18 Aug 2016 12:43:06
Hey guys. Arsenal fan here coming in peace.
Genuinely curious to find out. Are any of you lot worried that Pogba could be the next Veron? I've noticed a trend that a lot of high-profile signings that come from Serie A tend to end up as flops in the Premier league, Veron, Shevchenko, Crespo, Jovetic, Cuadrado to name a few, and vice verse with players who underperformed in the Premier league going on to excell in Italy. Gervinho, Podolski, Balotelli (no one really knows with him) .
I'm not doubting his class or ability, but let's be honest, he's had it pretty easy at Juve up until now, being an key part in the best midfield in a pretty poor league, and one that's easy to play in for anyone that's not a defender.
And he only made 3 PL appearances as a sub before leaving, so he's not exactly got any experience of the league. Personally, I hope he's not, too many big names come to England and leave after a few years because they can't hack it, and it would be nice to see a world record transfer go somewhere other than Real Madrid and be a star. The back of my mind tells me I could be right though?
Opinions?
18 Aug 2016 13:02:32
No, he has the physicality to do well here. He also appears to be a very driven young man, add to that a manager who will help him improve I think he will be fantastic for us. I think it's the right player at the right club at the right time.
18 Aug 2016 13:11:59
I have no doubt he will be a success.
18 Aug 2016 13:19:00
He will succeed at UTD.
Partly due to JM being our manager. that and his willingness to be the best will put him in the top 2 players in the world if not THE best!
18 Aug 2016 13:29:50
No.
Pogba will be a great success IMO.
18 Aug 2016 13:45:01
Theres always that worry with an expensive signing. But jose wanted and club were decisive enough to get him.
That all you can really ask of them. All united fans wanted Woodward to bring in some quality and i don't see any better midfielder than pogba that we could have gotten.
18 Aug 2016 13:47:35
He will be a success, but more of a slow starter than a lot of people think 10-15 games in he will start to show his class.
18 Aug 2016 13:56:03
The difference with Pogba though is that he has already spent several years as a youth player in this country. He knows how the game is played in England and he has actually experienced it. So it shouldn't be a shock to him.
Whether he'll be as big a success as his price tag suggests he he should be is another question.
The trick is not to expect too much too soon, let him settle into a new side, with a new style of play under a new manager.
One day I'm sure Pogba will be capable of winning us games almost entirely on his own, but that won't be Friday.
18 Aug 2016 14:12:08
To add to my right player at the right club at the right time comment. We were in need of a player with his attributes, he will help the team drive forward as he like to run towards to opposition goal with the ball. He's physically the perfect player for Jose.
On a commercial level (ignore the fee) it makes sense. Rooney has been the global star for United that the marketing machine have thrown all their weight behind, this gives Rooney an awful lot of power in the club as he's the 'face' of the marketing campaigns. Having Pogba reduces that power and means they can go another direction. This also to a lesser extent applies with Zlatan although he's only short term. This in turn will help Jose phase Rooney out over the next couple of seasons maybe even next season if his form drops/ doesn't pick up.
Next point we are now an Adidas club and Pogba is an Addidas sponsored player. Rooney is a Nike player. Zlatan has just signed for Addidas. Again pointing to phasing Rooney out.
In conclusion he'll be a amazing player for us one that Jose will love and develop. The club also needed him from a commercial stand point to be the new 'face' of United.
18 Aug 2016 14:29:48
Shappy has hit it on the nail. Pogba spent several years at United. When he played in the league, you could see he was a star in the making. I have no doubt he'll succeed. But I'm sure the southern and scouse driven media will remind is every time he hits a bad pass.
18 Aug 2016 13:12:51
Completely different player to Veron. Pogba is a EPL style player with pace and power. Veron was a pass master, who needed time and pace to be at his best. Also I'm not sure Fergie knew what he wanted to do with Veron, he upset the Keane/ Scholes dynamic and just didn't fit with the squad. Jose, on the other hand, knows exactly what he wants to do with Pogba.
I think Pogba will be unfairly judged on his price tag, but he is perfectly suited for the EPL and Jose's system. Will perform the Essien role.
18 Aug 2016 16:44:07
Dear XhakaKhan, If u really are a gunner; i have a list of my own:
Roberto Di Matteo
Benito Carbone
Gianluca Festa
THIERRY HENRY (Duh)
Zola
Francesco Baiano
Attilio Lombardo
Dennis Bergkamp (Duh)
Patrick Vieira (Duh)
Marcel Desailly
Gianluca Vialli
Edwin van der Sar
Fabrizio Ravanelli
Carlo Cudicini
Stefano Eranio
and an honorable mention to Paolo Di Canio.
18 Aug 2016 17:37:01
I've got to say Pogba wouldn't have been my first choice and I do think we overpaid. I'm a little worried about where he fits in a 4231 formation as he has played in a strong 3 man midfield.
That being said I'm starting to think Jose may have the same effect on Pogba that he had on IBRA at Inter. I think Pogba has a big ego like Zlatan and obviously Jose desperately wanted him and bent over backwards to get him. I think Jose will make him feel special the same way Fergie treated Cantona. Even if Pogba wants a move to Real he will have to put in the effort to prove himself in the Prem. He is a very driven young man with a lot of years ahead of him. Messi and Ronaldo are nearing the end of their careers and Pogba wants to be their heir. I think Jose will improve the defensive side of his game. Pogba will succeeded, whether he will reach his full potential and if he does whether that will be at united or real remains to be seen.
18 Aug 2016 23:40:12
mbd
Good list there, and don't think I didn't take them into account.
The thing about most, if not all of the signings you mentioned is that none of them were nearly as high profile, and big-money as the ones I mentioned, and back when most of those guys signed for English clubs they were coming from a league that was leaps and bounds stronger than it is today, when the likes of Bergkamp, Vieira, Henry, Desailly, Zola, RDM et al moved, Serie A was arguably one of the strongest leagues in Europe whereas the Premier League was still on its way to becoming the immense competition that it is today.
For the record, I tend to discount defenders and keepers from Italy as I've always seen it as a league where world class defensive players are made.
Personally I think Pogba has every attribute necessary to excel in the Premier League, and I hope he does just that, however, coming from Italy will at the very least require him to (re) adjust to English football, and there's a chance that it could be very difficult for him. His ego is also a massive factor.
I was only asking for opinions, mbd, and everyone else was gracious enough to lend me one. I didn't come here looking for an argument so there's really no need for you to condescend to me like that. If you want to give me your actual opinion to my question, then by all means. Otherwise, keep your snide remarks to yourself. Cheers.