Making Manchester a better team, things to do. Although the Dutchman has had a promising start to his job, tough choices will need to be made to turn around an inconsistent team. It came as no surprise to hear Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag discuss his hopes of mending the relationship between the club and its long-suffering supporters before Thursday’s League Cup match with Aston Villa. The overwhelming emotion among supporters of a team that has witnessed a sharp fall since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 is still frustration.
Ten Hag, who took over during the summer after United’s worst-ever Premier League result, is unquestionably making progress. However, it cannot be denied that United has only played intermittently this year. When they were destroyed 6-3 in the Manchester derby, a four-game winning streak that saw victory over Liverpool and Arsenal and spirit-boosting triumphs over Everton and Tottenham were broken by demoralizing losses to Newcastle and Chelsea.
The players put on a horrible performance in the setback at Aston Villa last Saturday, which Ten Hag stated was unacceptable, after demonstrating remarkable tenacity in the subsequent 1-0 triumph over West Ham. Rugged decisions must be made if United is to achieve its dual objectives for the current campaign—ending its five-year trophy drought and achieving a return to the Champions League.
Changing the Captain: Despite just participating in four Premier League games so far in 2022–23, Harry Maguire is still named as United’s official club captain. Due to his position as the team’s most experienced player in terms of appearances and Varane’s ongoing absence, De Gea should have assumed vice-captaincy duties at Villa Park instead of Ronaldo, but Fernandes has worn the armband for most of the season.
Despite a decline in goals and assists since his first full season at Old Trafford, the Portugal international continues to serve as the team’s creative center and the player who carries the most responsibility from game to game. As he frequently has the greatest stats for distance traveled per 90 minutes, Fernandes seems to be the largest proponent of Ten Hag’s pressing mentality and directs his teammates both with and without the ball.
Strength Increase: After earning a spot in the Europa League, United knew they faced a challenging season, but by failing to finish first in their group, they made matters even more difficult for themselves. After stepping in for the injured Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof endured bullying the entire day, while Donny van de Beek, who was chosen to replace the suspended Bruno Fernandes, proved to be ineffectual.
Marcus Rashford was forced into the odd right-wing position that he struggled with for much of last season because Antony was also injured. United needs two or three new acquisitions to lower the chance of more setbacks because Ten Hag will have to rotate more regularly in the upcoming season.
Bring in new No. 9: Anthony Martial has once again battled to maintain a consistent level of fitness after returning from a loan stint at Sevilla, while Marcus Rashford has frequently been given a central striker role but invariably ends up drifting to his preferred position on the left.
With a forward-thinking philosophy built around brisk passing exchanges that produce plenty of chances, Ten Hag has transformed United into a more fluid, dynamic attacking team. However, the chances are not being converted. The decision-makers at Old Trafford should prioritize the acquisition of a new forward in January, with reports claiming that Lille forward Jonathan David and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen may both be available for the appropriate price.
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