There were no gifts under the TV3 Christmas tree for Paul Pogba on Tuesday night. Mainly, it was just criticisms of his game from Graeme Souness. Presenter Tommy Martin had a mischievous smile on his face as he asked Souness about the Man Utd midfielder.
Souness does believe there are parts of Pogba's game which can be admired: "He's powerful, he's got good technique, he can wrong-foot people, he can ping the ball."
It is the mental aspects of the game where Souness thinks the Frenchman is lacking.
"Where I question him about whether he will ever be a top player is his understanding of the game. He's a central midfield player. This is not me being an ex-Liverpool player caning a Man Utd player. When he was at Juve, I thought the same," said Souness following TV3's coverage of Man Utd's win against CSKA Moscow.
Clips which Souness thought highlighted Pogba's lack of positional and tactical sense were then shown with the Scot asserting, "he wants to get on the ball in the wrong areas." He later added, "That is basic stuff that you learn when you are playing in a youth team. He's 24-years-old, if he's not got it now, when is he going to get it?"
Souness also said that Pogba should have been sent off for a tackle similar to the one which saw him receive red against Arsenal at the weekend. "He's ignored the ball," said Souness while also recognising that he was no angel during his career. "I know that's a bit rich coming from me but the game was different when I played."
Overall, the 64-year-old thinks Man Utd have not got value for the money they spent on Pogba. Though, in terms of what Pogba brings to the club in a commercial respect, there are those at Old Trafford who would disagree.
You've spent €100m on a player and you're going to accept that he can do only certain things that a midfield player should do. For €100m you should be getting someone who makes the difference in big games, he's yet to do that. He's not got a game by the scruff of the neck and been the dominant force and made the difference in a really big game yet.
I see him scoring goals against lesser teams, doing things against lesser players but for €100m you are buying the finished article, someone who is going to dominate the big games and win you the big games.
What would be most disturbing for me, if I was a United supporter, the basic understanding of the position, he hasn't got. I don't see that improving.
