Ole may have new plans for Pogba on season restart
THE debate about where to deploy Paul Pogba on a football field has been running for far too long.
It’s a question seemingly as old as the Frenchman’s own United career, yet it wasn’t such an issue when he was playing for Juventus or indeed while he was helping France to success at the 2018 World Cup.
It was enough to tie Jose Mourinho in knots, however, and will be a huge issue for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he prepares his charges for the resumption of the Premier League.
Having Pogba fully fit for the first time since September is an undoubted boost for United, no matter what your views on the enigmatic midfielder.
Solskjaer certainly gave that impression the last time he spoke about the midfielder, ignoring the undertone of uncertainty that surrounds the player’s future.
Yet the landscape has changed, particularly for Pogba, since he was last a fixture in the United midfield.
In September, Fred wasn’t even in the team and Bruno Fernandes was still a Sporting Lisbon player. United had struggled for goals and fluency at the start of the season and Pogba was viewed as the side’s creative hub.
No longer. In fact, the Reds could further bolster their resources of creativity in the summer transfer window amid interest in Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish.
Pogba isn’t the main man going forward anymore, yet as Solskjaer suggested he is talented enough to remain an integral member of the squad at least for the climax of the season.
So United should look instead to re-purpose Pogba - a plan Solskjaer appeared to be devising earlier in the campaign.
For a number of matches early in the season, United lined up with Pogba and Scott McTominay in a midfield two, with either Jesse Lingard or Andreas Pereira the most advanced of a trio. That says plenty about how Solskjaer wanted to use Pogba’s strength, athleticism and all-round midfield game in a deeper role, even when the No.10 options weren’t as good as they are now.
Fernandes is a must in that pocket behind the striker and with the 4-2-3-1 formation working well for United before the season was halted, perhaps Pogba could be the perfect foil for Fernandes alongside Fred, Scott McTominay - or indeed Nemanja Matic - in a two-man midfield pairing behind the Portuguese.
It shouldn’t mean Pogba’s attacking skills are wasted. In fact, his ability to pick a long-range pass may be even more dangerous when stationed as a ‘quarterback’ type player, while his aerial prowess will be useful in defensive phases.
Didier Deschamps and France proved in the 2018 World Cup that Pogba can play in such a role. They were happy to leave him ‘exposed’ in some people’s eyes in a 4-4-2 (that could become 4-2-3-1 in defence) in which he had only N’Golo Kante for company in central midfield.
With Fred excellently carrying out the tireless Kante role and Fernandes supporting the striker, United can ape that system and see plenty of success. Pogba is not the attacking midfielder that many viewed him as when he rejoined United, but he’s an all-round midfield talent that has plenty to offer the club in the short term.