Being decent is not enough
United's performance improved but the result didn't. Time for Ten Hag to go?
FIVE ASIDES Premier League: Aston Villa 0, United 0
United were decent at Villa Park. They fought hard, they defended stoutly, they pulled themselves together. They hit the woodwork twice and managed four shots on target to Villa’s one. Two of those four came from Marcus Rashford, who was again United’s sharpest weapon despite being deployed almost as deep as he was in the Cup Final. If United were lucky that Rashford escaped a red card for his second late tackle, that was payback for some harsh yellows. Erik ten Hag’s decision to turn back to Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans, which reeked of desperation, came up smelling of roses. Evans was man of the match, Maguire was commanding until he was struck down by injury, and Jhon Duran, Villa’s lethal supersub, didn’t have a single shot.
But being decent is not enough if you’re in the bottom half of the table. When you’ve already lost at home to two of last season’s top five, you need a big away win to make up for it. With Villa playing with a four-day hangover after beating Bayern Munich, this game was there for the taking, and United couldn't summon enough composure to win it. Alejandro Garnacho, racing away on the counter, couldn't manage the simple square ball that would have found Bruno Fernandes in space. Antony, picking up the rebound from Fernandes’ near-perfect free kick, couldn't control his half-volley. An attack that has 11 goals in three cup games still has only five in the league. When Brentford come to Old Trafford on Saturday week, Bryan Mbeumo will have more league goals this season (six) than the whole United squad (five).
Never mind the goals – United have just eight points from seven games. After steering them to their worst Premier League finish last season, Erik ten Hag has now steered them to their worst Premier League start. One day in the summer (at the risk of being That Guy who tells you all about his Fantasy Football team), I came up with two sets of predicted results for each league game up to the end of 2024. One set was optimistic, the other pessimistic, and both had to be within the bounds of realism. With the glass half-full, I found myself forecasting 14 points from the first seven games. With the glass half-empty, it was seven points, and after the seventh game (Villa) there was a line in red: ‘ETH sacked?’.
That is the question. Ten Hag, in the league, has gone from good to bad to worse. He keeps portraying himself as a serial winner, but the picture only works if he leaves out the league altogether (and Europe). He has become all jam and no bread-and-butter: his winning percentage in the league has gone from 61 in his first season to 47 in his second and now 28 in his third. His team have little identity, his game management is often baffling, his signings have been erratic, he keeps contradicting himself (demoting Maguire, trying to sell him, giving him another chance, demoting him again, then turning to him when the defence needed shoring up), and he never follows Alex Ferguson’s advice that you have to win the press conference as well as the game.
There still isn’t one outstanding candidate for the job, which might keep Ten Hag in place for a little longer. But there are several managers who could surely do better with the present squad. Thomas Tuchel has shown that he would have a clearer game plan (even if he didn’t last long). Gareth Southgate has shown that he can change a dismal culture (even if he might take some persuading to attack, attack, attack). Michael Carrick has shown that he can lift United’s results instantly (even if Middlesbrough are not as good as their xG). Kieran McKenna has shown that he can bring both a plan and a taste for adventure (even if Ipswich have yet to win a league game). Ruud van Nistelrooy has shown that he would add presence and authority (even if he might be tempted to select himself). And all five, in their different ways, have Premier League know-how – the quality Ten Hag’s signings so often lack.
Tim de Lisle is the editor of United Writing and a sportswriter for The Guardian. He’s been supporting United since the days of Wilf McGuinness.