Manchester United were looking for Lisandro Martinez in a defensive midfield role last week. role against Liverpool. Eric Ten Hug knows something has to change within the team in order to try to change everything else at the club. But even Stutter Liverpoolcould get worse before they get better. maybe worse.
That is an ominous thought. Ten Hag was "completely dumbfounded" by his first two results. He didn't expect it to come, especially considering how promising the preseason looked.
The Dutch coach held a series of meetings with staff and stakeholders on how to get out of the situation, some of which reflected another growing concern over Ten Hag. It's just his attendant shock to the club's structure amid so much uncertainty about the future of ownership. warned him and is beginning to fully understand how difficult thePremier League can be. He was impressed by how high the quality of the lower half teams compared to their Eredivisie counterparts. This is very different from his Ajax.
He picks up one of the most controversial stories this summer. That's the megastar status of Cristiano Ronaldo
. Ten Haag initially wanted the Portuguese to be his focus, but he became increasingly upset with the situation. Many within the clubfeel that Ronaldo should leave.
This shows one of the main reasons preseason is so different. The atmosphere of the campsite has become even more refreshing. Players such as Harry Maguire,Jadon Sancho andMarcus Rashford were more vibrant in both play and action. However, Ronaldo's return greatly dampened the mood. It changed chemistry. He is more intimidating than the manager for some players.
Nevertheless,Sporting and Atlético Madrid would be happy to free him. United's hierarchy now insists on his retention. Joel Glazerhas to go through virtually every club decision, but is particularly reluctant to admit it.He appreciates Ronaldo's commercial profile.
So Ten Hag still has to get around it and that's one of his reasons why he wants another forward. It's just a build up of frustration there and it shows some of the biggest structural problems.
United are on the move, but this exposes a club that hasn't planned properly and reacts to almost everything. Arsenal in 2011, Chelsea in 2017. , like Barcelona in 2020.
Let's name the last few days to Jamie Vardy which many in Leicester City think they've spent. Danny Welbeckwas confided in the conference, but he is definitely one of the better options.
Ten Hag insists he has a striker, midfielder and another full-back by September 1, butFrenkiede says John54} He is likely to be disappointed. Many now believe that De Jong's signature is impossible.
Ten Hag may therefore not acquire one of the players he saw as essential to accelerating the realization of his ideals.
In his first two bouts, it became clear why that signature was so much more important than people's perceptions. That is why they were so shocked, that they have gone beyond the disastrous results they once had.
The most surprising moment of the season so far, it was his second goal in an almost farce for Brentford, but the four United players were fundamental to tenhag's entire game plan. could not execute the first step. This is why this is a serious crisis. Players literally can't do the basics.
Martinez could be deployed in midfield against Liverpool
(Getty Images)
As David De Gea when attempted to play a simple pass from a kickout, he and the three players around him hesitated visibly, energizing Brentford and the stadium at large. I was. They could feel fear. They could feel the opportunity. It was inevitable that Mathias Jensen would win the ball and score.
What would Liverpool do in the same situation? Can Ten Hag really play the same way? against this opposition.
Ten Hag has a dilemma and can't help but have a great deal of sympathy for the administrator.
His first two matches for the Dutch manager show a manager who, while being ideologically dogmatic, makes too many compromises.
He has insisted that United play exactly how he wants,but a fundamental role is filled by senior players who are unable or unwilling to play that way. It is De Gea does not have the ability to play with his feet to that level. Ronaldo has no will to press like that and has again opposed in training, and these are his two bookends, the pillars of his squad.
Compare that to when Pep Guardiola attempted a similar approach at Manchester City. Joe Hart wasn't even given a chance. Guardiola knew from training that he couldn't do it. Meanwhile, Sergio Aguero was forced to change his entire game.
Guardiola was ruthless. But city administrators could afford to be ruthless. Kanten hug. It feels like almost everything he turns has a fault.
He could drop his hair, but United do not currently have a suitable replacement. Acquiring one player would use up a limited budget significantly. Yet Spanish goalkeepers are paid £350,000 a week. That's a lot of money to keep on the bench in a summer when United were very frugal.
De Gea's form and Ten Hug's compatibility with the system is one of many concerns
(PA)
Similarly, there are growing opinions as to whether it is wise to invest in all of Ten Hag's specific targets before tidying up the question recruiting department. In the words of one source, "filling a team with Eredivisie players" has inherent risks. The leap to the Premier League is a big one, and that's before we get to the more literal irony about Martinez. It is no exaggeration to say that it was formed. Ten Hug played Martinez at centre-half and Brighton immediately targeted him with a highball. It instantly set United back, causing panic and suspicion. It can be argued that they have not yet recovered.
Therefore, Ten Hag must make changes. Given what Liverpool can do for United, it could be argued that the obvious solution is to sacrifice the system for this game and go as deep as possible.
Coaching Perspectives The usual counter-argument to this is that the short-term benefits do not justify the medium-term costs. When a manager tries to put a new system in place, the team can't really understand it unless they stick with it in the toughest of situations. That's how you really learn. Another example is Guardiola. In his underwhelming first season at City, John Stones had been exposed to poor performances as he initially struggled to the extent that the manager wanted him to play ball. . Guardiola told him to ignore all the criticism, all the screams, from the crowd.
The problem was, as his second goal for Brentford showed, United were Even that is quite a distance. They have a lot to master to get to that point.
Amazing to say for a club of this size, it is the result of a series of poor coaching appointments.The team, as a group, is not educated in a modern way. It is therefore clear that United are looking to frustrate Liverpool, especially given Jürgen Klopp's own early season slump. SimilarlyDarwin Nunez is not suspended, socannot shoot United in the same way.
However, if United continue like this, they could end up worse than Brentford. Stadiums can be very hostile - even with matches played.
All of this comes amid an expected increase in fan outcry,and increased uncertainty about the future of owners.
Ten Hags can only be ignored for now. He must force change.