Paul Pogba is no longer at the level for Ligue 1? For the first time since May 2023, three years after his positive doping test, the Frenchman regained a starting position. So far, his return to the field with Monaco has been limited to five brief appearances off the bench, totaling a very limited 57 minutes of play. A gradual return, but insufficient to regain the tempo of the very high level.
Facing Metz, the French midfielder never really made an impact on the match. Struggling in the duels and late in transitions, he was replaced in the 58th minute by his coach Sébastien Pocognoli. A logical substitution considering his performance, symptomatic of a clear lack of rhythm that affects both his physical condition and his influence in the game.
Maxime Chanot, a consultant on RMC’s After Foot, did not mince his words after the match: “I found him very average, he can no longer…”, before adding: “Today, I think that Paul Pogba can no longer play in Ligue 1. With the ball, there is no problem, he has an exceptional way of playing with the ball, but he cannot defend.” A harsh judgment, but reflecting the difficulties observed on the field.
“The player put him two-three meters ahead in two or three steps”
If Pogba’s technical talent remains undeniable, his inability to repeat efforts and keep up with defensive pace raises questions. Chanot emphasizes this discrepancy between quality with the ball at his feet and the overall impact on the field: “With the ball he is always super elegant, there is no problem, I really like his long game but after Pogba in defensive midfield in a team that needs to defend, we forget…”
The former defender also illustrates this lack of freshness with a precise action: “At one point, early in the match, he is in a race with a player (Jessy Deminguet), he makes a sliding tackle but he has to tackle because the player put him two-three meters ahead in two or three steps.” A revealing sequence of the current physical difficulties of the Monegasque midfielder.
The observation is clear after this first start in three years: Pogba still sorely lacks rhythm to meet the demands of Ligue 1. A reality that raises questions about his ability to become a major player in the short term, despite his technical quality still being above average.
Original article published on RMC Sport
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