Sport
WHAT MAN UTD MUST DO TO GET BEST OF POGBA
Talk of formations, systems, philosophies and manager ideals are all the rage these days, with the plethora of top coaches in the Premier League this season heightening interest in such topics.
The rivalry and contrasting styles of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola gets chins wagging the most, and Saturday saw the first clash of titanic minds – 1-0 Pep.
Now, Mourinho must rethink, and with Wayne Rooney rummaging down the back of the sofa for his once dynamic form at home, he should at least consider looking a one of his former employers for a more suited game-plan for Thursday’s Feyenoord clash.
Paul Pogba’s display at Old Trafford on Saturday has been lambasted by several television pundits, with “irresponsible” one of the softer terms used.
United were outmanoeuvred in midfield with ease, with Pogba a main protagonist in allowing City to dictate but, as his fellow countrymen will testify to, can such an explosive midfielder be restricted to fit a system? While France reached the final of Euros 2016 in the summer, Pogba played very little part in that run, having been deployed in front of the back four. Would Les Bleus have negotiated a way past Portugal in the final with Pogba further forward?
Asking players to fulfil a role that they don’t much like is not a new concept, but this is the world’s most expensive player – £89m for a makeshift holding midfielder seems odd.
One of those pundits who was critical of Pogba actually questioned his arrival in Manchester. Did United need such a player?
To back his argument he suggested Luka Modric could have been a better fit. Played in the same system, Pogba could actually provide a similar outlet to the Croatian.
Yes, they are completely different type of midfielder, but offering a potent asset puts them on common ground.
Real Madrid have as frightening a forward triumvirate as any. Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale can work on either side around striking figurehead Karim Benzema.
United have the same, if not slightly inferior, options as a front three. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the central role, Mourinho has Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mhkitaryan, Juan Mata and Rooney to call upon. Not bad at all.
Behind his staple Real forward-line, Zinedine Zidane deploys a midfield three, centred around Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. Casemiro is there to simply sit in and allow the other two to play.
Modric is especially key. The former Tottenham man is that orchestrator-in-chief that every side craves, and his effortless style of play makes him all the more enjoyable to watch.
While still having some licence to get forward, Kroos is expected to do more defensive work – the Germany international has averaged twice as many tackles per game to that of Modric so far.
Without limitations, Real get the best out of Modric, and that is what United must do for Pogba. United didn’t break the world transfer record to become the new Stoke.
Pogba has proclaimed his best position is wide left of a midfield three, but with a player who is literally good at everything, and insistent even he doesn’t know his own best qualities, it really doesn’t matter where he plays in that three.
With Rooney out of the picture against Feyenoord, go with a three, play Ander Herrera, Morgan Schneiderlin, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, whoever, alongside Pogba, and at least see if it clicks.
United already have plenty of metronomic midfield talent. Herrera can be that Kroos-type, with some restrictions, but first and foremost, Pogba has to be moved forward.
The Europa League is not priority for United, so Mourinho can experiment. A tried and trusted model exists in the Spanish capital that could suit United perfectly – time for change, Jose.
