Paul Pogba

[BillyShears]

Pogba would be a massive upgrade on Fellaini, Carrick, Herrera and the laughable Schmidfield.

So then why exactly should we be worried? They've got a collection of wank midfielders. Signing Pogba won't make them amazing overnight.

I also think that there's a ridiculous misconception about what Pogba's strengths are. He cannot 'control' a midfield in the way that Toure used to in his pomp. He doesn't have that in his locker yet. He's someone who has flashes of brilliance but someone who is also far from fully developed mentally. His lack of intelligence on the pitch is something which IMO will hold him back.

Ask yourself this. If Pogba's as good as people say he is, why is it that City, Bayern, Barcelona, and by the looks of it PSG and Real Madrid too, are walking away from any deal for him?

 

[Roy Munson]

So then why exactly should we be worried? They've got a collection of wank midfielders. Signing Pogba won't make them amazing overnight.

I also think that there's a ridiculous misconception about what Pogba's strengths are. He cannot 'control' a midfield in the way that Toure used to in his pomp. He doesn't have that in his locker yet. He's someone who has flashes of brilliance but someone who is also far from fully developed mentally. His lack of intelligence on the pitch is something which IMO will hold him back.

Ask yourself this. If Pogba's as good as people say he is, why is it that City, Bayern, Barcelona, and by the looks of it PSG and Real Madrid too, are walking away from any deal for him?

Spot on with this Billy. He doesn't control games. I think some seem to think that Pogba is the kind of player who can dominate a midfield. Not a chance. He has flashes of brilliance and will pop up and win a few games with a piece of magic but he doesn't dictate tempo and he doesn't physically dominate and destroy.

Good player with the potential for greatness but nowhere near Yaya at his peak and huge questions as to whether he will ever emulate that kind of form. If United were signing someone in the mould of a prime of his career Roy Keane (as much as I think he's a cock) then I would be worried as that's the kind of player they've been missing for years.

As it is, they would be spending upwards of 100 million on a player who has shown flashes but is miles away from being a consistent, world class performer.

Having said all that, I would be astonished if he went back there anyway.

 

[OB1]

So then why exactly should we be worried? They've got a collection of wank midfielders. Signing Pogba won't make them amazing overnight.

I also think that there's a ridiculous misconception about what Pogba's strengths are. He cannot 'control' a midfield in the way that Toure used to in his pomp. He doesn't have that in his locker yet. He's someone who has flashes of brilliance but someone who is also far from fully developed mentally. His lack of intelligence on the pitch is something which IMO will hold him back.

Ask yourself this. If Pogba's as good as people say he is, why is it that City, Bayern, Barcelona, and by the looks of it PSG and Real Madrid too, are walking away from any deal for him?

Have to say that I am not convinced that he will ever reach the same peak as Yaya but I won't pretend that I did not want us to buy him or that I would be remotely pleased to see him return to Trafford. Part of me would find it amusing if they pay a world record fee to get a player that they let go for free; however they are a club without dignity or shame, despite what they would profess. They are also going to be prepared to spend stupid money to try and reassert themselves as top dog in Manchester. I hope City prove that they can and do work smarter.

 

[DiscoSteve]

what happened to the original giant Pogba thread?

 

[Marvin]

So then why exactly should we be worried? They've got a collection of wank midfielders. Signing Pogba won't make them amazing overnight.

I also think that there's a ridiculous misconception about what Pogba's strengths are. He cannot 'control' a midfield in the way that Toure used to in his pomp. He doesn't have that in his locker yet. He's someone who has flashes of brilliance but someone who is also far from fully developed mentally. His lack of intelligence on the pitch is something which IMO will hold him back.

Ask yourself this. If Pogba's as good as people say he is, why is it that City, Bayern, Barcelona, and by the looks of it PSG and Real Madrid too, are walking away from any deal for him?

