How aggression and pragmatism helped Erik ten Hag turn Manchester United around
Given the time Erik ten Hag and his staff devoted in pre-season to working on the structures that they hoped would better enable Manchester United to play out from the back, there must be something slightly galling about the decision to rip up those best laid plans after just two matches.
Yet there were enough directives from the United manager over the summer to recognise then that he would not be a slave to a particular philosophy if he felt something was not working.
One of the phrases Ten Hag often repeated was that “the players dictate the way you play” and, after watching United try to play out from the back with calamitous consequences against Brentford a week after an opening defeat to Brighton, the Dutchman did not hesitate to abandon that approach – and has been rewarded for his clear-headed pragmatism.
United’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Sunday ended the Premier League leaders’ 100 per cent start and earned Ten Hag a fourth successive win, a turnaround that would have seemed hard to envisage when his side were 4-0 down at half-time at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Whereas United averaged almost 65 per cent possession against Brighton and Brentford, they have averaged just 41.7 per cent in the wins over Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester and Arsenal, with Ten Hag scrapping instructions to play out from the back and sacrificing the ball in order to solidify the defence, rely mainly on quick, direct breaks for goals and press in bursts.
Against Liverpool, for example, goalkeeper David De Gea – who had made two awful errors leading to goals against Brentford – did not once take a short goal kick.
It may not have been what Ten Hag originally intended – or sit with his longer-term plans – but United’s resurgence owes much to their manager’s refusal to be pig-headed and willingness to learn, adapt quickly and be ruthless in his decision-making, not least by dropping his captain Harry Maguire and star striker Cristiano Ronaldo. That flexibility, clear thinking and bravery should augur well for the future.
“These players now are probably not suited to the way he wants to play but he’s found a way to win games with this group,” Paul Scholes, the former United midfielder, said.
“We talk about philosophies all the time, don’t we? These managers are stubborn. [Mikel] Arteta will be stubborn. [Pep] Guardiola will be stubborn. Jurgen Klopp will be stubborn. But this man – you have to give him credit because he’s gone away, really, from what he wants to do.”
Ten Hag identified a need to get back to basics and for his players to run harder and for longer and start doing the dirty jobs well. They have been making an average of 5.5 tackles and 10 clearances more per game in the last four outings than those listless first two showings and the greater fight, hunger and aggression has been obvious.
United have picked up 20 bookings in six matches – which, at times, has pointed to a loss of composure and recklessness – but the fans have been encouraged by the players once again getting in the faces of opponents after too long spent ducking away from a fight.
That fight has been reflected in other ways, though: one club source cited the example of Bruno Fernandes busting a gut to get to the ball ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez in the first half against Liverpool and slide in to slip the ball to Anthony Elanga, who hit a post.
“I think it comes from the messages the managers passes to us but the main point has been from ourselves - to be at this club, you have to fight for it,” said Diogo Dalot, who has impressed at right-back. “You have to fight for 90 minutes every single game, and this is what we are trying to do. Then I think the quality will come.”
'They're playing in a pragmatic way'
The likes of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane high-fiving each other after tackles and team-mates bear-hugging one another after blocks and interceptions has pointed to a greater sense of togetherness and there was plenty of encouragement taken from the sight of Ronaldo on his feet on the bench, warmly applauding new signing Antony’s goal against Arsenal. His successful reintegration could be paramount after a summer in which he wanted out.
Having folded too often last season after conceding – and against Brighton and Brentford – United’s positive reaction to Arsenal’s equaliser – they were back in front six minutes later – was a boon for Ten Hag. Often criticised last term for being overly dependent on moments of individual brilliance to bail them out of trouble, United have also been scoring some excellent team goals characterised by slick, quick interplay.
There feels like longevity in that – and it is worth noting that Antony’s goal involved a touch from all 11 players and 18 passes in the build-up – but Graeme Souness does not believe United can or would want to remain as pragmatic in their approach in the longer-term.
“I think they’re playing in a pragmatic way now, they’re not playing in the Manchester United way,” Souness said. “Going forward... is that how United supporters want their team to play? No. But there’s been a bit of a reset to think 'We have to be different, a bit more cautious, a bit more pragmatic in the way we want to play', and it’s working for them”.
