May 3rd 2024.
Erik ten Hag has been receiving criticism for the style of play that his team has been exhibiting. As the manager of Manchester United, he has been constantly compared to the playing style of Ajax, a team known for their possession-based football. However, in a recent interview with Gary Neville on Sky Sports, Ten Hag has defended his team's style of play and shed light on the challenges he has faced in trying to replicate the "Ajax way" at Old Trafford.
When Ten Hag first joined United, he was expected to transform the team's counter-attacking, transitional play into a more methodical possession-based style. This style, rooted in the Total Football philosophy of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff, has heavily influenced the likes of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. However, Ten Hag explains that implementing this style has not been an easy task, especially with the players he has at his disposal.
United had a brief taste of this style under Louis van Gaal, who transformed the team's possession stats from an average of 42% to 58.8% in his first season. But this season, United's matches have been more open and end-to-end, with the team struggling to maintain control and ranking 10th in possession in the league. Ten Hag attributes this to the players he has and the failure to acquire a key target during his first summer with the team.
Speaking about the challenges of bringing the Ajax style to United, Ten Hag says, "In the recruitment, you need players with specific qualities that Ajax players possess. You can't bring in a player who has a different style and try to change their nature." He also reveals that he wanted to bring in Barcelona's midfield maestro Frenkie de Jong, who would have been a perfect fit for the Ajax style of play. However, negotiations with Barcelona fell through, and United were unable to sign him.
De Jong, who came through the Ajax academy and made his breakthrough under Ten Hag, has been a key player for Barcelona, averaging the most passes per game in La Liga. In comparison, United's top passer, Bruno Fernandes, only averages 55 passes per game. Ten Hag believes that having a player like De Jong in the team would have allowed him to play a more similar style to Ajax's.
Despite missing out on De Jong, Ten Hag has brought in several players from Ajax, such as Lisandro Martinez and Antony. However, he believes that the team's extensive injury list has been a major factor in their inconsistent performances this season. He says, "We are not where we want to be with our style of play, but we have made improvements. We have been more consistent and have only suffered three defeats in 2024. However, we have drawn too many games, and that's something we need to work on."
In conclusion, Ten Hag stands by his team's playing style and believes that with the right players and a bit of luck with injuries, they can continue to improve and achieve success. He remains committed to playing proactive, dynamic football with a high line, and hopes to bring more victories to Old Trafford in the future.
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