Tuesday 6 November 2012

PAUL POGBA

Who is he? Where does he play?

It's hard not to be aware of the 19 year old Juventus midfielder right now as he makes a significant impact on Serie A for the Italian champions. A few barnstorming performances have opened mouths and pointed fingers at those idiots at Manchester United who saw fit to let the Frenchman go for pittance (1 million euros) in the summer and he's being raved about as the next Patrick Vieira. 

So, who do you think are you, questioning who he is, Sir Alex Ferguson?

Next Patrick Vieira? Blimey...

And this doesn't look to be one of those "Bruno Cheyrou, next Zinedine Zidane" comparisons either, Pogba's fearsome athleticism and superb energy has drawn inevitable likeliness to the ex-Arsenal lynchpin and a nature to reduced a team to just one man is instilled in the youngster as his excellent, match-winning performance at home to Bologna was summed up by Italian media Il Messeggaro with the headline "Paul Pogba beats Bologna 2-1".

So why did Ferguson let him go?

Not so much let him go, but fail to give him a chance. His promise at Old Trafford was far more deserving than a few substitute appearances here and there and with his contract due to expire, Pogba, not big on loyalty after his messy to do with Le Havre, seized the opportunity to put his talent hand in hand with ambition and jumped over to Turin. As Ferguson still wrangles with midfield issues, Pogba has managed to compete for a place with Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal in what is regarded as one of the best midfields in Europe. He is now established as a vital member of the Old Lady's squad.

He's going to play for France?

If he produces performances in a similar vain to Bologna or even his match-winning salvo against Napoli, then it is only a matter of time before Didier Deschamps turns to the big, physical force and slot him into the centre of his side. He has been an integral member of the under-19 side in recent years and has just been promoted to the under 20s, it is inevitable, as Pogba continues to set Serie A alight, that he will become an established member of Les Blues' squad.

Isn't it all too quick for the lad?

Perhaps. Antonio Conte is aware of the fierce competition in the Nerazzuri midfield and has made no qualms about his decision to limit Pogba to a certain number of games if not to take the midfielder out of the firing line and risk cracking the young man under the pressure, it was La Gazzetta Dello Sport's GB Olivera who asked "you're 19 Paul, can't you mess anything up?" in a question littered with irony. His 90 minutes on the bench in Sunday's defeat to Inter Milan, Juve's first in 49 games, shows how Conte will be cautious with his progression that promises to be very promising (and very frustrating to Sir Alex Ferguson).








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