Man United midfielder Paul Pogba celebrates after scoring in the Manchester United. (Getty Images)
Manchester United never looked confident in pre-season. There were clear signs of discomfort and a lack of commitment in the squad, as the Red Devils put in a series of disappointing performances over the summer. Jose Mourinho’s third season syndrome seems to be kicking in with all visible signs playing its part.
The Red Devils successfully pulled off a 2-1 win against Leicester City last week, despite failing to impress going forward. But Manchester United were made to pay against Brighton and Hove Albion as the Seagulls pulled off an emphatic 3-2 home win.
The pressure is starting to mount and there have been tons of criticism regarding the manager’s football philosophy and man-management.
United seem to play better only when Paul Pogba plays well. They click in the final third and seem more threatening with Pogba pulling the strings. But in Mourinho’s system, the former Juventus midfielder often sits deep and plays the ball from the back.
In Mourinho’s system, the 25-year-old functions almost like a defensive/holding midfielder, rather than harnessing his creative prowess. So far, Pogba has been able to muster 3 tackles with a 33% tackle success rate. Not only is the midfielder being deprived of his qualities, but the Frenchman also lacks the defensive nous required to play this role. (Stats courtesy – Whoscored)
Pogba picked up two goals in the first two games and although they came via penalties, the midfielder came close to scoring on many other occasions. Looking at his underlying stats, it’s clear that Pogba deserves to push forward more often and receive the required freedom to flourish in the game. The 25-year-old averaged 2.5 shots and 3.5 dribbles per game. (Stats courtesy – Whoscored)
In the game against Brighton, Pogba took the most shots (3) and created more chances (2) than any of his teammates. But at the same time, he also conceded possession on 27 occasions and committed 6 fouls in the entire game, both of which were the highest amongst his fellow teammates.
There are two sides to Pogba’s game at Manchester United. On certain occasions, he seems to be struggling to make an impact in a foreign role. But at other times, he plays like a talented technician, who likes to pull the strings from the midfield. The Red Devils are clearly lacking when it comes to scoring good goals.
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However, pushing Pogba higher up the pitch and providing him with the required freedom should see Manchester United fare better. Mourinho is known for his stubborn and arrogant attitude, but it would be a huge blunder from the former Chelsea manager to restrict the Frenchman from playing his natural game.
