Manchester United too slow and won't change under Louis van Gaal, says Tony Cascarino
Tuesday 12 January 2016 21:24, UK
Manchester United fans will not be buoyed by Tony Cascarino's latest assessment of their spluttering team.
Although United made it into the fourth round of the FA Cup last weekend, they needed a late Wayne Rooney penalty to overcome League One Sheffield United with their tactics once again in the spotlight.
They have scored seven goals in their last 10 games at Old Trafford and have managed just two first-half goals at home all season. Even manager Louis van Gaal says he has been bored and angry with some of his team's performances.
Van Gaal has also claimed United fans should be "happy" with two successive victories, but Cascarino, speaking on Sky Sports Now, has criticised the 64-year-old Dutch boss as inflexible.
They start slowly, they are ponderous and as the minutes go by the crowd gets frustrated. They don't create chances.
"It's very difficult for a man of his age with his achievements, trophies, national teams," the former Chelsea striker said. "He won't change too much.
"The only way things will change is if the manager changes. His style is very conservative.
"United have been criticised, and rightly so. But they are a team that have to take the lead. I know that's an obvious thing to say but their style is more effective if they lead.
"That means teams will have to commit players forward and then they can combat this with players behind them.
"He's stuck in his way though and that's his way. He has nothing to prove. He had problems at Barcelona with striker Ronaldo and he was the world player of the year at the time.
"You look at the current United team - there's Ashley Young and Daley Blind playing at full-back. And there's Anthony Martial not playing up front."
Cries of "attack, attack, attack" have been heard regularly at Old Trafford this season, and the ironic cheers after Memphis Depay's shot in the second half against Sheffield United on Saturday were symptomatic of discontent among some United fans.
United have failed to score in the first half in their last 10 home games and Cascarino added: "I played United about six times and you were never disappointed.
"They were on the front foot from the very first moment. Now it's all on the back foot. They start slowly, they are ponderous and as the minutes go by the crowd gets frustrated.
"They don't create chances. Apart from the goals, there's no one hitting the woodwork and there's just no chances to score.
"These are the much bigger problems. That's telling me the team is not very effective. Wayne [Rooney] has struggled because there are very few chances. He scored a great goal [against Swansea] but most of the time that wouldn't have gone in. But that's what he has got to do."
