Redaktører: Guardiola, Wennerberg
"Perez loves good players, he praised Pogba and asked him if likes Real,” Buyo told Telefoot.
“If you ask a player if he loves this team and he says he does, it means he wants to join, and in the near future.
Braida had today in Milan lunch with Juventus director Marotta and Inter sports director Ausilio to discuss Pogba and Pedro. [md]
Nu har jeg ikke se ham så meget, hvordan fungerer ham som playmaker? Eller er han mere ala Toure?Brombi skrev:Hvis man ikke kan få Verratti, vil Pogba helt klart være at fortrække. Han er også en arbejdshest, er vildt god med og uden bolden, kan slå gode afleveringer. Han var vildt god Madrid, og han er grunden til jeg ikke er så sikker mod Juve.
Det kan være svært at kategorisere Pogba, fordi han er så alsidig. Men her er en god (lidt gammel, med stadig relevant) artikel om ham.Raman93 skrev:Nu har jeg ikke se ham så meget, hvordan fungerer ham som playmaker? Eller er han mere ala Toure?Brombi skrev:Hvis man ikke kan få Verratti, vil Pogba helt klart være at fortrække. Han er også en arbejdshest, er vildt god med og uden bolden, kan slå gode afleveringer. Han var vildt god Madrid, og han er grunden til jeg ikke er så sikker mod Juve.
Andrea Pirlo’s movement off the ball and constant movement all over the field seems to leave space for another midfielder who plays deep in the midfield, Paul Pogba, to have plenty of space to operate without getting in Pirlo’s way or hindering Pirlo’s play.
Therefore, less attention should be focused on what position Pogba is actually playing and more attention should be focused on the qualities that he brings to Juventus.
Italians have a variety of names for all of the positions in soccer, and in the midfield, mediano, mezz’ala, centrale, trequartista, and mezzapunta are some of the position names heard the most.
Paul Pogba is hard to characterize with the exception that he is not a trequartista or mezzapunta which are two names for the same advanced-playmaker role or the proverbial number 10 role. Andrea Pirlo, who now plays as a regista or a deep-lying playmaker who lines up at kick off directly in front of the defense, was originally used as a trequartista or mezzapunta until Milan moved him back to his now favorite regista role.
Pogba is some combination of a mediano, centrale, and (maybe down the road) a regista.[
A mediano is a defensive midfielder who essentially plays as a midfield destroyer with the obvious caveat that anyone playing as a midfielder at the elite-level is expected to have advanced technical ability so as to not be a passing liability.
A centrale is a box-to-box midfielder along the lines of Arturo Vidal or Kevin-Prince Boateng, even though Boateng is often forced to play out of position as a pseudo-trequartista. In the past, players like Patrick Vieira and Michael Ballack were classic centrali (plural of centrale) and certainly someone like Ramires also would be classified as a centrale. Calling Paul Pogba a regista at this point is a stretch, but he has certainly shown the passing elegance and accuracy to play the sort of balls that a regista plays with ease. - (som sagt lidt gammel, og han har nu vist at han godt kan spille regista)
Forcing Pogba into a box or trying to classify him as one of the three midfield positions mentioned above is not as important as the diverse arsenal of qualities that he brings to a midfield even as good as Juventus’.
Nobody really knows what midfield position Paul Pogba is actually playing for Juventus, and it does not matter because he is the total package and a complete player who provides everything one could ask for in a midfielder.
Pogba is a complete midfielder who provides so many different qualities that letting him play his game as opposed to forcing him into a set midfield role is probably the best policy, especially since Pirlo covers so much territory and knows exactly where to go on the field to compliment his teammates and orchestrate play.
Pogba is special because he provides goals, two-footed play, precision passing, strong and elegant tackling (both standing challenges and slide tackles), rock solid shielding of the ball, guile and trickery on the ball, and tireless running. Pogba scores volleys from distance with both feet. He plays soft chips that meet their target in stride. He plays one-to-two touch soccer, and he recovers the ball almost as soon as he or his teammates have lost possession. Pogba’s play is causing Antonio Conte to consider making more adjustments to his line-ups than Conte even had to consider in the past.
Pogba has created debate in soccer circles about what position he plays, how good he is, and which player he plays like. There have been numerous comparisons to Patrick Vieira due to obvious physical similarities and the fact that Pogba is a French midfielder, but Pogba appears to have a more refined technical skill-set than Vieira in addition to superior athleticism that most noticeably shows up in the form of agility and gait.
Pogba is around 6’4” as a 19 year old, so it is safe to assume that Pogba will just grow taller and stronger while maintaining his lean and muscular frame. By way of a comparison to basketball, there is no reason to assume that Pogba will lose some agility or athleticism as he grows taller because basketball players of a similar age and that level of athleticism do not lose their athleticism and agility when they grow a few inches taller.
For some coaches, fans, and players, versatility in a player is sometimes viewed as a negative attribute as some people believe versatility usually means that a player is merely good in a variety of categories and in a variety of positions as opposed to being great at a certain position or at a certain aspect of soccer.
