What use is there in highlighting a problem without bringing up a potential solution to go along with it?
Luckily, Paul Scholes had the answer to the inevitable question that would follow his claim that Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic should no longer be the main man up front for Jose Mourinho.
Eight goals for the Swede this season is a first-rate return considering it is his debut season in English football but Scholes argued that Ibrahimovic ought to be utilised as more of a passer-on of experience, rather than as a primary striking option.
“He’s an athlete and a fit lad. I think he’ll be good to have around the place,” Scholes said during his analysis for BT Sport on Thursday night.
“He’ll be good for someone like Rashford to learn from. If at 36 years of age [35] he’s going to be the main striker then I don’t see that.
“When this club has been successful, when I was playing, when Michael [Owen] was playing, we always had three or four brilliant centre forwards.
“If you’re talking about a 36-year-old [35-year-old], as special as he’s been over his career, as special as he still is now, I don’t think he should be the main one.”
But Scholes is getting used to this punditry lark at this stage and was well aware of how unhelpful it would be to suggest that Ibrahimovic doesn’t belong in the regular Red Devils starting XI without bringing up a solution.
The former United midfielder had just the replacement in mind for Mourinho to bring in and lead the line for his side, who trounced Feyenoord 4-0 in their penultimate Europa League group game this week.
After suggesting that Marcus Rashford will be in contention for that role in the coming years, Scholes hinted that his former club should be in the market for a more immediate solution to add a bit of quality to their attacking play.
He continued: “Will they bring another centre forward in? Wayne’s obviously there to challenge. Is Martial a centre forward? There’s four straight away…
“I think Griezmann would be up there. He looks a top centre forward at Atletico and I think we have to be in the market for someone like that.”
Dick Clerkin makes his GAA Hour debut to talk about a wonderful career and argue passionately with Colm Parkinson over Sky Sports GAA. Subscribe here on iTunes.
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