It's more saying there were always similar structures in how we have tried to play and how Ajax did. There was definitely some stuff lost in translation with what he meant when he commented on that, but in terms of what our team has consistently done since Ten Hag took over - we've shown consistent and similar tactical issues.
Is it a case of the Premier League has better coaches who have better tactics? Is there more focus on each team and teams put more energy into finding ways to pick you apart faster? Is it better players capable of taking advantage of the gaps you have in your system? Really it's a mix of the 3. Coaches need to adapt constantly in the Prem to make it work. Ten Hag can't play the same way as Ajax, because that wouldn't work here. The opposition is too strong, the opposition would find the gaps, and the opposition would relentless take advantage of those gaps as the player quality is actually capable of taking advantage of it, while they aren't capable of that in the Dutch league. You also don't have the same level of player superiority here as he did in the Dutch league. The Prem has relegation teams spending more than any Italian side for example.
This isn't a case of "he's come here and abandoned his philosophy". This is a case of he's come here, and hasn't been able to adapt his game to the premier league. Teams have worked out his system, and he hasn't adapted to it. He has implemented the rough style of play that he wanted to, it would be a really bad look on him if after 18 months he wasn't capable of coaching us to do what he wants anyway, but the thing that I see is that he has brought in his system. It's just asking far too much of that 1 deep midfielder in build up and leaves us horribly exposed defensively. Basically, it doesn't work in the Prem. It's up to him to adapt it to make it work, and he hasn't done that.
