Re-wind the clock 18 months ago and everyone on this forum was clamouring for Ten Hag, last season was clear progress 2 cup finals and a 3rd place finish. We had the start of an identity last season - playing in the half spaces - overloads vs underloads, moving the play.
This season has been going pear shaped since July - from the shambolic ownership situation which doesn’t seem to ever resolve itself, to the complete mishandling of the Greenwood situation, to the copious injury list, to the Sancho situation, to the Antony situation. I actually feel sorry for Ten Hag. He’s not without his faults but he’s firefighting week after week.
That team that was out there tonight also was not Ten Hag’s team - Onana, Casemiro, Mount & Antony were the only 4 starters that Ten Hag has signed (excluding an emergency left back). That stinks of poor recruitment.
This doesn’t change until the whole club becomes aligned - which only happens when there’s new owners at board level filtering their vision down. Can you imagine the turmoil and unrest which must be going on within the club at the minute?
Ten Hag excelled at Ajax under structure - Overmars pulling the strings with the transfers and Van Der Sar at the helm. Give him the structure he needs and watch our fortunes turn.
What Ten Hag needs to do in the short term is inject some energy into the squad, bring Mainoo in for starters, give Pellistri game time on the right get fighters in the team.