‘Moves so gracefully’: Gary Lineker says one reported Newcastle target is an ‘artist’

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Speaking on the Match of the Day Top 10 Podcast, Gary Lineker has been discussing Paul Pogba amid links to both Newcastle and Manchester City.

Lineker was discussing the idea of a footballer being lazy as he was chatting about Mark Viduka, and the pundit made the point that no footballer could ever make it at the top level if they were truly lazy.

Of course, the one footballer who is tarred with that brush more than any other is Paul Pogba, but Lineker jumped to the Frenchman’s defence, claiming that the midfielder actually works really hard, but due to his running style and ability to make the game look easy, he’s branded as lazy.

What’s been said?

Lineker spoke about Pogba.

“I think we sometimes use it as a slur against players who in their style don’t look like they’re giving it their all, even though it’s just the way they move. We did it with Ozil and particularly with Pogba. I think Pogba works really hard, but because he doesn’t have a real sprint and he doesn’t burst. It looks like he’s moving slowly, but he moves so gracefully. I think he’s a wonderful footballer and he’s an artist on the pitch, but sometimes in this country we can label that as laziness when I don’t think it actually is,” Lineker said.

Not lazy

Lineker is absolutely right about Pogba, people brand him lazy just because of how he looks on the pitch.

Pogba is nonchalant and he barely breaks a sweat on the pitch due to his style of play, but if he was running around like a headless chicken, he wouldn’t be half the player that he is.

You don’t become a World Cup-winning £89m footballer if you’re lazy, that’s for sure.

Perhaps Pogba’s talents would be appreciated more at a club like Newcastle where the Frenchman’s obvious technical ability is more likely to stand out despite playing in a way that makes it look as though he’s not giving it his all.