To be fair to Pogba, he is still working his way back from his bout with COVID-19. It's really Ole's fault for starting him and expecting him to be productive for a full 90 minutes. He's done pretty well as a sub over the past few weeks, and that's the role he should continue to play.
He was also the wrong player to start against Arsenal in general. He is too slow and casual with the ball, and Arsenal's pressing caused him constant problems. Donny van de Beek is so quick and decisive and has the ability to dribble out of trouble, he really needs to start every match.
I have come around to the line of Pogba criticism that states he's not a foundational player, but more of a cherry on top. The problem is United need him to be a foundational player, and he simply is not it. In hindsight, United should have sold him to Madrid when they had the chance.
Your analysis is pretty similar to the way I would regard Mesut Ozil; a skilful player, but a luxury, a "cherry on the top" as you phrase it.
Such players can be exceptionally difficult to integrate into a team that plays according to a specific "system", firstly, - not least as they often see themselves as a bit better than, or floating elegantly above, the discipline and focus necessary to be an integral and successful part of (or cog in) such a system, and secondly, while they are a skilful luxury, to expect a team to be created, crafted, built or constructed around them, is too much to ask, on the part of the team, for everyone else must be expected to sublimate themselves for the aforementioned "genius".
And, equally telling, it is a huge ask of the player, indeed, not least because the price of such a role demands consistency, responsibility, hard work, and a consistent delivery of reliable performance, (something luxury players", or "cherries on top" are not known for, they prefer the unpredictability of being able to indulge themselves as pure artists, rather than shoulder the responsibility of performing regularly as the team's talisman), and places a serious responsibility on their shoulders by expecting them to deliver excellent performances regularly.
Most such players are neither willing nor capable of playing either of these roles: Either taking the responsibility of being the fulcrum around which the team revolves, and exists to service, or playing a constructive and responsible role - and performing consistently - as part of an agreed system; both require a lot of hard, grafting, work. Instead, they prefer to be indulged so that they can perform and dazzle and star on their terms, if and when they choose, and turn in a few scintillating and stunning performances over the course of a season.