Pogba appears to excel at almost all of the fundamentals that a player is measured by, and he plays like a midfielder that can be devastating in the defense and in the attack. With a player who provides so many qualities, a coach can, to some extent, free the player up to roam the field wherever he is needed providing defense when defense is needed and attacking ability when attacking is needed. Pogba already knows how to play effectively and where to go on the field, but playing alongside Pirlo with undoubtedly numerous French and non-French legends offering him advice can only make Pogba better.
Excluding the defenders, Juventus had been utilizing Andrea Pirlo as a regista directly in front of the defense with Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal playing in front of Pirlo as something like centrali (box-to-box midfielders) or mezz’ali (outside midfielders who tuck in). With Juventus’ use of three defenders who are essentially center backs playing as right, center, and left defenders with two terzini fluidificanti or old school wingbacks playing in front of them essentially to the right and left of Marchisio and Vidal, Juventus has been playing something resembling a 3-5-2 formation.
This formation did not leave space for Paul Pogba in the starting line-up, but he has nevertheless been incorporated into the starting line-up or used as a substitute. With the rise of Paul Pogba characterized by a string of commanding performances and fabulous goals, Juventus has even more formation options than the club initially planned on using.
Now Juventus and Antonio Conte have the difficult job of deciding which regular starter or starters will be the odd men out in certain games. Perhaps the injury to Giorgio Chiellini and Kwadwo Asamoah’s participation in The African Cup of Nations increase the amount of formation options with Pogba, but Conte and Juventus still have the dilemma of deciding which of the following midfielders should start: Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba, and Sebastian Giovinco (who is both a trequartista and a second striker).
Paul Pogba’s quality and athleticism are forcing Juventus to rethink their formations, and Pogba is one of several prodigies who are popping up on the world football landscape along with M’Baye Niang and Stephen El Shaarawy, who are all playing in Serie A.
The ascension of Pogba is both a surprise and foreseeable occurrence, as France has consistently produced soccer superstars, and France has two new teenage prodigies in Paul Pogba and M’Baye Niang, who should both prove to make France a formidable opponent for many years.
With the advent of Mario Balotelli, Paul Pogba, and M’Baye Niang, European soccer is seeing athletic specimens and freaks of nature who move with dazzling grace and speed. They are too good, too strong, too fast, and too tall to leave single-marked, and they are going to be around for a long time.
I think there are lots of players still better than me, but it's not up to me to worry about this sort of comparison, I try to do my job and be the best I possibly can.
There are lots of midfielders I admire and watching them helps me improve. I could mention, for example, Yaya Toure, who has a similar size and physique to me but more experience. We have more or less the same playing style, even if he's a bit more attacking than me
Superlatives have been raining down from the rhetorical skies this season for Juventus’ French midfielder, Paul Pogba.
The former Manchester United reject has scorned his former club ever since his departure from Old Trafford, revelling in the tactical rough and tumble of Serie A. This season in particular has seen Pogba ascend beyond the realm of mere mortals; he is now a bona fide football superstar, a player whose worth goes beyond the pitch.
With the departure of Antonio Conte and his replacement by Massimiliano Alegri has come a change in the dynamic of Juve’s midfield. Now the team regularly lines up with a diamond in the centre and Pogba is a significant attacking force in that diamond. With Andrea Pirlo pulling the strings from deep, Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio form a fluid midfield triumvirate in front of him.
Pogba has flourished in this system where, at times, he has been given greater license to roam. It’s a clear sign that Allegri understands Pogba, yet many still don’t.
Despite the subtle movements, deft touches and sublime passes, Pogba is often spoken of as ‘the new Patrick Vieira’. Beyond the long-legged running style, it’s a strange comparison. Given his skill set, the only former Juventus and France midfielder Pogba should be compared with is Zinedine Zidane.
Vieira and Zidane – great, but different
That there could be any confusion as to whether a player more resembles Vieira or Zidane is bizarre in itself. The two players were very different.
Vieira was not the sheer battering ram he was often portrayed as. Arsenal may have missed his physical presence since he departed the club, but he was more than a bullish midfield terrier. Vieira offered more than forceful tackles; he was incredibly durable, fast, and could cover territory like few others. He was also capable of a scything pass, and was technically very proficient.
Despite this, there was always a clear difference between Vieira and Zidane, namely that they occupied vastly different spaces on the pitch. Vieira was to be found in central midfield at all times, for both Arsenal and France. Although dynamic, he did not possess the level of artistry that Zidane had, which is why ‘Zizou’ operated more as an attacking midfielder.
Zidane was the playmaker, weaving patterns with his considered but imposing dribbling style. He was languid and carried a grace on the ball that belied his impressive physical stature. On the ball, Zidane was better than Vieira, and almost everyone else at the time. He played a more advanced role, and did so because he was more liable to opening up opposition defences. Vieira, although capable of lung-bursting runs, was an intelligent retainer of the ball rather than a playmaker.
Paul Pogba – more Zizou than Vieira
The 2014/15 campaign has seen Pogba render defenders impotent with a dazzling combination of trickery and athleticism. Such qualities have set Spanish journalistic tongues wagging, with talk of a move to Real Madrid an almost constant buzz throughout the season.
