season or else risk losing him.Had we not had the injuries I've no doubt we would have seen more cameos by now
 
I'm just saying that I find it incredibly harsh to write someone off like plenty of posters on here wrote him off after his debut, claiming that he wasnt ready for first team football after watching him for less then a full match.

People also wrote off Welbeck.
 
tbh that Fergie's comment baffels me. If Pogba wants to stay just ask him to sing new contract. Agent is actually Pogba's employee (not the other way around) and he should be doing things Pogdba wishes him to do.

Football doesn't work like that.

SAF seems confident he is staying anyway.

And the full quote was:

"The boy has great talent and tremendous physique for an 18-year-old. You can't believe it.

"We are negotiating his contract at the moment. It is a bit complicated at the moment because he has changed his agent a couple of times.

"But the boy wants to stay, that is obvious. Hopefully we can get it done soon."
 
tbh that Fergie's comment baffels me. If Pogba wants to stay just ask him to sing new contract. Agent is actually Pogba's employee (not the other way around) and he should be doing things Pogdba wishes him to do.

This is true. Issues like this are probably why Pogba's changing/changed agent. Unfortunately, Pogba probably signed a contract with his (old) agent which means that he's due his percentage of Pogba's next contract. Pogba's new agent will have started working for Pogba on the basis that he'd be getting a percentage of this new contract and I highly doubt any of the parties involved want to see an unnecessary amount of money go to a scrapped agent, apart from the old agent himself!

We saw a similar problem with De Gea over the summer.
 
It just annoys me that those who were the first ones to point out how bad Stoke were and how comfortable we were in the game fails to aknowledge the disjointed our team was when he got his chance in the cup. I know that those of us who've watched him in the reserves might play a part in all of this, as we've been hyping both him and Morrison (:() up to a point where everyone who watches Pogba for the first time might've expected alot more of then what he showed on his debut, but we were also not those who wrote him off after that game.

I'm just saying that I find it incredibly harsh to write someone off like plenty of posters on here wrote him off after his debut, claiming that he wasnt ready for first team football after watching him for less then a full match.

Indeed. I said it before. Pogba wasn't done any favors being thrust into that side against Palace. It's clear that with Fergie bringing him on against stoke in those circumstances, he wants the youngsters to be given a platform where they are more likely to perform well. This is much better rather than putting them into a situation where the onus is on them to carry the team. That's what the Palace match felt like because some of the other fringe players were that poor.
 
Not sure why you say he isn't the quickest, his acceleration over 10 meters was superb, a few times he was able to make enough room for his next pass with his acceleration.

Pogba is a technically excellent player, good passer, intelligent, with a good bit of flair on the ball and a cracking shot. He's not the quickest but he's rangy and athletic.

Morrison has that bit of magic that makes him stand out from the rest. He's quick, can drift past his man effortlessly. He moves with the ball in a unique way, kind of glides... not a million miles from Giggsy but different. Real imagination in the pass and a goalscorer.
 
I wouldn't mind, but most debutants that I've seen here have looked nervous. This was used as a stick to beat Pogba with and make out he wasn't ready, but if we'd just signed him or it was someone that hadn't come from our youth it'd be a case of 'oh, he needs games'. As Burrow said, those of us that watch the reserves know what he is like in a team he is settled into.
 
I still worry that even in the Reserves Pogba spends a bit too much time on the ball, he's good enough to get himself out of tight situations but at the highest level he might not find it as easy, once he gets a bit more urgency and fluidity in his game the job's a good 'un.
 
I still worry that even in the Reserves Pogba spends a bit too much time on the ball, he's good enough to get himself out of tight situations but at the highest level he might not find it as easy, once he gets a bit more urgency and fluidity in his game the job's a good 'un.

:confused:

United's youth players are coached to play pass and move game. The words you will hear most at United's training sessions are pass, move, pass, move. Much like Cleverley, Pogba's best qualities are his movement, passing, and then getting into space to receive the ball.
 
I have always felt sure that this kid will be alright, I was not sure about Morrison's mentality to hack it out at sink or swim United. Look at the decision Morrison has taken.
In any case, there is a clear need for Pogba in the squad now than there was for Morrison.
 
Great mind. Great technique. Great range of passing. Great control. Great physique.

Most encouraging thing about him for me, the decision he makes before he gets the ball. Scholes had that, the best in the world have it. One big difference with Gibson, Gibson can do good with the ball, but his decision making without it was terrible and why he is not here anymore.
Hoping he improves and grow as expected and he does it here.
 
Not sure why you say he isn't the quickest, his acceleration over 10 meters was superb, a few times he was able to make enough room for his next pass with his acceleration.

That's actually what surprised me the most against Stoke. I'd heard Pogba wasn't the fastest, but he definitely showed a good turn of pace a number of times. Maybe it's his acceleration off the mark that can be a bit slow (a bit like Smalling - his first couple of steps can be a little slow but once he gets going he's bloody fast).
 
In addition to his passing/crossing/ and decision making....he seems remarkably composed and self-assured at 18 which is a good sign.
 
That's actually what surprised me the most against Stoke. I'd heard Pogba wasn't the fastest, but he definitely showed a good turn of pace a number of times. Maybe it's his acceleration off the mark that can be a bit slow (a bit like Smalling - his first couple of steps can be a little slow but once he gets going he's bloody fast).

Acceleration is different from speed though, that might be where the confusion comes from. You can have a good turn of pace without being especially fast.

Or in the case of someone like Valencia you have both!
 
:confused:

United's youth players are coached to play pass and move game. The words you will hear most at United's training sessions are pass, move, pass, move. Much like Cleverley, Pogba's best qualities are his movement, passing, and then getting into space to receive the ball.

Don't know why you are confused Sults. The point I am making is sometimes he can get caught out on the ball, he's a bit too casual. Obviously he can pass and move, he's also got the wonderful ability of moving into the space whilst passing if that makes sense. My gripe is sometimes in the Reserves he holds on to the ball a bit too much and uses his physicality as well as his technique to get him out of tight situations. I think in the PL he might get caught out a bit, it's nothing massive but he needs to develop the work-rate and urgency in his game much like Welbeck has.
 
Don't know why you are confused Sults. The point I am making is sometimes he can get caught out on the ball, he's a bit too casual. Obviously he can pass and move, he's also got the wonderful ability of moving into the space whilst passing if that makes sense. My gripe is sometimes in the Reserves he holds on to the ball a bit too much and uses his physicality as well as his technique to get him out of tight situations. I think in the PL he might get caught out a bit, it's nothing massive but he needs to develop the work-rate and urgency in his game much like Welbeck has.

For the first part of that bolded bit, I dont think we saw any of that yesterday. He did what was necessary to get out of tight situations and looked to move the ball quickly. The work-rate and urgency will come the more he gets exposed to first-team football. I think we saw some urgency in his play yesterday.

I guess you're being cautious on the boy but considering the fact that we're trying to slowly integrate him into the first-team, I think your concerns will soon dissipate.
 
From the look of it, he seems to enjoy himself during that 20 minutes of playing time and it is help by having the calming influence of Carrick and Scholes. Would to see him play in the Europa League too.
 
Let's focus on grooming pogba this season, when we can afford to do so.
 
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