Erik ten Hag: Gary Neville says Man Utd manager will be ‘vulnerable’ if playing style fails to develop within months | Football News

Gary Neville believes Erik ten Hag’s place as Manchester United supervisor will probably be “weak” if his aspect doesn’t develop a enjoying type within the subsequent few months.

United drew 2-2 with Tottenham within the Premier League on Sunday in entrance of the watching Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Outdated Trafford, a outcome that leaves them seventh within the desk and eight factors off the highest 4.

Ten Hag’s workforce have struggled for consistency this season, shedding 14 video games in all competitions, and Neville thinks the Dutchman will probably be in hassle if performances don’t enhance quickly with Ratcliffe’s partial takeover anticipated to undergo in February.

Talking to Sky Sports activities for The Gary Neville Podcast, the previous United captain stated: “We have to see a method of play develop within the subsequent few months or else I believe the coach will probably be weak as a result of in the end the brand new proprietor will are available and wish to see how we will play, need electrical energy, need razzmatazz.

“Manchester United have traditionally been field workplace. Spurs are field workplace. I really like watching Spurs play soccer. Manchester United are a tough watch. They have some thrilling, proficient gamers, it simply must one way or the other gel within the subsequent few months, and I hope it may well for Erik ten Hag.

“I am speaking about patterns and mixtures that gamers can depend upon after they undergo troublesome moments in a match. You depend upon the reminiscence of what you have been engaged on in observe to come back out on the pitch on the weekend.

“The final time that I noticed mixtures of play and a sequence of passes that appeared like they belonged to 1 one other was beneath Louis van Gaal. What I see here’s a assortment of single passes the place a participant receives it and appear to have to work out the place the following participant is, slightly than understanding the place the following participant is.

“That is actually shocking me as a result of Dutch teaching has been masterful over the past 30, 40, 50 years. Ten Hag’s teaching, being at Bayern Munich after which going to Ajax, he is produced unbelievable groups which have had actually good mixtures and patterns of play that I might see in a very well-functioning workforce. And I do not see something of it.

“They actually battle to have the ability to know the place one another are and put mixtures and patterns collectively. That is the bit within the subsequent few months that I believe wants to come back. Outcomes, sure. After all, it’s good to win. There isn’t any actual electrical energy on this stadium in the meanwhile watching the workforce so what we have to see is one thing develop, that the workforce are bettering, progressing and heading in the right direction.

“Overlook who the gamers are for now as a result of Spurs have confirmed right this moment with out their greatest gamers which you can go on the market and nonetheless play in the identical method.

“That’s one factor I observed right this moment. The place is the default type of play on this workforce? I do not see it and that could be a actual concern. We all know United beneath Ole and Jose Mourinho had been extra counter-attacking, however that is not what we anticipated from Erik ten Hag.

“We anticipated that prime urgent, entrance foot, excessive tempo possession-play. He stated one thing just a few weeks in the past that he cannot ship that at Manchester United which I assumed was a very fascinating factor for him to say as a result of different managers have confirmed at Brighton and at Tottenham which you can ship with gamers that possibly aren’t at the same time as precious within the switch market as those that United have.

“That’s what we have to see from United. How are they going to play? How are they going to win matches? What’s the technique? It hampers these attacking stats loads as a result of if you do not have a method of play, it truly is a battle.

“I knew precisely the place the following move was going once I was enjoying for Manchester United. I performed with these gamers for a few years. Clearly, Erik ten Hag has not had a few years however he has had 18 months and I do not assume at this second in time you possibly can see these patterns creating.”

Does the damage listing clarify the dearth of these patterns?

“The patterns are labored on as a squad, not simply as a workforce. The extra you play collectively, the extra you develop an understanding, however the patterns are labored on as a squad. The patterns should not simply given to the primary 11 and the remainder must attempt to work them out.

“The truth that they’ve misplaced [Harry] Maguire, [Victor] Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, it does influence Manchester United as a result of they’ve misplaced some expertise there, significantly Martinez who is sweet at enjoying out from the again.

“However Tottenham had 5 – 6 gamers lacking, their entire midfield was lacking, however [Hojbjerg and Skipp] nonetheless attempt the identical patterns. Not as efficiently as Bissouma and Sarr however they nonetheless do the identical factor. Even when Emerson Royal and Ben Davies have been centre-backs, they nonetheless attempt the identical issues. It might not be as profitable however you continue to see them attempting to do the identical issues.

“So I do not assume it’s an excuse that Manchester United have 4 or 5 gamers out. You may see that the outcomes may endure a bit, you possibly can see that they won’t do the issues that they wish to accomplish that nicely. However I do not see any sample both with the first-choice gamers or with out the first-choice gamers.

“That may be a actual concern and it has to vary.”

Talking to Sky Sports activities on the published previous to recording The Gary Neville Podcast, the previous United participant had articulated most of the similar concepts. “I’m just a little bit anxious in regards to the lack of mixture and patterns of play at United, and the dearth of consistency in efficiency,” he advised Sky Sports activities.

“If you’re in troublesome moments in video games, you must depend upon one thing to get you thru it. That is often the work you have achieved on the coaching pitch in the course of the week. It is not an excuse to say gamers have been missed as a result of that sample of play goes into the squad. You may see that with different groups which have had gamers lacking.

“I fear that what we see is a move will get performed to 1 participant after which they work out what their subsequent move is whereas different groups know what their subsequent move is. You by no means see gamers in the identical positions. Even out of possession, they’re chasing round folks, man-to-man marking. They’re by no means actually in form from an attacking perspective, out of possession. When is that going to vary?

“I’m scratching my head just a little bit as a result of this can be a man [Ten Hag] who has coached with Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich, had achieved the job he did at Ajax with patterns of play, mixtures and actually fluid soccer however then stated in an interview earlier than Christmas that he could not ship the Ajax soccer at Manchester United.

“I get that as a result of Ajax is such an embedded method of enjoying and elegance however when Louis Van Gaal got here right here – and I wasn’t an incredible fan of his soccer – he was in a position to play an actual distinct type of play. Why aren’t we seeing one thing develop that we all know the place this workforce goes?

“Is it a high-pressing workforce? No. Is it a possession workforce? No. Is it a counter-attacking workforce? Typically, if a workforce leaves area in behind. It isn’t a direct workforce. I am not fairly positive what it’s and that does must develop within the subsequent few months if it may well.”