Tony Cascarino questioned the ambition of Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the aftermath of his side’s dull 0-0 home draw against Chelsea.
United were criticised for not taking the game to a defensively vulnerable Chelsea side, as Solskjaer’s men failed to capitalise on a good opportunity to end the week with a third straight win.
It’s perplexing that Donny van de Beek played no part as United lacked a creative edge in the closing stages of a game with very few chances.
Despite Paul Pogba’s underwhelming recent form, it was also a surprise the Frenchman didn’t return to the side with Solskjaer relying on Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata as his sole creators.
And former Chelsea striker Cascarino described Solskjaer’s perceived negative team selection as ‘remarkable’, urging the Norwegian to take more risks if United are to be successful.
“Given Chelsea’s issues in defence, I can understand why Frank Lampard adopted a more defensive approach,” Cascarino wrote in The Times.
“Yet it was remarkable that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer picked such a negative team.
“Scott McTominay and Fred offered no creativity from midfield and Dan James is woefully out of form in attack.
“They were crying out for a driving force from midfield and yet Donny van de Beek remained on the bench. He is a game-changer; the type of player who can turn draws into victories.
“He must be wondering why United signed him. If Solskjaer harbours serious ambitions of challenging for the title, he must be prepared to take more risks.”
Of course, a 0-0 draw against a team that were arguably there for the taking was a frustrating result.
But United had to be wary of Chelsea’s incredible attacking threat and nullified Lampard’s men completely. It’s easy to forget that the Reds conceded six goals at home just three weeks earlier.
However, United need to arrest their worrying home form as soon as possible, with the Reds winless from their opening three league games of the season at Old Trafford.
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