FEAR AND LOATHING
Saha hates what’s happened to United since they lost their bite
RALPH RANGNICK must bring the ‘fear factor’ back to Manchester United before it’s too late, says Louis Saha.
The club’s former France striker (below) claims United have lost their grit and determination to win under Rangnick and his predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and no longer scare Premier League opposition.
Saha reckons the culture needs to be overhauled and talk of dressing-room disquiet shut down.
The 63-year-old Rangnick is in interim charge until the end of this season and will then take on a consultancy role for two years.
But, according to Saha, the rot set in way before Rangnick’s arrival.
He said: “If you look at some of the results over the last three or four years, something has changed at Old Trafford. There are a few reasons. Firstly, I don’t think that you can underestimate the presence that Sir Alex Ferguson had.
“He had a power that almost intimidated everybody – be that opponents or referees. Managers would turn up in awe of Sir Alex and he isn’t there anymore.
“Secondly, this is a different United team to the one that I played in. Our players were more vocal. They were more experienced – they had all won things and were at
the top level.
Aggression
“That is why the fear factor has been lost. We had a combination of aggression, talent and sometimes arrogance.
“This United team doesn’t have the consistency to create these qualities.”
United spent big last summer. Jadon
Sancho was drafted in from Borussia Dortmund for £73million and Raphael Varane cost £34m from Real Madrid.
Former boss Solskjaer was also able to snare superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo, and get him to return to Old Trafford, for £12.85m from Juventus.
But Saha, who scored 42 goals in 124 games for United, believes the squad needs more grit.
“United need a strong foundation in defence and midfield,” he added. “They need to be really difficult for teams to break down and hard to beat. Then the team can rely on the talent of its attacking players to hurt the opposition.
“At the moment, I see a lot of individuals and not a team. They need seven or eight warriors, players that deliver performances week in, week out.”