Why Paul Pogba Still Can't Live Up to the Hype

Jose Mourinho claimed Paul Pogba was the best player on the pitch after Manchester United lost to Chelsea, but that view is not shared universally.

In fact, many onlookers consider the former Juventus midfielder to be an £89 million flop on the back of his first seven months back at Old Trafford.

As Pogba turns 24, he can no longer be judged as a young player with bags of potential but simply as the world's most expensive footballer.

We decided to take a detailed view of the Pogba problem by speaking to experts who have watched him in live action for United, Juventus and France to gauge just why United's big summer signing is not fitting the bill.

He Needs a Formation to Suit Him

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Paolo Bandini is an Italian football expert who watched Pogba closely during his time at Juventus. He is a longtime believer that Pogba needs freedom in a midfield role.

"I've been banging this drum ever since he signed for United, but he's not a natural fit in Mourinho's 4-2-3-1," Bandini said.

"Both Max Allegri and Laurent Blanc tried him as a No. 10, and it didn't work.

"That was actually a huge talking point at the start of last season in Italy because Pogba took on Juve's No. 10 shirt and was briefly tried out behind the attack before Allegri decided it was a terrible idea.

"If you want to get the best out of him, you need to let him play box-to-box. He can't do that as a No. 10, and he can't do it as one of the two deep-lying midfielders, either.

"I actually don't think he's been as bad as some people are making out, but if you want him to look as good as he can, then you need to make the formation work for him. I think Mourinho has started to realise that recently."

Dean Jones' view: This seems like the breakthrough United are looking for. The rest of the midfield needs to adjust to suit Pogba, as he will shine if he can roam. If United move closer to the way he was eventually used at Juventus, it could very quickly end questions that are being asked about whether he was worth the money.

Living in Ibra's Shadow

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Adam Digby, Bleacher Report's Italian football correspondent, also spent many hours watching Pogba at Juventus. He highlighted how Zlatan Ibrahimovic's role may be having a detrimental effect on Pogba.

"I think about whether he produced in big games while in Italy, and it is a difficult question," Digby said. "But on the whole? Yes, he did.

"Last season, he was flat through January and February, which may sound familiar to people watching him in the Premier League, but he then exploded in March and ended the campaign in fantastic fashion.

"I'd say one reason he has not hit the same levels at United yet is because he is in a Zlatan Ibrahimovic team and his name is not Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"There's a decade of evidence that the Sweden international's presence forces other players into the background, with Jose Mourinho teams hardly encouraging creative players to blossom.

"People do need to remember that Pogba is a simply brilliant player. He will deliver his best soon enough, and those doubters will be left looking very foolish for dismissing his talent so quickly."

Dean Jones' view: Statistically, it has seemed he feeds well off Ibrahimovic, and Pogba has spoken publicly of his joy at playing in the same team as Zlatan. Yet we know that Mourinho sees Ibrahimovic as the most crucial figure in this team, and taking headlines away from a player who has 15 goals and four assists in the Premier League is not an option. For now, Pogba has to accept playing second fiddle.

His Spot in the Team Is Too Safe

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Steve Bates has covered Manchester United for over 35 years as a reporter for UK tabloid the Sunday People. He has watched Pogba closely all season and believes he may have been lucky to get so much playing time, as the consistent pace of English football seems to be at the root of his problems.

"When he arrived, people were expecting a player who could act like Roy Keane and dominate the midfield," Bates said. "But United also wanted him to show the creativity that could open up an opposing defence. Neither of those traits has been seen enough despite having the time to make an impact. And he certainly has the platform, as United elevate him to superstar status.

"He is rarely rotated out of the side while someone like Henrikh Mkhitaryan has regularly had to watch on despite being one of the team's most creative sparks.

"I think one problem with Pogba is that teams give him so little time on the ball.

"He likes to dwell on a pass, and I frequently see him crowded out by two, or even three, players who know they can nick the ball back from him. Maybe in Italy he had more time in possession than he gets now.

"I do think Pogba will come good, but he has not lived up to his billing so far."

Dean Jones' view: The point about rotation is spot on. Pogba has started 25 league matches this season and completed every one. Even when he is not having an influence, Mourinho is not willing to replace him.

