October 6th 2024.
Paul Scholes, a legendary ex-United and England midfielder, recently expressed his frustration with Manchester United’s recruitment strategy under manager Erik ten Hag. This comes after the Red Devils’ goalless draw with Aston Villa, where new signing Joshua Zirkzee was brought on as a substitute in the second half.
The draw was not the result United were hoping for, especially after a disappointing start to the season both domestically and in Europe. Their midweek game against Porto ended in a 3-3 draw, leaving the team in need of a strong performance at Villa Park.
But the much-changed United team struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick hitting the crossbar as their closest attempt at a goal. In stoppage time, they had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock, but Alejandro Garnacho failed to make a crucial pass to Fernandes, who was clean through on goal after a rapid counter-attack.
This result leaves United in 14th place in the Premier League table, a position that Dimitar Berbatov believes is “unbelievable” for a club of United’s stature. Scholes, on the other hand, was not surprised by this outcome, as he never believed his former team went into the game with the sole intention of winning.
Speaking in the SuperSport studio after the game, Scholes stated, “It’s a point for United, going to a tough ground under a lot of pressure. I never really felt like they went there to try and win the game. It was more of a survival tactic.”
He also took into account the midweek fixtures, stating that it was a tough game for both clubs, with Villa coming off a big win against Bayern Munich. However, Scholes believes United’s performance was affected by their midweek game against Porto, where they played with ten men for part of the game.
Interestingly, three of United’s high-profile summer signings, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, and Zikzee, were all left on the bench for this game. According to Scholes, this just highlights United’s directionless recruitment strategy, despite spending a “ridiculous” amount of money in recent years.
“In forward areas especially, I just don’t think the quality is there,” Scholes said. “We go back to the most successful teams, they’re capable of scoring goals. What have we scored? Five goals in seven games. Now we had three or four forwards who could get you 20 goals so you’re looking at 80 goals a season there and I just don’t see that in the forward line at Manchester United.”
He also questioned the signings of players like Rasmus Hojlund and Zirkzee, questioning whether they can score 20 goals a season for the team.
“It’s a ridiculous amount of money and some of them can’t even get in the team!” Scholes exclaimed, referring to the situation with Ugarte, who was supposed to change the way United’s midfield played but was not given a chance to do so.
Scholes also pointed out the confusion in United’s recruitment strategy, with players like De Ligt and Martinez, who were brought in by Ten Hag, not being given a chance over players like Jonny Evans, who is 36-years-old. This, according to Scholes, is a “recruitment mess.”
He believes that United’s failure to establish a clear playing style under Ten Hag has made it difficult for them to recruit players who fit their system. “When you don’t have a style of play and you don’t know how to play, or the way you want to play, it’s very difficult to choose players,” Scholes explained.
He contrasted this with Liverpool’s recruiting strategy, where they have a clear style of play in mind and can easily find players who fit their system. Scholes believes that United’s lack of direction in their playing style has led to them making hasty decisions in the transfer market, which has not worked in their favor.
In conclusion, Scholes’ comments highlight the frustration felt by many fans and experts regarding United’s recruitment strategy under Ten Hag. As the team continues to struggle on the field, it remains to be seen if they will make any changes in their approach to signings.
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