For all those who make unlimited excuses for ETH, I want to ask you a very simple question.
Just remove from the equation that Ajax 2018/19 season where Frenkie De Jong demonstrated that he is truly a generational talent and was within seconds of carrying Ajax to the Champions League final.
Let us also consider that after Frenkie’s departure to FC Barcelona, Ajax’s performances in Europe have been as follows:
-2019/20: 3rd in group stage and round of 16 exit in the Europa (Getafe).
-2020/21: 3rd in group stage and quarter final exit in the Europa (AS Roma).
-2021/22: 1st in the group stage (relatively easier group but 6 wins in 6 deserves credit) and round of 16 exit (Benfica).
Has Ten Hag done enough in his career to earn the role of Manchester United manager?
I ask this because when I was excited about Ten Hag’s hiring, I preferred him to Pochettino. I felt that Ten Hag was on an upward trajectory compared to Poch. This was due to a perception that he was over-performing with Ajax and pulling rabbits out of the hat.
But looking back on it, while his European feats may have been remarkable by the standards of Ajax and an Eredivisie club, they do not seem enough to get the job at a club like United.
Granted he may have been hired for the style of play implemented at Ajax (even though Ajax have a structure and tradition that is conducive to possession football). Perhaps the thinking was that, if he had access to the resources at United, he would get us over-achieving too.
But where are the giant killings during which he displayed the tactical nous that gives a team the edge following the sale of Frenkie? Getting eliminated from Europe by Getafe and Benfica isn’t a good look.
I started having these thoughts after the 7-0 at Anfield but this torrid start to the season has solidified them. The dysfunctional environment at United is a fair excuse, but I’ve seen Big Ange at Spurs already implement a style of play with far worse players and he inherited from Conte and Mourinho!
United’s squad is blamed for Ten Hag’s failures but I question his squad building also. For example, why did he sign Hojlund? He is a good player, but given Rashford’s contract and that he is an untouchable Carrington product, it would have made sense to sign a number 9 that plays to his strengths, perhaps the same profile as Martial. Someone who drops deep, connects the play and creates space for Rashford to run in behind. Instead we signed a strikers who’s strengths are also running in behind, which subsequently exposes Rashford’s weaknesses (he doesn’t cross often and he can’t create chances). Ironically enough, the perfect profile to bring out the best of our £72m signing is someone like Sancho but he has not even had a chance to play with him.
I could go on all day about Ten Hag’s confusing tactical choices:
- Bruno on the right-wing.
-Weghorst and Antony’s unlimited chances
The 3-1-6 build-up that leaves the 1 isolated on defensive transitions.
- Playing two number 10s but without one of the full-backs inverting to solidify the middle.
-The ‘minimum width’ principle whereby wingers do not stretch the opposition defensive which then creates congestion in-front of the opponents goal and lets them stay compact.
All of these things are making me view Ten Hag as more LvG than a future SAF. For the life of me I cannot understand the logic of these choices and I would really appreciate it if somebody explained to me their pros because all I can see is cons! Please feel free to enlighten me. I am willing to change my mind upon the receiving new information.
Perhaps the Ten Hag we wanted to envisage in our heads is not the same Ten Hag we have in front of us.
Quite a lot of points here. I am going to provide some countering points.
I'll start with Rashford and buying a striker that suits him. Wayne Barton makes some points about City compared to United on his latest podcast (Talking Devils - or maybe it was him guesting at No Question About That), where Pep can move on players that a) don't fit b) aren't good enough c) he has problems with. That - besides the hierarchical structure is the main difference in how the two clubs are run. Cancelo was fecked off as soon as he had a spat with Pep. Barton said players like Shaw, Bruno and Rashford might all struggle to get into top sides, and I largely agree. They are our best players, but they are very inconsistent, which is the absolute requirement for top sides. I am not saying they should be moved on, but that they should not be untouchable. I think that's part of the reason it has been mentioned we've wanted a left sided forward in the last three windows - to everyone's bemusement. Shaw upped his game massively when Malacia got a run in the side at the start of last season. The other two will play no matter what. Buying a striker to suit Rashford rather than buying a striker that suits the manager's long-term tactical vision is putting all the eggs in the basket of an inconsistent player becoming an iconic figure that will carry this team forward. It would be madness.
Postecoglou is currently in charge of a Spurs team (5 matches into the season) that have almost no expectations and are not in Europe. He's not under the microscope and he is doing a good job. Sample size is far too small. As with De Zerbi, a very exciting manager, the same contextual logic holds: the expectations on Brighton (which have started to change only in the last week or so) are tiny compared to United and the scrutiny that is on the club. He, as with Postecoglou, has not inherited a dressing room of massively overpaid and in most cases average players that is difficult to shift, steeped in a culture of entitlement. So context matters.
Now what Ten Hag did at Ajax is frankly excellent, and I'd be surprised if there are Ajax fans out there who think differently. That he failed to repeat the European performances post FDJ after the squad had been gutted is nothing I'd put against his name. Look at the team he had, some of those players had been washed up in other leagues and he got them performing to likely their maximum level.
What had he to work with at United? A defence that had one consistent but injury prone player in Varane. An absolutely terrible midfield. An over the hill prima donna star forward, the most exciting youth prospect since Giggs under criminal investigation, an unmotivated and over the hill Martial, and Rashford who had, let's be honest, been a 5/10 player for a year and a half after Ole ran him into the ground. What ETH did last season was overachieve.
Now, since that League Cup win the form has been terrible, injuries and suspensions have piled up, and his insistence on playing the same players has caught up with quite a few of them. This is certainly a criticism I have for him, much like I did with Ole. The main issue here, besides carrying a load of poor players, is expectations. If he is allowed to instil his tactical style of play and we accept growing pains, fine, he can utilise youngsters here and there or the odd squad player he actually trusts and he can excommunicate any of the players who undermine him publicly or via the press. But it's not like that, he
has to get results whilst also implementing his vision, and that in a season where there are two matches a week (which is commonly called three matches a week, but it's two) so time to train is in short supply when it is all about match preparation.
Now, Louis van Gaal first spoke of United as a commercial club during pre-season when he realised they don't give a feck about providing him with the best chance of sporting success when they can make money by touring the States or wherever the feck. This also happened last summer in what can only be seen as an anti-pre-season. This is something I would hope to see changed completely under new owners where the coaching staff is just asked "how do you want to prepare for the season" and that's that.
For whatever reason we have also not had the adequate medical staff for about six months I read, which is incredible for a club at this level.
So the context is quite important and nuanced.
I still worry about his reluctance to blood youngsters and I would like him to be more discerning with the media, forceful when he needs to be. And I hope he does all he can to uncover those undermining him anonymously in the press and banishes them from the team asap.
Oh in regard of favorites, every manager always has their own favorites, i dont know why it's become a nuisance at this club? Giggsy and Gary Neville were Fergie favorites, they would always play whenever fitness permitted and ETH might have favorites too, but then so what? it's not like the alternatives (like Sancho) performed better whenever they were given chance anyway.