The stats show that he has completed 85.2 per cent of his passes this season, which does not seem too bad considering N'Golo Kante has delivered 88.3 per cent of his, according to WhoScored.com.

However, the fact he only has three Premier League assists shows that he has not been enough of a creative influence. He has been wasteful with chances too, sending 40 shots off goal compared to 30 on target.

He Overthinks Things in the Big Games

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Paul Ansorge is Bleacher Report's Manchester United correspondent and a believer that Pogba has been one of United's best players this season, having a major role in their best performances. He also has the view that having so much natural talent may be one of his biggest downfalls.

"I think he struggles with the weight of expectation in big games," Ansorge said. "Patrice Evra told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t MailOnline) that Pogba's biggest problem is that he knows how good he is and tries to do too much when his team is in trouble, and there's been plenty of evidence of that.

"There has also been some evidence of complacency—times when simplicity was called for and he instead took a more complex option—but that has paid off plenty of times too.

"There is also the problem of his uncertain role within the team. There's been a lot of chopping and changing around him, which can't have helped.

"To get the best out of him, I would just keep building a team around him, keep telling him he's brilliant, keep reminding him he does not have to do everything on his own. There is no long-term cause for concern here."

Dean Jones' view: This is a point Ibrahimovic raised earlier in the season to ESPN FC (h/t the Telegraph). He said Pogba seemed to be trying extra hard to live up to his price tag, and it still seems to be true. I wanted to see Pogba as a game-changer this season, but he has lacked those magical moments, and it is possibly because he is putting so much pressure on himself to make every key pass special.

France Don't Get the Best from Him

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Jonathan Johnson is a French football journalist based in Paris. He pointed out that Pogba's failure to live up to his hype is not a new issue, as France also struggle to get the best from him. He believes it is because Pogba's positioning is often unclear.

"He has also been unable to deliver top performances with Les Bleus," Johnson said. "Part of the reason for that is that Pogba has not been given a clear role by head coach Didier Deschamps. Often, he will be part of a three-man midfield, but he has also played as one of the two more defensive players in a 4-2-3-1.

"One of the biggest issues is that both Blaise Matuidi and Pogba are more effective when played in the left-central role, so it is essentially up to Deschamps to go with one or the other because it does not work with both.

"Pogba's most productive performances have come when he has played in more of a defensive-midfield position.

"Something else that is often overlooked is how well he functioned alongside Andrea Pirlo while the pair were at Juventus. It could just be that while Pogba is still maturing—which he is, no matter how good he can be at times—he would benefit from regularly playing alongside a vastly experienced midfielder. Perhaps what Mourinho needs most to get more out of Pogba is a Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the midfield."

Dean Jones' view: This is an interesting area that has not been discussed in major detail this season: Pogba's struggle on the international stage is similar to his lack of influence for United.

The mention of Pirlo is also key, as it brings up the next question: Who should his long-term midfield partner be at Old Trafford?

Pogba is obviously an incredible talent, but this account shows that the challenge to bring out his potential is clearly an issue he is more than familiar with.

Manage Expectation and Limitations

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Luca Pasquaretta is an Italian football expert who watched Pogba closely at Juve while working as a journalist for Il Messaggero. His opinion is that Pogba will never live up to the hype unless he is viewed as a luxury player rather than someone you rely on to change games.

"Pogba arrived as a great talent and first Antonio Conte then Max Allegri transformed him into a great player," Pasquaretta said. "He is not a champion because he is not worth the price that was paid for him. He doesn't make the difference like Gonzalo Higuain can, but in a top team, Pogba can be the cherry on the cake.

"He isn't capable of playing every role in midfield. He's an inside midfielder. Juve have got the bargain in cashing in for all that money, not Manchester United, who have bought a good player—not a top player."

Dean Jones' View: When you become the world's most expensive player, there is an immediate expectation to make a difference in matches. Pogba is going to have to accept that. Perhaps if United sign another star in the summer, like Antoine Griezmann, there will be less attention on the midfielder and he can begin to realise his potential on a more regular basis.

All comments obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.