Paul Pogba is a phenomenon and a true Manchester United legend. I first watched him as a 16-year-old during the European Cup final against arch-rivals Milan. I don’t even think any of my friends or family knew what they were doing at the time, but they stuck with it and enjoyed every minute of the match. That game is still the benchmark for my generation of Manchester United fans, and a reason why we are so passionate about the club. But Paul Pogba is not only a class above the rest, he is a menace to opposing defenses and one of the best players I have ever seen during my time at Old Trafford. This article will list some of his greatest assists and most memorable goals throughout his time at the Theatre.
The first goal he scored for United was an incredible one. It came against fierce competition from Chelsea and Inter Milan and he put in a performance that will be remembered for many years. There is no doubt that Inter Milan would have beaten United at that point in the season, but the Red Devils stood their ground and pulled one back. All we could think of was how brilliant a player that was would be at the Theatre. The subsequent assists by Pogba and Juan Mata sealed the deal and made this game one we will always remember.
This season has been a strange one for Paul Pogba. Despite missing a few cup matches early on and then injuring his ankle in the semi-final against PSV Eindhoven, he has still managed to help the club keep fourth place. However injuries have been problems, and in the semi-final against Valencia, he was unable to play and instead replaced Juan Mata (now at Chelsea). This leaves United with just one cup to win and they are currently second in the league, behind title challengers Chelsea.
There is no doubt that Paul Pogba is one of the best players in the world. He has played some good games for United and also helped the club to win the treble last season, but the lack of goals has been a big hit to their hopes of retaining the top spot. They have not scored more than once in either of their last five games and have not even featured in the cup this season.
It is understandable that results suffer at Old Trafford when the form goes down. With a host of high-profile stars missing and expectations slightly below par, it is easy to lose sight of the target. This is not the first time this has happened at the Theatre and United must find a way to raise the standard of play to earn points. Without an injection of creativity and drive from the bench, it is hard to see a revival in fortunes.
Pogba has been exceptional in front of goals this season. Only Eden Hazard has created more chances than him and only four teams have created more chances than Man Utd. That says it all. Without the goals, they are not on course for the title. But one game against a superior opponent should not be too much of a cause for concern. If they lose this one, then Manchester United will definitely have suffered a big blow and will need to pick themselves up for the coming games.
If United can manage to win this one, then they are in safe waters. Otherwise, there is a very real danger that they slip back into the malaise. This season has been littered with false starts and mistakes and this needs to be prevented at all costs. This season has seen many opportunities for goals and for saves too. The forwards have been wasteful and have been fortunate not to give away more than one. The clean sheet record is also far from ideal.
There is no doubt that Pogba has been a great contributor to United’s success. However, he does not rate himself as the answer to United’s goals problems. In this respect, he is just part of the problem and is not nearly good enough to be considered the solution. The club needs a plan B and that may have to involve resting some of its younger players until such time as they are ready to perform with the first team. However, that is probably the best way forward because there is so much unfinished business and this season has been a disaster by almost every measure.