We were interested. His agent and club are making it extremely expensive as they would, and I think he is happy at Juve. Man Utd have the deepest pockets and are desperate. Without him thy are nowhere

 

[blueinsa]

We were interested. His agent and club are making it extremely expensive as they would, and I think he is happy at Juve. Man Utd have the deepest pockets and are desperate. Without him thy are nowhere

Christ Marvin you do love to blow smoke up the rags arses at every opportunity.

 

[Marvin]

Christ Marvin you do love to blow smoke up the rags arses at every opportunity.

In 2 sentences you managed to lose track of Desperate and Nowhere. And it's a fact that they have one of the biggest transfer budgets in the game. Look at their spending under LVG. they have a new manager, and are in a difficult situation squad wise. They have been trying for 2-3 seasons to land a Ramos or a Muller. Fortunately they are run by clowns

 

[BillyShears]

In 2 sentences you managed to lose track of Desperate and Nowhere. And it's a fact that they have one of the biggest transfer budgets in the game. Look at their spending under LVG. they have a new manager, and are in a difficult situation squad wise. They have been trying for 2-3 seasons to land a Ramos or a Muller. Fortunately they are run by clowns

Maybe he should've quoted these two sentences of yours from earlier instead.

It would be an absolute disaster if he goes there. One of the very few players who would take a 5th, 6th, 7th ranking club which is where I see Utd finishing at this moment, to title contenders for years to come.

I'll just leave it there.

 

[the_game_161]

So then why exactly should we be worried? They've got a collection of wank midfielders. Signing Pogba won't make them amazing overnight.

I also think that there's a ridiculous misconception about what Pogba's strengths are. He cannot 'control' a midfield in the way that Toure used to in his pomp. He doesn't have that in his locker yet. He's someone who has flashes of brilliance but someone who is also far from fully developed mentally. His lack of intelligence on the pitch is something which IMO will hold him back.

Ask yourself this. If Pogba's as good as people say he is, why is it that City, Bayern, Barcelona, and by the looks of it PSG and Real Madrid too, are walking away from any deal for him?

Well if real walk away from a deal then that says a lot as they spend money for fun

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

If clubs are walking away from Pogba it is probably due to the ridiculous wages, transfer fee and agent fee figures that are being bandied around

 

[M18CTID]

So the current narrative is that if United get him they're welcome to him? Whoever he ends up signing for, this thread should go in the classics when it's all done and dusted!

 

[Roy Munson]

So the current narrative is that if United get him they're welcome to him? Whoever he ends up signing for, this thread should go in the classics when it's all done and dusted!

Don't think that's an exact description of the current narrative mate. I think there are a fair few on here, myself included, who don't feel he justifies the 100 million plus investment. It's a ridiculous amount of money for someone yet to show himself as being consistently world class.

I simply don't think he's the kind of player the scum need at all, other than for dick waving purposes. As I mentioned earlier he doesn't control the flow of a game and he doesn't physically dominate teams the way he should.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Have to say that I am not convinced that he will ever reach the same peak as Yaya but I won't pretend that I did not want us to buy him or that I would be remotely pleased to see him return to Trafford. Part of me would find it amusing if they pay a world record fee to get a player that they let go for free; however they are a club without dignity or shame, despite what they would profess. They are also going to be prepared to spend stupid money to try and reassert themselves as top dog in Manchester. I hope City prove that they can and do work smarter.

There isn't a player anywhere in the world with the unique combination of power and flair Ya Ya had up until about 2014, and comparisons with him are utterly pointless. He was both conductor and first violinist. What we should be looking at is whether Pogba can give us something we lacked last season, not whether he is a Ya Ya clone, and for me it's an emphatic yes. Height, tick, power, tick, inventiveness, tick.

We didn't just get beaten last season, we got absolutely gubbed at times. Pathetic spineless surrenders against the dippers (twice), Spurs, Stoke, Southampton and Leicester, and the same number of games again where we stank the place out yet someone managed to escape with draws and wins that we most certainly did not deserve (Swansea, Sunderland, the rags, Newcastle, West Brom). In nearly all of those games we gave away height and weight like Charlie Magri stepping into the ring against Henry Cooper, and we were bullied mentally and physically.

