Manchester United: Paul Pogba must be benched immediately
Manchester United’s struggles are getting into a desperate state as they are losing ground on all the big dogs. Something must give and it is Paul Pogba.
Just a couple days ago I wrote that something had to give way at Manchester United. Somebody’s ego had to give, and it couldn’t be Mourinho’s. Where would he go?
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Starting Marcus Rashford was a massive step in the right direction, albeit in the left wing role. It worked so well that he provided the only goal that the Red Devils could muster against Watford. But that 3-1 loss caps off a week of three losses.
I don’t think I need to tell you this, but that’s unacceptable for a team of United’s caliber and, let’s be honest, price.
Our solution to what must give way should be obvious by now. It’s Paul Pogba. He is not providing much of anything for Manchester United and while he has limited his shooting as of late, he has not stepped up anything else. He isn’t creating chances or threatening defenses much and while his defensive numbers aren’t the worst, that’s not why he’s here.
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Mourinho has to understand that Pogba may just not be ready yet. Not only that, but sending a shockwave through the team by benching the massively overpriced midfielder would have residual effects. But the Special One is probably the only manager that could pull it off without causing Pogba to throw a tantrum.
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United has options. So many options. Morgan Schneiderlin, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, all of these guys have proven Premier League quality, meaning that they have all of the needed legs up on Pogba except for price tag. You can’t keep pampering your superstars when precious points are being lost.
I’m just not sure how much faith I have in Mourinho to make this needed move. Starting Rashford gives me hope that it isn’t impossible, but as I mentioned in the summer, severe troubles may lead to a massive derailing at Old Trafford and I fear that’s where this is headed if something isn’t done.
For as little as I think of Pogba, he’s not like Balotelli. Or at least, he has never shown similar traits, other than their arrogance, but Pogba has, for the most part, backed it up. Benching him may be a slap in the face, but it will be a massive maturing process for him to recover from that.
Either that or it will debilitate him and forever spoil his footballing career. The former seems far more likely than the latter.
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