Erik ten Hag: Will Manchester United supervisor take his second probability at Outdated Trafford this season?

Erik ten Hag remained Man Utd supervisor this summer time after convincing INEOS he was constructing one thing at Outdated Trafford, after a dreadful Premier League season was rescued by a shock FA Cup last win over Man Metropolis in Might.

It was hardly a secret that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS – the brand new co-owners – spoke to potential replacements as they assessed whether or not to stay or twist with the incumbent boss after buying a 25 per cent stake within the membership.

However with their toes beneath the desk, recruitment firmly underway and a full pre-season marketing campaign to evaluate them on, what’s the plan for Ten Hag’s Man Utd 2.0 if he’s going to be the person to grasp their ambitions this season?

Might a false 9 be the lacking hyperlink?

Gary Neville known as United’s construction out of possession “schoolboy” in direction of the again finish of final season, echoing many others in criticising the customarily large gaps between Man Utd’s strains, and typically inside midfield itself.

Gamers regarded desirous to press however would observe opponents individually slightly than as a crew, leaving them uncovered with giant holes to play by – and noticed solely Twentieth-placed Sheffield United concede extra pictures throughout the entire marketing campaign.

Taking part in Bruno Fernandes as a false 9 within the FA Cup last plugged a few of these gaps by the additional midfield physique. It coincided with a extra disciplined defensive efficiency throughout the crew and noticed them deservedly beat Manchester Metropolis, regardless of having barely 1 / 4 of the ball.

That extra stable set-up has continued for a lot of pre-season. In defeats, however sturdy performances, in opposition to Liverpool and Arsenal within the US, the high-pressing type Ten Hag championed at Ajax has lastly been on show from his Man Utd facet and opponents have discovered it troublesome to play by the naturally tighter 4-5-1.

Throughout these video games and pre-season, Jadon Sancho took on the false 9 function and impressed in opposition to Rangers and Liverpool, linking up properly with Mason Mount and Amad Diallo.

Ten Hag repeated the tactic throughout final Saturday’s Neighborhood Protect in opposition to Pep Guardiola’s facet, with Fernandes and Mount, whose power with out the ball undoubtedly helps, rotating between themselves as false nines.

The change has seen attacking patterns of play blossom, with that deeper function serving to to hyperlink play in ahead areas slightly than the customarily remoted No 9 we frequently noticed final season and Marcus Rashford wanting forlorn.

The formation selection has been as a lot by default as design, given Ten Hag has not had a No 9 at his disposal for many of pre-season with Rasmus Hojlund injured and Joshua Zirkzee solely returning in time to be an unused sub through the Neighborhood Protect after an prolonged post-Euro 2024 break.

However administration has all the time had a sizeable component of probability to it, so has Ten Hag discovered a system he can use in these moments when Man United want extra defensive solidarity?

Loads hangs on Ten Hag’s Ugarte pursuit

Within the Neighborhood Protect defeat to Man Metropolis, Casemiro lastly regarded like the person United bought two years in the past to plug the hole on the base of the midfield. However questions stay about whether or not age and accidents have caught up with the 32-year-old.

After some disappointing shows final season, which drew criticism from Jamie Carragher, he can’t be relied on because the defensive protect Man Utd want in the event that they wish to get again into the Champions League. United realize it, and have made PSG ball-winner Manuel Ugarte a goal to fill that function as an alternative.

As informed in Nick Wright’s wonderful evaluation of the Uruguayan, Ugarte’s complete of 98 tackles was the best by anybody in Ligue 1 final season. He managed that regardless of beginning solely 21 video games out of 34, for a facet who spent roughly 66 per cent of the time in possession.

Elsewhere, Sofyan Amrabat was drafted in as a Casemiro substitute final season, however a robust FA Cup last displaying was not sufficient to persuade Ten Hag to show his mortgage spell from Fiorentina right into a everlasting one.

And United have lined up Youssouf Fofana and Sander Berge as various defensive midfielder targets, in case their pursuit of Ugarte has to finish.

However Ugarte is thought for his instinctive sense of positioning – one thing United badly want after being caught upfield in transition time after time final season. With out him, or somebody of his ilk, they may wrestle to tighten up.

One other season beset by harm points?

The primary ball of the Premier League season has not even been kicked however already Ten Hag has one other mounting harm checklist after coping with so many absentees final season.

Hojlund will miss the beginning of the season, Luke Shaw is not going to be again till after September’s worldwide break resulting from a calf harm and new arrival Leny Yoro is dominated out for a lot of 2024. He was meant to be the defensive rock to shore issues up on the again. His tempo would enable United to sit down larger, and his capability on the ball would enable them to cross by the strains higher – one thing Ten Hag has all the time needed to construct on.

In his absence, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire turn into integral to the Man Utd defence. They’re an ready pairing on paper, however solely began as soon as collectively final season as their very own harm points trigger defensive issues.

Matthijs De Ligt could be the resolution in a reunion with Ten Hag – however with out that, it’s only Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans in reserve.

With Aaron Wan-Bissaka additionally departing for West Ham, the full-back space might be mild in numbers – however the arrival of Noussair Mazraoui plus Martinez’s capability to play as an inverted left-back could also be an answer in Shaw’s absence.

The youngsters are alright?

Kobbie Mainoo was arguably the shining mild of final season after his spectacular breakthrough from the academy, and his successor has already staked a declare to be the following younger participant off the manufacturing line.

Toby Collyer has been wonderful in pre-season working alongside Casemiro in a double pivot, and even when the Brazilian stays at Outdated Trafford, his 20-year-old midfield rival has probably already overtaken him within the pecking order.

He’s extra of a stopper than a inventive participant, however tidy with the ball and ended up with a 100 per cent cross completion in opposition to Rangers.

“I always want to make pathways for young players, but they have to earn it,” Ten Hag mentioned after that 2-0 win. “Collyer has now earned an opportunity, and we will see how we can progress.”