The Premier League is unique in nature in that champions have to be able to combine pace and flair with raw power, and ''twas ever thus. If we go into this season thinking we can come out on top with false no.9's and half a dozen midfielders measuring 5ft 9' and smaller, we will get a very rude awakening. This isn't a fearful "wet Tuesday night at Stoke" mentality, it's reality for any putative non-conformist team that doesn't have Messi and Suarez at their disposal, and we don't.

The willingness of City fans on here to dismiss players going elsewhere as being "not worth the money" and the club's they are bound for as "shit" never ceases to amaze me. Pogba is a fucking good player. Will he win United the league on his own? No. Of course he won't. Will he make a significant difference to them? Yes, I think he will. The worst rags team in living memory missed out on 4th place to us last season only on goal difference, and they were one of the form teams after Christmas. Albeit that they lost their penultimate fixture to a West Ham team fighting like their lives depended on it, there was a 30 minute period either side of half time in that game when they looked a real menace, going from 1-0 down to 2-1 up with some really slick interplay between Rashford, Martial, Rooney and Valencia down the right in particular. If they add Pogba and Ibrahimovic to the mix they will have one of the tallest and most physically intimidating squads in PL history, and with that cnut Mourinho in charge I would not be at all surprised to see them contesting the title.
City cannot afford to be complacent. We've got the best manager in the business, but the players we are being linked with concern me in terms of equating that balance of power and flair. Nolito, Stones, Zinchenko, Sane, Moreno. Stylish footballers one and all, but by contrast not the steeliest bunch in the world and they'll be going into a squad that already contains Sterling, Silva, Navas, KDB and Nasri. Just a personal opinion of course!

 

[BillyShears]

There isn't a player anywhere in the world with the unique combination of power and flair Ya Ya had up until about 2014, and comparisons with him are utterly pointless. He was both conductor and first violinist. What we should be looking at is whether Pogba can give us something we lacked last season, not whether he is a Ya Ya clone, and for me it's an emphatic yes. Height, tick, power, tick, inventiveness, tick.

We didn't just get beaten last season, we got absolutely gubbed at times. Pathetic spineless surrenders against the dippers (twice), Spurs, Stoke, Southampton and Leicester, and the same number of games again where we stank the place out yet someone managed to escape with draws and wins that we most certainly did not deserve (Swansea, Sunderland, the rags, Newcastle, West Brom). In nearly all of those games we gave away height and weight like Charlie Magri stepping into the ring against Henry Cooper, and we were bullied mentally and physically.

The Premier League is unique in nature in that champions have to be able to combine pace and flair with raw power, and ''twas ever thus. If we go into this season thinking we can come out on top with false no.9's and half a dozen midfielders measuring 5ft 9' and smaller, we will get a very rude awakening. This isn't a fearful "wet Tuesday night at Stoke" mentality, it's reality for any putative non-conformist team that doesn't have Messi and Suarez at their disposal, and we don't.

The willingness of City fans on here to dismiss players going elsewhere as being "not worth the money" and the club's they are bound for as "shit" never ceases to amaze me. Pogba is a fucking good player. Will he win United the league on his own? No. Of course he won't. Will he make a significant difference to them? Yes, I think he will. The worst rags team in living memory missed out on 4th place to us last season only on goal difference, and they were one of the form teams after Christmas. Albeit that they lost their penultimate fixture to a West Ham team fighting like their lives depended on it, there was a 30 minute period either side of half time in that game when they looked a real menace, with some really slick interplay between Rashford, Martial, Rooney and Valencia down the right in particular. If they add Pogba and Ibrahimovic to the mix they will have one of the tallest and most physically intimidating squads in PL history, and with that cnut Mourinho in charge I would not be at all surprised to see them contesting the title.
City cannot afford to be complacent. We've got the best manager in the business, but the players we are being linked with concern me in terms of equating that balance of power and flair. Nolito, Stones, Zinchenko, Sane, Moreno. Stylish footballers one and all, but by contrast not the steeliest bunch in the world and they'll be going into a squad that already contains Sterling, Silva, Navas, KDB and Nasri.

