Its like Under 10s football, Paul Scholes tears into Manchester United
Paul Scholes lashed out at Manchester United’s defence after Demba Ba punished some lacklustre organisation on a historic night for Istanbul Basaksehir.
The manner in which the well-drilled Turkish champions defended contrasted markedly with the schoolboy efforts that saw United punished by Ba in the 13th minute.
Inexplicably poor awareness and organisation allowed the unmarked ex-Newcastle, Chelsea and West Ham striker to collect a long ball and run from the halfway line to score.
United legend Scholes was incredulous as to how his former side could leave Ba on his own and described the defending as ’embarrassing’ and ‘all over the place.’
He said on BT Sport: “Surely you always have someone back on the halfway line, they’re pointing at Matic. You’re always goalside, it’s like Under 10’s football.
“You can understand if it’s last minute but it’s the first ten minutes, it’s embarrassing.
“They’ve struggled with them attacking wise, they’ve gone with one holding player today. Defensively they’re all over the place.
“The defenders have to be better, forward play could be better as well. Defensively they’ve got to take responsibility, you have to defend 1v1 sometimes when you’re at Manchester United they seem incapable of doing it.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had been enjoying a European escape from their Premier League problems, having followed up victory at Paris St Germain in their Group H opener with a five-star performance against RB Leipzig.
But United would succumb to defeat at unfancied Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday, with former Premier League striker Ba and skipper Edin Visca scoring in a 2-1 win – their first-ever Champions League group stage victory.
Anthony Martial had reduced the deficit just before half-time, but this season’s 100 per cent away record came to an end for the lacklustre Red Devils to intensify scrutiny on Solskjaer and his side.
Despite introducing the likes of Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood, the Red Devils could not find a leveller on a night that ended with Alexandru Epureanu hacking off the line. Talksport.com.
