ETH has got form for current United tactics - but Prem is a different beast

A DEBATE involving Erik ten Hag and legendary former Dutch player Ruud Gullit from when the United manager was in charge of Ajax has gone viral on social media and the footage is fascinating.

- STEVEN RAILSTON

United’s performances have been disappointing this season, with pundits and fans alike questioning the chaotic style of play Ten Hag is responsible for. The space between the defensive line and midfield has regularly been exploited and Casemiro’s drop-off has contributed to the issue – but the problem is ultimately structural.

Although United won 4-3 against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals, there was a moment in the first half when Dominik Szoboszlai broke forward and was left in acres of space.

United’s back four were around 40 yards away from their attacking team-mates and the only reason that moment wasn’t a prominent post-match talking point was because Liverpool lost.

The most concerning aspect is those moments have happened throughout the campaign without Ten Hag addressing the problem.

It has become far too easy for opponents to slice through United’s midfield, which explains why so many chances on goal have been conceded.

United have conceded more shots (253) in 2024 than any other side in Europe’s big-five leagues and that’s clearly a problem – despite Ten Hag continuing to play it down.