Pogba dropped after slamming Man Utd teammates?
Carlo Garganese
- 20 Oct 2021 21:00 BST
- 4 min read
Paul Pogba was dropped from Man Utd’s starting XI for the Champions League match against Atalanta on Wednesday, but the big question is why?
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opted to drop Pogba to the substitutes bench for the big game at Old Trafford versus the 2020 Champions League quarter-finalists.
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Instead, he selected Scott McTominay and Fred as holding midfielders with Mason Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford in behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
Some fans and journalists believe that Pogba’s omission was a tactical one, with Man Utd struggling for balance in recent games with the Frenchman, Bruno and the pedestrian Ronaldo in the same team.
Solskjaer clearly needed to make a change after a dreadful run of form that has seen Man Utd win just two of their last seven matches in all competitions.
📜 This evening's United XI...
Let's go, Reds! 🔴⚪️⚫️#MUFC | #UCL— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 20, 2021
They have suffered four defeats during that time and the manner of their 4-2 loss against Leicester City on Saturday was alarming as their opponents walked through and opened them up at will time and again.
However, there are some who feel that Solskjaer is punishing Pogba for his post-match rant.
Immediately after the Leicester defeat, Pogba criticised his teammates directly – and by extension the work of his manager Solskjaer.
What did Pogba say after Leicester game?
“We deserved to lose,” Pogba told BBC Sport.
“To be honest, we have been having these kind of games for a long time.
“We have not found the problem, conceding easy goals, stupid goals. The players need to be more mature, play with more experience and arrogance in a good way. We need to find something, we need to change.
“We need to find the right mentality and the right tactic. Stick with it and resolve the problem.”
Indeed, Solskjaer immediately disagreed with Pogba when he was asked also after the match if his side had “lacked maturity”.
Pogba dropped for speaking out. Mcfred in. So predictable if true
— Mark Goldbridge (@markgoldbridge) October 20, 2021
“Maturity? I wouldn’t say maturity. I would say the focus in key moments,” Ole remarked.
Former Man Utd star Rio Ferdinand admitted that Pogba’s comments will likely have caused some unrest in the changing room.
“It doesn’t sit well with me. If I was in a changing room and a team-mate had said that, I wouldn’t be happy, I’ve got to be honest,” Ferdinand told the Vibe With Five podcast.
“I’d be straight in, saying: ‘What does that mean? I don’t quite understand what you’re saying,’ unless I actually agree.”
Pogba and Solskjaer have always enjoyed a good relationship but is this a case of the Norwegian boss finally putting his foot down and showing the rest of the squad that he doesn’t approve of the midfielder’s outburst?
What is for certain is Solskjaer will be criticised even further if his decision to drop his World Cup superstar ends in another negative result.
