The problem is not that Manchester United does not attack, it is like that that they are attacking

Paul Pogba was wrong to say that Manchester United needed to attack more under José Mourinho. They must attack better.

As if Jose Mourinho did not have enough worries after Manchester United's knockout of the Carabao Cup in Derby on Tuesday, he had to face a question that had apparently emerged between him and Paul Pogba. Mourinho did his best to minimize these reports, but he was quickly undermined by a video clip of a United training session.

Few people bought Mourinho's insistence at that time, there was no problem between him and Pogba after the decision to publicly remove French from the Deputy Captaincy. There is clearly friction between them.

This particular episode was triggered by Pogba's comments last weekend. Irritated by the nature of the 1-1 draw at home against the newly promoted Wolves, the midfielder urged his teammates to attack further. "We are at home and we should play much better against the wolves," he said. "We are here to attack."

Many, including Mourinho, seem to have seen this as an attack on the manager, known to favor a more conservative approach. Indeed, Pogba's remarks echo the feeling of many United fans who want Mourinho to release his team from the channels that have held them for so long. In this sense, Pogba became the voice of the stands.

However, even though his comments are understandable, they do not adequately reflect United's current problems. It's not that they need to attack more, it's that they have to learn to attack better, smarter, faster. Pogba himself has a role to play in this regard. This is a much more nuanced discussion than the French and many supporters are perhaps willing to admit it.

United averaged 5.8 shots per goal per game, the fifth highest score in the Premier League this season – more than the Spurs, for example. They also have the average of the fifth highest number of passes per game (20 per game), more than the Spurs, Arsenal and even Liverpool. United, for all that is inclined, throws the players forward and brings the ball into the box.

Therefore, the claim that Mourinho is a defensive coach is somewhat unfair. He has tried to change his style in the last two seasons, but he has not had the courage to do it yet. United are too static in the last third. Their movement is not what it should be and, too often, their attackers lack options even if there is a lot of progress.

It depends on Mourinho's ability as a coach. He needs help. Sir Alex Ferguson recruited Carlos Queiroz as assistant when the Scotsman recognized his own defensive shortcomings. Now, Mourinho should seek to bring someone to help him in an offensive sense. Liverpool has a coach started, so why did not Mourinho call on a forwards specialist? This would show at least some self-awareness.

Whether or not Mourinho has the humility to do something like this is debatable. It already seems that he has made a power play with Pogba, demanding that the French respect his authority. But there has been a change in the locker room dynamics at Old Trafford since the World Cup.

Previously, Mourinho was the one who held the power at the club. He was the confirmed winner, the one who won all the medals. Now, Pogba is the guy who has succeeded at the highest level of the game recently and with whom the influence has been strengthened. The future of United will depend on how this quarrel unfolds.

Until then, United was somewhere between the demands of their fans, the views of their best player in the field and the stubbornness of their manager. This is not a great place, but the solution to their problems is more than just an attack, as Pogba suggests.