Erik ten Hag slams Man Utd players for collapsing ‘like a pack of cards’ too often

Erik ten Hag slams Man Utd players for collapsing ‘like a pack of cards’ too often

United have lost four of their first six matches this season, conceding 14 goals

 

MUNICH, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 20: Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United looks dejected after his team’s defeat during the UEFA Champions League match between FC Bayern Munich and Manchester United at Allianz Arena on September 20, 2023 in Munich. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Man Utd lost 4-3 to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, but the result for

Erik ten Hag has given a scathing assessment of Manchester United’s defensive problems, accusing his players of collapsing too often “like a pack of cards”.

 

And Ten Hag has asked his underperforming stars to improve their performances to avoid a fourth successive defeat for the first time since compatriot Louis Van Gaal’s reign in December 2015.

Ten Hag seems to face a new problem almost every week. There is a still unresolved disciplinary dispute with Jadon Sancho, Anthony is still in Brazil responding to allegations of domestic violence, the ongoing Harry Maguire saga, rumors of discord in the dressing room and concerns about the influence of his agent Kees Vos United on transfer activity. and continued uncertainty over club ownership.

 

Additionally, United lost four of their opening six games while conceding 14 goals, with new goalkeeper Andre Onana inexplicably giving Bayern Munich the opener in their 4-3 midweek defeat after United had started the game in a positive way. Lisandro Martinez’s statistics should alarm anyone associated with Man Utd

 

Lisandro Martinez’s statistics should alarm everyone involved with Man Utd

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It all doesn’t bode well for a trip to newly promoted Lancashire rivals Burnley, who are in brighter spirits after getting their first point of the season at Nottingham Forest on Monday. But Ten Hag did not want to make excuses and preferred to make a call for unity and improvement.

“It’s about eleven players doing their job,” he said. “I always tell my players that we have to attack with eleven and defend with eleven. If one or two players don’t do their job, it’s like a deck of cards, so it’s not just down to one or two players.”

 

He insists that with players returning from injuries United will emerge stronger from this period of adversity, but only if they stay together: “It’s my second year, I know it won’t always go up, you’ll have gaps and you’ll get stronger as long as you’re together. “This is what we do, the dressing room, the coaches, the medical staff: everyone is united and at United we fight.”

 

Last season they may have had seven at Anfield, six at the Etihad and four at Brentford, but Ten Hag was keen to stress that they need to get back to the level of defense that gave them the Premier League record for stoppages – 17 in 38 games.

“We have shown that we can defend as a team because last year we had the most clean sheets, so we have to get back to that level.

“I’ve been pushing and demanding this since the beginning of the season, but they’re people, not robots. I try to find solutions and motivate the players to do their job.”

 

Maguire, Raphael Varane, Mason Mount and new signing Sofyan Ambrabat could all be in line to start at Turf Moor.