Erik ten Hag allegedly feels constrained from addressing certain hard truths within the Manchester United dressing room, fearing it might upset some team members. The team’s performance took a further nosedive this week following a humiliating loss to Galatasaray at home, leaving them with zero points in the Champions League from their first two games.
Their start in the league isn’t much better, with four losses in their opening seven matches. The defeat to Galatasaray stands out as one of the ugliest under Ten Hag’s management, with the team being jeered off the pitch at the final whistle.
Reports suggest that Ten Hag’s position at Old Trafford is secure, being entrusted with the task of guiding the team back to its past glory days. Nonetheless, it seems the Dutch manager is unable to fully express his thoughts in the dressing room to effectively communicate his message.
According to ESPN, Ten Hag hasn’t been as critical behind the scenes as he desires, partly due to concerns about the ‘mental fragility of the squad’. He has urged his squad to display better “body language” when facing adversities, stating, “We have to do better, that is definitely the case, but we have to show it, even in our body language.”
However, the report indicates Ten Hag’s frustration, expressing that some players are not attentive to his instructions. He reportedly desires a new central defender in the upcoming January transfer window. Yet, his immediate focus is on the upcoming match against Brentford at home, where he is calling for an improved performance and motivation, emphasizing the setback they faced should fuel their energy for the upcoming game.
Manchester United already trails league leaders Manchester City by nine points, putting them at risk of falling behind in the race for a top-four finish.