MANCHESTER UNITED legend Paul Scholes has labelled Erik ten Hag’s long-ball tactics against Real Sociedad as “a bit League Two-ish”.
The Red Devils needed to beat the Spaniards by at least two goals, but only managed to net once thanks to 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho.
Garnacho’s goal might have sealed the win but it meant United finished second in their Europa League group.
They now have to play a preliminary knockout round instead of skipping to the Round of 16.
That means they could face one of the Champions League dropouts in Ajax, Barcelona, Juventus, Leverkusen, Salzburg, Sevilla, Shakhtar and Sporting CP.
But Scholes says United had “no plan” in a “complete mess” of a second half as they pushed for a second which would see them top the group.
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As desperation kicked in, defender Harry Maguire even came on and played up front.
Such tactics has seen United legend Scholes scold his former team as “a bit League Two-ish”.
Scholes told BT Sport: “The second half looked a bit messy, there was no plan.
“The plan was to launch it forward to look for second balls – it was a little bit League One, League Two-ish for me. Maybe a little bit disrespectful.
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“I wasn’t really sure what he was trying to do. It started with the [Victor] Lindelof substitution. They were in complete control until he went off.
“Casemiro went to the back, then Marcus [Rashford] came on for [Donny] Van de Beek in the No 10 role. It’s not his position, he needs to be on the shoulder of people.
“Rashford needs to be out wide, he needs to be in space.
“It just became a long ball game – and I’m all for that, it can work – but the second half just became a complete mess having been in control in the first half.
“There were positive substitutions I just didn’t think Marcus [Rashford] was in the right position.
“Bruno [Fernandes] could have swapped with Marcus from the right, Bruno is ineffective on the right. He knows he’s going to be. Get Marcus out wide.
“Maybe Marcus is carrying something? He didn’t want him to stretch his legs down the right-hand side.
“Marcus is most dangerous out wide.
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“In the centre, he has to take a touch, beat a man then link play, he’s capable but it’s not his best position.
“Getting Bruno in the middle would have given them better shape.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
