Pogba is trying to be Messi when he needs to be Pirlo; Liverpool fans predict Napoli result

Manchester United fans debate whether the team is better with or without Paul Pogba, while Liverpool readers predict the Napoli result, all in Your Says of the Day.

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CRUNCH TIME FOR LIVERPOOL

If we end up in the EL I hope we go out in the next round.
From the start of this season I’ve said that I want the league to be the no1 priority and that hasn’t changed.
CL has high prestige. Teams that compete in it particularly into the latter rounds attract the best players from around Europe and beyond. There’s also the financial bonuses from competing in it.
The EL just doesn’t compare. There’s just not the same benefits.

gingerlfc

if we get knocked out of the CL, im hoping for klopp to play the 2nd team for the europa lge.

And if we are still in the title race in january im absolutely sure that klopp will play the reserves in the europa. Im just desperate for the lge title and hoping for every advantage we get over city 😬. I still think theyd win it though.

redsforever

Mo Salah Liverpool

It’s the prestige and financial gains of the CL that’s important. No-one really looks at the Europa (which is a shame because it is the old UEFA Cup….it just needs to go back to that format) and having a good run in the CL helps us stay ‘exposed’ thus earning more and attracting better talent down the road. Do you think we’d have got Alisson and Virgil if we finished fifth every year and playing Thursday night remote football? I very much doubt it. The CL and PL (equally) are massively important building blocks in our evolution.

Rob Fort Worth TX

m with gingerlfc on the EL (absolute waste of time for us) only worth it to get into the CL

Also hairyharry made a good point EL would mean we play on Sundays more often after Man city which could be too much pressure to take. Even if u play a 2nd team in the EL it still has massive affect on the league. Even if we have a very slim chance of winning the league put all your eggs in one basket & roll the dice.

Anyways lets just spank Napoli & be done with this.

AK

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool gives the thumbs up to his players during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Everton FC at Anfield on December 02, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Reds, that wasn’t the point pal, just saying if we were regulars in the Europa we wouldn’t attract the players needed to consistently compete for the top honours.

Rob Fort Worth TX

I think we’ll get through as we just have a habit of doing so at home when it comes to the crunch in the CL at home. The crowd, as always, will make a difference.

bofa

 

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ARE UNITED BETTER WITH OR WITHOUT POGBA?

I don’t think Pogba cares enough to warrant a place on the team at the moment. Mourinho said he was going to start against Valencia on Tuesday night, well he’s got a whole lot to prove if that’s the case.
I think Pogba over complicates the game, if he kept it simple he’d look much better and he’d be more effective. He’s trying to look better than he actually is, in that he’s trying to look like Messi and he’s closer to a Pirlo in style, he’s just stronger and faster than Pirlo. He can thread a pass like no-one else when he wants to and he can also read the game well, when he wants to. Theoretically he should be able to drive and inspire this team like he does France but he doesn’t seem to want to and that’s the major issue for me, and apparently also Mourinho, he just doesn’t seem to want to. Is Mourinho the cause there? Raiola? Or is it just Paul being Paul?

killyboye

Pogba nominated for UEFA team of year.

He’s a talent not be ignored and given up on.

united_we_win

Pogba takes too many touches, slows our game down and doesn’t control the game. I expect more from our most expensive midfielder.

I wouldn’t have an issue if we sold him in the summer but the replacements need to be right this time. No point selling Pogba and buying another bench warmer.

scholsey

We scored more goals with him in the side and twice as more chances are created when he is playing but your’re asking if we’re a better side without him. Between rashford Sanchez Lukaku lingard and Mata they have managed 13 goals this season yet all the attention is on pogba. I’d actually say we’re not much better with anyone in or out of the side because there isn’t one single player who is putting in top perfromances. Mourinho has turned his failure to get the best out of the team into ‘blame pogba’s agenda, the most high profile player at the club, seen it before with hazard. Beat Fulham and all of a sudden we don’t need pogba who apparently is worth £150 million

fatrooney

N1xer, nobody is paying 150m for Pogba. Juve saw us coming and are stronger without him.
We are well short in midfield with or without him. Matic is a hearse; Herrera has a very poor touch and zero composure; Fred is a jack of all trades but a master of none; Perreira and Mata dont have the pace; Fellaini is an oaf.
Our midfield is top 6 material.

moral

Hahaha Tommy lad. I was against signing Pogba. Not for his football abilities more of bad business. I agree on he could play more simple,make the clock tick smoother.
But we have no other midfielder who can open upp opponents defence by his passsing range and wondergoals. Pogba needs both a captain and a manager who can give him tough love. Mourinho is not the man made for Pogba and Pogba is not the player made for Mourinho. Their personalities doesnt match and same goes for the football,philosophy from the manager and Pogba´s abilities doesnt match up. So,who bought him,Ed?

With another manager Pogba would be more useful but i wouldnt cry if he is sold and replaced with an Arthur Melo type of player. but i prefere to sack Mourinho way before Pogba,its as simple as that.

Zico

 

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POGBA WILL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS SCHOLES

I think it was Scholes who once said that you could get a hairdryer from Sir Alex if you had a chance to make a risky forward pass in the hope of creating a scoring chance but opted for a safety first back pass. Even if the forward pass fell to the opposition we had high pressing to win the ball back quickly.

TomLily

I think it was Scholes who also recently stated that one shouldnt be playing for the club if one cant execute the simple pass that Herrera made a balls of…
https://www.the42.ie/scholes-herrera-criticism-4379827-Dec2018/%3famp=1

Scholes had the character that Pogba will never have and the quality that Herrera will never have.
We now have far too many players that have one or the other when both Character and Quality are required.

moral

 

SARRI NEEDS TO TURN TO YOUNGSTERS

Not that it’s important or it’s interesting, but nonetheless Chelsea have to play this match. I think Sarri should completely start our youngsters and fringe players in Hungary and leave our first team completely in London to focus on Premiership match against Brighton and Hove Albion.

We’ll have a hectic festive period and IMO it’s not wise to make our first team players travelling to Hungary for a match where the team is already qualified. Morata wasn’t even on the bench last weekend, he may then well play I think that may help his confidence if he scores.

My team: Caballero – Zappa, Christensen, Cahill, Emerson – RLC, Ampadu, Fabregas – CHO, Morata, Moses

aindro

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Ethan Ampadu of Chelsea in action during The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on February 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Big advantage for us this week. Some of our rivals have massive, vitally important CL games where they certainly cannot rotate or rest players. I can see the likes of Liverpool and Spurs dropping points over the weekend. Agree with Aindros team selection. Rest our main men and let’s make this next run of winnable games count. Brighton, Leicester, Watford, Palace, Southampton and Newcastle. 18 pts please. Because the run of games after is a completely different animal…starting with the Goons away.

Stuilse

I would leave as many of the starting eleven v Brighton as possible behind for this game.

nine nine nine

Clearly makes sense to rest as many as possible due to the hectic nature of the upcoming fixtures all of which are winnable if we are on our game

We have to be seen to field a strong team to fulfil our obligations but the fact that we have made 8 changes in virtually every EL game has set a precedent and so whatever team we put out should be capable of winning plus be seen as strong and competitive. KTBFFH

CFC1905

Maurizio Sarri TEAMtalk

It’s nit a small game for the likes of the fringe players all hoping to claim a place in the starting ix.

It’ll show that they understand Sarris system and can play their part going forward or make the Brighton squad!

Two very important games this week to get the approach right.

romansdirtypants

 

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