"Looks too anxious" - Paul Scholes says Manchester United star is trying too hard to recapture best form
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes believes Marcus Rashford is focusing too much on producing something 'magical' and has advised him to keep it simple instead.
The England international has had a hard time in front of goal this season. He has not looked confident with the ball at his feet and has often made poor decisions in the final third.
In the first leg of Manchester United’s last-16 clash with Atletico Madrid, Rashford once again cut a frustrating figure up top. He didn’t register a single shot on target, lost seven duels, and offered precious little going forward.
Assessing his performance, Scholes claimed that the Englishman was too anxious on the pitch and was overdoing it, instead of getting the basics right. Speaking on BT Sport (via Metro), Scholes said:
“He looks too anxious for me, he looks like he is trying almost too hard. Every time the ball comes to him, he feels like he’s got to do produce something magical. That’s probably the worst thing you can do. I always remember when going through a tough time, the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] always said keep it simple."
He added:
"Just work your way back into the game. He doesn’t seem to be able to do that. He is always thinking he has got to produce something. We saw him get the ball 35 yards out, we were saying, ‘No, don’t shoot,' because you know he takes a touch and smacks it miles over the bar. He’s just got to calm himself down, work himself into the game and his form, eventually, will come back.”
Marcus Rashford's decision making in the final third is becoming increasingly frustrating to watch and they're happening more frequently #mufc
https://t.co/unhAAbeZvL
Scholes also advised Rashford not to watch the clips of his own performances and to try to play the game in a 'simple' manner. He added:
“I don’t think he needs video clips [of his best performances], he needs somebody on the pitch to tell him. Work hard, when we’ve not got the ball you sprint back, you get back into position, it’s that simple. I don’t think he didn’t work hard tonight, it’s the anxiety in him that he thought he needed to produce something.”
Rashford has featured in 22 games for Manchester United this season, registering five goals and two assists.
Cristiano Ronaldo fails to inspire Manchester United against Atletico Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo was arguably Manchester United’s worst player against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night. The Portuguese, who has two Champions League knockout hat-tricks against Los Rojiblancos, failed to get even a single shot on target.
Diego Simeone’s side isolated the 37-year-old effectively, cutting the passing lanes around him. As a result, Ronaldo was starved of supply and failed to make life difficult for United's opponents.
Cristiano Ronaldo registered more touches in Manchester United’s penalty area (1) than Atletico Madrid’s (0) in the first half #UCL https://t.co/m5wTLqLxN6
With the tie finely poised at 1-1, United will need their superstar to step up in the return leg at home in March. The Red Devils cannot afford another toothless performance in the Champions League, especially in their own backyard.