Manchester United did not buy Paul Pogba for his calmness. He is a player who brings noise and action to a midfield, not serenity. Pogba’s all-running, all-tackling, all-dribbling style has become part of the brand.
That has its benefits. In the strangled, sluggish performances under Louis van Gaal in 2015/16, Manchester United were crying out for a midfielder who would ignite a spark and create the moment that turned draw into victory.
On Saturday lunchtime, we saw the disadvantages. Against ten-man Bournemouth, United did not need to panic or rush. They had 45 minutes in which their opponents were attempting nothing other than defending for their lives, at least nine of their ten men behind the ball. What they needed were calm heads.
In those situations, intelligence wins out. The defending tam must be toyed __with and tested, dragged out of position or passed to death until a moment of individual weakness occurs. It only takes one error of positioning or discipline to create the overlap from which a chance can be created. Then the opposition must push out and can be picked off.
In the last quarter of the Bournemouth draw, Pogba ignored that advice. He jerked between two extremes, either crossing or shooting early in a move __with little chance of success, or holding onto the ball for far too long and allowing Bournemouth to regroup defensively. Watching on the from the touchline, Eddie Howe must have been delighted.
It is this second option that has become Pogba’s infuriating party trick, the handbrake on his first season back in Manchester. Whether or not it stems from a desire to re-prove himself back in familiar surroundings is open to debate, but he must learn to curb his instinct to be the superhero. Pogba is the footballing equivalent of Will Self speaking: Why have one touch when you can have four or five?
The errors of over-indulgence were compounded by Pogba’s lack of composure in the penalty area. Twice in the last ten minutes the ball found him six yards from goal. The first time Pogba swiped with his left foot and mishit the ball wide, and the second he got the ball stuck under his feet and lost the chance to shoot. Cue groans around Od Trafford.
There were moments of brilliance, as there always will be with a player of such talent. Pogba’s scooped pass for Wayne Rooney in the first half was divine, and no player on the pitch created more chances than his four. The transfer fee dictates that he will be judged on his flaws rather than his attributes. That’s just the way it is.
When you place yourself front and centre of the stage, the spotlight will always shine brightest on you. Pogba had 41 more touches of the ball than any other midfielder or attacker in the match. Manchester United’s failure is his failure.
Daniel Storey