Manchester United laboured to a draw against Leicester on Saturday which was painful viewing.
Getting to the end of the season is going to be a slog. The one reason United had to be optimistic, battling for a top four place, seems to be almost gone, with more points dropped.
United fans are busy looking ahead, to a time where the club can really hope of a new dawn. This will involve the appointment of a new manager, at the end of the season if not before.
Erik ten Hag is the current favourite for the role, The Telegraph reported this week, after undergoing an interview. He is busy with Ajax at present, and enjoyed a far more exciting weekend than United did.
Ten Hag praises winning mentality
Manchester United looked totally lost against Leicester, a team without a plan, going through the motions. The players do not appear to know what they are doing.
Meanwhile, Ajax are completely on track in their quest to win the Eredivisie for a third time under Erik ten Hag.
They won their game, a 3-1 victory away at Groningen, after conceding the first goal. Ten Hag praised the mentality of his players.
Ten Hag said: “That was the deciding factor. We have lost one game since the beginning of January. That shows our winning mentality. You have to keep going until the end and finish actions. We did that.”
United’s mentality could not be more different. You do not know what you are getting with this team from one game to the next. Even after a win, United usually don’t follow it up.
The same pattern has been repeating since 2013, and United need a ‘proper manager’ to come in and shake this club up, implement a style of play with real conviction, and instill a winning mentality into his players.
Ten Hag is showing his team has that at Ajax. It’s all well and good being talented, but teams require mental strength at this crucial stage of the season.
United’s players have enough quality to put together a run and claim a top four spot, but we have been saying that since December, and it just hasn’t happened, and nor is it likely to change before the end of the season.
We can only dream ahead to a time where it may get better. It has to, soon, right?
- Erik Ten Hag’s managerial record and style of play
- Erik Ten Hag’s five most expensive transfers
- Ajax’s last five managers before Ten Hag and where they are now
- Five Ajax players Ten Hag could sign for Manchester United
- Ten Hag’s comments when Van de Beek left Ajax for Old Trafford
- Six key issues for Manchester United’s next boss
- The three biggest wins of Ten Hag’s managerial career
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