Manchester United put in yet another spineless performance this season, losing to Bournemouth 0-3 on Saturday, the first-ever defeat against this opposition at Old Trafford.
This was United’s 11th defeat this campaign and the fourth time the team have conceded thrice at home. Manager Erik ten Hag is one step away from getting sacked.
This was not a comprehensive defeat against Manchester City or some elite team, this was the Cherries who were deserved winners, an absolute travesty!
What is ETH doing?
Whether the move will be the right one, nobody can say but such consistent abject displays from a team that the manager has been training for one-and-a-half season is unpardonable.
United have been hampered by injuries and poor form but the absence of Lisandro Martinez cannot force the team to abandon their approach and suddenly look so poor while building from the back.
All the top managers lose without key personnel, but Manchester City, Arsenal or Brighton do not abandon their principles.
What the team does during training during the week remains a mystery. There was no cohesiveness on display and ultimately, the manager deserves blame.
The manager also still doesn’t know his best side. He keeps selecting the wrong personnel time and again! He has kept playing Scott McTominay as he is so desperate for goals, despite the lack of midfield balance.
The less said about a certain Frenchman the better! Despite struggling to fulfill his potential for over seven seasons, and putting in one of the worst displays in a United shirt against Newcastle, the manager decided to play Anthony Martial up top.
How can one justify such decisions? The Frenchman is lucky to even have a club with the kind of performances he puts in week in, week out.
Ten Hag has always maintained that Ajax was a similarly difficult role and he succeeded. Thus, he feels he can turn this around, but let’s be honest, the Red Devils are nothing like the Dutch giants.
Nothing has worked for the manager
Behind-the-scenes the club is a mess and things will not immediately improve when Sir Jim Ratcliffe comes in. That fabled clearout will take a few windows at least.
The manager has been in charge of recruitment as well, and arguably, only the Argentine has been a successful signing so far. That is a poor track record even in the transfers department.
United are only in the conversation regarding European football at the end of the season because the other teams have been dropping points consistently.
Games against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and a daunting trip to Liverpool await this team. Fans are already scared of the final scoreline. Ten Hag might not have a job by the end of the week and for good reason.
