As certain as the light of day following the black of night, Manchester United have once again followed an encouraging result with abject failure. If Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea provided a rare glimpse of the Erik ten Hag approach done right, Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth demonstrated the holes in the methodology.
The former Ajax manager will point to key absences such as Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen. Ten Hag may also argue his squad isn’t quite where he wants it to be a season-and-a-half into his reign. His strikers are either inexperienced and lacking confidence (Rasmus Hojlund) or outstaying their welcome (Anthony Martial).
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But despite the less than ideal circumstances and the state of the unrest, surely United should be doing better than this? They may have key injuries, but the team they fielded at home to Bournemouth was more than capable of victory against a team that had never beaten them at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Alejandro Garnacho have all impressed at times in attack this term. Harry Maguire was riding the crest of a wave that netted him November’s Premier League Player of the Month award. Diogo Dalot was in his favoured right back role while Luke Shaw, so effective since his return, played in the left centre back role he is warming to. On paper, this United team should have had it in them to repel the Cherries.
United have a chance to quickly put this abject result and performance behind them. On Tuesday they play Bayern Munich in the Champions League, knowing that they need a win and results elsewhere to go their way to have a chance of progressing. Okay, so it’s not the best situation to find yourself in after a humiliating defeat. But the Red Devils have pulled off stranger turnarounds before.
It is hard to envision it this time though against a side that have gone unbeaten in their last 40 Champions League group games. Bayern hold the tournament record for group stage matches unbeaten and it is hard to see a United side in disarray doing much to change that.
The murmurs have started surrounding Ten Hag’s position. It is easy to see why. After a promising first season, United have regressed. The Dutchman speaks vaguely about a transition-based style but there is little of his method in evidence. Bournemouth pressed high and were far sharper in transition than the 20-time league champions. When Ten Hag has hinged so much of his reputation on being a “system” coach, what do the board do when the system is failing?
Chances are they’ll do nothing. Firstly, there has been a keenness to give Ten Hag time. Internally at United it is acknowledged that major surgery was needed and the manager is reportedly trusted to do it. Secondly, with the looming spectre of Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying 25% of the club and taking sporting control, it seems prudent to leave any major coaching decisions up to him.
Which leaves United in a kind of limbo. Ten Hag has already waved away the idea of strengthening his squad in January. It remains to be seen whether he will be shepherding the squad in the New Year. But ultimately Ten Hag was hired because he had a plan and the 53-year-old would argue he hasn’t finished implementing it. A fair argument perhaps, but he must get that plan firmly in place sooner rather than later.
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