Since his arrival at Old Trafford there has been a question mark over the performances of Paul Pogba. The Frenchman has struggled to replicate the performances at Juventus that lead Manchester United to pay a then world record fee to bring the midfielder back to the club.
There was a huge amount of pressure on Pogba because of the transfer fee, an unfair pressure most of the time. Pogba often struggled with discipline in games, trying to be over-elaborate in his passing and a lot of the time, showboating too much. So many times, the number six lacked simplicity in his game, leading to him making mistakes and underperform in games, leading to the criticism the midfielder received.
Going into this new season Pogba was on the back of an eye-catching display for France against England. It brought the footballing world to remember what the Frenchman can do at his very best, within a system that supports him. The addition of Nemanja Matic to the Manchester United team is one that has had a big impact on allowing the Frenchman to simplify his game, with less emphasis on Pogba needing to do the duties of a defensive midfielder in games. Pogba is now able to solely focus on his own game and do what he does best.
Despite the addition of Matic to free up the number six, there is still an emphasis on Pogba to perform better than last season. Jose Mourinho’s men are only three games into their new season but there has been a notable difference in Pogba’s performance’s in those games. The Super Cup against Real Madrid was a tough game for the Frenchman - as it was the entire Manchester United team. Despite Steven Gerrard claiming Pogba was ‘selfish’ in the final, there were signs of the new-found maturity within his game and contrary to the opinions of the former Liverpool captain, Pogba did as well as he could against what is the best team in the world.
Two 4-0 wins against West Ham and Swansea have seen United surge to the top of the Premier League in the opening league games. The man from France has been instrumental to his team’s success in these two games, scoring a goal in each game. Against Swansea at the Liberty Stadium we saw a new Pogba. He was instrumental in his side's attacking play throughout, scoring with a delightful lob in the second half. The power of Pogba in midfield was vital, contributing to another two goals in the game, playing a vital part in the build-up.
The £89 million man could have had a very different afternoon in South Wales. The first half saw him receive a yellow card for bringing down Tom Carroll. It was a clumsy challenge and he was lucky not to receive a second yellow card for a petulant challenge on Martin Olsson but was given the benefit of the doubt by the referee. Many would have expected Pogba to be given his marching orders if he was not taken off by Mourinho, but the red card did not materialise and the midfielder reigned himself in and showed a new side to his game.
Throughout the remainder of the game, Pogba pulled out of challenges and did not get involved in any 50/50s. The midfielder was able to refine his game to remain on the pitch and do what he does best, the composure of his work in the attacking play was noticeable. The same player of last season would more than likely had received a second yellow card, but the performance at Swansea showcased a new-found composure and maturity in his play. It is no coincidence that the first two league games of this season have arguably been Pogba’s best in a United shirt. The midfielder deserves praise for refining his game in this new season and for having the maturity and mindset to avoid a sending off and lead his team to victory with an instrumental role in the game.
