Manchester United legend Andy Cole has hit out at Antony after the £86 million Brazil international disappointed again in the 3-0 Carabao Cup hammering by Newcastle at Old Trafford.
If David Beckham was a centre-forward’s dream – many of Andy Cole’s 121 Manchester United goals set up by the former England captain’s wicked right boot – then what does that make Antony?
All style and very little substance, Wednesday’s EFL Cup collapse at home to a well-coached, well-drilled Newcastle outfit was another game in which the mega-money signing from Ajax looked a man barely worth 10 per cent of his price-tag, Antony’s statistics actually worse than those stumped up by Daniel James during his time on the United right.
Antony flops again for Manchester United
“He would drive me absolutely mad. He is an individual. We all know he is really left footed and will not go to the right-hand side. So, if you are a centre-forward making a run to the near post, you know you will never get it,” Cole tells Sky Sports.
“I look at things like that. He doesn’t score enough goals for me, or create enough chances for his team-mates. You look at him and think ‘what are you giving?’
“They spent a hell of a lot of money on him and the manager has backed him. He has found it really tough.”
Antony has just one goal in the last 12 months of Premier League football. He’s neither scored nor assisted a single goal in 10 appearances this season either, patience wearing thin both with him and countless other members of a United squad contributing to the club’s worst start to a season since 1962.
‘He can do better’
“Antony is also a fighter,” Erik ten Hag said following that traumatic Newcastle defeat, backing a player he brought to Old Trafford from Ajax to come good.
“He has the confidence. He is brave. I am confident he will bring the performance that (proves) he is the right player for us.
“There is also the team. First, the team is not playing well. When they don’t (give Antony the ball in dangerous positions), again, I’m also responsible for that. But, obviously, also, there’s a lot of noise and that dropped his levels.
“(Antony) can do better. But all the players can do better.”
They surely can’t do much worse.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/6FIbEsh