Louis Saha pinpoints 'crazy' Mason Mount and Casemiro problem at Manchester United
Man United midfielder Mason Mount has come in for criticism for his performances since moving to Old Trafford.
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has called for Mason Mount to offer more creativity to the side's attack.
It's been a difficult start to the season for United, who have already lost six games across the Premier League and Champions League. The struggles have come as a surprise given Erik ten Hag was able to improve his side with some strong signings in the summer transfer window.
Mount was the first to arrive from Chelsea before Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund and Sofyan Amrabat followed as high-profile additions. Other than Danish striker Hojlund, the newcomers are yet to find their best form at Old Trafford and have underwhelmed so far.
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Saha believes Mount especially needs to start making more of an impact in attacking areas. "United are relying on one or two players to create, and I haven’t seen enough of Mount yet," Saha told King Casino Bonus.
"His creativity is nowhere to be seen. I didn’t see any positive runs from him against Brentford. His timing is off, too, and he can’t make chances by playing like this.
"I hope that the players find their groove, and once they do, they’ll be hard to play against. They have the energy, and when players like Bruno Fernandes start making those passes, I’ll be more confident in Man Utd.
"I think Mount can be a lot better, but I’d say the fee was too much. I think Chelsea were playing a game with the fee, even if the market is very competitive and a lot of players have moved for similar fees.
"I’d say, based on what we’ve seen, Mount isn’t performing and I’ve seen Casemiro play more offensively than Mount. That’s a crazy thing to say, but it’s true."
United have had problems in attacking areas, especially as they've been short on wingers after Jadon Sancho was frozen out of the team and Antony missed five matches on a leave of absence. Saha has named Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma as a player who could remedy both of those issues.
"I would like to see Mitoma arrive at Old Trafford," Saha added. "He’s a very exciting player and he never seems to have any doubt on the ball.
"I love his energy and the way he plays with a smile. Mitoma is great to watch, and his attitude would be perfect for any club. Some players think too much, but Mitoma relies on instinct. You can tell he’s worked very hard on the training ground to achieve this, and now he’s got to a point where he looks like a natural. Managers know exactly what they’re going to get from Mitoma, and he’d be a strong asset to any club.
"He’d be very exciting at Man Utd as they tend to have wide players who overthink. They play as if every defender is quicker than them, and that’s why they don’t often dribble or cross as much as they should.
"They’re too worried that they won’t get past defenders. They need to be more direct, and the only United forward who possesses that directness is Rasmus Hojlund. The other players are thinking too much."