Manchester United fans have been angered by Paul Scholes’ comments about why the club should try to sign Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil.
An Anthony Martial penalty late in the first-half was enough to help United beat Partizan Belgrade in the club’s third UEFA Europa League clash on Thursday.
This was the Red Devils’ first away win since their triumph against Paris Saint-Germain last March in the second-leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played a 3-4-2-1 formation in Belgrade, with Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard playing behind Martial. But Whoscored gave the Spaniard a rating of 6.5 and the Englishman a rating of 6.4 – the two lowest scores from the starting XI on the night.
This prompted Paul Scholes into talking about why Solskjaer needs a player like Ozil.
Paul Scholes: “#mufc could do with someone like Özil who can link a team together — he could be an answer short-term — I think that would be up to him, ultimately. I can’t [see it happening] but he’s the type of player, short-term, who United could do with.” #mulive [bt]
— utdreport (@utdreport) October 25, 2019
But United fans have been incensed by the club legend’s remarks:
What is scholes on about here? he keeps saying we’ve not built for the long term for 7 yrs now hes on about short term players I love scholes but all the players he’s slated managers for buying is nothing sort of hypocritical ozil what a joke he’s clearly spent as a player
— Peter Thomas (@PeterTh06677578) October 25, 2019
Imagine trying to play him and Pogba at the same time. We’d get ripped apart. Muller makes more sense than Ozil
— Sarah Horrocks (@mercurialblonde) October 25, 2019
Proves that being a great player doesnt necessarily make you a great pundit.
— MST (@ManUtd1800) October 25, 2019
Ozil, 30, has struggled for game-time at the Emirates this season. He has made only one appearance in the Premier League in the current campaign and it came against Watford away from home. Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw on that day (BBC).
Last season, the German only made 20 starts in the Premier League under Unai Emery. He scored five times and racked up a tally of just two assists.
Scholes’ comments about the former Real Madrid man forced some United fans to poke fun at his 31-day-long managerial stint with Oldham Athletic.
This is why he didn’t last long as manager of Oldham I guess.
— Nick Foulkes (@JustFowksee) October 25, 2019
or because of that pic.twitter.com/G5jqEW3cl9
— C (@UtdCzn) October 25, 2019
This season, United have scored only ten league goals – as many as relegation-threatened Norwich City. They’ve had only the 11th highest number of shots on target per game this season (3.9).
In the absence of Paul Pogba, Solskjaer’s men have scored only two goals in four Premier League games. The Frenchman was missing for the games against Newcastle United, West Ham United, Leicester City and Liverpool.
What do we think?
The aforementioned stats do prove that United have not created enough to warrant a spot in the top eight this season and a lack of goals clearly appears to have cost them a lot already. The sale of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan has not helped, as the Red Devils have been left without a striker that can find the net regularly – Marcus Rashford has just four to his name to date (WhoScored).
However, going in for someone like Ozil may only help temporarily. Links with James Maddison mean that United are likely looking at a younger profile to fill the role of as an attacking midfielder, which may be for the best.