Manchester United: Scholes and Ferdinand lambast 'pedestrian' Red Devils after CSKA Moscow draw

Paul Scholes says Manchester United remain short of pace and creativity after watching the Red Devils labour to a 1-1 draw against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League. Although United came from behind to equalise in the second half, they never took possession of the game.

Seydou Doumbia's first-half strike – after David de Gea had saved a penalty from Roman Eremenko − was cancelled out by an Anthony Martial header after the break in a dour encounter, leaving United in second place in Group B behind Wolfsburg.

While a point in Russia represents a respectable result for Louis van Gaal's side, Scholes chided United for not showing enough attacking verve and imagination despite having over 70% of possession.

"Before the game, you take the point, but when you watch Manchester United, you expect them to be better," Scholes was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

"You expect them to be more creative. You expect players to run with pace and penetration. There is a lack of creativity.

"You would think that with [Bastian] Schweinsteiger and [Ander] Herrera the quality should be there."

'Lots of questions'

Former United defender Rio Ferdinand said the Red Devils lacked in intensity, arguing that the tempo of their build-up play was too slow to seriously trouble opposition defences.

"I can't imagine the frustration that Louis van Gaal must be feeling, from going to the weekend against Everton to this, where the intensity doesn't seem anywhere near the same," he said.

"The exact word is pedestrian. I feel like a broken record. I have said it nearly every time I have watched Manchester United.

"When the ball gets wide, in the midfield and the forward areas, there are no options. It is just not Manchester United."

Ex-United midfielder Owen Hargreaves said there were still question marks over the pedigree of Van Gaal's expensively-assembled squad.

"It wasn't bad but it wasn't good. With all those players on the pitch, you need to be able to create more," he said.

"In the first half, they had 70% possession but they never hurt Moscow at all. In the second half, they went a bit more direct and brought Fellaini on but I still think there are a lot of questions and not a ton of answers at United."

United face arch-rivals Manchester City in the Premier League at Old Trafford on 25 October.