Proof Ten Hag knows Man Utd have let him down
Robin Bairner
- 13 Aug 2022 20:53 BST
- 3 min read
Erik ten Hag knows his Manchester United team is not good enough to take the club where the fans want to be. If he didn’t realise that before Saturday’s 4-0 loss against Brentford, he certainly does now.
United turned in one of their worst performances of the modern era to concede four times in a wretched first half against an opponent that is expected to fight relegation this season, not even giving themselves a hint of an opportunity in the game.
At the break, the Dutchman made a triple change, withdrawing Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez and Fred in what was a damning assessment of the left side of his defensive unit.
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After the match, Ten Hag was asked by the media about the decision and replied in blunt style: “I could have changed all eight others as well.”
It was a frank admission that his players were not – and are not – good enough.
Of course, Manchester United’s board should have known that after a sixth-placed finish last season. Already a return to the Champions League this time around looks a distant prospect.
Ten Hag in an impossible position
Regardless of how good a manager Ten Hag proves to be at Old Trafford, he has been ridiculed by those above him – and he knows it.
He arrived at Old Trafford in June with clear ideas of what he wanted to implement in the team and the players he needed to do so. He has not been given the tools required, with transfer target after transfer target missed.
The Frenkie de Jong saga has rumbled on for weeks and even if Man Utd are now ready to launch and all-out offensive for the Barcelona midfielder – why have they left it so late after being transfixed by one target for the whole of the market? – they are becoming a more unappealing club to join by the hour
If he thought the transfer market was difficult before, it’s only going to get worse now. Everyone knows how desperate Ten Hag and Man Utd, so finding good deals will be increasingly challenging.
With a board reticent to invest in the type of talent required for a club the stature of Manchester United, Ten Hag has just walked into the most challenging situation of his career.
Read more about: Premier League, Man Utd
