Should Ten Hag be sacked at the end of the season?
Former Premier League champions Manchester United are on the way to their worst-ever finish in the league since 1990. The club currently sit 8th in the English top flight. And with just two games left before the end of the campaign, there is a good possibility that the Red Devils will remain eighth.
Indeed, it has been a campaign to forget for Manchester United and their fans, so much so that with 14 defeats as of the time of writing, they have now suffered their most defeats in a single campaign since the inception of the Premier League. Without sugarcoating words in any way, the club has fallen off badly this season, but is coach Erik Ten Hag to blame?
Injuries, injuries, and more injuries
In terms of injuries, Manchester United are undeniably the worst-hit side in Europe’s top five leagues this season. Almost every member of the first team has suffered injuries at one time or the other. Ten Hag has had to depend on academy players to deliver the goods this season, and that is why players like Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, and Willy Kambwala have gotten a lot of game time. Despite their slump in form, fans are still purchasing Man United tickets.
The position where Manchester United have suffered the most is their defense. England international Luke Shaw has missed 15 games because of a muscle injury, Tyrell Malacia has not kicked a ball this season because of a knee injury, and Victor Lindelof has missed nine Premier League games due to a hamstring injury.
In addition, French defender Raphael Varane has missed eight Premier League games because of a muscle injury. Also, Argentine centre-back Lisandro Martinez has missed 36 games this season due to different injuries. He has suffered injuries to his calf, knee, and foot.
England international Harry Maguire has been sidelined for six games because of a groin injury, Jonny Evans, who is in the closing embers of his career has also missed ten games because of a muscle injury and a hamstring strain, while English right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has missed 21 games because of a hamstring injury.
In the midfield, Scott McTominay has been unavailable in nine games this season, Mason Mount has missed 27 games, while Anthony Martial has missed twelve games because of a groin injury.
With all these injury issues, any club in the world would struggle. Ten Hag has been unable to name a consistent starting eleven this season. Recently, Casemiro has had to fill in as a makeshift centre-back in the absence of the senior team defenders, and that decision has cost the team. Casemiro was catastrophic in Manchester United’s 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace. His inexperience playing defense also cost the team against Arsenal, as he kept Kai Havertz onside in the run-up to the only goal of the game.
Even against Arsenal, a shocking moment occurred when forward Antony was asked to play as a left back, in a brief moment that summed up United’s season as a whole.
Ten Hag’s Failures
Aside from injuries, Ten Hag’s decision-making has been poor. Since he joined Manchester United have allowed him to dictate the kind of players that he wants. And so far, it has been bad decisions upon bad decisions. Malacia has not looked like Manchester United quality since he joined. Mount has failed to show glimpses of brilliance, and Antony has not matched the €95 million that was paid for him two years ago.
Also, Nordin Amrabat has not looked like the player who helped Morocco to the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Nonetheless, he is on loan and would likely leave at the end of the season.
Aside from the failed transfers, Ten Hag’s capability has to be questioned. Even before most of the injuries set in, Manchester United were already struggling. The Red Devils lost three of their first five games of the Premier League season. Also, in the UEFA Champions League, Manchester United wobbled and fumbled to finish fourth in a group that had a struggling Bayern Munich, Danish side Copenhagen, and Turkish club Galatasaray. Manchester United only managed one win from six games and finished with four points.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have laboured hard for most of their wins. Most of their victories have been unconvincing. Erik Ten Hag’s setup has left them vulnerable in many situations. A key indicator was their 4-2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup in January. Newport, despite being in League Two, registered 17 goal attempts. And it was not even against a depleted Manchester United side, Ten Hag had the big guns like Bruno Fernandes, Martinez, Varane, and Casemiro.
Can Ten Hag lead Manchester United To The Promised Land?
Last season, when Ten Hag led United to a third-place finish in the Premier League, it seemed like the team was on to something and could push Arsenal and Manchester City for the title this season. However, that assumption has gone with the wind, as this campaign has been abysmal by the club’s standards.
INEOS just acquired a stake at the club, and it is expected that they would push for a significant change at the club. Some big player arrivals are also expected in the summer as they look to rebuild the club. Also, there could be a slight administrative shake-up at the club, with Dan Ashworth expected to take over as sporting director while Jason Wilcox will become the new technical director at the end of the campaign.
Although Ten Hag can be excused because of the injuries that the club has experienced, the new management will likely be searching for a good replacement. There have already been rumours linking England boss Gareth Southgate with the job, but that could be hindered because of the Euros.
Nonetheless, with the club set for their worst finish in 20 years, Manchester United will be justified if they let Ten Hag leave this summer. At this point and given the current circumstances, fans would not mind seeing the Dutchman go.