Man Utd 'going backwards' under Ten Hag despite improved results

Tom Weber

27 Oct 2023 16:56 BST
3 min read

Jamie Carragher believes that it is time to question Erik ten Hag as Manchester United are "going backwards."

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It has been a dire season for the Red Devils so far. Despite a recent uptick in results, the performances have still left a lot to be desired. Three consecutive wins can't paper over the fact that Erik ten Hag's side look decidedly average in most of their outings.

Against Copenhagen in the Champions League, United were dominated on home soil for large stretches of the game by a team they would be expected to beat, with all due respect. Had it not been for some late Andre Onana penalty-saving heroics, United would have again dropped points in Europe after back-to-back losses in the opening two games.

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It is time to question Erik ten Hag, says Jamie Carragher. After two summer transfer windows of lavish spending, Man Utd still have no discernable tactical identity and look stale, asserts the Liverpool legend.

What did Carragher say?

Writing in his Daily Telegraph column, the ex-player did not hold back when tearing into the Dutchman. "I expected United to become a superior version of Ajax when Ten Hag was appointed. Ten Hag enjoyed many exceptional results at his former club, especially in the Champions League, so with a bigger budget and the chance to coach superior players the blueprint seemed obvious."

"The idea," Carragher continued, "must have been to impose the lauded Dutch model of possession football, otherwise what was the point of headhunting him? United's board seemed to be recognising that the least their fans expect is to be front-footed and exciting."

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"No one was demanding Ten Hag create a title-winning side in one or even two years, but it was reasonable to assume the United line-up would be clearly distinguishable from the tactical set-up of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho. The most damning criticism is that they are not. Their game plan is virtually identical."

Carragher is convinced that part of the problem is the fact that Ten Hag has "too much power and control over the club's transfer policy because the recruitment has been so poor."