We miss Pogba, soon may he return
- Features
- Nov 3, 2017
- 3 min read
Since Pogba suffered a muscle injury while captaining United in the UEFA Champions League against FC Basel, it has been clear that the whole team’s form has dipped. Without an apparent return date, the anxiety is chomping at our hearts. Pogba’s run this season was phenomenal as he commanded the midfield, scored and assisted with goals and made everyone look good.
Is this why both Henrikh Mkitrayan and Romelu Lukaku have been struggling?
Bryan Robson, Man United legend seems to think the answer is clear, Pogba is the key to unlock this struggling patch, saying: “The only thing which is a little bit of a shame for United so far, because I think United might have had even more points on the board, is if Pogba had been fit all the time.
“Because I thought the balance of Matic and Pogba, Herrera or Fellaini, whichever way the manager wanted to play them: Pogba was scoring goals, but he was creating goals because he had this really good understanding with Lukaku.
“So I think we’ve missed that to a certain degree and that’s why we’re not scoring as many goals as when we started the season. The sooner Pogba comes back the better for the club.”
Our midfield is holding yes, attacking? Not so much.
Since Pobga’s injury, the midfield has oscillated between the pairings of Matic at Defensive Midfield while Herrera/Fellaini and even Scott have featured in the holding/ attacking midfield role. The biggest problem with the midfield is that the attacking part has been missing; and this is not just attempts at goal. The biggest problems have come from their ability to service both Mkhi and Lukaku and of course, they don’t have Pogba’s attacking prowess.
The balance of going forward is missing and we need it if we are to continue with the smooth flowing, energized football we witnessed during Pogba’s reign. In the meantime, even Fellaini needs to return because; his unique role and forward tracking gave a much better improved performance than what we’ve been seeing of late.
It’s now clear that Pogba brought out the best in Lukaku.
Sky Sports pundit Danny Higginbotham’s comments during this week’s debate: “It’s worth noting that Paul Pogba is a big miss. Pogba brought the best out of Lukaku, and Lukaku brought the best out of Pogba.
“Pogba started the season by scoring goals from outside the area, in space created by Lukaku stretching opposition defenses. United have not got that player now that can go through the gears and start from deep – attributes which took the pressure off Lukaku.
“Contrast that to now and Lukaku has to go a little deeper at times, when you actually want him to be stretching the game. When Ibrahimovic is fit it will simply be another option for Manchester United and Mourinho, and what options Zlatan and Lukaku are.”
Rio Ferdinand: Manchester United will only be back to their best once Paul Pogba returns.
Ferdinand, speaking on BT Sport said: “Pogba’s injury has been a big reason the form has gone off. The fluidity of the team is not the same as it was at the start of the season without Pogba.”
Mourinho has done his best.
However, let’s not place too much stock on one player’s impact because since then, Man United have only lost once, have lots of clean sheets, are second in the Premier League, on top of their Champions’ League group, and have 13 wins under their belt already.
So, while we await eagerly for Podgba’s return, let us not lose focus on the rest of the team. Kudos to Mourinho for making do but at the end of the day, this is why it’s squad sports.
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