Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United players to take responsibility following their poor performance against Wolves at Old Trafford on Monday evening.
The Red Devils were defeated 1-0 by the visitors in a showing that was anything but impressive. The Manchester side were second best and allowed their opponents to dominate for large portions of the match.
Read: When Ralf Rangnick battled Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United
Following the fixture, the players have come under fire from the fans and the media alike. However, ex-Arsenal star Ian Wright feels interim manager Ralf Rangnick isn’t immune from criticism. During his post-match analysis for Premier League Productions, he expressed his thoughts on the German’s team selection.
He said: “I’m confused as to what Rangnick is trying to do in terms of attempting to control a game. You’re not going to control a match with McTominay and Matic in the midfield, for me. It’s a game I don’t know why Bruno Fernandes didn’t start. We saw the impact he had.”
However, it’s unfair to put the entire blame on Rangnick’s shoulders. The Red Devils still appear to have the same problems that they had under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
What did Rio Ferdinand say about United?
In his post-match breakdown for Vibe with FIVE, Rio Ferdinand gave his unfiltered opinion on what his former side’s most significant issue is right now.
He said: “The big part for me is some of the body language that you see on the pitch. It’s concerning. The system and the way the team is playing isn’t getting the best out of Jadon Sancho, Edinson Cavani or a lot of the players.
“One of the key things that Ralf Rangnick said, and you can’t judge him yet, it’s too early, but he said he’d get individuals playing better. I want to see that because at the moment I’m still not seeing that.
“You expect Marcus Rashford to come off the bench and go out there and give it some. But sometimes, he loses the ball, and his reaction when he loses the ball isn’t what you want to see sometimes. That could be down to him not being happy that he isn’t playing. But when you’re out of the team and you come in, it’s up to you to prove to the manager what you are about, who you are.
“It’s hard to pinpoint one player. I think they’ve all got to take responsibility. It goes from Cristiano Ronaldo at the top to all the other players.
“Listen, you can be happy about how we’ve only lost one game since Rangnick took over. But without [David] de Gea, we’d have probably lost four or five.”
It’s clear that Rio Ferdinand is disappointed with the squad’s attitude at United. Without a positive mindset, it is almost impossible for a team to play at their best. One defender has expressed his worries regarding the rest of the season.
What did Luke Shaw have to say?
The experienced left-back has expressed the need for more intensity and aggression, and questioned the unity of the players.
He said: ‘I didn’t feel that we were all there together. We felt like we were struggling. I don’t think you can put it on the new manager. Us players have been here for a long time. You look at our squad, you look at our team, and we have unbelievable quality. I think sometimes quality isn’t enough.
“We need to bring the intensity. We need to be more aggressive, and we need to bring more motivation. Inside the dressing room, we know what we want, but when we step out on that pitch, we need to give 100 per cent. I’m not saying not everyone did, but I think to win these types of games, against a tough team like Wolves, we all need to be 100 per cent committed.”
How big are United’s issues?
The problems affecting United have been a major problem throughout the season, and things aren’t improving at the moment.
Ralf Rangnick is renowned for taking over sinking ships and keeping them afloat. But at the moment, United are drowning fast, and the 63-year-old appears to be unable to stop the water from lowering the boat even deeper into the ocean.
When he joined the club, he promised to connect with the squad. He assured the fans that he would make things better. But as far as Ferdinand is concerned, he’s yet to do that.
However, it’s important to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, or even six weeks. Rangnick still deserves an opportunity to prove that he is capable of what he’s claimed. But only time will tell whether he can succeed.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
