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Paul Pogba (C) of Juventus celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between Juventus and Udinese Calcio at Juventus Arena
Paul Pogba, who lit up the last summer transfer window after rejecting a deal from Manchester United and joined Juventus on free, has started to come under the limelight for pure footballing reasons. In his last home game against an inspired Udinese team, he showcased his talent by striking twice to complete a rout for le Zebre.
The Bianconeri have been badly hit by the absence of some key players like the majestic Pirlo, the workman Marchisio and the ever reliable Chiellini, owing to injuries and this was the best opportunity for a youngster like Pogba to excel. And he didn’t let go of this golden chance. With very limited opportunities coming his way due to the presence of the likes of Pirlo, Vidal and Marchisio in the midfield, he has always given his 100 percent and last night’s performance was simply outstanding. After watching such a performance, Ferguson might be banging his head against the wall that he could not keep him at Old Trafford as his inclusion in the already weak looking midfield of Manchester United would have given them an upper hand, especially in the Champions League. Maybe the Scot was not fully convinced with his talent as he used to regularly bench him despite having a weak midfield and had even given an ageing Paul Scholes a go by bringing him back from his retirement.
The Frenchman started the home game in the absence of Pirlo and Marchisio in the midfield and dictated the game, sitting deep. His composure, reading of the game and passing range were some of the highlights of this outstanding performance. His magnificent vision, positioning and work rate complemented his performance. To add to this, his thunderbolt strike in the 41st minute to break the deadlock was the signal of an upcoming great in the making. He further sealed the game with another strike and ensured that Juventus pocketed all the three important points.
With Pirlo ageing, he could be the ideal replacement at the Turin’s club, right at the centre of the midfield, dictating the game like his idol and team-mate. With the added dimension of physicality that he brings, he can be a top class midfielder in the coming times.
To conclude, Pogba’s departure from Old Trafford was Manchester United’s loss and Serie A’s gain.
Only 19, he has shown in this game what an accomplished player he is. Talent wise, he is great but he had to keep a check on his discipline and that can be a key to convert a talented youngster to a legend.
