Ten Hag can no longer hide behind Man United ownership woes،
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United’s drawn-out takeover saga, about to enter its 12th month, has provided useful cover for Erik ten Hag’s shortcomings. However, the Glazers’ deliberations can only distract attention for so long, and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City might have put the spotlight on the Old Trafford manager with Sunday’s 3-0 victory.
Two goals from Erling Haaland and a late strike from Phil Foden left City fans chanting “Mind the Gap!” to their neighbors in crisis. And this gap is widening.
Being taught a football lesson at home by City has become a worrying sign of what is to come for United managers since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. A 3-0 defeat to Manuel Pellegrini’s City in 2014 precipitated the departure of David Moyes after less than 12 months in charge, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was gone less than a month after an extremely one-sided 2-0 defeat to Guardiola’s side in 2021.
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Ten Hag is far from suffering the same fate as Moyes and Solskjaer, but the former Ajax manager is not safe from the sack due to the results. He has avoided scrutiny because the only concern among his superiors at Old Trafford is whether the club will be sold or subject to a new football board run by potential investors INEOS.
None of his predecessors, including José Mourinho and Louis van Gaal, have started a season as poorly as Ten Hag’s side, with the defeat United’s fifth defeat in 10 Premier League matches. There is so much uncertainty due to the prolonged buyout situation, that the dismal form on the field has gone largely unnoticed.
Until now. Ten Hag’s decision to replace striker Rasmus Højlund midway through the second half provoked loud boos from United fans, a clear sign of trouble in the stands – trouble that had previously been directed at the Glazers.
Unfortunately for all those post-Ferguson United managers, City were the litmus test of progress, and the bar was set incredibly high. Guardiola has built one of the greatest club teams in history, so measuring up would be a challenge for any team.
When Ten Hag oversaw a 2-1 win over City in January, it looked like the 53-year-old Dutchman was getting United back on track and the club’s long-awaited renaissance had begun. However, with this defeat coming nine months later, United’s regression under Ten Hag was confirmed by City’s complete domination.
Yes, City’s first goal – a penalty awarded by referee Paul Tierney following the intervention of VAR official Michael Oliver – was a soft decision and one that tipped the scales in the Blues’ favour, but from that point on at that point, it didn’t matter how many City would win. And they weren’t even playing at their usual imperious level.
United were in a confused mess, and that was down to Ten Hag, as his team selection and tactics didn’t make sense.
Ten Hag started with left-back Sergio Reguilón on the substitutes’ bench, opting instead to deploy right centre-half Victor Lindelöf at left-back. Lindelöf, an honest if limited defender, constantly looked uncomfortable.
In the center, former Real Madrid defender Raphaël Varane watched from the bench as Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans tasked with marking Haaland. Ten Hag was happy to move Maguire to West Ham United in the summer and even stripped him of the team captaincy, while Evans played his first Manchester derby at Old Trafford since being sent off in a 6-0 defeat. 1 against City in October 2011. – only landed a one-year contract in the summer after impressing while training at the club following his release from relegated Leicester.
As for Ten Hag’s big signings – players he pushed the club to recruit – they didn’t even make the starting 11. Antony and Mason Mount, who cost a combined £140million in transfer fees, also watched from the bench.
The irony for Ten Hag was that their best striker in the first half was Scott McTominay, another player they were happy to jettison in the summer.
Højlund, meanwhile, has shown great effort and commitment, but the £72million striker has been starved of service as Ten Hag is yet to develop a tactical plan that would allow his center forward to recover the ball in dangerous areas. The manager might expect that supply role to be taken on by Marcus Rashford, but last season’s top scorer has only scored once in the league this season, so every time he spots the goal less than 30 yards away, he shoots in desperation rather than watching. to pass to his attacking teammate.
Ten Hag, of course, can’t take full responsibility for his players’ poor decisions, but he is the man responsible for making the eleven work as a cohesive unit. He fails in his most important task.
City players tend to make the right decisions, they play as a team, find the right pass and score the big chances. This is due to Guardiola’s training, his tactics and the confidence he instills in his players.
Under Ten Hag, United don’t believe it and they look more and more like they aren’t being coached like they should be. Even the Glazers can’t be blamed for that. This all depends on the manager’s door.