The reality is I trust Pep. So shoot me. Certainly I trust him over ANYONE on this forum when it comes to picking and choosing the right players for him and for the club.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

The reality is I trust Pep. So shoot me. Certainly I trust him over ANYONE on this forum when it comes to picking and choosing the right players for him and for the club.

Fair enough. He is the ace up our sleeve and no mistake, but then again we've both said the same thing about previous City managers. Pep might be different class to them, but this is a league that requires a plan B, C and D. No harm in having them

 

[BillyShears]

Fair enough. He is the ace up our sleeve and no mistake, but then again we've both said the same thing about previous City managers. Pep might be different class to them, but this is a league that requires a plan B, C and D. No harm in having them

Do you think that Pep is the kind of guy who won't be prepared for every eventuality ?

 

[Marvin]

The reality is I trust Pep. So shoot me. Certainly I trust him over ANYONE on this forum when it comes to picking and choosing the right players for him and for the club.

What if we have just decided it is too expensive. Pep's view of the player would not come into it. "Whatever we do is right because everything is Pep's choice" is a convenient argument and assumes a lot.

 

[Akiva]

Pogba wants Spain and would take less money to go there, but suddenly there's no interest. Why?

What if we have just decided it is too expensive. Pep's view of the player would not come into it. "Whatever we do is right because everything is Pep's choice" is a convenient argument and assumes a lot.

I can't see how we are looking at £100million for Stones/Sane on the one hand yet aren't interested in ponying up for Pogba.

The money to get Pep the team he wants is there, just Pogba isn't part of his plans. That he's not worth north of £80million is another issue entirely.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Do you think that Pep is the kind of guy who won't be prepared for every eventuality ?

I'd like to think so yes, but my reservation as stated is that however good he is, he has to have the tools to do all manner of different jobs, and at the moment our "to buy" list seems overladen with players that have one particular set of attributes rather than the other, and don't particularly address the weaknesses we saw last season. Pep isn't infallible and nor is any one system of play, and although it's a cliche the Premier League is a different beast to any other in Europe. The work rate, tempo and degree of physicality are all up a notch compared to anywhere else. It's a dogfight almost every single week and you have to have players in your squad who will roll up their sleeves as well as those who can knock the ball around stylishly. I'm not deliberately naysaying here, but Pep probably thought he was prepared in the last 3 CL semi finals, but lost the lot, and two of them badly. We will be better next season under Pep than we were under Pellegrini, but so will the rags, the dippers, Arsenal, Chelsea and so on

 

[OB1]

I'd like to think so yes, but my reservation as stated is that however good he is, he has to have the tools to do all manner of different jobs, and at the moment our "to buy" list seems overladen with players that have one particular set of attributes rather than the other, and don't particularly address the weaknesses we saw last season. Pep isn't infallible and nor is any one system of play, and although it's a cliche the Premier League is a different beast to any other in Europe. The work rate, tempo and degree of physicality are all up a notch compared to anywhere else. It's a dogfight almost every single week and you have to have players in your squad who will roll up their sleeves as well as those who can knock the ball around stylishly. I'm not deliberately naysaying here, but Pep probably thought he was prepared in the last 3 CL semi finals, but lost the lot, and two of them badly. We will be better next season under Pep than we were under Pellegrini, but so will the rags, the dippers, Arsenal, Chelsea and so on

You worry too much. Your concerns are valid but let's see who we actually buy. I don't think Pep will be oblivious to the unique demands of the Premier League; how he chooses to address them may not though be quite as traditional as you would like.