Bad signings, no identity and big losses: Here's how Erik ten Hag got it wrong at Man United

Erik 10 Hag’s 2 1/2-year tenure astatine Manchester United will disagreement opinion

Erik 10 Hag's 2 1/2-year tenure astatine Manchester United will disagreement opinion.

He ended United's longest trophy drought successful astir 40 years, claiming 2 home cups — and beating fierce rival Manchester City successful 1 of nan finals.

Yet, location were excessively galore humiliating moments and matches for a squad of United's stature to accept, making his departure connected Monday beautiful overmuch inevitable.

Here's a look astatine what went incorrect for nan Dutchman astatine Old Trafford:

SPENDING

Ten Hag oversaw nan spending of astir 615 cardinal pounds ($800 million) connected players since his arrival astatine Old Trafford successful nan summertime of 2022. In nan Premier League, only Chelsea has spent much successful that time. Yet, fewer of nan signings were a occurrence and location was a short-sightedness involved, fixed nan mostly were either Dutch players — and truthful well-known to Ten Hag — aliases had antecedently played successful nan Netherlands. Just this summer, United spent astir $240 cardinal connected 5 caller signings — 2 being Netherlands internationals successful Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt and another, Noussair Mazraoui, who played nether Ten Hag astatine Ajax. Undoubtedly nan biggest flop has been Brazil winger Antony, who followed Ten Hag by joining for $95 cardinal from Ajax but hardly plays.

STYLE

Arguably nan biggest disapproval of Ten Hag has been his inability to instill a distinguishable accuracy aliases style of play astatine Old Trafford. Under nan Dutchman, United has been a “moments” squad — a acold outcry from nan cohesive and charismatic broadside he built astatine Ajax. Managers for illustration Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham), Unai Emery (Aston Villa) and Arne Slot (Liverpool) person quickly established a clear personality astatine their respective teams contempt being successful complaint for little clip than Ten Hag. Across town, Manchester City — nether Pep Guardiola — has been playing immoderate of nan champion shot ever seen successful nan English game. Meanwhile, Ten Hag has appeared to stumble done matches, without United showing a clear shape of play and nan squad relying connected large individual moments to people goals. Tactically, Ten Hag has been recovered retired galore times, too. Just past week, he amazed fans by deploying Mazraoui — a fullback — arsenic a No. 10 successful a Europa League game, erstwhile United drew 1-1 astatine 10-men Fenerbahce.

STATISTICS

Ten Hag will time off United pinch a mates of trophies but acold excessively galore large defeats and bad statistics. United is presently connected its worst ever commencement to a Premier League play — 14th spot and 11 points aft 9 games — and that comes basking connected nan heels of its worst decorativeness — eighth — successful nan Premier League era (since 1992). The 7-0 nonaccomplishment astatine Liverpool past play was nan heaviest conclusion astatine its fiercest rival, its worst competitory conclusion successful much than 90 years, and surely nan debased constituent successful his tenure that has besides featured a 6-3 nonaccomplishment astatine Man City, 4-0 losses astatine Brentford and Crystal Palace, and a last-place decorativeness successful a Champions League group containing Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen.

SITUATION

There will beryllium immoderate sympathy for Ten Hag, who mightiness person been destined to neglect because he was a bully coach simply astatine United astatine nan incorrect time. His full tenure has been dogged pinch upheaval and behind-the-scenes change, whether it was nan first 2 years erstwhile United was up for waste — and its American owners were heavy criticized for really they tally nan nine — aliases nan past fewer months erstwhile United was adjusting to its caller shot activity fronted by caller number proprietor Jim Ratcliffe. However, Ten Hag has ever had plentifulness of money to spend, whoever he was reporting to, and should intelligibly person been doing amended pinch nan modular of players astatine his disposal. United needs a large characteristic to get nan nine retired of its existent malaise and competing pinch nan likes of City, Liverpool and Arsenal — and Ten Hag ne'er seemed to beryllium nan man for that.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer