The Treble hero from 1999 Andy Cole is not pleased with how United have appeared during the past twelve months under Louis van Gaal's reign. The most significant flaw, according to Cole, is the blatant lack of pace.
"Ferguson's sides always offered quick players with creativity, but these days it's different", Cole told the Manchester United Supporters' Club Scandinavian Branch. Cole expressed his opinion on the occasion of participating in a charity game for United against Bayern Munich at Old Trafford. "Opposing teams are aware of United's lack of pace and sit deep to punish United on the counter", Cole continued.
However, the former England striker, with spells at Newcastle, Arsenal and Blackburn among several other clubs, leaves a gap in his criticism for Van Gaal to sort it out over the next season. "It's yet to be seen whether this is a transitional period or a deliberate way of playing."
Deliberate or coincidental weakness?
However, Van Gaal's past might indicate that he actually wants to play in a possessional way, hence former Germany international Paul Breitner's statement in Pep Confidential, the book about Pep Guardiola's first season in charge of Van Gaal's former club Bayern Munich. Breitner played nearly 150 league games in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Kane is a gamble
With the Silly season just having started, Andy Cole was inevitably asked about transfer's as well. With Tottenham front man Harry Kane being rumoured for an Old Trafford move, the potential move was a natural issue to comment. "Kane? To be honest, he has only delivered one great season, and £40 million is a great lot of money. That would be a vast gamble."
The 43-year-old ex-Red added an explosive suggestion to United's transfer matters. "I'd rather splash £60 million on Sergio Agüero", Cole said, and labeled the Argentine a natural goal scorer. With Agüero both being the most prolific goal scorer in the Premier League last term, and additionally a more frequent goal scorer than anyone in the last 15 minutes. Cole, however, didn't comment whether it's a realistic transfer or not, but not much suggests that Manchester City would sell their star man to their nearest rivals.