MANCHESTER UNITED MIDFIELDER Paul Pogba felt Jose Mourinho’s system and tactics made it “really difficult” for him to flourish before the Portuguese’s sacking.
Mourinho was shown the door by United last month after a 3-1 defeat away to bitter rivals Liverpool, a game in which Pogba was benched, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer subsequently coming in as caretaker manager.
Pogba’s uneasy relationship with Mourinho was a constant talking point during their time together at United, with the pair seemingly falling out regularly.
Mourinho routinely dropped Pogba and criticised his performances, while he also went as far as saying the Frenchman would not captain the team again while he was manager after wearing the armband earlier in the season.
Since Mourinho’s departure, Pogba’s form has spectacularly improved, scoring four goals and setting up as many – including the winner in Sunday’s win at Tottenham – in five league games under Solskjaer, and the France international puts it down to being given freedom.
“I love playing big matches against the best players,” he told Sky Sports. “That’s where we improve, progress and get more experience.
It was a big one for us. We were all determined and wanted to win this game. We all enjoyed playing together today [Sunday].
“I am enjoying playing football. It was really difficult with the system and tactics we used to play, I want to be more attacking, pressing, playing high.
“When I had to defend, it is not my best attribute. When I play, attack is where I feel the most comfortable.
“That’s what the manager [Solskjaer] told me to do; run, get in the box, because you will score goals if you get in the box.
The best example is Frank Lampard. If I can do that, on the edge of the box, I will score goals. Everything comes when you are more free, have the trust of the manager and the players, it makes it easy for me.
“It helps me to have Matic [and Herrera] there. I know I have security behind me and I have freedom to go, so yes it helps.”
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Chris Farrell is power of strength in the centre – let’s hope he plays as well as the MOTM performance from last year’s six nations (without the injury).
@Con Cussed: he wasn’t injured in that match only in training afterwards
Good to see Schmidt acknowledging that farrell was the right choice, nothing to do with henshaw. He’s dead right too, once ringrose was out go with the guy who’s been training in the position and hungry to get out there. I’m expecting a big game from farrell and I’ve every faith in him to deliver.
@Jim Demps: Same. It helps that he’s feckin huge as well.
@Jim Demps: Where does he acknowledge that Jim?
@Jim Demps: it is to do with Henshaw. Farrell would not be starting were it not for Henshaws injury
@Luke walkee: “ once Garry Ringrose was ruled out it was going to be about trying to keep some little continuity as best we can in a short space of time. You’ve got Chris farrell sitting in the wings massively motivated to do his best. So it’s a great opportunity to get him in and give him a run. “
@Jim Demps: That’s not what he acknowledged. Itching for a row today?
@Eddie Hekenui: It’s not even the right choice if you are using Jim’s criteria
@Eddie Hekenui: no row, genuinely think he made the right choice. Pick the guy who plays in the position. If it doesn’t work out then that’s on farrell.
@Jim Demps: That’s fair enough and I’d agree about picking Farrell ahead of Henshaw at 13 if both fit but Schmidt doesn’t acknowledge Farrell was the right choice, regardless of Henshaw. He says Henshaw might’ve played if it wasn’t for the knock
@Eddie Hekenui: my reading of his quote would be different but fair enough, don’t mind either way and I think the right decision was arrived at. The prospect of facing farrell is far more daunting for Scotland than Addison or henshaw I think.
@Jim Demps: Henshaw is a far better player than Farrell especially defensively
@Eddie Hekenui: surprised he didn’t actually say ‘carrying a bit of a niggle’, which is usually the code for being dropped.
Tom Farrell has put in two stellar seasons and this one he seems to of kicked on again,
he partners the only other fit first team center at provincial level (aki) and has clocked up huge minutes at 13.
injuries to 2 first line centers coupled with ; Chris Farrell (albeit a fantastic option) has played a handful of games since this time last year and a lot of these were not 80 min showings so you’d have to presume he is slightly under cooked.
With all these factors and his impact out west you would really have to question , how will he ever get a cap when the set of circumstances just listed still don’t allow for a look in.
I’m admittedly bias towards Tom Farrell as personally I think he is excellent but it must be hard argue against him having no chance to play his way in.
I am really worried about Henshaw`s injury problems he has not played three consecutive games since connacht won the pro 12.
@Michael Colleary: Reading between the lines it sounds as if Henshaw was dropped rather than unavailable since Schmidt said he could have played and he has form for citing the reason of a players exclusion as injury/fitness/minutes rather than a selection call.
He also suggested in the press conference he wasn’t planning to bring Rob Kearney back in this week but the cohesion was so poor last week he felt he had to, indicating disappointment with Henshaw.
@Rochelle: he literally says Henshaw would have played but he took another knock. You Munster fans are nuts, you believe Joe when it looks good on a Munster player, but he is taking BS when it comes to a Leinster player. If it was all about form C Farrell would have been 3rd choice
@Michael Colleary: That’s just not true. What a weird thing to make up.
@Rochelle: well said.