00:00So switching over now to one of the leagues in Europe with the most African representation, the French League, Ligue 1, there's a star player that has returned to playing football, Paul Lapioche Pogba, someone that all of us, Pogbun, nickname after nickname, the boy, the guy, all of us on this podcast wish him well, want the best for him.
00:23But the big question that's kind of looming over stories about him is when is he going to come back? Monaco has talked about a three-month plan for him to return. Fans are itching for him to get back onto the field.
00:36Do you guys think that when he gets back onto the field, he'll have the talent and the muscle memory, I guess, to play at the level that he played at before? And does Pogba just kind of in his bag of tricks have enough talent to make it to a World Cup, play for France?
00:50If he does, who do you take out of that French midfield to put Pogba in for?
00:54To answer your question one at a time, they've included him in the Champions League squad. So that shows the fact that, okay, a UCL night.
01:04Come on now. He's used to those.
01:07Of course, of course, of course. Listen, he's going to the final with Juve, even at a young age, but no, the guy loves football, bro.
01:12So the fact that he's been able to get back, you saw the tears that he shed when he signed.
01:17Beautiful.
01:18So Paul will be good.
01:20Yeah, I think he'll be able to – you spoke about muscle memory.
01:22He's not somebody who relies on sheer athleticism in his game.
01:25One of the most technically gifted players we've seen, both on ball, his passing, his vision, et cetera, that I think coming back from such a long hiatus, he'll be completely fine.
01:35Because it seems like mentally he's in the right place and he's fully supported.
01:38So I think he'll have an incredible season.
01:40And if I had to remove somebody, Robby-O, you got to go.
01:43Yeah, I mean, my POV on this situation is like probably the French's midfield or France's midfield is like their weakest link, right?
01:55Like if you – they're very top-heavy, right?
01:57Like when you think about France, you think about Duet, you think about Nebel, you think about Mbappe, you think about even their attacking midfielders, Griezmann, Cherki.
02:05You think about like all the – Barcola, all the players that are going to be like at the top of the pitch.
02:11But then you also know that they're going to be solid in the back with the likes of like what, Koundé, Hernandez, Saliba, Karnate, maybe.
02:20Chouameni, maybe.
02:20Chouameni has been phenomenal recently.
02:23So recently, I don't mean to cut you off, but Chouameni just gave a pass.
02:27No, he's –
02:27Hold on, hold on, hold on.
02:28He gave a pass that reminded me of Pogs this weekend.
02:32I remember when you first signed for Madrid, I was telling you he reminds me of Pogba.
02:34Bro, but he gave a pass that reminded me of the pass.
02:38Any football fan will remember the pass that Pogba gave with Mbappe in the World Cup.
02:43Bro, that pass, the bounce.
02:45Different.
02:46Oh.
02:47But besides Chouameni, there's some guys that can get replaced for sure.
02:49Well, yeah.
02:51That's really my point.
02:52Like if there was a place on the field to remove players, it would be in the midfield.
02:57And I think like what, Chouameni, Kamavinga, like that's not to say that both of them aren't phenomenal players.
03:04But I think Pogba gives you a little bit more like presence, experience, and even just like tactical skill in the midfield.
03:13It's a debate.
03:14It's a debate, y'all.
03:14For the B2.
03:15For the last three years, I can't say that with what Chouameni's on the realm.
03:19It's fair.
03:19I think that's fair.
03:20One question.
03:21One question I'll bring to you.
03:23That's that just listening to like the OG, I've been around, blah, blah, blah.
03:26Now, current right now, young boy is going crazy.
03:29Hear me, though.
03:30Chouameni's balling out right now.
03:31Hear me, though.
03:31As Pogba ages two, there could also be a transition in his career in terms of what he planned.
03:36Yeah.
03:36And I don't think he would replace Chouameni at CDM.
03:38I think he'd be to either side of him in the midfield three most likely.
03:41You feel me?
03:42He might not just be the exact, you know, he was playing before, especially when he was United.
03:46Yeah.
03:47But if Pogba gets back to his best, he's better than Kefrin Turam.
03:49He's better than Iconé.
03:50You know, I don't think he at his best would ever be the CDM anyway.
03:54So I think it would actually be him and Chouameni together.
03:57But Chouameni, he's holding down that position, I would say.
04:01Kamaving has been in and out with injuries, so I think that's a fair shout.
04:04But yeah, if one player got to go, Rabiot, get out of here.
04:07And I think a lot of people, too, have been saying, like, oh, like, Pogba's getting older.
04:13But we've seen in the last competitions that DeChomp is not afraid to, like, rely on older players,
04:18whether it's Griezmann, all the tournaments he's come back for.
04:21Even N'Golo Kante being called back for the last Euros.
04:24That's one point.
04:25And so it's like, he's not really, he won't shy away from bringing back a player because of his age if he's still, like, if he's still got it.
04:32And to be clear, Pogba hasn't been playing.
04:34So it's not like he has the wear and tear of someone that's played for the last four years.
04:37Exactly.
04:38I don't know how much he's kept his rehab up, but the wear and tear on his body is not four years of wear and tear.
04:44No.
04:44It's just simply not.
04:45Yeah.
04:45He's going to have to really get his conditioning, though.
04:47Absolutely.
04:47That's going to take some time.
04:48Absolutely.
04:48Which I do like.
04:49A three-month plan seems excessive, but the fact that they have a plan to ease him into it is really smart.
04:54It means they're taking care of his career, both mentally and physically.
04:57So I actually really like that for Monaco.
04:59Monaco's a good place to be mentally and physically well.
05:02Hey, Vian, if you want to get us to cover a Monaco game, we're not going to say no.
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