Pogba’s project restart could keep Ole at the wheel

Did we see the first act of Paul Pogba’s project restart at Manchester United on Saturday? If yes, it would be among the many things we wouldn’t have seen, heard or written but for the lockdown.

At an empty White Hart Lane looking like a spaceship out of a Star Wars prequel, Pogba came on in the 63rd minute. It had been 36 minutes since the pacy Steven Bergwijn’s goal - Harry Maguire’s ponderous turn and David de Gea’s clanger contributing to the strike - and against a team sitting deep the equaliser didn’t look like it was around the corner.

One minute into the game, Pogba almost changed that. He played a neat pass to Bruno Fernandes who routed the ball to Anthony Martial but the United forward delayed. Playing only his ninth match of 2019-20, Pogba had earlier robbed Spurs right-back Serge Aurier. Having driven down the left so far, Pogba ventured to the right in the 80th minute and had Eric Dier chasing a crooked shadow. The Spurs centre-back brought Pogba down and United equalised when Fernandes converted the penalty.

Pogba did bungle on a challenge on Giovani Lo Celso conceding a free-kick in a dangerous area but a minute later, in the 85th, he sent a long, crossfield pass for Marcus Rashford that could have fetched the winner. Had Spurs’ centre-back Davinson Sanchez not denied him, Rashford, given his new-found ability to tell a nation’s head his priorities, would have been the Premiership’s Megan Rapinoe.

In his first match since December 26 due to an ankle injury, Pogba completed 17 of the 18 passes attempted, made two blocks and won the ball back on four occasions. Dropping deeper, into Andrea Pirlo territory, Pogba showed he and Fernandes can co-exist in the midfield. If Pogba can finally adapt as a deep-lying midfielder, Fred may not be a first-team choice by the time United end their 16-odd games across all competitions this season. First impressions can be fickle but United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reasons to believe that he doesn’t have a Steven Gerrard-Frank Lampard problem, one that befuddled many an England manager.

“Paul did everything a midfielder should do, he tackled, won passes and showed some skills so fantastic to have him back,” Solskjaer said. “On and off the pitch, he is such an enthusiastic and passionate boy. Everyone can see the quality he can provide.

“He’s had a frustrating season with his injuries. Paul has shown today how he can contribute and I just look forward to getting him fitter and seeing Paul getting back to his best.”

Pogba’s cameo reminded of his performance with the national team. Since debuting as a 20-year-old and through two World Cups and a European championship, Pogba has shown the full repertoire of his unquestionable talent. “He had power, skill and complete control of the football. His skill and technique for such a big player meant he could manipulate the ball, yet he was also so strong he could hold people of. (Paul) Scholes would kick him every day to try and get the ball,” said former United player Jonny Evans about Pogba. This, when Pogba started training with United’s first team in 2012.

After France became world champions in Russia, Pogba scoring in the final and having a good game, defender Adil Rami called him, “the strong man of the France team.” “I can tell you that Paul today became a leader,” he said.

Long struggle at United

That ‘leader’ created only 16 chances in seven games before Saturday. Having signed him on an 89.2 million pound transfer in 2016, Jose Mourinho, then United coach, had said he was confident Pogba would overcome a sluggish start. Pogba tried, maybe too hard, but it didn’t happen possibly because few can live up to the expectations of being the world’s most expensive footballer. “The big price on his head is hard and I have told him this,” said Patrice Evra, whom Pogba consulted at Juventus before returning to England.

Solskjaer too couldn’t get Pogba to reproduce his form at Juventus or France and it has been all downhill right up to the ankle injury this season. “The world record signing of Paul Pogba has been a failure,” columnist Jim Holden wrote in ‘World Soccer.’ “Pogback”, “Reunited”, terms that had gained huge currency, seemed like they were from another era. For a long time, it seemed Pogba would leave like he did in 2012, refusing Alex Ferguson’s offer of 20,000 pounds a week to go to Juventus on a free transfer.

But for Covid-19, perhaps he would have left. Post pandemic the dynamics of football transfers will change. Mourinho has said there won’t be “crazy numbers” this time. “I can’t imagine 100m euros transfers in the near future,” former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has said. Recently, Juventus, per a Tuttosport report, said Pogba’s reported 12 million pound salary is way too much.

Nowhere to go?

And therein lies the rub. Pogba may have nowhere to go. Few clubs can afford the kind of fee United would want and the one most likely to make an offer they can’t refuse have their own issues. Had Real Madrid off-loaded Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez, maybe they would have pitched for Pogba.

With a year left on his contract Pogba could help his agent Carmine ‘Mino’ Raiola swing a better deal by knuckling down now. Ending the season on a high could also put him on the shop window for good consistent performances never go unnoticed.

Solskjaer will hope that happens. By last August, the enthusiasm of ‘Ole at the wheel’ triggered by winning 14 of his first 17 games had gone. In January 2019, one month after replacing Mourinho, Solskjaer became the Premiership’s manager of the month, a fist from United since Alex Ferguson in 2012. His preference for attacking football was a refreshing break from Mourinho’s ways; he sought players’ views; he even spoke to supporters. Everyone loved the man from Molde in Norway. “Even when he criticises us, he uses the positive things we have done,” said midfielder Ander Herrera.

Yet, being given a permanent job months into his appointment as interim manager seemed a hasty decision at England’s richest football club when they finished sixth in 2018-19. They could afford the best but threw their weight behind someone sacked by Cardiff. Things have improved somewhat and United went into the lockdown unbeaten in 11 games, not having lost since the home defeat to Burnley in January. They even did the league double against reigning champions Manchester City, beat Chelsea but are still outside the top four.

The Norwegian is still loved by supporters for late goal that made United champions of Europe in 1999 but it may not endure another season away from the Champions League. United are alive in the FA Cup and Europa League and can sneak into the top four of the Premiership. Should they do well in those two competitions and stay in the top four, Ole could stay at the wheel. Crucial to that will be how many big nights he can get out of Pogba.

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