Louis Saha: Manchester United have gone backwards – and relying on young strikers is a ‘big mistake’
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has delivered a damning assessment of his old club’s trajectory, insisting the squad has failed to improve – and may have actually regressed – while questioning their reliance on inexperienced forwards.
Speaking candidly about the current state of affairs at Old Trafford, the two-time Premier League winner did not hold back when asked if Jason Wilcox and the INEOS recruitment model put in place was working.
“No, definitely not,” Saha said. “It’s very clear, and you don’t need to know much about football. Even my partner can say that, and she doesn’t watch much football, but every time she hears me, she can look at the games and have a very simple take on it.”
Saha: ‘The team has not improved’
Michael Carrick was sacked as Manchester United manager on Thursday and will be replaced by USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino.
But Saha says the problems run deeper than the manager and pointed to the void left by seasoned campaigners like Casemiro as a primary reason for United’s struggles, arguing that the current midfield lacks the necessary steel and know-how to control matches at the highest level.
“It’s obvious the team has not improved, if it hasn’t got worse, because, I’m saying, Casemiro was a guarantee,” he explained to FootballPredictions.com. “He was someone who had this experience, that aggressiveness at the right moment. I think we do lack physical power.”
Beyond the engine room, Saha expressed deep concern over United’s recruitment strategy in the final third. While acknowledging the immense expectations that come with wearing the Manchester United shirt, the Frenchman argued that tasking young, foreign players with leading the line is setting them up to fail.
“With no disrespect to other teams, it’s a special club, with the Champions League,” Saha added. “I don’t think a striker should be young at the top of this team. For me, it doesn’t make sense. It’s a lot of pressure, especially when you come from another country. You have too many of those who don’t have the experience to be the solution, and I think that’s a big mistake. It’s just a big mistake.”
Reflecting on Sir Alex Ferguson’s era – where Saha competed alongside the likes of Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Cristiano Ronaldo – the 48-year-old admitted he is baffled by the current lack of prolific firepower.
“I don’t like to refer to the past again, but before, it was maybe four or five strikers who used to score 20 goals a season, and now you have only one or two. I don’t understand.”
Louis Saha was speaking to FootballPredictions.com
