In a post-match interview on Sunday afternoon, Erik ten Hag admitted he’ll “by no means” have the ability to deliver an Ajax model of play to Manchester United.
Identified for implementing a high-pressing model in Amsterdam, the Dutch supervisor wished his Ajax crew to play on-the-front-foot. Ten Hag not solely inspired enjoying out from the again, however he wished his groups to collectively press from the entrance.
It did not take lengthy for that philosophy to make its technique to United, when their aggression, each out and in of possession, was clear in final season’s pre-season marketing campaign, when they recorded an emphatic 4-0 win over Liverpool on the Rajamangala Stadium in Thailand.
However after main the membership to a 3rd place end final season, Ten Hag’s crew have lacked id in current weeks.
In truth, after the full-time whistle, Ten Hag was requested when he might introduce the so-called Ajax model of play. Talking to Viaplay, Ten Hag was requested, “When will you have the ability to play the identical soccer with Manchester United that you simply confirmed with Ajax?”
He responded by saying: “By no means. We’ll by no means play that soccer. As a result of these have been totally different gamers. That is additionally not why I got here right here. We’re enjoying totally different soccer than I confirmed at Ajax as a result of I’ve to, as a result of I am unable to play the identical means.”
The 53-year-old added: “The gamers resolve the way you play. Ajax has a really typical and attribute model of play, with Manchester United I’ll all the time present totally different soccer, I did so final 12 months as properly. We play rather more direct soccer right here as a result of I’ve the gamers for that right here.”
As you possibly can think about, Ten Hag’s feedback have sparked an enormous dialogue on-line.
One fan stated: “For the lifetime of me, I don’t even know what model of play he’s attempting to implement. The model of soccer on present this season has been uninteresting and lifeless, far too unfavourable. Worrying instances while you learn this.”
One other commented: “Whereas I get what he means, it does beg the query of why did we herald a supervisor for his distinct model of play at Ajax and signed all of the gamers he needs to allow that model of play just for him to go ‘Nah cannot actually play that means, this is one thing 20 instances worse’.”
A 3rd added: “Sadly that “direct” soccer will solely get you up to now, it’s simply not sustainable sufficient for future success with the present gamers we’ve got at our disposal. It can solely finish a technique.”
Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam believes Erik ten Hag has struggled to instil a mode of play at Outdated Trafford.
“Myself in fact from Holland, all of us take into consideration Ten Hag as an excellent supervisor,” Stam advised BBC’s Soccer Focus.
“He is a superb supervisor. He performed superb soccer with Ajax, possession-based soccer, on the entrance foot, conserving possession, dominating, getting gamers into areas to allow them to open up and go ahead. All of us anticipate Ten Hag to try this with United as properly.”
Stam added: “Final season they did properly when it comes to entering into the Champions League, FA Cup ultimate, [winning the] Carabao Cup, however they did not play properly.
“He [Ten Hag] spent some huge cash, we must be trustworthy in that: he spent some huge cash getting gamers in, so that you anticipate extra from that. However this season and the way they began will not be convincing how they play soccer.
“You wish to see United play – I will not say like [Manchester] Metropolis – dominating, having the ball, free-flowing, going forwards, taking gamers on, going previous gamers, getting crosses in, ending these crosses, profitable the second ball after which going once more. And that’s not there.
“It’s a bit as a consequence of Ten Hag as a result of he must make the alternatives. He has already over a season had time to work with lots of these gamers. However I nonetheless assume he’s a superb supervisor and desires extra time to lastly get that into his means of enjoying.”
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