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Manchester United: Paul Pogba kept it simple and was outstanding because of it

By Ollie Slack

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Manchester United star Paul Pogba has been under a significant amount of pressure recently. So keeping it simple was the best thing for him to do, and he did it very well.

Everyone expects a lot from Paul Pogba. The price tag, the potential from a young age, the class player at Juventus, however, for some reason Pogba has not been able to replicate his form at Manchester United.

The media have headhunted him and used the opportunity to go for his throat. Writing stories about how he should be concentrating on his game and not his haircuts is the ultimate irony. Garth Crooks, Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Souness have all took unfair jibes at him.

However, one little message from Jose Mourinho could completely transform his career at Old Trafford: “keep it simple”.

Difference between the Premier League and Serie A

Serie A is a completely different league to the Premier League. There are fewer teams who opt for the pressing style of play that so many do in the Premier League. The style of defending is more traditional: get numbers behind the ball and be very compact and disciplined in your shape.

Paul Pogba would have had lots of time on the ball in Italy. When opponents sit back and get in there shape, he had time to perform all of his tricks and flicks. The Juventus team he played in, loved to counter-attack too. Therefore, his remarkable physical attributes would have been so dominating on the break.
Paul Pogba would have had lots of time on the ball in Italy. When opponents sit back and get in there shape, he had time to perform all of his tricks and flicks. The Juventus team he played in, loved to counter-attack too. Therefore, his remarkable physical attributes would have been so dominating on the break. /

The time difference between the Serie A and the Premier League is only plus one hour, however, it would have felt days when Pogba returned to the Premier League. Bar the West Brom game, where complacency let him down, he generally performs well at home against teams who sit back. Very similar to how he would have played in Italy.

But when teams press, a number now do in England, they target Pogba. He can be exploited as he likes to have time on the ball to showcase his natural talents.

This is why the message to keep it simple, is more relevant than ever in the current Premier League era. If you don’t give the ball away you won’t be criticised. If you don’t relinquish possession, you won’t get picked up on. Keep it simple and do the boring things brilliantly.

Paul Pogba’s recent form

Before the Manchester derby, many weren’t sure whether or not Pogba would be picked. He wasn’t going through the best time on the pitch and Mourinho had been dropping him because of it.

However, his impact against Manchester City was outstanding. The type of performance a player with his ability should be delivering. He didn’t have a great first half, but when he came out after the break he epicentre of all Manchester United’s counter-attacks.

The two goals he scored were goals we haven’t seen much of from Pogba. They were goals we were expecting to see though. The late arrivals into the box, using his physical assets before finishing with his footballing assets. The only other time we’ve seen a Pogba display like it was against Arsenal in early December.
The two goals he scored were goals we haven’t seen much of from Pogba. They were goals we were expecting to see though. The late arrivals into the box, using his physical assets before finishing with his footballing assets. The only other time we’ve seen a Pogba display like it was against Arsenal in early December. /

Next up was West Brom at home. Everyone was expecting the Frenchman to dominate again but he was appalling. Most disappointingly, his attitude was not right. He was complacent, assuming victory and showing off with too many tricks. His attitude, the reason he left Old Trafford in the first place, is still a concern. It shouldn’t something that turns on and off like a switch.

Simplifying Pogba’s game was the key

Despite his two goals in the derby, his performance against Bournemouth, for me was his best of the season. On the back of a dreadful display against the Baggies, the message from Mourinho was, “keep it simple”. There was a lot of pressure on Pogba. Mourinho hinted before the match that he could be dropped for the FA Cup semi-final.
Despite his two goals in the derby, his performance against Bournemouth, for me was his best of the season. On the back of a dreadful display against the Baggies, the message from Mourinho was, “keep it simple”. There was a lot of pressure on Pogba. Mourinho hinted before the match that he could be dropped for the FA Cup semi-final. /

Pogba needed to respond and he did, emphatically. In a midfield-three, his distribution and running with the ball on the counter was all simplified. There were no extra touches or skills, just a great footballer doing the simple things outstandingly well. Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick were exceptional at this and are now regarded as club legends.

How did Pogba perform on the big occasion, the cup semi-final?

Once again, all eyes were on the starting XI as the FA Cup semi-final drew closer. Would Mourinho start Pogba despite suggesting his big stars would be dropped? The clue was actually in the Bournemouth match on Wednesday. Pogba was replaced by Daley Blind with 10 minutes to go.

The 25-year old did start the game, and not very well. Tottenham came out the blocks fast and Spurs hunted Paul Pogba once again. In a panic, he tried to get out of a tight space with a back-flick but he gave away possession. The pressure cooker turned up further as he failed to track Christian Eriksen in the build-up of Spurs opening goal.
The 25-year old did start the game, and not very well. Tottenham came out the blocks fast and Spurs hunted Paul Pogba once again. In a panic, he tried to get out of a tight space with a back-flick but he gave away possession. The pressure cooker turned up further as he failed to track Christian Eriksen in the build-up of Spurs opening goal. /

However, from this moment, Manchester United and Paul Pogba took control. He drifted further out to the left, allowing him more options to pass to on the ball. Therefore he could give and go, keep it simple, and not rely on his tricks to get out of tight spaces. He produced a wonderful cross to set up Alexis Sanchez for the equaliser.

Next: Ander Herrera superb again as he sends Spurs out of FA Cup

Into the second half and Pogba continued to link up with the Chilean well. Driving forward and pinging balls into the left channel, Pogba was the key to United’s counter-attacks but also in thwarting Tottenham. Keeping the ball so well upfield, halting Tottenham’s rhythm and giving United’s backline a much-needed breather.

Hopefully these last few months have been a big learning curve for Paul Pogba. The Premier League, Manchester United and Jose Mourinho demand a different player to the one who was at Juventus. But in fact, it’s a much simpler player.

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