Manchester United fans are all convinced Erik ten Hag’s tactics are the problem for team’s poor form

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Manchester United have struggled badly this season, failing to control games in midfield. Erik ten Hag may be to blame.

Manchester United’s performances this season have followed a similar pattern. The midfield is too easy to play through, with teams from Wolves to Bournemouth cutting through it too easily.

This has been down to tactics. Erik ten Hag has a desire to play two midfielders high up the pitch to support a three-man attack, leaving his one remaining midfielder isolated.

Whether it be Casemiro, or Sofyan Amrabat, they been swarmed, leaving each of them overloaded. You could stick prime Claude Makelele in there and it would not make a difference.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said after his team’s win: “They [Manchester United] send a lot of players forward so you will get spaces. We knew they would make our wingers run backward, but we knew when we could recover high our forwards would have space. We knew in transitions we would have our chances and we took them.”

Manchester United fans point out Ten Hag errors

With opposing managers finding Manchester United relatively easy to unravel, scrutiny is growing towards Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman can select whoever he wants, but unless he reverts to a more measured approach utilised last season, his tactics are asking for trouble.

Here is a look at what supporters have been saying on X about his tactics…

• “Erik ten Hag tactics are to blame. Let us not sugarcoat it. Bournemouth just used ETH’s tactics against him.”
• “If Ten Hag doesn’t change his tactics and we keep being easy to play against. He will be gone next season.”
• “The squad Ten Hag has is capable of performing much better than they are, and they’re being let down by poor tactics, lack of adaptability, and game management. Either Ten Hag changes or we find someone who will.”
• “We got no midfield with Ten Hag tactics He leaves our #6 alone and exposed.”
• “As much as I am Ten Hag in….tactically he is applying for the sack…..he is doing self sabotage…not having two defensive minded CMs to protect the midfield and his continued playing of Mctominay will be the death of him at Utd.”
• “Would only consider having Ten Hag around if he decides to change his system. It’s unsustainable to play with two number 10s like Bruno and McTominay who aren’t good in possession.”
• “Ten Hag is making the same errors as the players. Midfield has been an issue all season, and we keep playing the same way.”

Scott McTominay is part of the problem

A lack of goals from Manchester United’s strikers has left Erik ten Hag dependent on Scott McTominay‘s goals from midfield.

But he cannot keep starting McTominay and Bruno Fernandes together, it’s too high-risk, as we saw at the weekend.

That’s why it is actually a positive that Fernandes is suspended against Liverpool, as it removes that option.

The concern is that Ten Hag is tied to this playing style, hence his move for Mason Mount in the summer, who Paul Scholes pointed out, unbalanced the team’s midfield when he played.

Ten Hag needs to make a change. Especially this month with a brutal run of upcoming fixtures ahead.