SUMMARY
- Erik ten Hag has struggled to transform Manchester United and the playing style.
- The Dutch manager's days in the manager seat might be numbered.
Erik ten Hag took over at Manchester United in May 2022 after impressing the big clubs through his play style and tactics at AFC Ajax. He transformed the Dutch club into a place where young players came to flourish and make a name for themselves on the European stage. But that was not what he was able to do with the Red Devils.
In his first season, Ten Hag helped United finish third, a fairly decent result after a hectic season. That was the year when the turbulent relationship between Cristiano Ronaldo and the club came to a bitter end. Ten Hag’s treatment of the soccer legend received mixed reactions from fans, but he ultimately had the team he wished for.
During the summer of 2022, the club broke the bank to land Ten Hag’s signings, spending more than $274 million. Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Antony, Tyrell Malacia, and Martin Dubravka moved to Manchester that year. In addition to this talented pool of players Ten Hag had at his disposal, he also inherited a squad that included players like Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford.
United finished 14 points off the champions, Manchester City, that year. They were also 9 points behind second-placed Arsenal. Despite fairly filling in the defensive loopholes, United were still poor at the back. Their goal difference was just 15, the third-lowest among the Premier League’s top ten of that season, just behind Aston Villa and Tottenham.
Breaking down Manchester United’s problems
In the last two years, it’s has become evident Ten Hag’s main goal is to play out from the back. Back when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the driver’s seat, United often went for long passes from defenders or David de Gea. In addition to that, quite often, the team relied heavily on the individual quality of players. For example, Bruno Fernandes had to take up the responsibility of finding that defense-splitting pass to break down the opposition.
That was one of United’s biggest problems. If you look at the top European clubs, there isn’t only a single playmaker that the team is depending on. If the opponents choose to man-mark Bruno, leaving him no space, there is no other midfielder who can take the game on his own.
Despite the results, it must be mentioned that United has gotten a lot better at build-up play, but that’s not even close to being enough to compete against the likes of City and Liverpool. The successful teams always have a plan B, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Dutch manager’s team. When playing against teams that go for a low block, teams will usually aim to stretch the opponent’s defense by attacking from both flanks or crowding the central area.
United have been right to do this at times, but what they lack is the direction to head in after that. There have been many occasions where United have held the ball in the final third, with most of the players attacking, but struggling to find space when playing through the middle. Currently, they do not have the aerial presence in the box to go for headers every time the ball is in the air. That brings us to the next problem for United; set pieces.
The players have struggled with set-piece defending in the last few years. This has resulted in United conceding a high number of goals, something that has been happening in 2024 as well. Despite having tall players like Harry Maguire and Varane, Ten Hag hasn’t been able to get his players to defend set pieces well. In addition to that, there have been plenty of mistakes from defenders at the back, even goalkeepers at times. That was one of the main reasons why de Gea was offloaded.
Even after Andre Onana’s arrival, United have struggled to adapt to Ten Hag’s play style completely, which includes playing out from the back, starting from the keeper when the team is on the ball.
When they aren’t holding the ball, Ten Hag aims to get his team to play a form of high-pressing style. This has left United’s defense vulnerable on so many occasions, and especially exposed to counterattacks. The fast-paced transitions have been one of the biggest problems that the defense has had to deal with.
Is Erik ten Hag the right man to take United forward?
Although he has been able to improve the team, the question of whether he is the right man remains. United have conceded 50 goals so far this season, and have scored only 51. To sum up their season, they have not been clinical enough in the final third, and their defense has been varying far too many times for Ten Hag to arrive at a regular back four. Luck hasn’t been on his side as well, as many United players have been dealing with injuries in the last few months.
Just to mention a few, Tyrell Malacia, Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw, and Lisandro Martinez. This has forced United to make the best out of their current players, and that has been taking a toll too. However, it certainly would benefit both United and the manager if he leaves at the end of the season, and I think believe I have some good reasoning behind that bold take.
To make it clear, Ten Hag is not a bad manager, he is certainly a coach who can win numerous trophies. But United has been a process for many years now, and it is about time that Jim Rattclife and Co. start making some decisions with the short-term aspects in mind. He has spent almost 500 million at the club and has won the English League Cup. In addition to that, Ten Hag’s United is also in the 2024 FA Cup final, and are set to face Manchester City.
I believe that even if United tasted success in the FA Cup, Ratcliffe might want to look at other proven options who have experience winning in the top five leagues. The club should have a manager that boasts a prestigious trophy in his cabinet, although that is not the history at United. Sir Alex Ferguson helped to rebuild the club from the ground up, and that’s why I think United fans are expecting a manager to do the same again.
As a United fan myself, I think that the club could use a manager who has a proven record at the club. The main reason why I reiterate that is that the game has witnessed some drastic changes and clubs have been quick to adapt. United should not expect a manager to come in and rebuild every couple of years. Rebuilding could take years, like what Mikel Arteta has done with the Gunners.
Ten Hag can replicate what Arteta has done; content for trophies, but the United community would not be as patient as Arsenal. The 13-time PL winners aren’t in the position to do so at least for another year, and leaving even after winning the FA Cup would be a good last note to write.
