Anfield - where it all went wrong for Ten Hag?

-

Liverpool 7 v 0 Manchester United
Sunday 5th March 2023

Manchester United won the League Cup on 26th February 2023 and all looked pretty rosey in the garden. Goals from Casemiro and Rashford defeated Newcastle to win the first trophy under Erik Ten Hag. 

United were league cup winners, undefeated in 22 matches, third in the league, 6 points behind city in 2nd place, with a game in hand. While city and Arsenal were undoubtedly ready to challenge for the title, the league cup victory should have given United a shot in the arm to kick on for the rest of the season. 

Things were looking promising, we had seen;

  • Ten Hag's steely determination to send his team out for a 14km run after losing to Brentford - the distance they outrun his side by. Erik joined them. 
  • Superb tactics to then defeat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford
  • Casemiro and Martinez adding steel, experience and a winning mentality.
  • Marcus Rashford turning in elite level performances
  • A sensational January victory over city at Old Trafford.
  • Two outstanding games against Barcelona where we knocked them out the Europa League

So yeah, things were good. 

Then, the following weekend after the league cup victory, United travelled to Anfield to face their arch rivals who were sitting 10 points behind, back in 6th position. Liverpool trounced United 7-0. 

Things went horribly wrong and it hasn't been the same since.

Confidence dropped and the mood changed. Perhaps the players lost a little faith in Ten Hag. Perhaps he lost faith in some of them. Since this historic defeat, United have never reached the consistency that they had displayed pre-Anfield. 

Defeats to Brighton and West Ham at the start of May left United's Champions League position hanging by a thread, but they rallied to end the 2023-24 season with 4 back-to-back victories, even Martial and Sancho scored in those games.

Since then, Ten Hag (and United) has had some major issues to deal with;

  1. Greenwoood - United's handling of the Mason Greenwood 'situation' was awful. It dragged on far too long and hung over the club like a bad smell. The back tracking in the end was embarrassing. Where was the leadership and the values from the clubs hierarchy? 
  2. Sancho - In 2023/24 Erik dispatched Sancho to Holland to work on his fitness and mental health. Sancho returned and initially looked promising, but before long he was back into his old ways. To be blunt, Sancho plays football like he just doesn't give a flying f**k. Rightly dropped from the team after dire performances on and off the pitch (consistently late for training), he took to social media. Sancho was dispatched again, this time on loan to Dortmund. The club must get him off their books.
  3. Antony - Manchester United paid £85 million for this clown. Everyone is wise to how he has no right foot and will always try to cut onto his left. He isn't good enough for United and it's going to be difficult to move him out on a transfer. Hopefully we can get him out on loan somewhere. Shouldn't be near the red shirt.
  4. Rashford - Oh Marcus. In the aforementioned 22 match unbeaten run, Rashford looked world class. On the left, right, or through the centre, he scored the goals that won United games and points. A new contract was the reward for Marcus, he has yet to repay the club on the field. His work-rate, demeanour and performances have been diabolical this season. Yes, things have been going on in his personal life, but Rashford has not shown leadership qualities on the pitch or off. Hugely disappointing.
  5. Open heart surgery - Lets not forget that Ralf Ragnick said that United were in urgent need of 'open heart surgery'. Ten Hag inherited a mess and always said that it would take 3-years to be challenging. The attitude of some players to training, fitness and their commitment in general was questionable; De Gea (not signed for anyone since leaving), Pogba, Lingard, Sancho, Martial ...  
  6. Injuries - What the hell is going on at training and in the medical room? Yes, many players sandwiched a World Cup into the 2022/23 season, and many had lengthy runs in the tournament. Martinez 'memorably' went missing to celebrate Argentina's victory. Did the number of games catch up on some? Shaw and Martinez have missed large chunks (most of) the season and they have been sorely missed, as they were intergral to playing out from the back. Martinez was also a leader on the pitch, a true warrier.
  7. The takeover - Ten Hag (and indeed the club) have also had the huge shadow of a takeover cast over them. Jim Ratcliffe hasn't wasted time in sorting out the top end of the club off the pitch. What does he think of the leadership on it? 
Ten Hag has still somehow managed to steer this ship to an FA Cup Final and to be in the running for Europe. Arsenal, city and Liverpool have been too good, too consistent, while Villa and Tottenham have had some outstanding runs to be jostling for 4th place.

