The 2016/2017 Calcio Saga

Except for set pieces, Pogba outperformed Pjanic in Italy for years now. Enough to say that he has been better. Different players yes, and both awesome. But they played in the same league, with top teams, for years and Pogba came out on top.

Pjanic is very overated. Dude is very good with set pieces and that's about it. He is very one dimensional and uncreative.

rincon wrote:Except for set pieces, Pogba outperformed Pjanic in Italy for years now. Enough to say that he has been better. Different players yes, and both awesome. But they played in the same league, with top teams, for years and Pogba came out on top.

Well this is not true at all. The only things Pogba was better at were aerial duels and dribbling. Even defensively Pjanic is just as good, but much, much better creatively and a much better passer. He's a better team player, too. Pogba also had the luxury of being insulated on one of the best teams in the world while Pjanic was easily Roma's best player and had to shoulder a lot more responsibility (and attention from the other team).



Even over the last 3 years in production Pjanic, who sits deeper in midfield than Pogba does on average, has outproduced him offensively as well despite the gulf in quality of their teammates.

Did you watch these games on Squawka or Whoscored?

The pitch tells a different story. Pjanic definitely sat no deeper than Pogba, he mostly played at RCM (in a 4-3-3) and some games at AM (in a 4-2-3-1). Pjanic also takes almost all set pieces for his team, Pogba took none for his first 4 years (those were taken by Pirlo) and only some in the last season (most were taken by Dybala and Marchisio/Hernanes when they were available).

Pjanic also covers significantly less ground and is much less physical in midfield. He was his teams main creator and focused on that. Pogba is much more well rounded and covered everywhere for Juve. He had to shield for Pirlo his first 3 years . Roma had Nainggolan and De Rossi to do all that.

These stats are only part of the story and not too applicable for the reasons mentioned above.

Most Serie A watchers will tell you who was performing better between these two.

Curtinho wrote:Pogba also had the luxury of being insulated on one of the best teams in the world while Pjanic was easily Roma's best player and had to shoulder a lot more responsibility (and attention from the other team).

Even over the last 3 years in production Pjanic, who sits deeper in midfield than Pogba does on average, has outproduced him offensively as well despite the gulf in quality of their teammates.

Nope this doesn't fly at all in Serie A. (I already mentioned above how Pjanic certainly doesn't deeper). On the whole "teammates quality thing" Roma does not lag, at all, on scoring goals compared to Juve. Juve don't particularly go trigger happy even though we win the league. Roma has the squad (and coaches) to always be scoring goals. They focus much more on attacking. Its just the defense that lets them down. Napoli has also outscored us 2 of these scudetto season, and is outscoring us this one too. Roma placed 6th one of the seasons and still matched our goals. Lazio matched it as well.

Playing for Zeman, Garcia, Spalletti, has meant that Pjanic has had the freedom to focus on attacking A LOT more than playing under Conte. Even in Allegri's first season Pogba played behind Vidal or Peryra both in the 3-5-2 and the 4-3-1-2. Pjanic is the most forward midfielder over De Rossi/Keita, Nainggolan/Strootman, etc. (except for brief experiments).

We can agree to disagree I guess. Pogba has always been overrated to me, and the far less flashy Pjanic has always been kind of underrated. I would take Pjanic over Pogba on almost any team, 10 times out of 10.

Pjanic is awesome, its just that he has to get more consistent and deal better with pressing in games. We'll see how far he can go with us once he acclimates.

Well, I mean, he's off to slightly better start than Pogba at United.

Inter: Handanovic; D'Ambrosio, Miranda, Murillo, Santon; Joao Mario, Medel, Kondogbia; Candreva, Icardi, Perisic


Excited to see Mario in a more advanced role, Gabigol might play so hope we get a comfortable early lead (wishful thinking)

Juventus: Buffon; Rugani, Barzagli, Chiellini; Dani Alves, Lemina, HERNANES, Pjanic, Alex Sandro; Higuain, Dybala.

Cagliari: Storari; Bittante, Ceppitelli, Bruno Alves, Murru; Barella, Di Gennaro, Padoin; Joao Pedro, Sau, Borriello.

Good to see Allegri is hard at work trying different formations and coming up with a plan B for us, also nice to see he's giving plenty of minutes to Cuadrado and Pjaca allowing them to gain form and Pjaca to grow as a player. Great stuff.

Oh shit nope I just wandered off in to an alternate reality where most Italian coaches weren't stubborn as *bleep*


Probably gonna win 3-0 and stick with 3-5-2 for another decade

Good of Allegri to start fringe players like Higuain in a big match at home

Well he's playing Hernanes, what else do you want?
such a spoiled fan base

Glad we rotated for those petty games against Sevilla and Inter so we can go full force on Cagliarli

And by full force I mean destroy them for 30 minutes then spend 60 minutes letting them keep the ball.

zizzle wrote:Well he's playing Hernanes, what else do you want?
such a spoiled fan base

Watching Hernanes is like going to the doctors because you fractured your thumb and finding out you have a brain tumour.

Tomwin Lannister wrote:

zizzle wrote:Well he's playing Hernanes, what else do you want?
such a spoiled fan base

Watching Hernanes is like going to the doctors because you fractured your thumb and finding out you have a brain tumour.

The man is full of surprises

Just like a bipolar girlfriend, only Hernanes is not as good in the bedroom. No homo etc

If we dont win this game i cant see us in the CL next year

About Hernanes, if he is to given a chance then it might as well be against Cagliari. Damage control here.

ICARDIIIII

Rugani
Fantastic from Pjanic and HIguain there.

Dzeko off the post

Icardi
Take my wife, take my kids, still worth it ffs

ICARDI AGAINNNN

2-0

Playing against Caglari feels like a Serie A time capsule. Storari, Borrielo, Padoin...

The glorious days when Juve finished 7th every year