Former Old Trafford captain Gary Neville is convinced his former team is ailing and badly needs rebuilding to regain its old competitive form. In this, the management of Manchester United has to throw its full support behind team manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Neville said.
Neville offered his observation in the aftermath of the loss that the Red Devils suffered against West Ham, 2-0, at the London Stadium on Sunday. The setback left the United still winless away from home, a sorry standing that stretches back to February.
As things stand now, it was crystal clear that Manchester at the moment lacks experience as manifested by the club's last match. With United trailing, 0-1, late in the game, Neville could not hide his frustrations that Solskjaer sent in Angel Gomes, as if the latter was short of options.
It was quite obvious Solskjaer had no one more seasoned to turn to during clutch time as Neville stressed, "The manager needs some experience out there with them. They haven't got any."
"All those young lads, they're talented but to come on in this atmosphere, when the team is struggling like this, it's difficult for them. Ole wouldn't want to be calling on them in these moments," the former Red Devil defender was reported by Metro as saying.
There are gaping holes that require plugging on Manchester, and Solskjaer has to work on these needs soon. For one, the club has to search for a new striker and strengthen the center-forward line, according to Neville, adding that Solskjaer ought to "and some more experience in the middle of the pitch."
In other words, "this squad needs beefing up with quality and experience and numbers," Neville advised.
And in doing so, the team manager must get the assurance that he has the full backing of the management.
"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is going to need support in January and next summer ... He needs a few hundred million quid - you can't back out of that," the Express quoted the football legend as saying.
In order for United to regain its old form, Solskjaer will need to make use of three to four transfer windows, which should enable him to build up a real fighting squad with experience and quality to favor the team, Neville stated.
He added that the team has to implement big and painful adjustments if only to return to its former glory.
And if the situation calls for, Solskjaer has to consider parting ways with players that do not fit as "they haven't obviously been able to bring in the players that they wanted."
"I've got no problem with them letting players who didn't want to be at the club go," the Manchester Evening News reported Neville as saying.