Ten Hag has turned Harry Maguire's performances around, coaxed another season out of the veteran Jonny Evans, developed Dalot, turned McTominay into a goal getter, encouraged Garnacho and brought on Mainoo. And our youth academy is flourishing.

Does he deserve another season at the helm? With a proper structure around him? The opportunity to get rid of more deadwood and to bring in more players?

That is, as evidenced in the media and on social outlets, highly debatable. 

Despite a huge injury list and all the challenges highlighted above, Ten Hag has stuck rigidly to the same formation and tactics appear to have gone AWOL.

Personally, I'll be surprised if Erik is still in charge at the start of next season. A big part of me hopes he is, that United recognise the challenges and help with proper structure and support for the manager. But I think we are too far gone ...


   


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

So much has changed, so much remains the same

-
Image
MUFC Monday Morning Musings -Matchday 3 Manchester United 0 v 3 Liverpool, Sunday 1st September 2024 3-points from 9, a heavy and demoralising defeat by Liverpool, a negative goal difference, a creaking Casemiro … so much has changed, so much remains the same. A transfer window that has seen United bolster their defence with the signings of Yoro, de Ligt and Mazraoui, strengthen midfield with Ugarte and gain much needed depth in the centre forward position left supporters feeling pretty positive going into the season. Varane, Wan Bissaka, van de Beek, Greenwood, Martial, Pellistri and Meijbri were all sold or let go when their contracts finished. I was sad to see McTominay go. While he would have been unlikely to be first choice, given the number of games, he would still have got plenty of game time. Ultimately, Napoli is a fantastic move for him and I wish him well. This team, this squad, is now very much Erik ten Hag’s, he needs to get a tune out of them … fast. Winning cups is one t...
Read more

Brighton blues - Saturday 24th August 2024

-
Image
MUFC Monday Morning Musings - Matchday 2 Brighton 2 v 1 United  United players and fans were left scratching their heads on Saturday afternoon? How did United lose all 3-points from that game? United played well in the first half, passing, moving and creating chances, but yet again, we failed to take them. We could, and should, have scored 2 or 3. Perhaps the most notable opportunity was a Diallo chance following excellent wing play from Dalot on the left. Diallo played well, but opted to use his stronger left foot, when he either needed to put his right foot through it, or go in with a diving header. Regardless, he should have at least hit the target. Somehow, despite United's dominance, Brighton went into the half-time break a goal up. Mason Mount came off injured to be replaced by Zirkzee, but it was Brighton who looked galvanized following the break. Yet Diallo, courtesy of a deflection, equalised. There were chances at both ends in an open game. Both teams pushed for a winner,...
Read more

Palace away September 21st 2024

-
Image
MUFC Monday musings - matchday 5 Missed opportunity - Saturday felt like 2 points dropped. United had 6 shots on target, hitting the woodwork a couple of times and having the kind of chances that should have put the game out of sight. Clean sheet - A third clean sheet in a row felt like progress though. Onana made a remarkable double save to ensure this happened. De Ligt continues to look like a bargain signing. Rotation - Dropping an in form and notably buzzing Marcus Rashford after 3 goals in 2 games did feel like a strange decision. United are playing 2 games a week and will need to rotate. Ten Hag is fortunate to have Diallo, Garnacho and Rashford in form, but having been guilty of playing Marcus when he wasn't in good form, he now benched him when he was flying. Strange one. Goals - After 10 goals in 2-games, albeit against Southampton (3rd bottom) and Barnsley in the League Cup, it was back to 'normal' (never a word to be associated with United!) on Saturday. United...
Read more