United legend lambasts 'miserable' football

Paul Scholes has become quite the big mouth since making the surprise move into the world of media, though rather less surprising is that he often speaks a lot of sense. He does so again in his latest column for the Independent, in which he lambasts Manchester United's miserable football under Louis van Gaal; denounces our cowardly risk-aversion; criticises Wayne Rooney's deployment in midfield; and pillories Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie.

The following is a mere selection:

"It does not give me any pleasure to say that at the moment I am struggling to watch Louis van Gaal's team with any great enjoyment.  They beat Burnley on Wednesday night but it was Burnley who had by far the best of the first half.

"At times, United's football is miserable. To beat opposing teams you have to attack, and to attack you have to take risks. Too few of the players in the current team are prepared to take those risks. As a midfielder at United I had to pass the ball forward and, yes, it did not always work. It did not always mean putting a chance on a plate for the strikers. It was up to them to get on the ball and score goals. Was it easy? No, but we were playing for United. It was not supposed to be easy."

Oh how we could do with a young Scholesey in our ranks. Though, having said that, the closest thing we have to a young Scholesey, Ander Herrera, doesn't even get a game ...