Penalties

Think where we'd be now if Rashford and Pogba converted theirs earlier in the season, maybe 5 or 6 points more?

comment by rosso is done with this (U17054)
posted 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
If we do see Pogba playing in front of McT and Fred, it’ll be as a result of a change in system. There’s no way Ole is dropping him into Lingard/Mata’s role, because it just won’t work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pipe down Mr "Martial can't play as a #9"

comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - Ole's joy Manticore (U2958)
posted 54 seconds ago
comment by rosso is done with this (U17054)
posted 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
If we do see Pogba playing in front of McT and Fred, it’ll be as a result of a change in system. There’s no way Ole is dropping him into Lingard/Mata’s role, because it just won’t work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pipe down Mr "Martial can't play as a #9"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In his defence, there are still idiots pushing that agenda. I presume Rosso has done a u-turn on this one.

I think too much is made about the difference between AMF, #10, LCM, RCM, 4-2-1-3, 4-1-3-1 and all that business.

Give the guy a bit of a free role in between the midfielders and forwards and see what happens.

comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - Ole's joy Manticore (U2958)
posted 16 minutes ago

I think too much is made about the difference between AMF, #10, LCM, RCM, 4-2-1-3, 4-1-3-1 and all that business.

Give the guy a bit of a free role in between the midfielders and forwards and see what happens.

..............

One of the things I have often said on here is that people read to much into formations and the rigidity of them.

If Ole is going to stick with his midfield two, then you accommodate Pogba as below.

..................McT ....................Fred......................

...........................Pogba....................................

James..................Rashford.........................Martial

The front three all capable of interchanging. Pogba playing between the middle and where a number ten would sit.

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - Ole's joy Manticore (U2958)
posted 54 seconds ago
comment by rosso is done with this (U17054)
posted 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
If we do see Pogba playing in front of McT and Fred, it’ll be as a result of a change in system. There’s no way Ole is dropping him into Lingard/Mata’s role, because it just won’t work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pipe down Mr "Martial can't play as a #9"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In his defence, there are still idiots pushing that agenda. I presume Rosso has done a u-turn on this one.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He’s been better in recent weeks, but it has been Rashford who has largely been carrying the attack, at the business end of it, at least.

Part of the reason Martial has been better is because the coaching staff have allowed all of the forwards to come deeper for the ball, rather than trying to stretch opposition backlines and play on the shoulder all the time, which clearly wasn’t working.

Tony has almost been playing as a false nine, rather than a line-leading target man. And he’s naturally been much better in that role.

He’s still crap in the box

comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 5 hours, 42 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 8 minutes ago
MUDD I said last season Pogba should have a free role but given more defensive duties when we play a team like City or Liverpool who always make teams work hard.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Against teams like City or Liverpool, playing him higher up the pitch minimises risk. A lot of the time Pogba dawdles on the ball because he has no options ahead of him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He has options. The short pass, he just refuses to use it.

He has options. The short pass, he just refuses to use it.

..................

He has been blind on his left hand side for most of the time he has been back.

He either doesn't like Martial or just doesn't see him.

Rosso

"His biggest deficiencies are his work rate, his concentration, his movement, his turning circle, his acceleration and his awareness in close quarters."

During Ole's winning run, he showed he could press with and work just as hard as the other advanced players. I'm sure Ole wouldn't want him around if he didn't think he had the work ethic.

His acceleration is fine, it's his general speed over he course of 30-40m. Watch the Dan James goal against Chelsea below (1.46). He's able to accelerate past the opposition, has nothing between him and the goal but begins to slow down which forces him to pass too James.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6Nc3QkF_DY

I have to disagree about his movement and turning circle as well. For a big guy, he swivels around the opposition regularly with skill and speed. As for his movement, we've seen him run into tight spaces and combine with players like Martial and Rashford.

Watch his movement against Newcastle...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHzpdJ1SNEg

He's able to identify spaces in tight areas to receive the ball, his excellent close control and strength allows him to keep hold of the ball or give a quick flick before the opposition can tackle. Exactly what we are missing against teams who deploy the low block. Players like Mata and Lingard who admittedly have superior movement are easily barged off of the ball. Defenders also find it hard to tackle around Pogbas larger frame.

For me his deficiencies are his concentration, (which you said) which is why he's more of a liability playing deeper. A role which requires him to track runners coming from behind him, into the box. His speed over a long distance and being slow to release the ball when a forward pass isn't available are also negatives. He's unable to keep things ticking along like Carrick which is another reason why I don't like him playing deeper.

Off the subject of Pogba, why do you think Martial is crap in the box? Are you talking about movement or finishing?

That Chelsea clip demonstrates my point, exactly

He’s facing goal and jogging when he starts and unleashes a powerful run over forty or fifty yards. It doesn’t show the kind of explosive acceleration that Lingard, Chong, James or Rashford.

What you need in the area of the pitch that those guys play in is to be able to turn on a sixpence and zip away - with or without the ball - over five yards. He doesn’t have that in his locker.

Now the second video. Watch the first fifteen seconds. We lose the ball in the opposition’s third and he starts jogging back. He is passed by McT who is making a serious effort to get back. He is then passed by Rashford, who is on the other side of the pitch to the action

We know all about Pogba. His strengths are incredibly strong and clear. As are his weaknesses. And I don’t understand why people continue to deny them.

As for Martial, yes, the biggest issue with him playing at nine is his movement in the box, which is terrible. He’s just not a natural in there. His finishing we know is great. He just isn’t going to get on the end of nearly as many chances as he should or we need.