October 6th 2024.
Paul Scholes expressed his disappointment with Manchester United's performance during their 0-0 draw against Aston Villa, particularly in regards to their recruitment under manager Erik ten Hag. The Red Devils were in dire need of a strong showing after a rocky start to their season, but they fell short once again.
United's struggles were evident as they failed to create clear opportunities and were forced to settle for a point. Bruno Fernandes came closest to scoring with a free-kick that hit the crossbar, and a late chance to break the deadlock was wasted due to a poor pass from Alejandro Garnacho.
The result leaves United in 14th place in the Premier League table, a position that former United player Dimitar Berbatov finds "unbelievable" for a club of their stature. And legendary midfielder Paul Scholes, who is known for his candid opinions, never believed that United went into the game with the intention of winning.
"It's a point for United, going to a tough ground under a lot of pressure," Scholes stated in the SuperSport studio after the match. He has been a vocal critic of United's recruitment for some time and felt that their tactics against Villa were more about surviving the game rather than trying to win it.
Scholes acknowledged that both teams had midweek fixtures, with Villa coming off a big win against Bayern Munich and United having a tough game against Porto with ten men. He believed that the game reflected the fatigue of both sides.
Three of United's high-profile summer signings – Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, and Joshua Zirkzee – were left on the bench for the game. Scholes saw this as a reflection of United's directionless recruitment, despite spending a "ridiculous" amount of money in recent years.
"In forward areas especially, I just don't think the quality is there," he commented. "We go back to the most successful teams, they're capable of scoring goals. What have we scored? Five goals in seven games."
Scholes pointed out that United used to have multiple forwards who could score 20 goals each, adding up to 80 goals a season. But he doesn't see that same scoring potential in the current forward line.
He also questioned the roles of Ugarte and Zirkzee, asking if they were capable of scoring 20 goals for the team. He felt that United were relying more on hope rather than proven quality, despite spending a lot of money on these players.
The former midfielder also criticized Ten Hag's decision-making, citing the absence of Ugarte and De Ligt in the starting lineup. He questioned why Jonny Evans, who is 36 years old, was playing instead of De Ligt, and why Ten Hag's own signing, Lisandro Martinez, was not on the field.
Scholes believes that United's failure to establish a clear playing style under Ten Hag has made it difficult for the club in the transfer market. He explained that when a team has a defined style of play, it becomes easier to recruit players who fit into that system. But with United's constantly changing tactics, they are just throwing darts and hoping for the best.
In conclusion, Scholes expressed his disappointment with United's performance and their recruitment strategy under Ten Hag. He believes that the lack of a clear playing style is hindering the club in the transfer market and that it needs to be addressed in order for United to reach their former glory.
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