Managerial change at Manchester United not the solution to poor performances
AWAY GOALS RULE: Recent results have masked how poor a start to the season this has been at Old Trafford
Erik ten Hag doesn’t make things easy for himself a lot of the time.
Choosing to play Jonny Evans instead of Raphael Varane is certainly a bold choice, but it’s one that most onlookers will feel entitled to be baffled by.
Scott McTominay may pop up with the odd goal here and there, which is good, but his total lack of ability as a midfielder is too big of a hindrance to make it worth putting him in the team so frequently.
The entire situation with Antony has been poorly handled, and his performances on the pitch couldn’t ever justify it and nor have they even been decent.
However, any neutrals or rabid fans calling for his dismissal should be able to understand why the majority of supporters still back the Dutchman for the time being.
Dismissing the 53-year-old would achieve nothing in turning around Manchester United’s season.
In fact, recent results have entirely justified the lack of outrage by matchgoing fans regarding the manager’s future.
Four wins from five in the Premier League going into the international break has put the team up to sixth in the table, five points adrift of top four.
The performance against Luton Town was a marked improvement compared to displays in recent weeks.
A 1-0 scoreline was yet another game where the Red Devils secured all three points by just a single goal margin, but this time it felt like they should have won by three or four, which is the first time that’s been the case in a long time.
No, Ten Hag’s position should be safe for the time being and it’s quite simple as to why.
First of all, he’s earned a lot of credit for how he turned things around over the course of his first season.
Expectations were quite low going into that campaign, and two defeats in his opening two games lowered them even further.
But he earned a third place finish and a League Cup triumph to bring Champions League and silverware back to Old Trafford.
Secondly, the takeover situation means that it’s unlikely the Glazers were ever going to oversee a managerial change right before selling 25 per cent of their shares in the club, and with it control over sporting decisions.
While one significant issue under Ten Hag has been player recruitment, which he has played a key role in overseeing, this is an area that should improve under more competent leadership.
Ten Hag was not famed for his role in building the Ajax squad he led to a Champions League semi-final in 2019, and it is not one of his strengths as a coach.
Director Paul Mitchell has been identified as someone that could potentially take on the overseeing of player recruitment under the ownership of Ratcliffe, and this is something that should ease the workload on Ten Hag and help him thrive.1
Mitchell has a positive track record, and his baseline general competency should be a significant upgrade on the current structures, so should make for a good appointment.
Thirdly, whether rival fans or pundits like it or not, injuries have also played a significant role in harming Manchester United’s progress this campaign.
In particular, the absences of Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez since August and September respectively have been a huge loss.
Shaw and Martinez were so important for United last year, with the pair coming first and fifth for passes into the final third, and fourth and seventh for progressive passes in general.
Shaw was also fifth for passes into the box and first for crosses into the box.2
They were also impressive and important in the defensive aspect of their roles, with their performances giving United a decent record outside of a few horrific games.
Of United’s 43 goals conceded in the league (third best record in the division), a total of 17 came from just three games.
David de Gea earned the golden glove award, largely due to the impressive backline and defensive midfield sitting in front of him.
Casemiro is another key figure that has struggled for fitness and form in 2023, which has played a key role in the team’s decline.
Of course, the experienced 31-year-old suffering a physical decline is something the club should have seen coming, and is why spending £60 million on him was an issue.
But this is something smarter recruitment structures will be able to avoid in the future.
There have also been other injuries, which has essentially meant Ten Hag has never had his full first team to choose from yet this campaign, and might not until January.
United are likely in for another poor run of results after the November break, with games against much stronger opposition than Luton Town and Sheffield United to come.
But the club should continue to stick with Ten Hag through this difficult period, even as he continues to make things difficult for himself, as the long-term benefits outweigh the potential short-term gain of a new manager bounce.
Source: The Telegraph