Paul Pogba is a magnet for criticism
Whether he plays well, badly, or simply puts in a 6/10 performance, Paul Pogba can’t seem to avoid criticism.
There is always a sense that he has not quite lived up to his £90m price tag, a factor in his move to United beyond his control.
Manchester United legend Bryan Robson, an all action central midfielder in his heyday, believes Pogba can and should be doing even more, given his capabilities.
“He’s an outstanding player, he just needs that little bit more consistency in terms of his performances,” Robson said.
Robson was keen to point out that most of the criticism that comes Pogba’s way is unfair, though.
“He’s a top player, but I think Paul comes in for a bit of unfair criticism,” he said.
“Every time United have a bad result, it’s always him who gets the flak.
“But it’s a team game and it’s up to everybody to pull together.”
“When people were talking about Brighton and his performance down there, there were a lot of players in the United team who were worse than him on the day.
“Yet because of his stature, he’s the one who takes the most criticism.
“But for me he’s got a good attitude towards the game, he’s got the ability, it’s just about getting it out of him week-in, week-out, if you want to go on and win the title.”
United boss José Mourinho has thus far failed to get the best out of Paul Pogba, even when he has been deployed in his favoured position: on the left of a midfield three.
If Manchester United want to arrest their underwhelming run of form, squeezing every ounce of talent out of Paul Pogba will be key.
Bryan Robson was speaking after Manchester was named ESPN’s Greatest Sporting City 2018 in the UK. The in-depth research, now in its fourth year, discovers the best place in the UK to be a fan.
