Erik ten Hag reveals key reasons for Man Utd’s poor performances this season
Manchester United‘s manager, Erik ten Hag, attributes his team’s lackluster season to injuries and a lack of continuity.
In Ten Hag’s inaugural 2022/23 season with the Red Devils, the team secured the Carabao Cup and an unexpected top-three finish in the Premier League. They also made it to the FA Cup final but were defeated 2-1 by rivals Manchester City.
During the summer transfer window, Ten Hag added Andre Onana, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund to the squad, raising expectations for this season. However, the team was knocked out at the group stage of the Champions League and now sits sixth in the Premier League, with a challenging series of games ahead that could see them drop further.
In pre-season, Ten Hag expressed his goal to make United the world’s best team in transition. Instead, the team has struggled defensively and faced challenges in scoring goals, partly due to an injury crisis affecting key players throughout the season.
Ten Hag discussed the situation in an interview with United legend Gary Neville for Sky Sports. When asked about whether he felt frustrated with his style of play not working, he responded, “‘Frustration’ is not the right word because I’m a realistic man.” Ten Hag emphasized the need to win games and highlighted the adjustments he made last year to build a successful team.
This season, Ten Hag aimed for the next step, bringing in players like a goalkeeper who can play out from the back, a dynamic midfielder in Mason Mount (who has been injured), and a young goalscorer in Hojlund. He acknowledged that while confident in his choices, injuries forced numerous changes in the back four.
Ten Hag detailed how United has played 47 games with 30 different combinations in defense due to injuries. He also noted the long absence of Casemiro and the impact these disruptions have on the team’s ability to play as desired.
Despite the challenges, Ten Hag praised the team’s spirit and commitment. He also pointed out improvements, such as scoring more goals post-winter break and achieving greater consistency, but recognized the team’s tendency to draw games instead of securing wins.
The manager emphasized the difficulty in maintaining patterns when constantly changing the defensive lineup, concluding that while United is not yet at the level they aspire to be, they continue striving to play proactively and dynamically.
Erik ten Hag reveals key reasons for Man Utd’s poor performances this season
