Pogba’s Derby Performance Slated

Pogba’s Derby Performance Slated

It was inevitable that when Paul Pogba joined United for a world record fee, a single poor performance would lead to days of shaming from pundits. It’s no secret that the Manchester derby wasn’t Pogba’s best ever game, but the fact he cost a mere £90m to bring back to Old Trafford means his performances will be put under huge scrutiny regardless.

Jamie Carragher has been one of many to take a swipe at the midfielder. The Sky Sports pundit described Pogba’s performance as “ill-disciplined” and later went onto say he felt sorry for Fellaini, Pogba’s midfield partner.

Carragher said Pogba’s positioning throughout the first half left Fellaini exposed to David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, who both stunned United with their performances as City took a 2-0 lead inside the first half.


“I don’t think it was so much that Pep Guardiola got it massively right than Jose Mourinho got it tactically wrong,” Carragher said.

“He wasn’t helped by the performance of his players – he subbed two at half-time – but specifically the performance of Paul Pogba. For a central midfielder in a game of that magnitude, I think for the first 40 minutes it was one of the most ill-disciplined performances you will see.”

“The only way to describe it was like watching the best player in the schoolyard that runs where he wants and does what he wants. Five minutes into a Manchester derby, when you know the centre of the pitch is so important to stopping Man City, he finds himself in a left-wing role trying to receive the ball.”

“I never thought I’d say this, but I felt so sorry for Fellaini. He was left on his own in the centre of the pitch and there was so much space [for Man City]. Pogba has cost what he has cost and he has done what he has done, he’s not a kid. He is 23. You find yourself looking at situations where Man Utd are leaving acres of space in the most important part of the pitch against a Pep Guardiola team.”

“His job, when you are playing in a two in midfield, is to be disciplined, especially against Silva and De Bruyne. It is either he has got it wrong or Mourinho has given him licence to do what he wants and that is wrong.”

“I have criticised Pogba for his performance, but he has great talent and abilities,” Carragher added.

“I wouldn’t say you would ever build a team around one man, but if you’ve spent that much money, I think if you are picking your team, you say, ‘Where are we getting the best out of him?’ Then others can work around that.”

“I think that’s where he played for Juventus, either in a diamond, tucked in on the left, or in a 3-5-2 – like when he had Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio giving him that freedom, because defensively he is poor.”

Neville added: “I think in certain games when you expect Man Utd to play, you will still see them play with two in midfield and Pogba will be one of the two.”

“But after what we saw at the weekend, I think particularly in Europe and in the big Premier League games, Pogba has to play with the freedom to go and cause problems.”

Pogba is without a doubt a class act, but it does seem odd to give him free reign of the midfield. He’s a central midfielder by trade so make him play there, and if Mourinho wants him to be more adventurous then surely the best option should be to play Morgan Schniederlin alongside him to act as extra protection.

[Quotes via Sky Sports]