A move to Madrid could well be on the horizon, and would see him tread the same path as Zidane once trod. Pogba certainly has a ‘Galactico’ quality about him, but the Zidane comparisons can be made without his leaving Turin.
Pogba has produced memorable moments this season. One occurred in early January when, facing up to multiple Inter defenders outside their penalty box, he performed an ‘elastico’ to slalom his way into a one-on-one situation with the opposition goalkeeper. His shot was saved, but the manoeuvre garnered enthusiastic applause.
Another moment that stays in the mind was his wonderfully controlled volley against Napoli later that same month. As a Carlos Tevez strike ricocheted high into the air, Pogba shifted his position quickly and set himself before connecting perfectly with the ball, hitting it sweetly into the far corner, beyond the timid palms of the despairing goalkeeper.
Aside from these memorable moments, Pogba’s overall playing style shows great similarity with Zidane’s.
Pogba the stylish
For a start, he is only one inch taller, according to Juve’s official site, which makes him two inches shorter than Vieira. This confirms he is closer to Zidane than Vieira in size, and while he may not yet have the same physical strength of either of the aforementioned French legends, that is improving.
At 21, Pogba is a maturing force, and his combination of technique and physique hint at a youngster who could blossom into the finest playmaker since Zidane himself.
If physical size is a trivial means of comparison, goals per game are not. Vieira scored just 34 in 406 Arsenal appearances, an average of 0.08 goals per game. Zidane scored 31 in 209 for Juventus and 49 in 225 for Real Madrid. This gave him a combined average of 0.18 goals per game. Although he has only played 113 games for Juventus, Pogba has already struck 22 goals. This gives him an average of 0.2 per game.
Paul Pogba - forget 'new Vieira' - he's the new Zidane
His goalscoring statistics are thus significantly higher than Vieira’s, and also a touch above Zidane’s, albeit the numbers come from a much smaller sample.
Nonetheless, it must be noted that Pogba remains in the formative stages of his career. His numbers are only improving, too. In his first season at Juve he bagged just five goals. Last year he scored nine. This season he has eight to his name, and there are still over three months of football left to play. There is no doubt that Pogba’s attacking prowess is more conducive for comparisons with Zidane as opposed to Vieira. If the skill and playing style don’t tell you, the stats should.
SEE ALSO: Paul Pogba voted the best young player in Europe by Just Football readers
Why is Pogba talked of as ‘the next Vieira’?
So why – after all the flicks, tricks, passes and goals – is Pogba consistently compared to Vieira? It’s a fair question to ask, given the two bear little resemblance. If you were to search the internet right now, typing in ‘Pogba and Zidane’ would bestow you with rumours linking Pogba to joining his iconic countryman at Real Madrid.
However, type in ‘Pogba and Vieira’ and the internet is awash with comparisons. Vieira himself has been asked to give his opinion on his supposed heir, though even he admitted that Pogba was a different player, stating:
“In his head he’s more attacking than I ever was. I would win more balls but he’s more technical.”
It’s uncomfortable to suggest but evermore plausible, in light of comments by some respected managers, that the Vieira comparison is one based to a large degree on race.
Indeed, the idea that a black player could be the most technically gifted and creative ball-player in the world may not sit well with the likes of former French national team manager Laurent Blanc who, at a meeting on French football’s youth strategy in late 2010, suggested that French football had to “refocus” and “introduce…parameters, adjusted to our own culture.” He argued that Spanish coaches had told him; “We don’t have this problem. We don’t have any blacks.”
Blanc was later cleared of racial discrimination, but the comments of other managers in Pogba’s home country (Bordeaux manager Willy Sagnol stereotyped that “The typical African player is…not expensive…generally up for a fight, someone you could qualify as powerful”, though lacked technique), as well as the one he currently inhabits (former Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi recently suggested there are “too many black players” in Italian youth systems) hint at a culture of, at the very least, as Lilian Thuram put it: ‘unconscious racism’. It’s hard to ignore or deny that such culture exists when an offensive midfielder like Pogba is routinely compared to a ball-winner.
Regardless of the intent or reasoning behind the comparisons, Pogba’s football speaks for itself. His is a smooth yet robust style of football that, were you able to draw a line around it, would be of similar shape to Zidane’s.
Most onlookers are able to see that, but the predominant voice instead presents a laughable narrative. Hopefully, once those racial blinkers have been removed, the Vieira comparisons will subside and Pogba will be celebrated for the player he truly is.
...Miguel Rico confirms Mino Raiola demands Pogba to be the second highest paid player at Barcelona, only behind Messi.
kklaus skrev:...Miguel Rico confirms Mino Raiola demands Pogba to be the second highest paid player at Barcelona, only behind Messi.
Hvilket jeg vil have det helt fint med...Seems Pogba will eventually be discarded by Barcelona. Wage demands are ridiculous. @MigRico is as reliable as it gets.
Brugere der viser dette forum: Antimadridista, Kubala og 70 gæster
