MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE an obsession with possession and their “football is miserable”, according to former midfielder Paul Scholes.
Louis van Gaal and his United team have been heavily criticised following Wednesday’s less than impressive 3-1 win at home to relegation-threatened Burnley.
United were completely outplayed by Burnley, especially in the first half at Old Trafford, with the home side fortunate to go into the half-time break leading 2-1.
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Chants of “Attack, attack, attack” echoed around the stadium as fans voiced their frustration with United’s lack of pace and penetration up front. And United legend Scholes – winner of 11 Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford – has joined the growing chorus of pundits and supporters questioning Van Gaal’s tactics.
“It does not give me any pleasure to say that at the moment I am struggling to watch Louis van Gaal’s team with any great enjoyment,” Scholes wrote in his column for the Independent.
“At times, United’s football is miserable. To beat opposing teams you have to attack, and to attack you have to take risks.
“Too few of the players in the current team are prepared to take those risks. Angel Di Maria has taken more risks than any other player and, unfortunately, for him it has not worked out.
“There seems to be an emphasis on possession. I would go further than that: there is an obsession with possession.
“United fans don’t care if the team only has 40 per cent possession as long as they are watching an attacking team.”
Scholes added: “My experience was that the supporters understood that even our best teams, even the teams with Peter Schmeichel or Edwin van der Sar in goal, were going to concede goals.
“We were not reckless, or naïve, but always the chief aim was to attack – and we backed ourselves to outscore the opposition.”
“I do believe that a club’s ethos, the principles of how it plays, should outlive even the biggest individuals in its history. United are about attacking football, and everything else has to takes its place behind that.”
Scholes: Manchester United don't attack - their football is miserable
MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE an obsession with possession and their “football is miserable”, according to former midfielder Paul Scholes.
Louis van Gaal and his United team have been heavily criticised following Wednesday’s less than impressive 3-1 win at home to relegation-threatened Burnley.
United were completely outplayed by Burnley, especially in the first half at Old Trafford, with the home side fortunate to go into the half-time break leading 2-1.
Chants of “Attack, attack, attack” echoed around the stadium as fans voiced their frustration with United’s lack of pace and penetration up front. And United legend Scholes – winner of 11 Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford – has joined the growing chorus of pundits and supporters questioning Van Gaal’s tactics.
“It does not give me any pleasure to say that at the moment I am struggling to watch Louis van Gaal’s team with any great enjoyment,” Scholes wrote in his column for the Independent.
“At times, United’s football is miserable. To beat opposing teams you have to attack, and to attack you have to take risks.
“There seems to be an emphasis on possession. I would go further than that: there is an obsession with possession.
“United fans don’t care if the team only has 40 per cent possession as long as they are watching an attacking team.”
Scholes added: “My experience was that the supporters understood that even our best teams, even the teams with Peter Schmeichel or Edwin van der Sar in goal, were going to concede goals.
“We were not reckless, or naïve, but always the chief aim was to attack – and we backed ourselves to outscore the opposition.”
“I do believe that a club’s ethos, the principles of how it plays, should outlive even the biggest individuals in its history. United are about attacking football, and everything else has to takes its place behind that.”
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