There was once a time when Paul Pogba was considered one of the main men at Manchester United, and any mention of a potential departure would send the Old Trafford faithful into a slight panic.
Those days, however, are long gone. The Frenchman is no longer a guaranteed starter; no longer considered an important cog in a machine that is beginning to faultier whenever the midfielder enters the side, and rightfully so.
Instead, the likes of Fred have stepped up to add balance to an Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed side who are desperately attempting to find the perfect midfield blend in hope of having some sort of consistency when it comes to finding form.
And, as things stand, that perfect blend is being found without the sprinkle of Paul Pogba’s French flair, or lack of it in recent times, under Solskjaer.
Pogba’s Place in Manchester United’s Lineup Is Slipping Away
Solskjaer’s Trust Placed in Fred
His place within the United ranks seems to slip further and further from a guaranteed place as the fixtures, and impressive performances in his absence, arrive, leaving the Frenchman’s Old Trafford future more in doubt than ever. For most of his United career, Pogba has looked the one in control of his future, and if a departure was going to occur, it would be on his terms.
This season, however, things have taken a turn into the opposite direction. Any mention of a Pogba departure no longer panics the previously stressed United fans; instead, some may even welcome it alongside the hefty fee sent into the Manchester United bank account, likely used for much-needed improvements elsewhere.
The truth is, too, that, should an offer come in for Paul Pogba, those in charge of making the big decisions at Manchester United may be wise to consider it because, let’s face it, the need for the Frenchman is lessening by the minute in the United midfield.
In more recent times, it has been the safer in the possession and more trusted defensive nature of Fred which has been preferred to the flair and almost riskier style to that of Pogba.
It has been the safety of Fred in and out of possession which has often guided Solskjaer’s side to more successful times in comparison to when Pogba plays a part and is often caught lacking in departments where he is expected to be excelling in.
Manchester United Midfield Lacks Crucial Balance With Pogba Involved
It is that key balance on and off the ball which often allows star man Bruno Fernandes to do what he does arguably better than many in the Premier League by contributing the goals from midfield.
Whilst Fred works in the shadows, mopping up any sign of approaching danger, Fernandes gleefully takes to the spotlight; a spotlight only big enough to shine on one-star man in midfield, and that man is no longer Paul Pogba or indeed new man Donny van de Beek.
Just recently, against Everton, it was the blend in the midfield of Fred and Scott McTominay, sat behind the three of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata, which gave United the platform to secure a 3-1 away victory in which Fred particularly impressed.
By some contrast, when opting to use a 4-1-2-1-2 formation with Pogba and McTominay placed in front of Fred, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side struggled to a miserable defeat against Arsenal and, failed to create many meaningful moments in what was a pretty dire affair in the end.
Pogba Not Entirely to Blame but Certainly Not Blameless at United
Whilst Pogba should not carry the entire blame for the defeat, it was certainly interesting to see just how improved the United midfield performance was against Everton when tasked to play without the Frenchman and, instead, with Fred back at the helm next to McTominay in the 4-2-3-1 formation.
The task following a much-needed victory against Everton will be to find consistency, keeping the balance in midfield in the process, perhaps resulting in the losing of Paul Pogba’s place in the starting lineup and the permanent usage of the 4-2-3-1 formation with the more trusted Fred and McTominay at the helm.
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