Once again, Erik ten Hag faces criticism as his Manchester United team suffers a 2-1 defeat to Fulham. United, buoyed by recent successes, entered the match with confidence, only to see it wane as Fulham’s disciplined performance took hold. Calvin Bassey’s goal in the 65th minute gave Fulham a 1-0 lead, despite United’s late efforts, including Harry Maguire’s equalizer. However, Adama Traore’s impressive run led to Alex Iwobi’s late goal, securing Fulham’s first away win since the start of the season.
The absence of the influential Rasmus Hojlund, sidelined due to injury, posed a challenge for United. Ten Hag’s decision to start Omari Forson over Antony and Amad Diallo, potentially as a tactic to persuade Forson to extend his contract, initially garnered praise. However, deviating from the successful frontline setup of recent matches, Ten Hag deployed Forson on the right, shifting Alejandro Garnacho to the left and Marcus Rashford centrally. This tactical move backfired, drawing criticism on social media for its ineffectiveness against Fulham.
Various voices within the football community express skepticism and frustration with Ten Hag’s approach. Some question the coherence and consistency of his tactics, suggesting a lack of clear direction or identity for United under his management. Critics lament the perceived decline in performance, comparing it unfavorably to previous regimes. The sentiment expressed is one of disappointment and concern regarding the trajectory of Manchester United under Ten Hag’s leadership.
I don’t understand what Ten Hag is trying to achieve.
— Doc (@Doc_Joshi) February 24, 2024
the unsustainable football that people claimed Ole was doing is actually happening with Ten Hag, suddenly we don’t seem to be scoring much when Hojlund isn’t here huh
— ReallyTired 🇲🇾 (@SoTerriblyTired) February 24, 2024
Keep Rashford on the left, Garnacho on the right and Omari central.
Erik ten Hag wants to galaxy brain it.
— . (@tsnmknd) February 24, 2024
This is why Sir Jim as been asked about Ten Hag three times and not directly backed him loool
— bene gesserit sister (@CasaDupre) February 24, 2024
I’ve been telling everyone, the longer Man Utd stick with Ten Hag, the better for everyone else. There is no identity, no consistency, just garbage.
— Pádraig (@afcpadraig) February 24, 2024
That is what ten hag football is. No control.