Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes the ‘bulk is now over’ to coach Louis van Gaal to figure out a winning formula, after a lucrative summer transfer business at the club.
United signed Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao in the recently-closed transfer window.
Scholes, in an interview with MUTV, says the Old Trafford club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has done a “brilliant” job with the players who have arrived in recent months.
“Fans have been moaning about the type of players that were at the club and now you can’t do that,” said the treble winner.
“I think Ed Woodward has done his job brilliantly during this transfer window with some great signings. Now its over to the manager to sort everything out and make us a good team again.”
Several suggestions have been made about the best probable setup suitable for an attacking line-up which already has the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata, in the light of Di Maria and Falcao’s arrival.
An aspect the ex-England international believes will be challenging for the Dutch coach, but opines shouldn’t give the experienced 63-year-old much headache.
“The calibre of player we have brought in is top quality, like Di Maria and Falcao. These are proper players,” Scholes added. “We just have to find a way of getting them all in the same team, playing well and scoring goals- which we have struggled to do a little bit.
“Defensively we haven’t been great either so he he needs to sort that out. Then, I’m sure we can be vying for Champions League places.”
Scholes Continued: I would like to see Di Maria play wide. Whether Van Gaal is going to play with wide players, I’m not sure, but we saw the other night that he was devastating for Argentina against Germany in wide areas. Whether it is the right or left-hand side, his pace is frightening.
“He can go past players and score goals. That is something we have been missing. I am sure he can play in the central areas as well, but if I was picking him then it would be in the wide areas.
“Falcao’s goalscoring record is brilliant from when he has been at Porto and Atletico Madrid. The goals he has scored have been important, then there is the movement he brings and his experience as well at 28 years of age.
“You just hope his knee is right, I think that will be the main problem. But once he gets going and Di Maria can start creating chances for him then I’m sure we will start scoring goals.”