United 0 - 3 Tottenham
Wow. Sunday was a difficult day. Inevitably, fingers are going to be pointed at the manager. Erik Ten Hag can continue his defiant defensive language that he uses most of the time, but with days like that, it won’t go a long way.
The Board have backed him early before going into huge games in Europe against Porto (who have been struggling this season) and Aston Villa (a team in fine form under a brilliant manager, Unai Emery). The performance was not there from the players. They looked tired. Devoid of confidence. Capitulating to Tottenham’s energetic and positive playmaking. We have seen this before; they gave up under Mourinho, Solskjaer and Moyes when the times were getting too tough. The players would shut down. Is that what we are seeing?
This was as close to a Ten Hag team as you could hope for. Not a team decimated by injuries. Luke Shaw is probably the only person who wasn’t in the starting lineup that would usually start, but aside from that it was a strong starting 11. The new signings haven’t had a chance to properly integrate although the early promising signs from De Ligt & Mazraoui were not there yesterday. Ugarte has struggled to make an impact although he can’t do it all himself. Rashford is growing in confidence, but he needs an overlapping left footed left back to give him that extra yard of space to be devestating. Bruno has not looked at his best.
The Fernandes Red Card
It was never a red. He was slipping and made a desperate lunge. United were already playing awfully at that point and it gave us an excuse to lose the game.
What’s next?
The next 2 games will make or break Ten Hag. He is running out of good will and the performances have looked awful. Last season was already perceived as a write off, and the board allowed him to make his signings, give him a new contract and put faith into him. We are 6 games in and chaos still remains. Arteta had a few nervy years to begin at Arsenal, which may point those in charge to see this as a complete rebuild and to let him stay in charge until things start clicking. But when will this happen?
Ten Hag has made enough signings and had enough time with them each week to imprint what he wants by now. This is not good enough. My honest prediction is that Van Nistelrooy will be Manchester United (caretaker) manager by the end of the year.