Retired striker Dwight Yorke has become the latest former Manchester United star to criticise the direction the club has taken under manager Louis van Gaal.
‘Philosophy’ was one of the Dutchman’s loudest soundbites upon being appointed Red Devils boss in summer 2014 after guiding the Netherlands to the World Cup playoff in Brazil, but the style of football he’s employed at Old Trafford hasn’t been to everybody’s liking.
Since the start of the season and most particularly since United’s run of 404 minutes without a goal across all competitions – eventually ended by Wayne Rooney’s winner against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League last Tuesday – a number of former Red Devils have lamented LVG’s laboured, safety-first approach.
One-club man Paul Scholes, a retired midfielder famed for his creativity and technical flair, claimed last month that he ‘wouldn’t enjoy‘ playing under van Gaal, whilst ex-winger Andrei Kanchelskis, who won two Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson, has branded United’s style of play as quite simply ‘disgusting‘.
Seemingly in agreement with his former colleagues, Dwight Yorke, who helped fire United to three Premier League titles and a Champions League title during his four years at Old Trafford, has also blasted the increasingly controversial van Gaal philosophy.
The 44-year-old said in an exclusive interview with 888Sport; “The legacy Sir Alex has left behind after 26 years has meant we’re used to seeing a certain type of football so you can understand the reaction of certain individuals who have played for the club for a very long time who are entitled to their opinion. Whether Van Gaal agrees with that is another story.
“I can see why people are voicing their opinion because it’s not how United go about their business and it’s been very hard at times for people to bear. The final straw is the fact we went three games unable to score against lesser teams. The frustrations kick in them.
“You’ve got to take certain risks,” he said. “It’s all well and good having a game-plan where you grind teams down and have the ball so much, but the game is about excitement and taking chances. Nobody wants to see that type of football because at the end of the day we’re in the entertainment business. United in the past have been all about being exciting.”
They say the stats don’t lie and the Red Devils’ are incredibly telling. They’ve scored the fewest goals of any side in the Premier League’s top seven this term, 17, and perhaps more disturbingly have created the 17th-fewest chances of any club in the top flight. Only Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa have recorded less than their ninety created chances after twelve games.
That being said, it’s hard to argue with United’s current league standing of 4th place – just two points behind Premier League leaders and local rivals Manchester City.